Getting from Athens to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Athens you are going to one of the most immediately compelling islands in Greece. Hydra is car-free, its waterfront lined with elegant stone mansions built by sea captains and merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the port when you arrive by ferry is one of the great arrivals in the Greek islands. Donkeys carry luggage up the stepped lanes. The water around the island is exceptionally clear. The absence of engines gives the island a quality of silence that is unlike anywhere else within easy reach of Athens. Hydra has been drawing artists, writers and people who want somewhere beautiful and serious since the 1950s and it has never lost that quality.

Take the ferry

The Piraeus to Hydra ferry is one of the classic Saronic crossings, with up to 11 daily departures year-round. The crossing takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the vessel. It is one of the most effortless connections from Athens and you rarely need to book in advance except on summer weekends when Athenians head out in numbers. The ferry arrives directly into the port, which is the centre of everything on Hydra.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The ferry from Piraeus is the only option and at under 2 hours it is one of the most enjoyable short crossings in Greece.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Piraeus. It is frequent, reliable and the crossing through the Saronic Gulf is a pleasure. 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.