72 Perfect Hours in… Hydra (09/06/2016)

That’s right, no cars and no traffic. Here, the traditional Greek means of transportation – the donkey – rules. Donkeys do the heavy lifting and transport, adding to the rustic feel of the island. Meanwhile, Hydra Town’s perfectly preserved noble stone architecture is a defining symbol of its eternal elegance.

The inviting maze of stone paths and bougainvillea drenched lanes, in combination with surprisingly stunning sea views around any given corner, have inspired artists and writers including Arthur Miller, Leonard Cohen, Nikos Chatzikyriakos-Ghikas, Melina Mercouri and Sophia Loren.

From the harbor, Hydra’s coastal road opens up, a quiet seafront path offering a window on island living. A 30-minute walk west brings you to an impossibly scenic fishing port of Kamini, followed by the traditional village of Vlychos.

Further away from the charms of the harbor, Hydra’s interior is a perfect mountain escape, where marked trails zig-zag across the terrain. Hiking aficionados head to Hydra to seek out the numerous paths that lead up to Mt. Eros (588 meters), the island’s highest point.

The 1956 Hollywood film Boy on a Dolphin was filmed on location on Hydra and helped put the island on the international jet-setter’s map. Sophia Loren and her co-star Alan Ladd spent weeks filming here and beautiful scenes were shot throughout the island.

Visit

For a little island, Hydra has about 300 churches. Visit a monastery for a feel of its religious culture. The most impressive is the Moni Profiti Ilia for the view and its sacred icons.

In an impressive stone mansion at the harbor, the Hydra Historical Archives and Museum is a fascinating look into the island’s great naval and commercial history through its manuscripts, books, paintings and ship models.

Ride

A donkey! A 15-minute ride through town (with a guide leading the way) may seem touristic yet it’s one authentic kind of way to see the island from a locals’ perspective.

Hydra’s only mode of transportation– donkeys! (Photo by Marissa Tejada)

Swim at

Hydra lacks long sandy beaches which may be one reason mass tourism hasn’t hit the island. Locals don’t mind a bit and prefer swimming among its rocky bays right near Hydra Town.

Tucked in a tranquil cove, Saint Nicholas is a curved white rock beach with amazingly clear blue-green waters. Bisti is another excellent beach in Hydra, a cozy beach getaway flanked by lush, tree clad hills. Taxi boats to the beaches jet off to each one from the port every half hour, a 20- to 30-minute ride.

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