Getting from Arki to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Arki you are making your way from one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Dodecanese to one of the most immediately compelling islands in Greece, a car-free island in the Saronic Gulf with elegant stone mansions, exceptionally clear water and a quality of silence unlike anywhere else within easy reach of Athens.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Arki to Hydra. Arki is connected to Patmos, Leros, Lipsi, Kalymnos and occasionally Rhodes and Samos, with services running a limited number of times per week. Getting to Hydra means taking the ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then taking the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra, which takes around 1 hour 5 minutes to 2 hours with up to 12 daily crossings year-round.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Arki has no airport either. Taking the local ferry from Arki to Leros, flying to Athens and then taking the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Take the local ferry from Arki to Leros, fly to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra. The arrival into Hydra port, with the mansions rising above the waterfront and the donkeys waiting on the quayside, is one of the best in Greece. Check the ferry schedule from Arki carefully before booking your flights as services run only a limited number of times per week. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island.