Getting from Astakos to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Astakos you are making your way from a port town on the western coast of central Greece 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 Astakos to Hydra. Astakos ferry connections are limited to Kefalonia and Ithaca. Getting to Hydra means driving from Astakos to Athens, which takes around 3.5 hours, 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. Astakos has no airport either. Driving from Astakos to Athens and 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

Drive from Astakos 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. Note that Hydra is car-free so no vehicles can be taken to the island. If you are traveling with a car, drive to the mainland port of Ermioni or Porto Heli and arrange a water taxi across to Hydra from there.