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| Welcome to Hydra Island, in Greece! |
After visiting Athens and Delphi, I wanted to experience life on one of the Greek islands. I finally selected Hydra (YΔΡΑ), an island where the only means of transport are: your legs, a donkey or a boat. The island was beautiful (as you can see on the photos) and the sea was still warm for the season (around 22/23°C). However, I could have been stuck there... despite the great weather, the sea was a bit rough and the ferry companies decided to cancel all trips - without notice - between the Island and Athens' port (Piraeus), probably inconveniencing most of the tourists stuck on the Greek islands. Fortunately, I managed to get a taxi-boat to go to the mainland. Then I shared a taxi with the other unfortunates that were stranded on the island to go back to Athens (around 250 km through the tortuous roads of the Peloponnesian Region). Thankfully taxis are not too expensive in Greece. You will find on this page some photos taken during my 36 hour stay in Hydra... |
| 1. Disembark on the Port of Hydra... When you arrive on Hydra Island, you’re welcomed by a little donkey committee. It is indeed one of the rare means of transport allowed on the island. If your hotel is a bit far from the port, you can also rent a donkey to get you there. |
| 2. Purr with the cats of Hydra... If you are allergic to cats, maybe Hydra won't be your ideal destination. The streets and the hills of the island are inhabited by stray cats. Because they are usually starving, they will come to meet you expecting to be fed... |
| 3. Admire the view from the Botsis Guest House... Botsis Guest House is the place where I had decided to spend a night. For 50€ the room (off-season) and a view like this one, can anybody really complain? |
 Photo 3. View from Botsis Guest House. |
| 4. Go on the West Side: Vlichos... Hydra is a little paradise for ramblers. Despite the tourism, the island has remained unspoilt. This photo was taken on the West coast of the island, on a path beside the sea. After hours of walking, it is possible to have a quite rewarding swim in the lukewarm water (22/23°C in October). |
| 5. Walk in Vlichos area... Not too far from the houses shown on photo #4, you can follow a path and enter inside the island mainland. The photo, on the right side, shows a little pedestrian bridge, beside which I managed to capture a local with his donkeys. |
| 6. Admire the local flora near Kamini... Even in October, the Greek vegetation is still very vivid. All these flashy flowers enhance the stark whiteness of the houses. A real showcase for photography! |
| 7. Observe the windmills near Avlaki... Not far from the main port, it's possible to see old windmills. This makes the place even more intriguing for visitors. |
| 8. Walk on the East Coast: near Mandraki... It is possible to go towards Mandraki on the East coast, following a trail by the sea. |
 Photo 8. The East Coast: near Mandraki. |
| 9. Visit the streets of the
town centre...Lots of little streets on Hydra are very typical of what every average tourist expects to find in Greece: little white houses, flashy flowers, church tower, cobbled streets. In brief: lots of charm! |
| 10. Visit the streets of the
town centre... Photo of a little street and its flashy blue pots. |
| 11. and another street of the town centre...There aren't so many shops on the island, and you can only find 2 or 3 supermarkets/stores. Their prices didn't seem to be really over the top for an island. |
 Photo 11. Street of the town centre. |
| 12. Meet the Port Authorities...Photo taken from another spot from the Port Authorities (on the East side of the port). In the background, it is likely you can see Mount Eros. |
| Hydra in pictures | ||
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 Photo 2. A wild cat on Hydra Island. |
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 Photo 4. The West Side: Vlichos. |
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 Photo 5. Near Vlichos. |
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 Photo 6. Hydra's Houses and flowers. |
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 Photo 7. Windmill near Avlaki. |
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 Photo 9. Street of the town centre. |
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 Photo 10. Blue Pots street? |
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 Photo 12. The Port Authorities. |
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