Majestic Hydra, Queen of the Saronic Gulf

At first glance, every visitor sees the aristocratic, elegant and at the same time manorial and cosmopolitan Hydra, but when the eyes of his soul are attuned to the rhythms of the place, the charm of the freedom it exudes, will immediately place Hydra ina visitors heart…

Yes… this is Hydra… the island that led and dominated the war for the country's independence… the island in the heart of every Greek!

It owes its name to the abundant waters that sprang from the rich springs it had in antiquity and the first examples of its habitation date back to the Neolithic Age. And while the inhabitants of that time were focused on the mountainous parts of the island, over the years, they realized that the wealth of the place could not be other than the life-giving sea. So they turned to it, creating a strong tradition in naval history, giving some of the greatest names of the revolution of 1821, some of leading sailors in the country's history. Strong shipowners and politicians come from the island. Among them are Andreas Miaoulis, Kountouriotis, Tsamados, Sachtouris and others.

In 1821 Hydra listed 186 ships, and together with Spetses and Psara, it played an important role in the struggle of the Revolution. Nowadays, the biggest celebration of the island, which takes place every year on the Saturday, which is closer to June 21st, is Miaouleia, in honor of this great Hydra captain. This is a three-day event, with exhibitions, speeches, torchlight processions, theatrical performances, fireworks, boat races, sports, municipal dances and music events, which are attended every year by many people flocking to the island, thus honoring this holiday, the historical memory of events and persons who played a leading role in the outcome of the revolution of 1821.

On the third and last day of the events, as you will see in the video, the representation of the Battle of Gerontas and the burning of the Turkish flagship take place in a solemn manner, with the burning of fireworks and the narration of the events.

And of course, visitors have the opportunity to meet today's Hydra, the "aristocracy" of which has captivated the international jet set, but also great artists like Picasso and Chagall, and to walk for a while among its whitewashed narrow cobbled streets, with its bright blue windows and the perpetual scent of the sea air, which even the American writer Henry Miller mentioned in a trip to the island:
"There are only two colors, blue and white, and white is freshly bleached every day."

And of course, a walk in the mountainous parts of the island, in its most "erotic" mountain, Mount Eros, is necessary and really worth it. On climbs to an altitude of 600 meters, passing by beautiful churches such as that of St. Constantine of Hydra, but also getting a panoramic view of the entire island, enjoying the frantic course of sea taxis as they create endless waterways.

As for the evening hours of relaxation after the endless dives in the blue-green cool waters, the romantic bars with great music and live every night with jazz, blues and rock ballads to accompany your drink, are the perfect setting to close your day wonderfully !!

And since you are in Hydra… among the homes of all these great personalities, a visit to their former mansions is a must. Become one with history and wander around the mansion of Kountouriotis. Walk among the paths that smell of honey and wild oregano to see one of the most artistic houses on the island, the one that belonged to the great painter Panagiotis Tetsis. Look next to the painter's house and see that of the legendary singer and poet Leonard Cohen. And of course, don't forget to visit the picturesque village of Megalo Kamini, where the Hydraeans once repaired their fishing boats, to see the well-known "Red House" of Andreas Miaoulis. And if you happen to be there on Good Friday, stay to watch the Epitaph immersion custom in the sea water, so that its blessing may follow the sailors and help them on their travels.

So this is Hydra. A mansion island, rich in images of Greek history with an eternal movement that takes you to the depths of time…
Visit the island, stay and travel with it any time of the year you want !!!!