CRUISE OF HYDRA

The beaches together with the "gray" of the rocks and the "blue" of the sea, give Hydra, the diamond of the Saronic Gulf, a "wild" beauty
and make it an ideal place for vacation, fun, inspiration and creation.

All the beaches of Hydra with sand and pebbles or rocks, have in common the crystal clear, deep blue and crystal clear waters.

At the inlet of the jetty, on the rocks outside the port, is the "Spilia" , a rocky beach with intense movement, which is offered for long dives from the rocks in the very deep and crystal clear waters. Some rocks have been sanded and cemented to make way for sunbathing. There is a cafe-snack to drink your coffee, an iced juice or soft drink or have a snack.

Next lies Hydronetta, which is located to the most beautiful place, under the cannons and on the rocks, to the same area as Spilia. You can also deep dive here and sunbathe on the cemented rocks.

After Hydronetta there is Avlaki, one amazing small beach full of pebbles which is lighted at the night. You descend from some stairs right after Hydronetta and you meet the beach with blue green waters and sunbathe places.

Following the coastal road, we reach Kamini, one small and natural port full of fishing boats. Right next to it, there is Small Kamini, a beautiful small pebbled beach, ideal for children and sea games. At Kaminia, place for family tourism, there are rooms to rent and tavernas.

Continuing the soily coastal road, we reach the beautiful, coastal settlement of Vlychos, with magical views and magnificent sunsets, which also is ideal for family tourism. Bright white cottages and houses with spacious, full of flowers yards, are spread out and reach the hills above the beach.

Among them, the quaint seaside chapels of St. Charalambos at the plateau of the peak of a rock emerging from the sea, and the one of the Saints Karpou and Papylou (1815) and St. Paraskevi which dominates the tempest tall rock by the beach, offering a unique and magnificent spectacle.

One of the most beautiful and organised beaches of Hydra is the organised and picturesque beach of Vlychos with gray pebbles and crystal clear waters, suitable for young children. Nearby there are picturesque taverns with fresh fish and traditional food and refreshment shops for coffee and drinks.

After the small port of Vlychos, you will find the coastal settlement of Plakes Vlychou, a beautiful and organised beach with blue and clean waters. A few meters from the sea you will find a Hotel with a bar and a restaurant, where you can enjoy cool juices and delicious dishes.

Leaving Vlychos, after 20 min. of hiking and crossing a 17th century old bridge, we reach the coastal area of Palamida, a beautiful and sandy beach. There you will find the Manor of Voulgaris and the house that Kapoudan pasas lived. Close to the Palamida beach there is a place to repaire boats and further the remotly beach of Saint Kiprianos.

After Palamida, there is Molos, a close and quiet cove with a beatiful pebbbled beach, 70 minutes from the main port of Hydra.

After Molos there is Kaoumithi, a non organised beautiful beach with large sand. Bisti is a cove at the northern of the island, surrounded by tall rocks. It is an organised beach ideal for water sports, deep diving and scuba diving, next to the pine tree forest.

Next beach, close to Bisti cove, is the beautiful beach of Saint George, quiet and non organised, between two pine-clad heels. There is the small church of the named Saint.

Next beach, near Cape Bisti, on the west coast of the island, is the beautiful beach of Agios Georgios , quiet and unorganized, located between two pine-covered hills. The small church of Agios dominates the rocks above the beach.

Passing from the southwestern tip of the island we meet the areas "Paouki", and "Fichthi" and reach the bay of Agios Nikolaos . Organized beach with fine pebbles and clear crystal clear waters, at the mouth of the bay, with slopes overgrown with pine trees and suitable for underwater fishing. There are wicker umbrellas and sunbeds with small tables, a canteen with soft drinks and snacks and a short distance from the shore there are pine trees, which provide shade and coolness. At some point there is some sand for small children to play with. High up is the white church of & "Agios Nikolaos" and next to it is the Mycenaean-Early Helladic installation, an ancient water supply project, perhaps the oldest in Greece.

Continuing and passing the cape of "Agios Konstantinos" , just below the Gerakina Mountain , we proceed to the south side of Hydra. Here, in front of us, steep shores emerge from the mountains of the area "Zogieri" until we reach the cape of "St. John" .

Then the morphology of the area changes, the seascape calms down and in front of us emerges the beautiful area of "Nisiza". "Nisiza" is a pine-covered piece of land that penetrates the green-blue sea and has two beautiful pebble beaches, without organization, in a cove surrounded by pine trees, where once was the port of the ancient settlement of Episkopi.

After "Nisiza" is the "Klimaki" , below the mountains "Eros" and "Pyrgos", a large unorganized beach with pebbles and crystal clear waters, with several holiday homes and chapels (Agioi Taxiarches).

After the "Spilia of Fokias" , the cape "Riga junta" , the beautiful "Riga bay" and the cape "Tsigari" we are located on the most beautiful beach of the south coast of the island, Limnioniza , a pebble beach, without organization, offered for underwater fishing. Next to it the lesser known beach "Karali" . Traces from the Early Helladic era have been found on the island located on the beach of Limnioniza.

Completing the tour of the island, we pass through the steep southeast, which become wilder and steeper starting with the "Xounda Zesa". We pass the area "Piothi" , the area "Pentevolia" in Avlaki bay, the bay "Zogou" and at the end we reach at the Cape of Zourva .

To the left of the cape of Zourva we head north and meet the bay of "Zoodochou Pigi" and the area of "Nero" which for many millennia has been dripping into a rock giving water the name in the area. On the hill is the white church of Zoodochou Pigi and on the steep rock of "Nero" the ruins of an ancient settlement.

Passing the Cape "Xounda Dosa" and the Cape "Bretista" we reach the bay of "Ledeza" , the port of "Zourva" which from there begins the ascent to the Holy Monastery of the "Genesis of the Virgin" .

Continuing we reach the area "Kasteva" , which forms two sea bays, one, the largest, on the west side and another smaller one on the east. Next is the area of "Marouleza" famous for its sage and then "Kritami" , a natural harbor where the aromatic plant Kritami comes out.

Then we reach the last bay, before the port of Hydra, in Mandraki , the old war port of the island, whose entrance was guarded by two small castles that were full of cannons.

In Mandraki there is a very beautiful sandy beach, the only one in Hydra without pebbles, located about 20 minutes from the port of Hydra and you can reach it either on foot or by sea through the port.

Finally, between the Mandraki area and the port of Hydra there is the area "Kamaritsa", the location "Podaraki tou Christou" , the area "Gourna" and then we reach the lighthouse located in the port of Hydra.