Greece - Korina Miller [286]
Return to beginning of chapter
PELOPONNESIAN MAINLAND
The Peloponnesian mainland opposite Poros can be explored conveniently from the island, with caïques running constantly between Poros and Galatas (see Getting There & Away, Click here).
The ruins of ancient Troizen, legendary birthplace of Theseus, lie in the hills near the modern village of Trizina, 7.5km west of Galatas. There are buses to Trizina (€1.40, 15 minutes) from Galatas, leaving a walk of about 1.5km to the site.
The inspiring ancient theatre of Epidavros can be reached from Galatas. Your own transport is the most convenient way of getting there. Otherwise a couple of buses depart daily from Galatas (€8, two hours) and can drop you off at the ancient site, but you should check the return times and ongoing connections.
Return to beginning of chapter
HYDRA ΥΔΡΑ
pop 2900
Hydra (ee-dhr-ah) is still the catwalk queen of the Saronics. Details matter here, such as the absence of ugly overhead power lines from the town and of cars and scooters from the streets. The island has long attracted throngs of tourists, cruise passengers and yacht crews, and the occasional celebrity on their way to hidden holiday homes among the tiers of picturesque buildings that rise above the harbour. Beyond the town, there are corners of lovely wilderness, accessible to those willing to hike – usually uphill.
Inflated prices sometimes go with the Hydra experience, but there are affordable gems among the sleeping and eating options and there are serene corners outside the harbour area and the main tributary streets.
History
Hydra experienced the light hand of an overstretched Ottoman Empire. Consequently the island prospered mightily after enterprising Greeks from the Peloponnese settled here to escape the more repressive Turkish regime of the mainland. Hydra was ever barren and waterless, so the new settlers began building boats and took to the thin line between maritime commerce and piracy with enthusiasm. By the 19th century, Hydra was a maritime power, earning itself the ambivalent sobriquet of ‘Little England’. Wealthy shipping merchants built most of the town’s grand old mansions and Hydra supplied 130 ships for a blockade of the Turks during the Greek War of Independence. The island bred such leaders as Georgios Koundouriotis, who was president of Greece’s national assembly from 1822 to 1827, and Admiral Andreas Miaoulis, who commanded the Greek fleet. Streets and squares all over Greece are named after these two champions.
Getting There & Away
At the time of writing only fast ferries linked Hydra with Poros, Piraeus and Spetses, and Ermioni and Porto Heli on the mainland. For details Island Hopping. You can buy tickets from Idreoniki Travel ( 22980 54007; www.hydreoniki.gr), opposite the ferry dock.
Getting Around
In summer, there are caïques from Hydra Town to the island’s beaches. There are also water taxis ( 22980 53690), which will take you anywhere you like; examples are Kamini (€11) and Vlyhos (€15).
The donkey owners clustered around the port charge around €16 to transport your bags to your hotel.
Return to beginning of chapter
HYDRA TOWN
pop 2526
Hydra Town’s red-roofed houses with their pastel-painted walls form a pretty amphitheatre behind the harbour, where the cobbled quayside is a colourful throng of ambling pedestrians, mules and donkeys. The mules and donkeys are the main means of heavy transport; they load the air with a reassuring bouquet of genuine earthiness. Fast ferries with imperious beaked bows glide frequently through the harbour gaps and smart yachts come and go alongside the quay in an absolute froth of bad rope management. Behind the harbour, steep steps and alleyways paved with multicoloured stone lead ever upwards to the rock-studded slopes of old Hydra. The harbour front and the streets leading inland are crammed with cafes and craft and souvenir shops.
Information
There is no tourist office on Hydra but a useful