An apology to Idra (Hydra)

I feel I owe you an apology, Idra. I'm sincerely sorry that I judged you over the years and that I was never particularly interested in visiting you. I mistakenly thought you were a 'tourist' island with little remaining authentic Greek life or culture.  I'd only ever seen pictures of mules, donkeys lining the pavements of the port and cruise ships crowding your blue waters. I thought you were merely an easy tick on the travel list of day-trippers from Athens and those that pull-in for just a few hours of Greek Island life.

I thought your proximity to Athens, just a 2 hour ferry ride,  made you too accessible to tourists and we couldn't possibly find anything other than trinket shops selling cheap souvenirs and tavernas lacking the wholesome and genuine Greek hospitality that we have found in so many more out of the way places.

So, I hope you accept my humble apology and now I will try to do descriptive justice to this little jewel of an island nestled just off the Peloponnese mainland.  Hydra, or Idra to the Greeks, is totally car-free which makes it, without the noise of engines and horns, a little earthly paradise.  In fact, it's almost wheel-free.  No bikes, no scooters, no means of transport other than one's legs, and those of the island's resident donkeys and mules (the Greek government has made a slight exception to the zero-wheel policy and approved a small number of hand-pushed wheelbarrow carts to enable goods to be delivered from the port to businesses). 

In recent years I have read a number of books set in Hydra including Peel me a Cactus by Charmian Clift, A Theatre for Dreamers by Polly Samson, and Travels with Epicurus by Daniel Klein, and my mind was completed absorbed with the beautiful descriptions of life around Idra's beautiful crescent-shaped harbour, its maze of cobbled alleys, its coastal paths, impossibly blue bays and secluded coves.  There was only one thing to do - add a visit to Idra to our itinerary, and in the weeks prior to our trip I said repeatedly, "I actually think we're going to love Idra"!  

After our morning at the Ancient theatre at the Asclepieion of Epidaurus we drove an hour and a half south, to the end of the Argolis peninsula, and parked our car in a dusty carpark at the tiny settlement of Metochi.  Outside the carpark is a tiny ticket box where we purchased our €7.50 tickets. We walked a few minutes to a small ferry landing, and here the Hydra-Metochi ferry took us the 25 minutes to Hydra.  

Hydra's crescent shaped port is a classic beauty, paved in marble curving around the bay, lined with cafes and restaurants babbling with life, and elegant old stone mansions standing watchfully over the harbour.  Beyond the port is the knot of picturesque alleyways that at first seemed like a maze, but in just a few days of exploring we'd learned the shortcuts and many of the alley names.

We stayed in an old stone mansion, now a family-owned hotel, set behind a cool, shady flower courtyard with a view over Hydra town and down to the blue, blue water.  

Hydra really is a great beauty. The sea is beautiful. The food is beautiful. The sunshine is beautiful.  The architecture is beautiful. The Hydriots we met were beautiful, welcoming and hospitable people full of information about their island.   And in the very name Hydra (Greek for water) there is a beautiful contrast between this dry summer landscape, where not a drop of rain falls for months, and the pure turquoise sea that surrounds us.

Hydra has been inspiring artists and musicians forever, and it retains a rich cultural scene that is easy accessible to us visitors.  We visited art exhibitions (Michael Lawrence; George Condo; Constantine Byzantios; and Periklis); the Lazaros Kountouriotis Mansion, which has stood for 200 years and is now a stunning museum that operates as a branch of the National Historical Museum;  The House and Studio of Hydra artist Panagiotis Tetsis;  the Historical Archives Museum of Hydra;  the summer Open Air Cinema where movies start at 11pm! The alleys of Hydra took on an quiet, other-worldly feel as I walked back home at 1.30am after the cinema. We visited Jeff Koons's Apollo Wind Spinner installation - a mesmerizing 9m wide gold reflective spinning face of Apollo the sun god. What a landmark!  And went to Hydrama - Hydra's outdoor live performance space where international dance and theatre groups perform and we sat in the amphitheatre on a hot summer's night and were totally entertained by "Echoes" a performance based on Aesop's fables.  At the end of the performance, around 11pm, a little boat arrives and transports us back to the main port.  The cost of Hydrama's night of entertainment and transport - totally free!

One of our favourite taverna was the one where Leonard Cohen used to sing and play his guitar when he lived on Hydra in the 60s.  I climbed the steps and wandered past the house where Leonard lived, and in the cafes and restaurants you can see old black and white photos on the walls of Leonard and friends around the harbour.

We walked and swam, took boats to bays and tavernas, and completley fell in love with yet another Greek Island.  I left a bit of myself on Hydra and I'm definitely coming back one day!

Idra's 'cars' waiting patiently at the port to transport luggage, water, food, supplies, and, yes people, up the alleys and thousands of stairs to all parts of this walking-only island.

The slopes of Idra town curving around the port

The smooth marble stone
pavements of Hydra town

Draped in bougainvillea

Bougainvillea around every
corner, literally. 

Dreamy sunsets after long hot days

We walked the coastal path and stopped for a swim at most every beach and bay.

I love that many homes and businesses keep their May day wreaths all through summer.

Kamaroti, the old stone bridge on the coastal path to Vlychos, Hydra

This is the small ampitheatre of Hydrama Theatre and Arts, Centre.  During summer, evening  performances are held. It's a 40min 
walk from Hydra town, then at 11pm jump on a little boat that takes everyone back to town. 

Great view of Hydra town from Spilia's beach chairs

Spilia beach, great for swimming
off the rocks.

The location of our first swim as we made our way around Hydra's coastal path. Glorious

Such a beautiful spot.

Spilia beach

Next was little Hydronetta beach, and bar.

Hydronetta bar and cafe, seems to be carved out of the rocky cliff. 
A gorgeous spot where we stopped for a swim off the rocks and cool refreshments.

In we go!

Stunning and utterly idyllic.

A little shadow work.

Getting step-fit in Hydra.
Steps, steps, steps!

Frappe life!

Next stop is...

Avleki beach

We continued around the beautiful coastal path
stopping to swim and rest and refresh.

A little rest in the shade.

Castello Beach

Hydra is an island of arts and culture.

Everyday!

The contrast of the beauty of the summer
landscape and the turquoise water.

Hydra's coastal path

Hydra town's open air cinema

The hard workers of the island.

Always check out the oldest bakery.
They're full of delicious local products.

Another day, another iced frappe.

This beautiful Tassia Taverna
was a favourite.

Lunch with a view, then a dip.

I'll be dreaming of returning to
this spot.

So inviting

Sailing day! 

Jeff Koons Apollo Wind Spinner a the
old slaughterhouse

Michael Lawrence exhibition

Dinner at Xeri Elia Douskos. Leonard Cohen would often
sing under the tree at Douskos!

I've got a lot of love for Idra

The Sporades - Skiathos and Skopelos

This trip is again a mix of old and new; places that we have visited before and loved, and places new to us for exploring and getting to know.  It's lovely to revisit destinations that are familiar, like seeing an old friend, but there is nothing like that excitement of arriving to the bustling port of an 'new' Greek island and the anticipation of what will unfold in the days ahead, and how the island will reveal itself to us.

The Sporades islands are new to us; a small group of islands that stretch out into the cobalt blue Aegean just off the eastern coast of Greece. Only four of the Sporades islands are inhabited, and we're visiting two of them.  Skiathos and neighbouring Skopelos have long been on our wish list, so when we saw direct flights from Milan to Skiathos it was an easy decision to include both in our itinerary.

Just a three hour flight from Milan, we arrived at Skiathos's tiny international airport just after 10pm. I had been in contact with our accommodation host asking how best for us to get from the airport to the Villa late at night.  'Easy' was Nikos's quick reply, 'just hop on the local bus at the front of the airport, get off at bus stop number 17,  and we'll be waiting for you!"  And that's exactly how easy it was.  Skiathos has one main road that runs around the southern half of the island, the bus stops are numbered 0-26 and where ever you want to go just discover the relevant bus stop number and you'll arrive.  

Early on our first morning we headed down to the port seeking three things - warm, freshly baked spanokopita for breakfast, coffee for my huckleberry friend, and as Skiathos is all about beautiful beaches, a sailing trip for that day to take us around the coast to swim at some of the coves and bays only accessible by boat.  Success on all three!

 

Skiathos has a vibrant port lined with cafes and restaurants.

Skiathos

A boat trip to Lalaria beach and its 
fifty shades of turquoise water.

A perfect swim

Reunited with my favourite
white stone beaches.

Lalaria beach accessible
only by boat.

The beautiful stone arch of
Lalaria beach.

Turquoise water,
unlimited visibility!

Next was a visit to Tsougria island and lunch on the sandy beach.  It is believed that the Beatles tried to buy the island of Tsougria during their visit in 1967!

Nothing better than a beach lunch on a Greek island.

Water taxi takes us back to
Skiathos town

Back to Skiathos

Summer means laden fig trees.

Just three nights on Skiathos before we took the ferry to neighbouring pine-covered Skopelos and four nights in a gorgeous petite apartment in the old town.  We hired a car in Skopelos so we could spend the days exploring the island and its many hidden gems.  Our first discovery was the tranquil and idyllic Agnontas beach, population 20!  Agnontas is named after an ancient Olympian, Agnon, who returned victorious from the Olympic Games of 568BC.  Seemed appropriate to learn that fact with the Paris Olympics starting in a few days' time.  We enjoyed fresh sardines and salad at the beautifully styled Korali Seafood restaurant, and we returned to Agnontas each afternoon for yet another swim in the crystal clear water.

We trundled around the length of the island in our beat-up little rental car, north to Glossa, east to the stunning chapel-on-a-rock, Agia Ioannis Kastri, and through the centre of this pine-covered mountainous island to the Antoniou family Olive Oil mill.  You'll recognise the chapel on the rock if you have seen the first Mamma Mia movie, the one where Meryl Streep runs up the carved stone steps to join the wedding.  It is a spectacular location, and despite the heat there was no question of not climbing to the top just to experience the view.  There was definitely no running up those steep rock steps, though!

Pretty old town Glossa

Pita gyros - still the best €3 one can spend in Greece.

Spectacular coast of Skopelos and in the centre of the picture is Chapel of Agios Ioannis Kastri.

Those ancient stone steps were not for running up on this hot summer day.

The climb is always worth it for the view. The turquoise sea and the Aleppo pine forests
of Skopelos are stunning.

Back under the shade for a
swim and a cool drink at
Agnontas beach.

Shade is king.

Skopelos harbour

Skopelos old town.

So many steps.

Pretty corners everywhere.

So inviting.

Another view of the tiny chapel on the rock.

Beautiful pottery of Skopelos, and a
pretty birthday gift for someone special.

Loved this.

And we also loved the traditional Skopelos spiral cheese pie, Skopelitiki Tiropita,
made to order by Michalis's mother.

Skopelitiki Tiropita, so fresh and
delicate and crispy. Enjoyed on our balcony of our apartment in a cobbled alley of old town.

Skopelos hora

More beautiful corners.

It's a frappe day!

Aleppo pines of Skopelos

Kastani Beach

The Antoniou Olive Press, 
farming and pressing Skopelos's
amfissis and koroneiki varieties of olives since 1894.

There's a museum of the history
of the island's olive oil industry
and displays of every step in the 
production of this beautiful green-
coloured liquid gold. We bought a few tins then visited the local post
office to post them to our home. I really, really hope they arrive safely.