Hydra is a Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, south of Athens, in the Aegean Sea, opposite the Argolis peninsula. It is a picturesque island with wild coastlines and mountainous terrain. Its surface area is 50 km and it has 2000 permanent inhabitants. Mount Eros or Vigla, peaks at 593 meters.

Apart from three coves, the coast is rocky and inhospitable to ships, which once favored the defense of the island. The interior, mountainous, is rocky and covered with scrubland, more conducive to extensive breeding than to crops. The gray hills often end in coastal cliffs.

Hydra has become a fashionable seaside resort. It is considered the pearl of the Saronic islands and in season it is prized by the Athenian bourgeoisie. Forbidden to any motor vehicle, it is on foot, by donkey, and in water-taxi that one moves on the island. Hydra is more expensive than other islands.

The town of Hydra is the main port and the only city on the island. The port is full of charm. Its neoclassical houses with red tiles and numerous alleys have a lot of character. In time, it was protected, at the entrance of the port, by cannons that can still be seen.

The historic Tombazi mansion houses an annex of the Athens School of Fine Arts. On the quay, the monastery of Kimissis Theotokou houses the main church of the island. Fifteen minutes’ walk to the west is Kaminia, a fishing hamlet. Mandraki, about 30 minutes walk from Hydra to the east. It is the port where the shipyards were in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The beaches in Hydra are few in number but you can still find some nice beaches in Molos, Agios Nikolaos, Palamida and Kaminia.