From the beautiful Ermioni it was only a short crossing to the island of Hydra.
And after a few days in the harbor, I always love seeing the white sails on the open sea again! Especially in this high season, many boats are sailing here enthusiastically in the Saronic Gulf!
We arrive at the island of Hydra, which owes its name to the many water springs that once existed here in ancient times.
As we enter the harbor, we already see the beautiful mansions, a legacy of the fact that Hydra was one of the richest and most powerful islands of Greece in the 18th century. The island is very rugged and has no farmland, so the inhabitants devoted themselves entirely to seafaring. Hydra built an impressive commercial and war fleet and became an important maritime player in the Mediterranean.
Donkeys and horses instead of cars
When we moored our boat at the quay, we were right next to a group of donkeys. I had already read that the island is completely car-free. Transport is done by donkey, horse, mule, or water taxi.
That makes the atmosphere very different from other islands. And when we later saw the ferry arrive with supermarket supplies, sure enough, donkeys were deployed to carry the goods!
Maze of little streets
It’s wonderful to stroll around the town here. Hydra has many lovely restaurants, beautiful little churches, and since it is built against the slopes, you occasionally find steep stairways leading up, making you curious to see what’s hidden behind the next gate…
Fresh fish for sale
When a fishing boat moored right behind us with large fresh fish, I sat down to watch. The locals came to buy fish, and tourists also came to take a look. But of course, it’s quite a task to clean these big fish, so as a tourist you usually don’t buy them—but it’s fun to watch the conversations and the sometimes meticulous selection of the perfect fish.
We found the place so beautiful that we even got out our drone and flew it over the town. Characteristic are the many red rooftops and the elegant mansions that line the waterfront in “front row” position. And you can even see our catamaran moored along the quay.
Hiking trails around Hydra
There are literally donkey paths and hiking routes above the town. It’s great fun to walk up there and start climbing around the settlement.
You only need to climb about 100 meters to enjoy a completely different view of the town.
Respect for such a small and intimate town—its car-free character makes it feel that way—but at the same time, it is grand thanks to its impressive maritime history.
So, on our last morning on Hydra it was difficult to say goodbye to this charming town, but our journey continued through the Saronic Gulf, as there are so many more beautiful islands to explore here, each with their own unique character!
