Direct: www.aegeanair.com www.BA.com www.Easyjet.com
Indirect: KLM.com
You can come to Hydra by car, in 2 hours and 30 minutes following the Attica Road and then the National Road Athens-Corinth.
After you leave the Isthmus you go left to Epidaurus (Exit B-Corinth-Epidavros). You drive about 30 minutes and you reach the intersection of Epidaurus.Just before you will see signs to Poros or Spetses. There you turn right onto oblique parallel road and immediately under the bridge to the left. Then you follow the new road being careful to see the sign to Poros. At this point you turn left and you will reach through the coastal road in 20 minutes in Galata.
Until Galatas for the entire route with an average speed, it takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.Then following the coastal road in half an hour (less) you are in Metochi which is on the left side of the road.
HYDRA-METOCHI
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METOCHI-HYDRA
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Information Hydra Lines :
6947325263 FAX: 22980-52961
Hellenic Seaways Hydrofoils & Catamarans
Hellenic Seaways are one of the main carriers
between the Greek islands and the mainland. They have a huge number of routes.
Hydra is on the route that also includes Poros, Spetses, Porto Heli and
Ermioni.
What Island is included on the route depends
on the time of day that the flying dolphin or cat leaves however Hydra is such
a popular destination that it is included on most trips anyway.
Price range: Return trip from Piraeus to
Hydra on flying cat approx. €50 return (2012) | Address: Piraeus, Athens, Greece
| Postcode: 18040 |Telephone: +(30) 210 41 99 000 | Web Site: www.hellenicseaways.gr/
Its easy to book and collect tickets at the
port
http://www.hellenicseaways.gr/index.asp?a_id=219
From leaving the Flyin Dolphin walk to the corner cafe and head right along the port
Just before the Clock tower Leave port behind you.
Take a small lane between shop with souvenirs and cafe-restaurant with orange chairs. Go straight ahead, after few meters on your right is lulls restaurant(best Greek salad), Go straight on and when you pass all the 'building' stores.
Moving gradually uphill you come to a junction. Turn right before small super market. Go straight on and on your right is nice square with orange trees, small monuments and two cannons, opposite the square is small restaurant where you can try all Greek meals really cheaply.
Leave restaurant and square on your right and go up by stairs, now turn left and say hello to 1000 steps which you need to pass through :) good luck! go up. If you can see phone booth you can choose between two ways.
B-steps on your right
A-go straight ahead
(I think A is quicker so let's start from A)
A) All the time go straight on. If you can see grey bin turn left. now you can choose between another two ways. If you're really tired turn left (*) but if you can still cope with walking go by stairs (#). Distance is similar but * is easier.
*) Pass the arch. Now you can see another arch. (If you're tired you can rest here. In summer it's one of the place which is cool and it has nice view on port). Now you can go up. Pass the green gate and turn right, go straight ahead turn right then left. Pass last stairs and turn left. Now you can see M' s house. You've reached your destination :)
#) It's not so bad like it's look like. Go up by stairs now turn left and go straight on. Pass white arch. On the end turn left and then first on right ( here is another place where you can feel cool wind on your face in the summer). When you pass the lane go by stairs then turn left and here it is.you can rest!
B) Go by stairs on your right. Pass the small square and another stairs. Go straight ahead. On your left small bust. (if you turn right there's the nearest shop). To M's house turn left. Go up by stairs. Turn left before blue doorstep and go straight on, another stairs so go up and up, straight on, another white stairs with white arch. Pass it and on the end turn left then right and go straight ahead, on the end turn left. Last stairs and here is your finish line.
From the archaeological findings we conclude that Hydra was first inhabited in the late neolithic period (3000-2600 BC) without however having evidence that the island had some progress or played any important role.It seems that around the 13th century BC the Dryopes, an ancient pre-Hellenic race that lived mostly among the mountains Iti and Parnassos, settled on the island. The Dryopes disappeared from Hydra two centuries later during the arrival of the Dorians. During the Mycenaean era it is believed that Hydra was under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Mycenae since its geographical position favors this possibility.
During the 15th century starts the significant growth of Hydra with the establishment of Albanian fugitives, persecuted by Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, who had conquered the Peloponnese.
It is then when the present town of Hydra is being built and specifically around the hill Kiafa for reasons of safety from pirate raids. A second large colonial wave arrived to Hydra in the late 16th century when large families, mostly Greek, came to the island. Among these are the families of Zerva and Lazarou, Kokkini and Kountourioti, the families Mitarou, Nega, Gioni, Gouma, Giakoumaki, Vuku, later Miaoulis, coming from the Epirus and Smyrna. After the various colonial waves, with the start of the revolution in 1821 the island reached/ended to number of 27,000 inhabitants. The island was ready in the financial and war section.
It owned 130 battleships with a capacity of 30,000 tons, 5,400 men and 2,400 canons. The fleet of Hydra dominated the sea during the seven-year war, contributing to the liberation of Greece, sacrificing human lives, ships and money. The prosperity and good fortune of the island lasted until the end of the first decade of the 19th century.
From Hydra came a total of five prime ministers which in order were: George Koundouriotis, Anthony Kriezis, Dimitrios Voulgaris, Athanasios Miaoulis and Petros Voulgaris.
However the most important moment of the island was when the memorable Admiral Paul Koundouriotis, who was born and raised in Hydra, sworn in as President of the Greek Republic.With the fishing of sponges, an economic upturn reached the island just before the late 19th century, which helped the remaining people immense.
1 Spilia Beach - Closest to Hydra Town, three sections each below a bar or taverna. ( Ladders from rocks to access sea , swim in cordoned off area )
2 Avlaki Beach - East out of town, a bit of a climb to get down to.
3 Kamini (Baby) Beach - About 1km from Hydra Town, gently shelving. - other side of Kamini Harbour from Hydra Port. The Castello Restaurant/Bar backs the beach and is open to the public although they do have bar only loungers and umbrellas on the beach.
4 Vlichos Beach - 2km East of Hydra Town, partially sandy. Shallow safe swimming restaurant nearby – 20minutes from house Umbrellas and loungers available for hire.
5 Molos Beach - a good, strenuous 40min walk sometimes inland.
6 Bisti Beach - Take a water taxi, very pretty and secluded.
7 Ayios Nikolaos Beach - Take a water taxi, large pebble beach favoured by yachts.
8 Limnioniza Beach - Book a taxi to take you and collect you, pretty bay.
9 Mandraki Beach - mainly sandy, easy 2km walk West of Hydra Town. Noisy bar. Umbrellas and loungers available for hire. Small pebble beach below the Mandraki 1800 taverna (just before the main beach if you walk from Hydra) has free loungers. We don't like it.
Athens Airport to Piraeus
There isn't an airport on Hydra so your only option is to fly into the main airport on the mainland.
Athens International Airport is a really comfortable and user-friendly airport.
Definitely up there with the best of them. You will need to allow approximately 3 hours ( by bus ) from landing at AIA, to departing from Piraeus. Bring Euro coins with you if you want to use a trolley, there's no change machine before customs.
Taxis
The taxi rank is outside exit door 3 but the queue during high season starts outside exit door 2. There are lots of taxis so the queue goes down really quickly. Yellow taxi prices vary depending upon the time of day, the number of passengers and the season, but based on 2012 prices you should budget for at least 60 euros.
Taxi Meter Note on the left is the fare in € on the right is how long you have been in the cab ( this is not relevant to the fare whatever the driver says )
E96 Express Bus
- Bus is reliable and perfectly OK
If you prefer to take the Express E96 bus to Piraeus, you need to leave through exit door 5 (right out of customs, the last one at the end of the arrival hall). You need to purchase a ticket from the booth before boarding the bus. Tickets cost 5 Euros per person (2012).
The E96 bus and the bus stop are clearly marked in English and Greek with the destination (Piraeus). There's plenty of space for luggage and they go at least 3 times an hour, 23 hours a day.
When you board please make sure you validate your ticket in the red box on the post behind the drivers seat. There are on the spot fines if an inspector finds un-validated tickets!
The journey time, slightly quicker if you're in a taxi because it doesn't stop at so many places as the bus, takes approximately 1.5 hours.
The port of Piraeus is large and sprawling. IF you take a taxi from the airport, ask for Piraeus and make sure the driver knows you're heading for Hydra and then you'll get put down at the right part of the port. The bus terminal is right outside the port gates so you just need to walk in.
Piraeus is a lively port – complete with thieves and bag snatchers – stay alert.
Hydra Town Hall 22980-52210, 53003
Citizens service centers 22980-53782, FAX: 22980-52955
Port Authority of Hydra 22980-52279
Police 22980-52205
Merchant Marine Academy 22980-52208
Post office 22980-52262, 53398
Pharmacy - 22980-52059
Community Clinic 22980-52420
Hospital 22980-53150
Cathedral 22980-52208
Municipal Enterprise 22980-53365, FAX: 22980-52955
Historic Archive 22980-52355
Ecclesiastical Museum 22980-54071
L.Kountourioti Museum 22980-52421
P.Kounoutioti Museum 22980-52245
Hellas Flying Dolphin 22980-54007, 53812
AEGEAN Flying Dolphins 22980-54180, fax: 22980-54185
ALPHA bank 22980-54053
Ethniki Bank 22980-52578
Hellenic Postbank 22980-53069
CALL CENTER: 22980-53690
Akliros Vasilios: 6944907396
Akliros Chistos: 6977248369
Anargirou Panagiotis: 6944161273
Georgakopoulos Kostas: 6944738100
Gkardalinos Antonis: 6974926446
Gionis Vaggelis: 693 2421114
Zogkos Giorgos: 6944242141
Zogkos Lefteris: 6948118213
Zogkos Christos: 6947905855
Maniatis Stamatis: 6977676189
Roussis Kostas: 6946929710
Roussis Dimitris: 6979489493
The house has an extensive Sonos sound system which can be driven off your ipad or iphone allowing you to listen to your own music or any radio station available on the internet.
Televisions and Apple TV with Itunes for the latest movies .
All UK TV channels via slingbox.
Stable high speed wireless internet and a good 3G signal so mobiles work perfectly .
A Greek telephone line .
Internal and External Security cameras.
Fully Equipped - typically you do not need a tumble dryer .
Fully equipped Gas BBQ area
High quality Bedlinen / towels / Beach Towels for Up to 6 people
Full access to housekeeper
1 Master Bedroom with Super King Size Bed and bathroom
1 Bedroom with Standard Double (135 x 190cm) and bathroom
Sofa Bed / Standard Double
The Ecclesiastical Byzantine Museum of Hydra is housed in the Cathedral, "Monastery" as they call it. It was built in the mid 17th century.
In the museum the visitor can admire vestments, relics, pictures and tributes of the 18th century mainly. Among them stands the image of the Virgin Mary "Rodo Amaranto", dating around 1774.
Opening hours
April - November 15th > Tuesday - Sunday, 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.
Contact information
Tel.: +30 22980 54071
You can have more information about the Ecclesiastical Byzantine Museum of Hydra here.