Hydra

Just a short cruise from Athens, but completely unique in its own right, lies the island of Hydra. Arguably the most picturesque and architecturally perfect island in Greece, the car-free Hydra is part of the Saronic island chain and home to an amphitheatre of grey stone mansions that rise steeply from a horseshoe harbour that has hardly changed over the past two centuries. The name of the island comes from the Greek word for water and in reference to the springs that once sustained it, and its preservation is no accident. Strict building regulations have protected the island’s aesthetic integrity, whilst a longstanding ban on motorised vehicles means donkeys and water taxis remain the only means of transport. The result is a one-of-a-kind atmosphere of unhurried, understated elegance, making it a popular destination. Hydra Town is the heart of the island, with blindingly white alleys winding between merchant mansions built by the shipping families who made the island wealthy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Several of these now house museums, including the Historical Archives Museum, showcasing Hydra’s role in the Greek War of Independence. The Monastery of the Dormition is an iconic presence over the waterfront with its domed basilica and marble belfry, and fascinating to visit. While Hydra is not really known for sandy beaches, its coastline offers countless coves and swimming spots easily reached by tender, and each summer international artists and collectors gather for contemporary exhibitions in the island’s converted former slaughterhouse. Positioned in the heart of the Saronic Gulf alongside Spetses, Poros and Aegina, Hydra is the perfect spot along any extended charter through the Saronic Gulf.