Hydra - 5/16/26 - 5/19/26

We begin our trip in the beautiful island of Hydra, a unique car-free island (bikes are also banned), where transportation is by foot or on donkeys and mules. It was a popular retreat for artists and celebrities in the 1960s and is well-known for its preserved 19th-cventury architecture, maritime history, and beautiful harbor. The island of Hydra is also known for its numerous well-looked-after stray cats. Upon landing in Athens at 7AM local time, we will Uber/tax to Piraeus Harbor (42 min away), where we will hop on a high-speed ferry called the FlyingCat4 - Hellenic Seaways.

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It will be about a 1.5 hour ferry until we arrive at Hydra - so right around 10AM local time! Check-in is at 3PM local time, so we will walk around and explore in the meantime and hire a donkey to carry our luggage.

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We will ferry back to Piraues Port at 7:30AM local time on 5/19/26 - this time, the ferry will be a 2 hour, 2 minute trip. We will arrive at Piraeus Port at 9:50AM local time.

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Our Stay in Hydra:

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About the space

Ermina's House is a comfortable house, 7 minutes walk far from the Hydra's port. It's perfect for people wanting to be close to downtown and the local market. It is suitable for both couples and families. Facilities like free Wi-Fi and TV are offered. Ermina's house I consists of a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom and a beautifully decorated attic. Last but not least, there is a veranda with a breathtaking view and a blooming garden.

The space

Passing the front door you are in our garden. Upstairs you find the veranda where you could have your coffee break admiring the view of our beautiful island. Entering the house you see the main dining table and the living room with two built sofas, a flat screen TV and the air conditioning system. Afterwards, there is a fully equipped kitchen, a bedroom with two beds and AC, a bathroom with a shower and warm water and an attic perfectly designed for couples, offering a queen-size bed, which can be made up as two single sized. Worth to mention the fact that facilities as a washing machine, an iron, a hairdryer, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, a detailed guide of Hydra and of course Wi-Fi are freely available to you.

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Places to see:

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Tetsis Museum: the old residence of painter and revered artist Panayiotis Tetsis. It hosts his artistic workshop, an old grocery store, an award hallway, and an abundance of unique artworks and paintings.

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DESTE Foundation Project Space: a spot for artists and groups to showcase their forward-thinking exhibitions and artworks. It is hosted in a small space that was once a slaughterhouse.

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Tombazis Mansion: a four-story building in the town of Hydra. It was once a house, but now it is a host to various exhibitions, as well as artists and students of the Athens School of Fine Arts.

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The Church of Agios Konstantinos: in Hydra Town and features beautiful interiors, a large bell tower, and fantastic town and port views.

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The Monastery of Agia Matrona: located above the bay of Mandraki and can be reached in an hour on foot from Hydra Town. It is located close to the Monastery of Agia Triada.

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Monastery of Prophet Elias: Constructed during the early 19th century, the male-only Monastery of Prophet Elias is away from the center of Hydra. Offering a magnificent view of the town and the sea, the monastery has a rich historical background.

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Monastery of Agia Efpraxia: Close to the Monastery of Prophet Elias, at about 500 meters above sea level, stands the Convent of Agia Efpraxia. It was built in 1865 and the main church is a small building with spare and simple lines. Some nuns live inside and run a small embroidery workshop.

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Kavos Castle: a stunning building near the entrance of Hydra that boasts statues of Greek heroes, yearly festivities, and fantastic views of the island and the endless sea.

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Rafalias Pharmacy: amongst the most prestigious pharmacies in Greece, with retro interior and exterior designs and homemade recipes for perfumes and personal care products.

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Bastions: These cannons were used in the past for protection. They surround the port of Hydra and serve as reminders of a glorious past.

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Historical Archives Museum: The Museum of Historical Archives is housed in an elegant stone mansion at the port of Hydra Town. It exhibits manuscripts from the Revolutionary period, paintings and ship models, rare books, and other interesting exhibits.

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Koundouriotis Mansion: This elegant stone mansion is an outhouse of the National Historical Museum. It includes relics of the Koundouriotis family, such as weaponry, traditional clothes, woodcarvings, paintings, and jewelry.

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Places to eat:

Téchnē Restaurant & Social: set just above Avlaki beach in a converted 19th-century boatyard, the setting is elevated yet unfussy, like the food. The focus is Mediterranean cuisine in general, but it does lean Greek.

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Douskos’ Taverna: a Hydra institution—one of those places that’s been around so long, it feels baked into the stone of the island itself. Set beneath a leafy canopy in a shaded courtyard just a few minutes up from the port, it’s best known for its laid-back charm and long-standing connection to Leonard Cohen, who dined here in the ’60s during his early Hydra years. You come here for simple, satisfying Greek staples—grilled meats, baked feta, salads, house wine—and a sense of history that lingers without being performative. It’s the ideal spot for a lazy lunch when exploring Hydra town.

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Mikra Anglia: Hydra Town’s modern‑Greek lifestyle restaurant and bar, located on the charming Tompazi street just off the harbor. It’s an upscale yet approachable spot, blending quality food and drink with a laid‑back comfort vibe. The menu features creative modern‑Greek dishes—think octopus with pasta, decomposed pastitsio, sea bream on seasonal greens—and caters to all tastes with vegetarian and gluten‑free options. Presentation is clean and stylish, service is attentive and fluent in English, and the interior strikes just the right balance between minimalist and warm. Mikra Anglia delivers consistently strong flavours without going overboard on pretension. Open for dinner only, and make sure to book ahead.

​See more HERE 

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Places to drink:

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Windmill Bar

​Hydronetta Bar

Spilia Beach Bar

L'Americano

Amalour

Papagalos

The Pirate Bar

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Recommendations from Juliette Millee:

• Red Club: bar in the port, great for aperitif & people watching

• Techne: favorite spot, amazing sunset, high-end food, great vibes, up the hill

• Castello: similar to techne, farther up the island

• Manna: in town; fancy

• Pirofani Taverna: in town, lowkey, great traditional Greek food

• Spilia Beach Bar: great spot for lunch, on the water

• Elena Vatsi: really beautiful homemade jewelry

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