Hydra Island

A visit to Hydra is like taking a step back in time. You won’t hear the roar of a motorcycle or the hum of a car engine here, as they aren’t permitted. Instead, transport is by foot, boat or donkey. This is the place to go if you’re looking to relax and get away from it all, enjoying an authentic Greek island experience with few other tourists, and most conversations spoken in Greek.

 

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Hydra Island At A Glance


Population of Hydra Island
2000

What to See in Hydra Island 
Horse riding, long hikes, watersports including canoeing & kayaking, exploring the mansion museums, catch a spectacular sunset

Towns or islands to visit near Hydra Island Athens, Poros, Spetses, Evia

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Things to do in Hydra Island

Horse riding

Horse Riding

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.

Explore hydra by hiking

Hiking

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.

Diving in Greece

Water sports

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.

mansion museum hydra

Explore the Mansion Museums

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.

Trips to Hydra

  • Ancient Greece & Ionian Islands Cruise

    Athens - Hydra - Monemvasia - Pavlopetri - Olympia - Zakynthos - Navagio - Ithaca - Gidaki - Itea - Delphi - Galaxidi - Athens

    7 Nights
    From $2,990 pp
    Discover Ancient Greece & Ionian Islands on our 25 cabin Greece small ship cruise, with highly personalized on board service and delicious Greek cuisine.
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  • Ancient Greek History Cruise-Tour

    Athens - Hydra - Monemvasia - Pavlopetri - Olympia - Zakynthos - Navagio - Ithaca - Gidaki - Itea - Delphi - Galaxidi - Meteora

    11 Nights
    From $5,565 pp
    Explore some well-known locations as well as some hidden gems on an intimate cruise with private tours in Athens and Meteora.
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