Blogs from Hydra, Attica, Greece, Europe

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Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra September 4th 2022

Act quickly, think slowly… ~ Greek Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling south from Poros to Hydra– by ferry. We had a somewhat sketchy start to the day, thanks in part to a misunderstanding with the carefree and somewhat clueless managers at Hotel Pavlou (our accommodation on Poros), and to our guide’s overly cautious approach to time-management. The hotel’s kitchen was meant to open at 8am, as we were scheduled to leave for Poros Town at 8:30am to catch the ferry to Hydra. It was always going to be tight, but we love tight schedules – especially when they lead to heightened travel experiences. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed with day packs in tow, we settled at one of the outdoor dining tables at 8am. We were ready to go. Hotel Pavlou wasn’t. The kitchen hadn’t ... read more
ferry to hydra
first look at hydra
streets of hydra town

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra January 13th 2015

Somehow I never found time and / or had telecoms difficulties to write about my travels in the latter half of 2014 and some folks might have thought I had given up and handed in my passport - of course not !! So urged by some friends and followers to catch up I find I have some time ( I am actually having a month in Dubai) and a new iPad so no excuse now. I did not intend to fill up the year with trips but they just seemed to happen - there was a glorious English summertime in July and August and lots of visitors kept me amused enjoying the delights of Sussex. Then September rolled in and I was off to the Greek island of Agistri a one hour ferry hop from Piraeus. ... read more
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Shopping in the Plaka district
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Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra July 15th 2014

Nous prenons le ferry à 9h00 en direction de Hydra. Mario est bien content; notre bateau est l’un des hydroglisseurs qui nous ont si souvent dépassé lorsque nous étions à voile. Hydra est une très belle ville sans aucun véhicule moteur. Tel que décrit dans les guides touristiques, des mulets sont disponibles pour se promener dans la ville. Une fois sur place, on se rend compte que c’est plutôt une attrape; 10 euros pour faire le tour du pâté de maison avec le guide qui tient le mulet en laisse ! On préfère se promener à pied et découvrir l’arrière ville. Les petites rues blanches qui offfrent des surprises à chaque intersection. Quand au port, il est tel qu’on nous l’a décrit : complètement bondé, les bateaux y sont même amarrés sur 2 rangées ! À ... read more
Les ânes de Hydra
Le port de pêche
Des nuages !!!

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra November 5th 2011

A long weekend in Hydra at the end of October, just the perfect recipe for someone looking for some peace and quiet. We (Sara and I) jumped on a boat from Piraeus and in 2 hours we were arriving in this magical island. We stayed at Nereids Guest House (beautifully decorated and friendly) and for the next 3 days we explored the island trekking. One would say that Hydra is similar to many of the other islands of Greece - pictureque little harbour dotted with coffee shops, many tavernas, colourful streets and houses etc - especially if you are visiting Hydra for an hour or so on those boats that they just do island hopping in a day. However the beauty of Hydra is to stay for a few days and live the life rhythm of ... read more
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Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra April 26th 2011

Celebrating Easter in Greece is like celebrating Christmas in the US. The festivities last days and many people return to their home town to celebrate. In fact, the Easter observances last four days, Thursday through Sunday. The days are full of ritual, ceremony and celebration. Since the primary church is the Orthodox Church there was nothing in these rituals that I had experienced previously so it was a fascinating adventure. I spent the four days of Easter on Hydra (pronounced ee-dra) one of the Greek islands in the Saronic Gulf just a few miles off the Peloponnese coast. Although I experienced the holy days in only this town, from talking with others, the traditions are similar all over Greece. Thursday: The Crucifixion I arrived on Hydra via a ferry on Thursday morning. There are three churches ... read more
A small town on Hydra
Taking a Break
South Side of Hydra

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra January 4th 2011

Okay, so I've been here a week now, and my number of plausible Greek suitors is at 3, maybe (I think the Starbucks guy was actually Italian...I wonder if Roman Gods living in Greece count?). This is definetley not the outcome I expected coming to Greece. The ancient art, statues and religion all led me to believe finding a Greek God would be as easy as finding a Walgreens in Saint Louis. I figured there'd be one on every corner, at least, maybe two. Unfortunatley, as I said, my task of collecting a mass of Greek men to take home to my friends has been pretty unsuccesfull during my stay in Athens, so it was time to expand my horizons. If Athens didn't have the Greek Gods I was looking for, most certainly some of the ... read more
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Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra October 7th 2008

With our time in Greece quickly coming to an end, we are looking forward to spending a couple of days on the island of Hydra. The hydrofoil ride over from Pelopennese, was a first for us. It's a boat on skis, you "vibrate" across the water. Before we knew it we were docking at Hydra Town. If we had needed help with our luggage or getting to the Hotel Leto, we could have hired one of the many donkeys waiting at the landing! No need, we formed the luggage parade, and off we went up the narrow streets. You do not have to worry about stepping out in front of a car. The island's only cars seem to be for the trash collection and police. The only thing to watch out for, is that you might ... read more
sunny weather
delivery man
hitching post

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra March 26th 2008

I think I must have done something wrong. As I write this I am staring at the behinds of no fewer than five donkeys, forming a semi-circle around me. Perhaps they don't like tourists. On Hydra there is no motorized transport, except for sanitation and construction vehicles. Instead donkeys, mules and human power everything that moves, and some things that don't. It's only a small part of the massive charms that this lovely little Saronic Gulf island offers. Today I had few plans other than strolling through the town and along the seaside, having lunch and drinking Greek coffee. Luckily enough, the day was even more interesting than that and I managed to run into a group of five older American ex-pats having lunch at the same place I was going, who invited me to sit ... read more
Donkeys
Donkey et moi
The Lovely Hydra

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra March 20th 2008

Tuesday, Feb 26 2008 We are up early today to take a one day island cruise from Piraeus to Hydra, Poros and Aegina. Again, we have curbside service for the tour, we like this. This is a short bus ride to Piraeus, the largest port in Greece. This is where you would mostly take a ferry to the the southern islands of Greece (there are over 1400 Greek islands, but only about 168 are inhabitable). It’s a huge commercial port, not very pretty. We get on the boat, not even half full. It’s a bit touristy, so we head to a quite corner of the boat to relax and enjoy our (slow) 3 hour cruise to Hydra, a small island near the SE corner of the Peloponnese coast. As we approach Hydra town, I blink twice ... read more
Welcome Kitty
Hydra Fishing Lane
Hydra Donkey Lane

Europe » Greece » Attica » Hydra August 2nd 2007

Now I have traveled on to island of Hydra. A very small rock island. How beautiful, a 1/2 hr ferry ride from Spetses. I found a place right away along the port with a balcony overlooking all the boats, ferries and village. It was so beautiful. If not walking around, I sat and watched the action. A young university Greek couple were next door, and after walking and eating, I sat and we all talked each on our own close balcony for 2 hours. We had a great time comparing countries and travels. On this island no vehicles except the town are allowed at all, not even scooters. They use donkeys to carry items and luggage for travelers, or pull carts etc. Yu get your exercise. Also water taxis and boats to get around the island. ... read more
Hydra Donkeys
Hydra port
Beech and Restaurant




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