Getting from Crete to Hydra

If you are heading to Hydra from Crete you are going to one of the most immediately compelling islands in Greece, a car-free island of elegant stone mansions built by sea captains, with water around it that is exceptionally clear and a quality of silence that is unlike anywhere else within easy reach of Athens.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Crete to Hydra. The island is connected to Piraeus by the Saronic ferry network, with up to 11 daily departures and the trip taking around 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours. Getting to Piraeus from Crete means taking the overnight ferry from Heraklion, making the total journey by sea the better part of a day.

Getting there by air

Hydra has no airport. The nearest airport is Athens. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 2 hours. Total travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the Saronic ferry from Piraeus to Hydra. It is the most practical approach and 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.