One of the most popular day trips from Athens, as well for tourists as for locals, is a cruise to the 3 islands of the Saronic Gulf;  Hydra, Poros and Aegina. I heard about that excursion many times from @travelbloggersgreece so when I got opportunity to do this daily cruise I was overexcited. I remember that I counted days before, and checking reviews about Evermore Cruises from other bloggers in order to be ready for the trip!

The meeting point was at Marina Kalitheas at 7.30 am. There are various ways to get there, by car, taxi, public transport or the transfer service that Evermore Cruises provides. I went  there with Jessica from AthensCoast.com, she managed to locate Marina Kalitheas in advance thanks to the instructions of a polite lady from the boat.

The boat was full of tourists, and even though it was early in the morning, we were welcomed by happy sailors for photo-shooting!  The brand new Cosmos ship is the first luxury yacht that operates a one day cruise boat. It is 70m long and it’s one of the fastest ships on its category. It also has a capacity of more than 600 passengers and spacious indoor and outdoor space that includes 6 bars, 5 spacious luxurious lounges, and a VIP area that can accommodate up to 120 people. This time, I got the opportunity to enjoy the luxury benefits as a VIP passenger. 

The time needed to get to our first stop the island of Hydra passed very quickly.  During those 3 hours of the trip, there was an experienced guide that gave us a lot of information about the program of the cruise, the places we were passing by and the islands we were heading to. I also learned about the organized islands tours such as the walking tour on Hydra, the excursion to The Temple of Aphaia and Saint Nektarios Monastery in Aegina which are optional, and their cost is 25 euros per person. 

On the way to Hydra, the cafe was serving breakfast and refreshments. There was also a live orchestra playing Greek songs. At the VIP lounge, we were served a selection of finger food accompanied by soft drinks, tea, and coffee.  No need to mention that this mouth-watering food is prepared by celebrity Greek Chefs.

Our first stop is Hydra island

It is lovely picturesque island that can be synonym for Greece. On this island,  all motor vehicles are prohibited, so beside the taxi boats, locals use donkeys and horses for transport. The boat stays here for about 2 hours so there is plenty of time to stroll the streets of Hydra. Did you know that by the Greek mythology, the Learnean Hydra was a nine headed monster, sister of Medusa, and was killed by Hercules? Are you interested more into this island?  Till the new upcoming post, let’s say goodbye to Hydra! 

Back on the board, the lunch was served.

Oh my God! You know that I am such a foodie and that to me food matters a lot! This time I get to choose between meat, fish or pasta accompanied by 2 types of salads. Foodelicious! In the case you prefer different kind of food, or you would like some extra starters, salads, or desserts, you can order it by additional cost.

As I learned the complimentary buffet lunch that is offered was served twice (once between the island of Hydra and Poros for half of the people and once between the island of  Poros and Aegina for the other half).