Hydra overnight - the harbour in the evening when the day-trippers have gone, the coastal path to Kamini at recovery pace, the Bratsera Hotel in a converted sponge factory. For a runner in the first 48 hours after the Athens Marathon, the absence of motor vehicles alone is worth the ferry fare.
Getting There
Metro Line 1 (Green line) from Monastiraki to Piraeus: approximately 35 minutes. At Piraeus port, walk to Gate E8 or E9 at the eastern end for the Hellenic Seaways or Aegean Speed Lines services. The Flying Cat high-speed catamaran to Hydra takes 90 minutes. Tickets approximately €30-35 single; book in advance and book the return journey at the same time. In November, services typically run two or three times daily in each direction.
Hydra: The Island
Hydra (Ydra in modern Greek) is a crescent-shaped island of approximately 50 square kilometres, rising steeply from its harbour to a spine of rocky hills reaching 590 metres. The harbour is flat. The interior is not.
The harbour of Hydra Town is the entire social, commercial, and logistical universe of the island: a wide crescent of smooth stone quayside, the tavernas on the inner arc, the sea on the outer arc. The ferries arrive at the western end; the donkeys stand in their section at the east. The quayside surface is smooth marble - gentle on recovering legs.
The coastal path east from the harbour leads to Kamini (15 minutes' walk on a flat path) and Vlychos (30 minutes). Both are accessible without significant climbing. Kamini has a small fishing harbour, a taverna, and November quiet. Vlychos has a pebble beach and a narrow stone bridge across the inlet.
Hydra's golden period was the 18th and 19th centuries, when the Hydriot merchant fleet dominated Aegean trade. The captains built the stone mansions (archontika) that line the upper slopes - severe, elegant, visible from the harbour. Leonard Cohen lived here intermittently from 1960 to 1967, writing early work in a house on the upper town. The association has been absorbed into the local identity with equanimity.
Where to Stay
Hotel Hydra on the harbour front is the most convenient - rooms directly overlooking the quayside. The Bratsera Hotel in a converted sponge factory in the upper town offers more architectural interest but slightly more walking. Book ahead even in November; the island has limited rooms.
Where to Eat
Xeri Elia (The Dry Olive Tree) on the harbourfront: kakavia (fish soup), grilled bream, octopus grilled over charcoal on the quayside. The Pirate Bar at the harbour's western end has been operating since 1976 and serves adequate food in a setting that communicates Hydra's artistic past.
Getting Back
The return ferry to Piraeus takes 90 minutes. From Piraeus port, Metro Line 1 runs to Monastiraki (35 minutes). For the airport, change at Monastiraki to Metro Line 3 (Blue line) to Athens International Airport - total journey from Piraeus to the airport approximately 45-55 minutes. Alternatively, the X96 Airport Express Bus departs from Piraeus directly to the airport in approximately 60-75 minutes.