Happy Pride Month, one and all! We’re so excited to be celebrating love this month, as we do every month over here, and we can’t stop talking about our dazzling Greek Island Hopping Pride trip! Glide through the Mediterranean with fellow LGBTQIA+ travellers and allies as you explore Greece’s natural beauty, gorge yourself on fresh flavours, meet the locals, and party under the setting sun. This is all about celebrating Pride with a private group of your own and no inhibitions at all!
To test the trip and give you all a taste, we sent content creator Emma Horn on the trip so she could discover the magic of travelling with like-minded people to beautiful destinations. We caught up with Emma as she lounged on the white sandy beaches, and asked her all about the trip and you can read on to get all the juicy details. Spoiler alert: it’s a fabulous time.
Hey, Emma! What were you looking forward to most when joining the trip?
“So much, but it was definitely the opportunity to travel to another country with my community that sold it. It’s so refreshing to be able to experience all these adventures with people who just get you and who you are, and travelling to Greece was the perfect way to kick off Pride Month!”
“I was also really looking forward to making the most of the Greek food and beaches, obviously! And neither disappointed.”
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Image source:Emma Horn
Did anything surprise you about the trip?
“Yes! We had a literal surprise in Paros when our Trip Manager left us all a secret letter and we had to find our way to the destination ourselves – it was so cute and a great activity to get us all helping each other out. Other than that it was a pretty insightful trip as we all got to learn about everyone’s different backgrounds, share our journeys and stories about identity, etc. That was a really heartwarming time.”
What has been your favourite part so far?
“DEFINITELY PAROS! Without a doubt. The town has so much beauty that I think a lot of people visiting truly miss in favour of the beaches – but you really need to take your time and look around! I really appreciated the local community and how welcoming they were. Not to mention the sunset boat ride our beautiful Trip Manager Ellen (big shoutout to my girl!) surprised us with. It was so much fun.”
Do you feel that there was a close sense of community on the trip?
“I do. It’s definitely natural to feel closer to a few specific people, but overall it felt like there was a big sense of inclusion, and I was really touched to see that so many people made the effort to talk to everybody. As someone who sometimes feels anxious in group settings, it was really nice to feel this comfortable with the other travellers.”
Have you made any friends? Tell us a little about them!
“Of course, and I love them! It’s funny being on a trip with all people from the LGBTQIA+ community because usually in a room, like at a party, the gays will find each other through a sea of people and click immediately, but on this trip everyone is queer, so there was no searching necessary.”
“It’s been great to be able to make such genuine connections with some very cool and beautiful people. We all live in different areas, but I’ve already made plans to keep in touch and travel to see my friends again soon!”
How has your Contiki Trip Manager added to your Contiki experience?
“Ellen, our Trip Manager, is everything! I wouldn’t be anywhere without her. Quite literally, because I am the worst at scheduling. She’s our guide, our shining light in the dark and I love how she embraces each day alongside us. I truly appreciate the effort she has gone to to make our days that little bit EXTRA. I’ll never forget the bus ride sing-alongs! They were the favourite part of my mornings, and I’ll miss them when I’m back home.”
What has Greece been like as a destination for a Pride trip?
“Firstly, the Greek drag queens really served – they were so gorgeous and I love noticing the difference in drag culture compared to back home in Australia. The locals were also so kind and friendly. I always felt so welcomed by them, and I learned that Greece has a really strong queer history as well. One thing to note, though, is that there isn’t much queer visibility or parts of the island that are specifically catered to the LGBTQIA+ community. But this didn’t stop us from being our loud and proud selves!”
“Greece is also just incredibly beautiful and a place that I will be coming to again for sure, so it was great to be able to getaway there for a few days. I’d love to have a deeper look at any hidden queer spots on my next trip here, and maybe even participate in a few Pride themed celebrations at each destination.”
Image source:Emma Horn
Do you have any tips for anyone hopping on a Contiki Pride trip?
“This might sound strange, but I recommend scheduling some down time for yourself when activities aren’t going on. It’s really easy to feel socially burnt out when we are so busy doing all these amazing things – so for me, I loved going for a walk or discovering a local place by myself during the busyness! Other than that, just have fun and be yourself: you’re travelling with like minded people around beautiful Greece.”
If you also want to celebrate Pride with fellow members of the LGBTQIA+ community, check out our Greek Island Hopping trip and make sure to select the Pride variant! See you there.
