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.
When to go: May to September
Visitors can enjoy horseback riding excursions through several outfitters like Harriet’s Hydra Horses with treks from 30 minutes to eight hours, some of which include rides along the coast, to the island’s highest peaks, swimming with the horse or even a visit to a monastery.
Hydra is popular for hiking outside of the summer months. An easy 40-minute trek starts from Hydra Town leading to Kastraki and Kastro. Some of the highlights include a 17th-century castle and an old naval station that’s now a hotel, along with picturesque villages. The hike from Hydra to the Monastery of Agios Nikolas takes about an hour, leading to the 17th-century monastery through a wild, scenic landscape. You can also take in scenic views of the island by hiking to the Profita Ilias monastery.
Of course, surrounded by a crystal-clear sea there are lots of opportunities for water sports on Hydra, including canoeing and kayaking as well as snorkeling and diving There are a wide variety of diving adventures that can be enjoyed including underwater caves and reefs as well as old wrecks. The Hydra Diving Center is the place to go to discover the underwater world here for an especially unique diving experience.
Some of the mansions that once belonged to ships’ captains are now museums. One of the top things to do on Hydra is to explore them, with Lazaros Koundouriotis the most popular. The impressive building may be just as magnificent as its contents, with coffered wood ceilings and a marble carved-relief wellhead. It houses a variety of paintings by Periklis Byzantios, the first director of the Fine Arts School nearby, and his son, Dikos along with an ethnographic section that includes jewelry, pottery, costumes, lavish pan-Hellenic weavings and more. The Historical Archives Museum showcases artifacts from the War of Independence, costumes and old gravures along with temporary exhibitions.
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