Overview and attractions of the island of Idra
The Greek Island of Idra, or as it is called Hydra, is located in the Saronic Gulf. It is a beautiful vacation place, where in addition to the beautiful landscape, tourists can walk peacefully through the cobblestone streets and sit in one of the coastal restaurants. Since the area of the island is only 55 square meters, there is no car traffic. Locals ride horses or donkeys and offer tourists to reach their destination this way.
Idra, the capital of the island, will charm you with its snow-white houses, where in the old days lived the captains and sailors, and Idra is considered a center of pilgrimage of artists, writers, and world celebrities. Festivals and events are often held on the island.
What to visit
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St. Eupraxia Monastery
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St. Elijah Monastery
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Historical and Archival Museum
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House of Cunduriotis
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The Cathedral
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The Monastery of St. Nicholas
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Sculpture of a boy on a dolphin
St. Eupraxia Monastery
The monastery is located on the slope of Mount Eros in a picturesque setting surrounded by centuries-old pines and cypress trees. It was built in the 19th century and its main cathedral has simple architectural forms. There is an atmosphere of peace and calm here. It takes about an hour to get from the capital to the monastery and donkeys will help to shorten the way.
St. Elias Monastery
This monastery is a short walk from St. Eupraxia convent. It is a beautiful place that offers spectacular panoramic views of the Saronic Gulf. From here you can walk to the top of Mount Eros to enlarge your view and see even more beautiful scenery. The monastery is also noted in Greek history. Here a hero of the national revolution was jailed. T. Kolokotronis.
Historical and Archival Museum
You can learn the history of the island in the museum, which is located on the eastern embankment. Some exhibits and artifacts belong to different eras - clothes, figures decorating the bows of ships, weapons, etc.
House of Cunduriotis
Another museum where you can see works of Greek art. The mansion itself will amaze you with its interior decoration. Members of the Kundouriotis family at different times participated in the wars for the independence of the country, as well as commanded the Greek navy.
The Cathedral
The church is located in the capital of the island and is considered one of its main attractions. On this site in the 17th century was built the first church and several cells. During an earthquake that struck the island in the 18th century, the buildings were badly damaged. Restoration work was done by Venetian architects. The main cathedral temple is in the Byzantine style. The interior of the cathedral fascinates with beautiful frescoes, amazing chandeliers, and a large number of icons in gold and silver covers.
St. Nicholas Monastery
This place of pilgrimage for Christians is located four kilometers from the capital. The exact date of the foundation of the monastery is unknown. The holy place is located on Mount Obori. The road to the monastery is quite complicated and rocky. The church of the monastery is built in the Byzantine style, inside it decorates a wooden iconostasis. Now there is a nunnery.
Sculpture of a boy on a dolphin
It is safe to say that the island has become popular after the world premiere of the movie of the same name. Moviegoers and famous actors were attracted to the beauty of the island and thus made it famous all over the world. Frequent visitors to the island were such famous artists as Marc Chagall, Picasso, as well as actress Audrey Hepburn, singer Maria Callas, and others. The statue of the boy was installed on the island in 2006.
Beaches of Idra
There are many beautiful sandy beaches on the island. Some are crowded and some are perfectly secluded.
Spilia Swimming Rocks
A beach under the hill with restaurants and tavernas on top. The beach is close to the island's capital. Tourists like to gather here for an evening dinner at one of the restaurants and a spectacular sunset.
Avlaki
The water in this vacation spot is deep and cool, and the beach itself is stony. It is not a good place for a vacation with children. This is a wild beach, so when you go here on vacation, bring drinks and snacks.
Castello
A cozy beach for couples with children. The coast is equipped with sun loungers and deck chairs. You can take a shower in the cabin, and lunch is invited by one of the coastal restaurants.
Vlykos
Beautiful beach, which is located near the eponymous settlement. It is a beach with a sandy surface, which is mixed with pebbles. You can rent umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach, and there are stores and cafes around.
Four Seasons
The beach, which is part of the hotel of the same name. The coastline is perfect for a holiday with children. Getting to the beach is most convenient by boat.
Molos
Difficult to reach and the most isolated beach on the island. It is located in a small beautiful bay and will be ideal for those who want to have a picnic on the beach.
How to reach Hydra
Hydra is an island that all boaters who choose to sail on the southern islands of the Saronic Gulf try to get to and it's worth it.
Getting to Hydra is not difficult at all. From the island of Poros, it's about 14 nautical miles and less than 2 hours. The weather in this region is usually calm without storms.
Hydra marina facilities
Hydra marina is very small and hardly equipped to host even a medium-sized fleet of yachts. Parking spaces range from 6 to 8. On this island it is customary to stand in several rows, throwing out the anchor and tying the stern ends to the yachts standing at the pier. The number of rows reaches up to 4.
Of course, it's very uncomfortable, but there's no other alternative.
The entrance to the marina is very narrow and there are high-speed ferries and small pleasure craft constantly plying inside.
There is no electricity or water connection in the marina. Fill the water tanks with water at Poros or Spetses.
