Why Honeymoon in Hydra
Few places in the Mediterranean are this quiet and this pretty at the same time. Without traffic, the town feels like one big pedestrian lane. Stone stairways climb from the harbor between whitewashed walls, bougainvillea and the shuttered mansions of 18th and 19th century sea captains who grew rich from shipping.
Hydra is also easy. It is the most convenient island for couples with limited time, since you can reach it from Athens in an afternoon without a flight. Everything is walkable, the harbor is lively until late and the island never has the cruise ship crowds that fill Santorini.
The trade-off is beaches. If you want long stretches of sand, look elsewhere. If you love deep blue water off sun-warmed rocks, a cocktail in a cliffside bar and dinner by the water every night, Hydra is hard to beat.
When to Go
May, June and September are the best months for a honeymoon. The sea is warm enough for swimming from June, the hiking paths are comfortable and the harbor has a good buzz without the crush of August.
July and August are hot and busy, especially on weekends when Athenians arrive by yacht and ferry. Book rooms well ahead. The island hosts an annual festival in late June honoring Admiral Andreas Miaoulis, with a mock naval battle and fireworks in the harbor.
Easter is a big occasion on Hydra, with candlelit processions and a famous Good Friday tradition in Kamini where the epitaphios is carried into the sea. It is a special time for couples who like local traditions, but book early. From November to March many hotels and restaurants close, ferries run less often and the weather can be gray, though the town never empties completely.
Where to Stay
Hydra has no large resorts. Places to stay are small hotels in restored mansions and old houses, many with only a handful of rooms around a courtyard or terrace.
- Hydra town near the harbor: closest to restaurants and ferries, with views of the port. Expect some noise until late in summer.
- Higher in town: quieter rooms with views over the rooftops to the sea. The trade-off is a stair climb every time you head home, so check how many steps your hotel has.
- Kamini: a small fishing village a 20-minute coastal walk west of the harbor, calmer and more local, with tavernas by the water.
- Vlychos: further west, with a pebble beach and a few rooms and villas, for couples who want real quiet.
Rent a house with a terrace if you plan to stay four nights or more. Ask your hotel to arrange porters with carts or mules to meet the ferry, since there are no taxis on land.
Romantic Things to Do
Walk the paved coastal path west from the harbor at sunset. It passes swimming rocks and cliff bars, reaches Kamini in about 20 minutes and continues to Vlychos. Stop for a drink with the sun going down over the Peloponnese.
For swimming, start at Spilia and Hydronetta, rock platforms with ladders just west of the port. Then use the water taxis, small wooden boats with fixed fares posted at the harbor, to reach pebble coves like Bisti and Agios Nikolaos on the far west of the island, or Mandraki to the east.
Hike up to the monastery of Profitis Ilias above town. The climb is steep and takes about an hour or more, but the views are wide. Go early or late in summer.
Visit the Historical Archives Museum by the harbor and a few galleries. In the evening, choose a harbor table and watch the boats come in.
Getting There and Around
Fly into Athens (ATH). From the airport, take a taxi or the metro and suburban rail to Piraeus port, which takes roughly an hour. Fast ferries and catamarans run several times a day from Piraeus to Hydra and take about 1.5 to 2 hours. Slower conventional boats take longer. Book summer sailings ahead, especially on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings.
You can also travel by private water taxi or small charter from the mainland port of Metochi, across a narrow strait, which is a two to three hour drive from Athens.
On the island, walk. The town is compact but steep, with cobbled stairways. Water taxis serve the coastline and beaches. Mules and donkeys carry luggage and goods, but many visitors choose to walk instead of riding them. Pack light, in a bag you can carry up steps. Wear comfortable shoes with grip for the polished stone paths.
Food and Drink
Hydra eats well for its size. The harbor is lined with restaurants and cafés serving fresh fish, grilled octopus and meze, with prices higher than inland villages because everything arrives by boat.
For a quieter meal, walk up into town or out to Kamini, where tavernas set tables almost in the water. Order the day's catch, fried small fish, horta and a Greek salad, then a carafe of house wine.
Try amygdalota, the island's almond sweets, which are sold at bakeries near the harbor and make good gifts. Hydra's cafés are lovely for a long breakfast of yogurt, honey and freshly squeezed orange juice.
After dinner, bars around the harbor and on the rocks west of town stay open late in summer. Some host DJs, but nothing like the clubs of Mykonos. The best nightlife is a drink with a view of the lights.
Honeymoon Tips
Steps are the main challenge on Hydra. Wear sandals or sneakers with grip, since the smooth marble paving can be slippery, especially after a sea splash. If either of you has knee or mobility issues, choose a hotel close to the harbor.
Carry some cash for water taxis and small cafés, although most restaurants take cards.
Rock swimming is easy but take care. Some spots have sea urchins, so pack water shoes. The rocks get hot in summer afternoons.
Dress is relaxed but polished on Hydra. Both of you will feel at home in linen and good sandals for dinner. Cover shoulders and knees in churches and monasteries.
For a longer honeymoon, combine Hydra with a few nights in Athens and a Cyclades island such as Naxos or Milos. Plan a night back in Athens before your flight in case the boat is delayed.
