It took us three days to travel to Hydra from Glasgow by train through London, France and Italy, then on to Greece by ferry and finally the hydrofoil from Piraeus to Hydra. Arriving in the silent dark, Hyrda was like a glittering gift. No cars, narrow and steep steps leading high into the island, donkeys, delicious feta saganaki and gyros everyday, peaceful, blue swimming spots, freshly caught squid and our gorgeously charming Kiaffa Cottage where Tracy Emin had stayed before us! Leonard Cohen wrote Bird on the Wire here in the 60's too. A gem of a place, thanks to the old guy in a pub who told us we had to go there above any other place in the world!

Kiaffa Cottage - where we stayed - www.showeb.net/hydra
+61 (0)44 958 3486

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I refuse to disclose the joys of the Hotel Romvi in Tolon. (Damn.) The fact that it is small, family run and on the beach is something I do not wish to share with worldwide Guardian readers because you'll all be there next year filling the sunbeds two steps from the restaurant which serves great home-cooked food.(Done it again - damn.) I'm booking now before you get there. The fact that the town can be ignored as you sip ouzo with your feet in the sea is an even greater asset.
It's only 30 mins from Epidaurus, Mycenae and twenty by boat from Napflion.
SO DON'T GO!

Try Sunvil Travel

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There are not any real sand beaches in Hydra, only pebble ones. Some of them are Spilia, Kamini, Vlyhos. Try the organized ones, Agios Nikolaos, Mandraki and Bisti.

www.in2greece.com/english/places/summer/islands/hydra.htm

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Hydra is a great place to visit if you like taking photographs. You would think that the entire island had been deliberately set up for the perfect photo shoot. You just can't go wrong. The colours, quaintness, odd little corners, the donkeys (there aren't any cars) and the reflections are gorgeous and that's just in the port!

I love going up the hills to get the best sunsets especially in the spring when there's still enough cloud about to make them interesting. And inland there are hundreds of pretty chapels normally stranded in the middle of a field that just beg to be snapped. Come with plenty of extra memory and batteries - you'll need them for sure.

One of the Greek Saronic Islands, 1.5 hours SW out of Piraeus, hugging the Peloponnese coastline.
Fly into www.AIA.gr
Take a taxi or the Express bus to Piraeus
Cross to the island with www.dolphins.gr or www.euroseas.com
And for comprehensive island information visit www.hydradirect.com

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In a recent visit to Greece, I stayed in the Phaedra Hotel on the island of Hydra. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the island. It has big, very clean, full of light rooms.The hotel is sheltered from the noise of the port and Hilda, the hotel owner offers warm hospitality with the best service I have experienced.

It was a joy to stay there!

Phaedra Hotel, Hydra 18040
Tel: 0030 22980 53330
www.phaedrahotel.com

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Conveniently close to Athens (a couple of hours on the boat from Piraeus), this island, like most of Greece, is laden with history and is a favourite destination for many artists. The Canadian bard, Leonard Cohen, has spent several years of his life writing music there, and owns an old house close to the small port.

The laidback coffee places by the seaside are great to spend lazy hours in and enjoy afternoons gazing out to the sea and the clear skies.

Note that cars are not allowed on this island so most of the moving about is done either on bicycles or donkeys.

Hydra is about 30 miles from Piraeus, which is where you can catch a boat or hydrofoil from. Journey time is about two hours. There is also a connection with the coast of Pelopenese via water taxi.

How to get there: www.hydradirect.com/info/gettingtohydra/gettingtohydra.htm;
More information: www.hydradirect.com

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