Hydra Travel Guide

Hydra (Greek: 'Υδρα Ydra or Idhra, pronounced "EE-thra") is one of the Saronic Gulf Islands in central Greece. The port of Hydra has a scenic location in a deep harbour, with whitewashed houses rising on the hills on both sides from an azure blue sea.

There are frequent boats betweenPiraeusand Hydra. You can opt for either a slow car ferry (around 3 hours) or a fast catamaran (1.5 hours). As of 2019,Hellenic Seawaysappears to be the only online bookable option with up to half a dozen daily charging €29.50 one way. Due to the popularity of Hydra, it's possible for some of the Hellenic Seaways boats, which are small, to sell out during peak periods, especially the ones at the most convenient hours. Tickets for all boats may be bought from a

Motorized transportation is forbidden on Hydra. Getting around the town centre on foot is easy enough, but for going elsewhere the only options are by donkey or boat taxi, both of which congregate at the centre of the port. For the boat taxis, there's a sign (in Greek only) listing fixed fares for popular destinations, ranging from €9 for the short hop to Kamini to €120 for a circuit around the whole island.

The flip side to Hydra's environmentally friendly transportation policy is the presence of large amounts of what might be termed "donkey exhaust", so watch your step when walking around.

There are plenty of small hotels and guest houses in Hydra Island for those who don't want to limit their visit to a day trip. Note that some Hydra accommodations may be accessible only by climbing stairs, so if this is a problem for you, ask when booking.