Hydra Overview

One of the Saronic Gulf islands, along with Spetses, Poros, Angistri, and Aegina, they say Hydra is the one that brought tourism to Greece. It’s the most unspoiled in the archipelago, with growth limited as new buildings aren’t allowed, only the restoration of old ones. It’s filled with narrow cobblestone streets, peaceful squares and lavish stone mansions built by Italian artisans once owned by important families that reveal the island’s wealthy past. Today, most of the mansions house museums, which along with more modest homes, are spread amphitheatrically around the historic horseshoe-shaped harbor. The island is like a time-warp, a place where hundreds of donkeys are used as public transportation as all cars are banned. Instead of engines, you’ll hear the clip-clop of hooves. Everything here is moved by the animals, from visitors and their luggage to building supplies and groceries. In fact, that’s usually the first thing people notice when they arrive as they’ll be up at the port, waiting to take on the next task. As you stroll the marble pavement, gazing at the countless churches and statues of the island’s famous heroes, popping into cafes and shops, you’ll also notice an especially charming atmosphere truly makes Hydra one of the most serene islands that’s just a short distance from Athens.

Hydra History in a Nutshell

Until the start of Ottoman rule, there is very little that’s known about Hydra’s history. What we do know, thanks to excavation work, is that the first settlers were Mycenaeans who’ve been traced back to ancient times, thanks to excavation work, however, there are no known major historical events until the 15th-century. This is when many island residents began to move inland and into the mountains, escaping from Turk attacks and pirate raids. During this period, refugees were welcomed from Crete, Evia, Epirus, Kythnos, Albania and Asia minor. In the 18th-century, Peloponnese refugees who were running from the Russa-Turkish War were taken in. The Turks weren’t interested in the island due to its lack of water, and the plague wiped out a significant portion of the population in 1792. Better times were ahead, however, with Hydra becoming prosperous and powerful thanks to its developed commercial fleet, trade with Greece and beyond, including Spain, France, and the United States. The fleet’s superiority reached its peak during the Napoleonic wars. With the Merchant Marine Academy created, Hydra began to monopolize sea transport throughout the Mediterranean. It was the island’s ships that broke English blockades, feeding the hungry in Spain and France, contributing ships and supplies to the cause.

When Greece achieved independence in 1821, Hydra was isolated economically and suffered a period of hardship left without assistance. Many islanders were unemployed, causing them to abandon beautiful homes and mansions they were left to ruin. Prosperity began again in the late 1800s, lasting until 1932 when Egypt banned fishing along its coast while industry corruption led to dwindling profits and big debts. By World War II, Hydriotes were leaving again, many going abroad. It was tourism that brought it back in the 1950s, thanks to the book Colossus of Marousi followed by the 1957 film “Boy on a Dolphin,” actress Sophia Loren’s English-language debut. Since then, Hydra has prospered, and its mansions and homes restored. It’s become popular with all sorts of creative types like writers and arts who come for inspiration and sometimes never leave.