No Cars, No Hurry: Hydra Island Day Trip

Some travel moment stay with you, like spotting this old man carrying flowers up steep steps during my day trip to Hydra Island.  ©Dawn Damico

Destination Greece / Hydra Island day trip

I was admiring the whitewashed stone buildings with their brightly painted wooden doors, blues and ochres and sea greens, when something caught my eye and stole my heart. An old man slowly walked up the steep, ancient stone steps of Hydra Island carrying a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. I wondered if the flowers were for him, or if his sweetheart was waiting somewhere at the top of that narrow street, looking out over the sea and anticipating his arrival.

Many people picture donkeys carrying tourists’ luggage up steep stone streets, hillside homes with colorful wooden doors lining intimate alleyways, and multi-million-dollar mega yachts floating in the small harbor when they think of the island of Hydra.

Hydra has all of that, and more. Part of its allure is proximity to Athens and Nafplio, which makes it ideal for a day trip or a long weekend. After your ferry ride, you can walk, hire a donkey, or take a water taxi to your destination. There are no cars allowed on the island, except perhaps the miniature battery-operated car driven by a determined toddler with dark glasses near the port. You can shop around the harbor, hike the coastline, settle into a taverna, or claim your spot on the beach. Stay a little longer and the island opens up further.

Mega-yachts float side-by-side with smaller working boats and water taxis.  ©Dawn Damico

The blue sea led us into the horseshoe harbor of Hydra Town. Clusters of red-tiled rooftops and stone mansions seemed to grow from the hillside looking exactly like a picture-perfect postcard. I stepped off the ferry, slipped past the line of waiting passengers, and went looking for breakfast.

Right where the ferry drops you off, a handful of small cafés set up tables along the harbor with views of the water and the boats. I sat outside and ordered Greek yogurt topped with fresh banana, strawberry and kiwi, drizzled with honey served with a cappuccino topped with white foam. Nothing complicated. Eating slowly while the harbor woke up around me, watching the toddler maneuver his little white convertible over the stones, and admiring some superyachts in the water, provided time to decide where the day would take me.

After breakfast I started walking with no real plan except to find the highest point and admire the view. I passed the donkeys standing, waiting, looking a little bored even with brightly colored blankets on their backs. One coughed (yes, it turns out donkeys cough).

On an island with no cars and steep inclines, donkeys are an obvious choice for transporting heavy items…and they have the right away, so move aside when you hear them coming.   ©Dawn Damico

The streets beyond the harbor climb fast. Within a couple of blocks the cobblestone lanes narrow and the steps begin, sometimes shallow, sometimes nearly vertical. There are no cars to dodge, no scooters, no delivery trucks (donkeys handle most of the heavy lifting on the island and they have the right-of-way, so move aside). 

During your climb, you’ll hear the sound of your breathing, a breeze through the trees (if there is one), and the rhythm of a quiet life. The clang of dishes being set on a courtyard table, a hammer at work somewhere out of sight, laughter erupting from a hidden garden, a cat picking its way across a stone wall. I found myself stopping to photograph nearly every doorway: pale blues and deep reds and bottle greens, set into stonework that has weathered for two centuries. Bougainvillea spills over balconies. A man wearing work boots and jeans, riding side-saddle, passed by on a donkey adorned with a tassel. I smiled. He motioned me out of the way as they rounded the corner and continued their steady trek back down to the port.

I realized that the man with the bouquet was just one of dozens of small unfolding stories I crossed paths with that morning.

This 17th century bridge has stood the test of time and provides access to the tavernas and beaches on the other side.   ©Dawn Damico

After an hour or so of climbing, I worked my way back down to the harbor and walked west along the waterfront. The stone and gravel coastal path leads out of town toward the small fishing port of Kamini, then on to the village of Vlychos, and beyond that to a beach called Plakes. From the main harbor it’s about 3.5 km (a little over two miles), or roughly a 45-minute walk at a steady pace. The path is wide and well-maintained, but largely unshaded. In the Mediterranean summer heat, a hat, water, sunscreen, and decent shoes are non-negotiable.

Trail markers along the way are simple painted arrows on stones and walls (a blue stripe over a white one), and they confirm you’re on the right path. Past Vlychos, the trail crosses the 17th-century Kamaroti bridge.

A short distance further, the path opens onto Plakes (often listed as Vlychos Plakes). It’s a long, gently shelving beach of smooth pebbles and a little sand, looking out across the water toward the island of Dokos. The water is shallow, so the beach is a family favorite. There are sun beds and umbrellas to rent and a covered taverna behind the beach.

Traveling in spring, the beaches were still pretty quiet. During busier summer months when the temperatures rise, the rented lounge chairs fill up fast.  ©Dawn Damico

I ordered a Mamos, a Greek lager brewed in Patras since 1876, and sat at the bar under the bamboo roof watching the water and a handful of people adjusting umbrellas and wading in the water. The pale blue and white wooden chairs of the taverna stood mostly empty, waiting for the season to arrive.

The Mediterranean blue water is the kind of blue that doesn’t really show up in photographs like it does to your naked eye. If you’ve ever wondered how many shades of blue there really are, island hopping in Greece will give you an idea. 

A couple of small boats bobbed at anchor close to shore and a water taxi passed by in the distance. The taverna owner was tallying up receipts at the end of the bar and told me that all their supplies arrived by boat. Eventually, I walked back to the harbor.

View of Vychos Plakes from the coastal trail. The trail is wide but there is no shade.  ©Dawn Damico

Hydra is small, just 56 square kilometers (about 22 square miles), and its highest point, Mount Eros, rises only 592 meters (1,942 feet). It’s a traditional Greek island village that has been preserved in time. Yet just beyond its idyllic facade, lies a history that’s layered in prosperity, nationalism, sponges, celebrity, and the arts.

Shipping created wealth on the island. By the late 18th century, Hydriot sea captains were running Mediterranean trade routes and their tall stone mansions still line the harbor. When the Greek War of Independence broke out in 1821, Hydra contributed more than 150 ships to the cause and produced some of its most celebrated admirals. Five prime ministers come from the island, and the entire town is a protected national monument.

The War destroyed many of the ships and left the island financially depleted. But the Greek spirit didn’t die. Diving for sponges kept the island afloat. That industry caught the attention of movie makers and sent Sophia Loren to the island to portray a sponge-diver in the film Boy on a Dolphin. This put Hydra back in the international spotlight.

The bright blue painted shutters and doors around the island, next to the white-washed walls are a sure sign you are on a Greek Island. Hydra is close to Athens and Nafplio for an easy day trip or weekend.  ©Dawn Damico

Then came the artists. One day here and you’ll see why Hydra has been a haven for writers, painters, and musicians since the 1950s. Simply walking around its cobblestone streets can make you want to pick up a camera or a pen. Henry Miller spent time here. So did Patrick Leigh Fermor and Lawrence Durrell. The Australian writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston stayed long enough to write about island life with such clarity that readers still appreciate it.

And in 1960, a struggling 25-year-old Canadian poet named Leonard Cohen stepped off a ferry, met Marianne Ihlen, and bought a small whitewashed house up the hill. He kept that home for the rest of his life. Bird on the Wire was inspired by his time on the island. 

The Hydra art scene is not living in the past. Since 2009, the DESTE Foundation (the Greek word for ‘look’) has run a contemporary art project space in the island’s old slaughterhouse. A stone building perched on the rocks above the sea, the approach is part of the drama. It was once a livestock slaughterhouse, but today its stone walls provide an interesting backdrop for summer art exhibits. From June to October, a single artist or curator stages a new exhibition.

You’ll find little spaces tucked between the stones where beauty is arranged like this garden.  ©Dawn Damico

I wondered about the stories Hydra held as I watched the island grow smaller from the back of the ferry. For hundreds of years, part-time and full-time residents have called Hydra home. Visitors, artists, and lovers have been inspired by those old stone steps that rise above the sea, and I’m sure they have sometimes cursed them. I wondered about the man with the flowers, the boatmaker in his workshop, and the everyday life of people who live with the donkeys on Hydra Island.

Even in the places where the stone is worn, even crumbling, you’ll discover how residents enjoy the beauty of the island. These plastic patio chairs have prime viewing of the sea.   ©Dawn Damico

Plan to start early. The harbor is at its prettiest in the morning light, and you’ll want to do your main walking before the sun is high. A simple day looks something like this: ferry in, breakfast at the harbor, a couple of hours wandering the upper neighborhoods with your camera, the coastal walk to Vlychos or Plakes for lunch and a swim, and a slow walk back in time for an aperitif on the harbor before your return ferry.

What to bring: comfortable walking shoes (the cobblestones are uneven and the steps are steep), a sun hat, sunscreen, water, swimwear, a small towel, and cash for the smaller cafés and beach tavernas. Hydra has ATMs in the main harbor area, but they can run dry in peak season, so come stocked. There are no cars, no scooters, and no rental bicycles (cycling is actually banned). Within the town, you walk. To reach the further beaches, you can hire a water taxi or take one of the regular beach boats from the harbor.

If you only have a few hours, the harbor neighborhoods, a quick coastal walk to Kamini, and a coffee with a view will fill the time well. If you can stretch to a full day or stay overnight, you’ll have time for longer hikes, a long lunch and a swim, plus the museum spaces (the Lazaros Koundouriotis Mansion) and whatever’s showcased at the Slaughterhouse.

A note on the heat: Hydra runs hot in summer. July and August daytime temperatures regularly hit 30 to 38 °C (86 to 100 °F), occasionally pushing past 40 °C (104 °F) on the calmer days. The trails are largely unshaded, the stone holds the heat, and the beaches are mostly pebbles (a small pair of water shoes or sturdy sandals helps). Spring and early fall are gentler, and the sea stays warm well into October.

Once you get here, you may want to sit and stay for a season.   ©Dawn Damico

Ferry service is available to Hydra from a few different ports.

• Athens (Piraeus) to Hydra takes about 2 to 2.5 hours.
• Metochi to Hydra takes about 25 minutes.

I was coming from Nafplio, so I drove down to the small port at Metochi. The mapper on my phone handled the directions just fine. The route runs on a good but winding two-lane road through the Peloponnese countryside, mountains, and a couple of tiny towns. From Nafplio, allow about two hours.

At the launch you’ll find a small store for a coffee or snack, the ticket kiosk, parking along the road, and a covered, gated lot if you’d rather have it secured. The crossing itself is run by Hydra Lines on the Freedom ferries (I traveled on Freedom III), a family-operated service that has been making this run since 2010.

Costs at the time of my visit:

• Ferry ticket: 7.50 euros each way
• Covered/gated parking: 7.00 euros per day

On the way back to Nafplio I took a different route, following another two-lane road that hugs the water. The views are breathtaking. You drive along cliffs, and while the road is well-maintained, watch for fallen rocks and take your time.

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