Doing a day trip to Hydra from Athens is one of the most fun things to do in Greece. The island is very close to Athens, which makes it perfect if you want to spend one day in Hydra!
Furthermore, the island is very different from the large capital of Athens. You find here a lot of picturesque houses, beautiful flowers, and lots of relaxing places.
Because it is so different compared to the city, you should definitely spend do one day in Hydra. Doing an Athens day trip to Hydra is so much fun!
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Tips for a Day Trip to Hydra From Athens
To make your Athens day trip to Hydra better, here are some tips.
When you are spending one day in Hydra, you want to make most of the time you have!
That's why I recommend taking an early ferry to the island. That way you have a lot more time to explore the many sights of the island!
Furthermore, it is great to see the island early as there are fewer people then. This is especially true in the summer when many tourists visit the island.
It allows you to experience the island more like a local. And that's definitely fun when you're doing a day trip to Hydra from Athens.
Another tip to make your day trip to Hydra better is to bring swimwear.
There are lots of great places for swimming on the island of Hydra. I've included two great spots in this itinerary for one day in Hydra!
Your experience on the island will be much better if you can swim here as well! So make sure you bring swimwear with you when you're doing a day trip to Hydra from Athens!
Another thing to know when you visit the island is that there are no cars on the island.
Don't expect there to be a taxi or bus when you arrive in Hydra. The only ways to move around are on foot, by water taxi or by boat!
But, Hydra is a very small place, so you can walk almost everywhere, so this shouldn't be a problem!
Also, because you can walk everywhere, you should bring shoes that are pleasant! Good shoes will make your Athens day trip to Hydra more comfortable.
You don't need special hiking boots, but shoes with which you can move around in an easy way are a must!
Getting to Hydra
Getting to the island of Hydra is one of the most important things for your day trip to Hydra from Athens!
To get to the island from Athens, you have to travel by ferry.
There are several ferries that can you bring you to the island. These differ in how fast they are, but all journeys are shorter than 2 hours. The journeys are short, so that's convenient if you're spending one day in Hydra.
You can buy tickets for the ferries online at Ferryhopper, which is very convenient!
The ferries leave from the Port of Piraeus. This is a place that is very close to the city center of Athens.
You can get here by bus, metro or taxi. I recommend going there by metro as that is the most reliable way!
When you arrive at the port, you only need to find the departure gate of your ferry! There are 12 gates with ferries.
The gate for the ferry to Hydra is E8. So that's the place you should go to for your Athens day trip to Hydra!
I recommend coming at least an hour before your ferry leaves, to make sure you are on time! This makes your day trip to Hydra from Athens far more comfortable.
Furthermore, during this time you can have breakfast.
There are lots of places for breakfast surrounding the Port of Piraeus. Many places are great for a cup of coffee and bread!
Athens Day Trip to Hydra Itinerary
Now let's start with your day trip to Hydra from Athens! After taking the ferry, you'll arrive at the island.
Morning: Start Your One Day in Hydra at the Port
It's the morning of your Athens day trip to Hydra. This morning you are going to explore the port, see some great sights, and have delicious ice cream!
Explore the Port of Hydra
When you arrive on the island of Hydra you are first at the port. This is one of the best things to see during your day trip to Hydra from Athens!
The port of Hydra is an amazing place to be as it is where most of the activity of the island takes place.
It's here where you find a lot of restaurants and shops, which makes it a fun place to be!
Walking by all the lovely shops here is a great way to start your one day in Hydra!
Besides that, the place looks very pretty! The small houses that you can find in the port look amazing.
What's great is that hills surround the port. The houses are on these hills, which means you can see many of the houses above each other. This makes for a stunning sight.
Also, there are lots of pretty flowers, that are most beautiful in spring! It's amazing to see the flowers during your Athens day trip to Hydra.
Also, the water at the port is very blue, which looks spectacular!
Another great thing about the old port of Hydra is the mules you find here.
Throughout the island of Hydra, you find many mules. Because there are no cars on the island, people use mules to move things around. These animals are very cute to see!
Exploring all the beautiful things at the port of Hydra is the best start for your day trip to Hydra from Athens!
Besides that, there are many other sights at the park that you should definitely see.
See the Bastions of Hydra
One of the best things to see in Hydra is the bastions of Hydra. If you're spending one day in Hydra, you have to see it for sure!
You find the bastions of Hydra at the front of the port. They are on both sides of the port.
The bastions were important for protecting Hydra against the Ottomans. For that reason, there are cannons at the bastions.
The island didn't use the cannons a lot, because the island was almost always safe.
The history of this place makes it a great place to visit for your day trip to Hydra from Athens!
Besides the history, it is also a very pretty place.
From the bastions, you have a wonderful view of the port and the houses that surround it! This is incredible to see if you love views.
Go to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
After seeing the bastions you should go to one of the most important churches on the island! It's a must-see when you're doing an Athens day trip to Hydra.
This church is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. This is the main cathedral of the island and you find it at the port.
The architecture of the building is lovely to see! It includes two bell towers that you can see from anywhere in the port.
Also, the interior of the church is very beautiful. There are lots of frescoes and many interesting statues.
Try Some Delicious Ice Cream
When you are in the port of Hydra you should definitely try some ice cream. Having ice cream during your one day in Hydra is great!
The port is such a lovely place to roam around, and ice cream makes it even better!
There are several places at the port where you can get great ice cream.
For your day trip to Hydra from Athens, I recommend ice cream from The Cool Mule.
They have delicious homemade ice cream that is definitely worth trying!
Also, they have lots of unique flavors that are great to taste! And they have some standard flavors as well!
For example, you can have here chocolate and orange, but also vanilla ice cream.
Also, if you are more in the mood for coffee, you can get that here as well! That's because The Cool Mule is also a coffee bar!
Of you could have both, which is great as well!
Afternoon
Let's start with the afternoon of your Athens day trip to Hydra! During the afternoon, it's time to see some of the places outside of the port! But first, it's time to have lunch.
Have Lunch at Hydra Port
Now it is time for lunch.
You find many great restaurants with lunch options at the port of Hydra.
There are many places to choose from!
One of the best places for lunch in Hydra is To Steki.
It has a great terrace that is lovely to sit at.
Furthermore, the food at this place is phenomenal! They have a lot of traditional Greek dishes.
For example, you can have here a pita, which is great for lunch!
What's great as well is that they have vegetarian and vegan options!
Hike to Kamini: A Fun Hike to Do During Your Day Trip to Hydra from Athens
Now it's time to go outside of the port of Hydra.
The port is an amazing place with lots of great sights and beautiful places, but there is more on the island.
One of the best places is Kamini. This is a village close to the port, and you can walk there!
Hiking to Kamini is a great experience during your Athens day trip to Hydra.
The hike has a length of about 1.6 miles (or 1 kilometer), which is very doable, even if it is very hot outside!
Along the way, you walk by a lot of beautiful places on the island.
For example, you can see the sea from the hiking path! If you're one day in Hydra, enjoying the sea views is lovely!
Also, there are lots of beautiful flowers when going from Hydra to Kamini!
Relax in Kamini
Kamini is one of the most beautiful places on the island of Hydra.
You find here lots of cute houses too, but the houses are more spread apart compared to the port of Hydra.
This makes for some stunning views if you go to a higher point of Kamini.
Besides that, you find here the Church of Saint John the Baptist. This is one of the oldest churches on the island of Hydra.
Another great thing about Kamini is the port. This port is very small and picturesque!
You find here a beautiful red and yellow building that is great to see. Also, this port is a great place for taking photos!
Another great thing about the village of Kamini is the beach you find here.
You find Kamini Beach in this village.
This is a small rocky beach that is great for swimming and relaxing.
The water is very blue and clear, which makes this a great spot!
When you are one day in Hydra, you should definitely go here!
What's great is that there is also a bar next to the beach where you can use sunbeds and sum umbrellas!
And, this is a great place for having a drink while watching the beach and the sea!
Swim at Spilia
When you are not done swimming yet, there is another great place you should go to this afternoon.
This place is Spilia. It's definitely a great place to see during your day trip to Hydra from Athens.
You find Spilia very close to the port of Hydra. From Kamini, you can hike back here, or you can first take a water taxi to the port of Hydra and then walk here.
At Spilia you find rocks where you can relax and dive in the water.
Furthermore, these rocks are great for jumping into the water, which is an amazing thing to do!
What's great about this place as well is that it is close to the port of Hydra. This makes it very easy to go back to the port after swimming!
Evening: Enjoy Dinner and Sunset to Finish Your Athens Day Trip to Hydra
During the evening, let's go back to the port!
Have Delicious Dinner at the Port of Hydra
After this great day in Hydra, it is time for some delicious food for dinner! This is one of my favorite parts of the Athens day trip to Hydra.
For this, you should definitely go back to the port of Hydra.
That's because you find lots of restaurants there!
One of the best restaurants for having dinner is Piato.
You can get here delicious Greek dishes that are definitely worth trying!
Furthermore, the restaurant uses local and seasonal ingredients, which is great!
See the Sunset at Sunset Restaurant
After dinner, your one day in Hydra is not yet over!
That's because you have to see the sunset when you are in Hydra. This is a magical experience.
One of the best places for this is, as you can tell from the name, Sunset Restaurant.
From here you have a beautiful view of the sea. And thus, you can see the sunset over the sea, which is an incredible sight to see!
Besides that, Sunset Restaurant is a great place for having a drink. So have a drink and enjoy the time that you still have in Hydra! This is a very relaxing experience.
After seeing the sunset, it's time to go back to the port of Hydra to take the ferry to Athens.
It leaves from the same place as where you arrived.
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