Hydra: what to see on the island of the Saronico Gulf
For the Athenians it is the destination of the weekends at an hour and a half of hydrofoil, in Gulf of Saronico. For the Greeks, Hydra It is a small Capri (26 km long, 6 wide) and it is above all the island of heroes, the great shipowners such as the Miaoulis and the Koundourriotis, who in 1821 made 130 ships available for the war of independence against the Turks.
Entrepreneurs enriched with the proceeds of smuggling and piracy, which allowed them to build superb gray stone buildings, some splash of orange and white arches. There are more than 300, they parade from the port to the hills as an amphitheater of great architectural harmony: the island, in fact, is a national monument.
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And it is the Rendez-Vous of the great names of contemporary art, every summer here for Slaughterhousecultural event organized by the Greek-Cypriot collector Dakis Jannou: Kiki Smith, Maurizio Cattelan and Jeff Koons arrived, who left the island on the islandApollo Wind Spinnerinstallation over nine meters high named after the Greek god.
And in winter and in spring? You walk, because in Hydra, the pre -forerunner of ecology, cars and mopeds are prohibited. You move on foot, bikes, horse and on the donkeys that stand at the port between elegant sailing yachts. Perfect for climbing up to 588 meters of Mount Eros and enjoy the panorama from up there.
What to see in Hydra
It is more pleasant to climb walking into an hour through the perfumed pine forest up to Monastic complex of Profitis Eliascustodian of precious icons. Or move along the coast of the coast between hints of stain, peeking the small beaches that affect the rock, stopping to see the traffic of the Cicchi a Kaminiecolave of fishermen.
The beauty of the low season is to walk through the cobbled alleys of Hydracapital and the only real village, without shaving with tourists. Admiring in solitude models of ships, polene, paintings and memorabilia of the struggle for independence to Historical Archives Museumex MANSION of the Lazaros Koundourriotis.
Relax in Hydra’s taverns
Out of season, the center is stripped of its cosmopolitan worldliness and finds the most authentic Greek dimension. The fashionable premises close, vernacular taverns remain open. Like the historic Douskosin a tree -lined square, 200 years of loyalty to traditional cuisine, from fish soup to grovetomatoes and stuffed peppers in the oven. It was the favorite of the Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohenwho lived here for a long time.
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In the golden years of the Jet Set Hydra was an indispensable destination for the VIPs, from the inevitable Jackie Kennedy to Pablo Picasso, from Mick Jagger to the writer Henry Miller. But it is Cohen who calamite the pilgrims of music, perhaps because the places he frequented are still « right » addresses.
Like the Roloi Caféon the port, where to order a Greek salad or an aperitif looking at the wrapping of the boats. Or the Lulus Taverna (Miaouli 454), which has not changed menu for 45 years: meat on the spit, braised, moussakà of aubergines.
Shopping in Hydra: jewelry and souvenir guermand
In winter the boutiques close, that of Maramenou Marialianawhich creates splendid silver bracelets.
Then there are the natural cosmetics of the Rafalias pharmacyborn in 1890, one of the oldest in Greece, which preserves the original furnishings. Bathroom lines, colonies, lotions, fig creams, orange, jasmine still prepared according to the recipes of the mother of the current owner Gospelis Rafalias, one of the first pharmacist women of the country.
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You can’t leave Hydra without providing amygdaloty glorious Tsagaris pastry shopfrom 1930, biscuits prepared with almonds, semolina, rose water and icing sugar. And without climbing up to the seven stone mills on the hill of Agios athanasiosfor a view that leads to share Henry Miller’s words on Hydra: « Built by a lineage of artists, a dream creation ».
Discover some glimpses of Hydra in the gallery
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