HYDRA or YDRA lies just 37 nautical miles from Athens between the Saronic and Argolis Gulf and has something of an artistic pedigree as well as being a favourite weekend destination for Athenians.
Hydra, pronounced 'eedra', was 'discovered' in the late 1950s by artists such as the Canadian beat poet and singer Leonard Cohen and its harbourside cafes have entertained celebrities ranging from writer Henry Miller to rocker Mick Jagger. Today Hydra still attracts artists and writers, although the island is much more heavily dependent on tourism.
Hydra is a long, thin island characterised by rocky hillsides and the interior is virtually uninhabited except for the odd farmhouse and a few remote monasteries. Beautiful 18th century mansion houses are a reminder that Hydra was once the home of rich merchants and shipbuilders.
Donkeys and boats are the only form of transport as cars and bikes are banned. Strict building laws protect the island's traditional architectural style and preserve its serene beauty. Hydra may have no notable beaches and much woodland lost to forest fires but it still oozes charm and well-heeled Athenians now make up a large proportion of its regular visitors.
The architecture of Hydra is exceptional among the Greek islands. During the 18th and 19th century the island was the base for a huge commercial fleet. Wealthy merchants and ship owners built beautiful Venetian-style mansions on the island.
Many of the Hydra island mansions have been faithfully restored. Most of the houses are built from grey Hydra stone, tall and narrow with brightly coloured doors and window shutters.
There are only a few sand beaches on Hydra and these tend to be crowded. The rest are beaches of stone and rock. The main bathing areas in Hydra Town are around the rocky coastline.
Hydra is more a getaway weekend retreat for wealthy Greek mainlanders than a draw for foreign visitors but, if you are looking for a quiet retreat, this could be just the island for you.
Hydra is not a great island for beaches. The dominant features are a heavily indented rocky shoreline backed by bare mountains, pine carpeted valleys and the odd farm. Almost all 2,500 inhabitants live in and around the main port of Hydra. Half a dozen small pebble beaches are strung along the north coast while the south has only the odd cove to enjoy and these are difficult to reach. The one sandy beach is dominated by a hotel complex.
Daily buses
Boat hire
Cantina
Ferry port
Museum
Tavernas
HYDRA TOWN consists of a crescent-shaped harbour, fringed by tavernas, cafes, boutique shops and mini-markets. The harbour is often packed with scores of yachts and other sailing craft in the summer and the tavernas and cafes around it are packed with people.
Steep stone streets that lead up and out from the Hydra Town harbour area are lined with stout grey houses, some impressive mansions and most of them are topped with red tiled roofs.
Such impressive mansions are not seen in such abundance on any other Greek island. Hydra Town was once populated by wealthy merchants and shipbuilders and they built themselves some luxurious homes in the 18th and 19th century.
Most homes are tall and narrow, a consequence of being built on steeply rising land, and many have been restored by rich Athenians who have opted for bright colours on shutters, doors and some walls.
The most populated Hydra Town area is Kiafa which sites high above the port and is the oldest residential area offering good views over the bay. Arched bridges cross some steep streets to connect the houses. Stone built windmills at the summit complete the scene along with some notable churches in Hydra Town itself.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin stands out. It sits in the centre of Hydra Town, with its magnificent three-storey bell tower of marble from Tinos. It was founded in 1643 as a monastery but only the church is left.
Some old monk cells house the municipal offices and a small ecclesiastical museum. The Kountouriotis museum, behind the church is also worth a visit. Housed in a former mansion house it has many exhibits from 19th century and examples of Hydra's maritime heritage. Through the archway under the waterfront clock tower is the Byzantine Museum which has a good collection of religious objects.
MonasteryTavernas
Watersports
The beach at MANDRAKI is about 2km east from the main port at Hydra along a wide and level coast road which is slowly being lined with newly built houses and villas.
The walk takes about 30 mins and there is little shade to be had so it's not particularly pleasant in the summer or in the heat of the day. Footpaths branch off the main road and lead up to the remote monasteries perched on the surrounding hills.
There are taxi boats that take about 5 mins to get to Mandraki and a hotel boat that makes regular trips throughout the day.
The bay of Mandraki itself is backed by steep rugged hills, dotted with a few pine trees and lots more scrub. It is made up of two beach areas.
One beach lies in a small sheltered cove below a taverna and is mostly pebble and rock. There are sun loungers and some shade from trees. With water taxis regularly pulling in to dock at the small jetty it can be unsafe to swim and bathers should take care.
Further round the bay is a larger sandy area that had been purloined by the Miramare Hotel that overlooks it. Here Mandraki beach is a gritty sharp sand and is usually quite busy. It has the usual facilities - sunbeds and loungers and watersports for the more active.
The stone jetty creates a large shallow area of water that is popular with families. The hotel also welcomes Mandraki beach users who want to enjoy the hotel facilities which include a restaurant, games room and volleyball court.
There is also a beach bar for those that enjoy all-day music.
Tavernas
SPILIA is an area of rock just west of the main harbour at Hydra port. The grey rock has been blasted with dynamite and covered with swathes of cement to form decking where tables and loungers can be positioned over the sea.
The water at Spilia is clear and a deep blue colour, ideal for diving and swimming, although it's a lot easier getting in than out.
Next to Spilia is a deck of rock and stone called Hydroneta which lies below the cannons on the walls above the rocks.
The beach bar hangs over the rocks with tables set out on cliff face overhangs. This is a popular place for visitors, although the continuous all-day music can be annoying if its peace you are looking for.
There are magnificent views over the sea and the surrounding islands and Spilia is pleasant beach to admire a romantic sunset, assuming you don't mind the bleating pop music. It does sometimes turn to romantic classical at sunset.
ALAVLAKI is a fairly inhospitable strip of shingle next to a cement shelf at the bottom of a very steep cliff just beyond Spilia.
There are steps to get down to Alavlaki but they are so steep you feel as though you are descending a ladder and you need to be fit to get back up. You are likely to get Alavlaki to yourself for long periods as not many will bother to brave the climb.
Alavlaki is also quite difficult to find. The steps are opposite an abandoned building found after a couple of bends on the road to Kamini out of Hydra port.
Alavlaki beach also falls away very sharply under the sea so it's not a beach that is at all suitable for families with young children.
Boat hireTavernas
Above Hydra port is an area known as the “Four Corners” with houses on each side of a small square. Homes here tend to be cheaper as there is no sea view but this is where the Canadian poet/singer Leonard Cohen has a home.
You can take the steep, stepped route through here to the small picturesque fishing port of KAMINI or you can take the slightly longer coast road. Either way it only about 15mins walk from Hydra, although there are regular water taxis for those feeling lazy.
Kamini is a peaceful fishing village with a picturesque port, a school, a few mini-markets and several tavernas. Whitewashed houses with their red-tiled roofs crawl back up the Kamini hillside. A large red and ochre building in the Kamini village centre is used to mount art exhibitions and music festivals.
There are two beaches. Megalo Kamini (Big Kamini) is the bigger but the least popular. The other is Mikro Kamini (Small Kamini), which is a beautiful little pebble beach popular with families because of the shallow water and ease of access.
There are some sunbeds at Kamini and watersports. A large fortress-like structure towers over the back of the beach. This is a former arsenal, used for storing powder and shot in the 19th century. As a safety precaution the munitions were stored well away from the fleet that used to anchor in neighbouring Hydra.
CantinaTavernas
West from Kamini the road leads to VLYCHOS, or VLIHOS, a pretty beach with a small jetty where taxi boats from Hydra can tie up. You can walk from Hydra but the journey will take you about 40 mins.
Vlychos has a large grey sand and pebble beach with clear water, a taverna and a small cantina offering basic menus. There are sun loungers and umbrellas for hire and the Vlychos beach shelves gently into the sea making it popular with families.
Beyond the Marina Taverna at Vlychos beach are small rocky coves for those seeking greater privacy.
Behind the beach, white houses tumble down the hillside. Many of these are holiday homes and most are built close to the sea to get the best views, at the same time spoiling the views from Vlychos village. Here there are a couple of tavernas and a ruined 19th century stone bridge. Nearby is the tiny chapel of Agios Xaralampos.
MOLOS is one of the less developed beaches on Hydra as access to it is difficult on both land and sea. The coast road that runs from Vlichos peters out well before Molos beach and access is down a rough track through pine woods.
Much of the back of Molos beach has been fenced off by local landowners so it's not particularly easy to find your way nor particularly inviting when you get there.
The Molos waters are also so shallow that caiques will rarely pull in here to drop off their visitors. This keeps the Molos beach feeling very isolated.
Nevertheless, those that prefer peace and unspoiled surroundings will hire a water taxi to ferry them to Molos beach for the day. Visitors must also take their own provisions as there are no facilities.
Cantina
The beach at BISTI is at the western tip of Hydra in a deep south-west facing bay and is reached by taxi boat. Bisti is in a very beautiful setting and caiques sail fairly regularly from Hydra port.
Pine trees coat the hillside right down to the shore where there is a small pebble beach with steep tree-clad rocks on either side. There is a summer cantina on Bisti beach and sun loungers along the shore of white pebbles.
The shallow water and white stones turn the sea a stunning emerald and aquamarine and there are some flat topped rocks along the shore at Bisti for added interest.
The trees offer plenty of shade and there are fine walks through the surrounding countryside. The small bays on either side of Bisti beach offer ideal snorkeling or swimming, but watch out for sea urchins.
Cantina
Just beyond Bisti is another small beach in a cove called AGIOS NIKOLAOS and accessible by water taxi or your own boat.
Agios Nikolaos is one of the largest bays on Hydra and it is a favourite port of call for caiques from Hydra port, although the boat journey from the port takes nearly 60 mins.
The other drawback to Agios Nikolaos is the relative lack of shade, although there are sunbeds and umbrellas for hire. There is a small cantina in the summer to offer basics but there are no facilities at Agios Nikolaos out of season.
Be sure to arrange a boat pick up from Agios Nikolaos as well or you'll face a tough hike back over the mountain.
CantinaWatersports
LIMNIONIZA is the only beach on the south side of Hydra and is reached either by boat or on foot from Hydra port across the backbone ridge of the island along a well-marked trail passing through Agia Triadha.
Limnioniza is a long cove of white and grey pebble, with shallow clear water. There is not a great deal of natural shade but sun loungers and umbrellas are for hire.
A cantina opens at the back of Limnioniza beach for the summer and there are a watersports of offer, including water skiing and kayaking.
A small offshore islet adds interest. There are good walks to be hand behind Limnioniza beach with some well marked footpaths. Caiques run regularly during the summer and the trip takes about 30 mins.
Hydra is part of the Argo-Saronic group along with Aegina, Poros and Spetses. It found off the southern shore of the Peloponnese .
The terrain is rocky and mountainous, the highest peak being Mount Klimaki at 600m. It was once dense with forest but many trees have been destroyed by fire in 2007 and forests are now confined to the valleys. The name Hydra means 'water' and is derived from springs that have long dried up and all water is now imported.
Hydra is elongated with an area of 50 sq km and a coastline of 56 km. The population of around 2,700 and is concentrated in Hydra Town, with tourism and fishing the main industries.
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There is no airport on Hydra. The nearest airport is at Athens International (ATH) where there is a helicopter service to Hydra island.
The helicopter flight takes about 20 minutes but in poor weather the helicopter is diverted to Porto Heli, on the Peloponnese mainland, where there are water taxis to Hydra.
Arriving in such style costs an arm and a leg of course but some enjoy wearing their wealth on their sleeves. Others catch a ferry from Piraeus.
Athens International Airport is located about 27km to the east of Athens, and was it opened in 2001. It cost around €2.1 billion to build. Officially. it is called the Elefterios Venizelos Airport it handles about 11 million passenger a year.
There are all the facilities to be expected at a large airport including more than 50 shops and 14 restaurants. It has a very good Archaeological and Antiquities Museum. Outside the airport are short and long-term car parks for 4,800 vehicles.
The E96 airport shuttle bus leaves daily for the port at Piraeus. This is a 24 hr service and you can find the bus terminus outside the Arrivals hall. There is a small ticket office next to the bus stop.
The E96 leaves every 15 to 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. The bus stops several times on the way to the port. Piraeus is the final stop and the total journey takes 45 to 60 minutes depending on the Athen's traffic.
The taxi rank is located next to Door 3, again just outside the Arrivals hall. The price for a taxi to Piraeus is 30 euros. It costs more at night and journey times depend on traffic and can be anything from 30 to 50 minutes.
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Hydra lies between the Saronic Gulf and Argolis Gulf about 37 nautical miles from Piraeus. It's a 3hr trip by ferry, about and 90 minutes on the hydrofoil.
There are regular daily ferries from Piraeus and from Nafplion, on the nearby Peloponnese coast. Most visitors fly to Athens and catch the #E96 Express bus to Piraeus.
At Piraeus hydrofoils leave at regular intervals from 8am. There are also ferries to Poros and Spetses.
Water taxis line the jetty in the main port and most owners have mobile phones so they can be contacted any time. There is no official tariff but owners have agreed set prices and there is a central phone 0298 53690 answered by the first boat owner available.
Most water buses can take up to 10 people and you can cut costs by teaming up with neighbours to take a boat at the same time.
Caiques also go to various beaches around the island. Boards on the jetty announce prices and times of sailing. The problem is that you sometimes have to wait a long time until the boat is full enough for the captain to think it worth sailing. Caiques also go to offshore islets of Dokos, Kivotos, and Petasi, as well as to secluded restaurants in the evening.
There are no vehicles allowed on Hydra except dust carts which ferry island rubbish to the ever smouldering rubbish tip. As cars are banned most transport is by donkey or water taxi.
Donkeys and mules are stationed at the main port to cater for new boat arrivals. Visitors haggle a price to take donkey loads of luggage to their hotels and villas. A single donkey can take two large suitcases and a couple of bags.
You can also ride a donkey yourself, though most people walk. You can even hire a donkey to take your provisions to your accommodation; not a bad idea if you have bought several bottles of beer, wine and mineral water and don't fancy carrying it up the hillside yourself.
Water taxis are used to get to beaches. Water taxi owners have mobile phones but no meter and no official tariff. An island association sets the price each year. Water taxi seat about 10 people and visitors arrange to be picked up from isolated beaches like Molos or the Peloponnese.
Water taxis are found on the east side of the harbour and they can be hired to go to Hydra beaches, the mainland or to nearby islands.
Hydra is ideal walking country, though you need strong legs to tackle the steep donkey trails and you will need some protection from the prickly gorse bushes. Summer is too hot for cross-island walks (Hydra has a reputation for being one of the hottest Greek islands) which are best made in spring and autumn. If you do go hiking in the summer start out before dawn to be back before noon.
There are three main hiking routes across Hydra but poor signposting and forking footpaths can make them difficult to follow. It takes about 7 hours to hike from the main port at Hydra to the east and west coasts. Remember to take bottled water. There are wells (pigadia) dotted about, but the water is brackish and not really fit for drinking.
Despite being a small island Hydra has a decent supply of holiday accommodation as the island is popular with weekending Greeks and because, in its shipbuilding heyday, many large houses were built to house wealthy traders and merchants.
Accommodation on Hydra is relatively expensive as Hydra appeals to wealthy Athenian weekenders and reservations are highly advisable in the summer season, especially at weekends.
Hardly surprising in a traffic-free island, most of the hotels and rooms are in the main port at Hydra Town, and most are within walking distance of the harbour. Beach and watersports enthusiasts will head to Mandraki, east of the town where the main hotel owns Hydra's only decent sandy beach and offers water skiing, windsurfing, sailing and canoeing.
To the west of Hydra town there are rooms to let at the picturesque port of Kamini and at Vlychos where locals generally ignore casual camping.
South of the sheltered Argo Saronic gulf Hydra enjoys a warmer climate than Athens or the other Saronic islands. Winters are relatively dry and the summers are virtually cloudless from June to August. May and September have a higher chance of rain and cooler nights.
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | Averages |
| 12 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 24 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 22 | 18 | 14 | Day °C |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 7 | Night °C |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 | Sun (hrs) |
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | UV Index |
| 82 | 66 | 57 | 36 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 61 | 84 | 104 | Rainfall(mm) |
| 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | Rainy days |
Hydra has a variety of local customs and festivals. Easter services are held outdoors by candlelight and on Good Friday and Saturday local customs include immersing the Epitaph in the sea. There is dancing by day and fireworks at night. Most important is Miaoulia on the weekend closest to June 21 to honour Admiral Miaoulis, an important figure from the Greek Revolution in 1821. The festival lasts three days and is part of "Navy Week". There is folk dancing and sports and it closes with a fireworks display to represent the burning of the Turkish flagship. Each July there is an International Festival of Puppets with free puppet plays. There are many art exhibitions and music concerts and carnivals over the summer. On November 14 is a festival to celebrate the martyr Agios Konstantinos of Hydra.
There are several monasteries on Hydra that open for visitors. Visitors must dress soberly to gain entry: long skirts and covered shoulders for women, long trousers for men. The nunnery Ag. Efpraxia and the monastery Profitis Elias are both located on Mt. Eros and have striking views. Other monasteries are at Agia Trias and Agios Nikolaos and two nunneries are Agia Matroni and Ag. Zourva.
