Hydra is an unspoilt, chic member of the Saronic islands that trace the shoreline south of Athens, fringing the Peloponnese. Just 90 minutes from the capital by hydrofoil, it has long drawn a discerning crowd — and in recent years has come into its own as one of the most sought-after addresses in Greece.
Step off the boat and you step into another era. Hydra banned motorised traffic decades before sustainability became fashionable; today the island moves at the pace of foot, boat and mule, its silence broken only by church bells and the murmur of the harbour. This is a place that has long captivated artists, writers and those in search of genuine escape — yet for all its cachet, Hydra has never surrendered its identity. The island’s families remain its custodians, quietly preserving the festivals, rhythms and traditions that give it such authentic character.
The main town is arguably the most handsome port in Greece — a protected national monument of 18th-century neoclassical mansions and whitewashed houses tumbling down cobbled lanes to a horseshoe harbour. These grand residences speak to Hydra’s seafaring wealth of centuries past, and several now house museums worth exploring. As evening falls, the harbourside comes alive with candlelit tavernas, elegant bars and boutiques — a scene as chic as anything in the Cyclades, but with an intimacy entirely its own.
By day, attention turns to the coastline. A pair of beaches lie within an easy stroll of town, while a fleet of water-taxis waits to whisk you further afield to secluded coves — some sandy, some pebbled, shaded by pines, with a taverna for a lazy lunch or the occasional flourish of water sports.
For those visiting outside high summer, Hydra reveals itself best on foot. A network of way-marked trails — detailed in a booklet from ten gentle strolls to more serious three-hour treks — leads into a wilder, mountainous interior of pine forest and remote monasteries, rising to almost 600 metres and offering a striking contrast to the polish of the port.
The ideal day loops back to end at a beach — a final swim and a long, unhurried lunch before a water-taxi returns you to town. For something different, mule treks and private water-taxi charters offer an equally memorable way to discover the island’s quieter corners.
