The Island of Hydra

It was late June and we had been traveling around the Ionian Islands for business and pleasure. We were scouting towns and adventures that we would someday take our travelers on. But after a tough summer and the loss of my father we were prioritizing a relaxed pace and trusting that synchronicity would lead us to all the places we were supposed to find.

We first heard of the island of Hydra (pronounced “Ee-dra”) from a woman who traveled with us. It was one of her favorite islands in Greece. She loved the beauty and artsy culture of the island. One of the things Hydra is known for is no motorized transportation on the island (except four garbage trucks!). For that matter there are not even bicycles. Everyone gets around by foot or donkey! The island has been host to several well-known artists over the years: Leonard Cohen and Maria Callas to name a few. This intrigued us, and since we were going with the flow we decided to check it out!

The quick ferry ride from Athens was a perfect pause after a long, hot day of exploring. We were grateful for the happy hour libations served on the boat. The idyllic coastlines of port towns and sea cliffs mesmerized us as the ferry stopped at one island after another. We arrived in Hydra just after 8pm.

Hungry and tired, we hoped we could find our hotel quickly. As we stepped foot on the dock the energy was contagious. The port was brimming with people dining along the water, donkeys and cats scattered here and there, and lighted storefronts with colorful wares.  

We walked down a popular street lined with the same, and within a few minutes we were at the doorstep of our tiny hotel. We rang the bell and were greeted by an old man (in my mind he looked just like Ernest Hemingway) who was a bit scruffy but friendly. Hemingway showed us to our second story room. Modest, small and quirky, its tiny balcony was framed with pink bougainvillea and a view of the shop-lined street below.

We dropped our backpacks and headed out on a quest for food before we ate our own arms. We settled on an Italian restaurant a minute’s walk from our hotel. The outdoor patio was festively lit and inviting, and even after more than a week of incredible Greek food, a pizza always sounds good. The waiter was charming and helpful, recommending the pizzas we had our eyes on, and promptly brought us a carafe of the house wine. As we settled in we were entertained by the differences of tourists and local families, both aplenty in the tiny alleyway. The pottery colorfully displayed outside in the shop across from the restaurant was intriguing and I made a mental note to return there the next day with more energy and my wallet.

The next morning we woke up refreshed and excited to explore. Our first stop was to a gorgeous clothing store on the boardwalk of the port. The mannequin out front was adorned in a white sundress with hydrangea print, and it was calling to me. Eric took his cue that I might be awhile and went to find a coffee shop.

The narrow store was not much wider than my kitchen. A beautiful dark haired woman introduced herself as Katerina. She was the shop owner and lived in the apartment above. She immediately began choosing lace dresses and sequined shoes for me to try on while she educated me on what truly makes up the style of a sophisticated elegant woman. Katerina’s loveliness and charisma drew Eric in as soon as he popped his head in the shop to find me, as she continued with stories of movie stars that had visited the port. Soon was showing us the upstairs of her shop connected to her home and the view of the sea. When she learned we were planning to bring a group here for an adventure she summoned her daughter and then began excitedly brainstorming a list of hotels and places that were the best and brightest of Hydra.

The next days as we explored town we walked by her shop many times from the beach to our hotel. She would stop us and inquire about our thoughts on the places she had sent us, and had her daughter accompany us to talk to a hotel owner. We met her husband, heard stories of their life on Hydra, and felt the genuine kindness you feel from a family member, cheering for us to succeed on our scouting mission.

Kim wearing one of Katerina’s dresses

We fell in love with Katerina and the warm spirit of the Greek people that she embodied. But actually we fell in love with everything on this magical island: the unique tastes of the local restaurants (we found one we returned to several times because we were in love with their beet flan), the charming narrow alleyways lined with shops of hand blown glass and bohemian decor, the string of beaches that lined a hiking trail heading away from the town, one just as beautiful as the next. As always I was drawn to the multitude of sleek and friendly stray cats, while Eric was drawn to the sea cliffs perfect for jumping off of. They were a little too high for me so I was happy to soak up the sun and be entertained by his enthusiasm.

Our last evening was celebrated with a fresh white fish caught that day from a local fisherman, a bottle of rosé, and a full moon that danced over the Aegean sea as we ate. Over dinner we expressed the gratitude we had for this island, this country, and genuine kindness of the local people we had met throughout Greece. This land of mythology and magic had lived up to its fame. We could not wait to come back!

And we are...our Gifts of Greece trip for women is scheduled for August 1-10th, 2021. Dates for our 2022 trip are coming soon!