Good to know

Hydra is reached by fast ferry (high-speed catamaran) from the port of Piraeus — there is no airport and no car ferry, which is exactly why the island stays so peaceful. The crossing takes about 1 hr 5 min to 2 hours depending on the boat and how many islands it calls at along the way.

Boats leave from Gate E9 at Piraeus. The route is served by Hellenic Seaways, Alpha Lines and other high-speed operators, with several departures a day in summer and a lighter timetable in winter. Fares start around €30–40 one way, and there is often a discount on return tickets. Seats sell out in high season, so book ahead.

Prefer to drive? From Athens it is about a 2½-hour drive (~175 km) to Ermioni, a pretty harbour town on the Peloponnese, with boats across to Hydra in about 30 minutes. Or carry on about 25 minutes further to Metochi — the islanders' own crossing (also about 30 minutes), where you can park your car. See the live departure times: Hydra ↔ Metochi · Hydra ↔ Ermioni.

Book online at Ferryhopper (all operators) or at Hellenic Seaways.

Ferries to Hydra leave from Piraeus (Gate E9). From Athens International Airport you have three easy ways to get there:

• Metro (Line 3, blue) — runs directly from the airport to Piraeus, about 63 minutes, €9 one way (€16 return). The simplest, traffic-free option; runs roughly 06:30–23:30.
• Express bus X96 — airport to Piraeus port, about 90 minutes, €5.50, departing every 20–25 minutes, 24 hours a day — the only option late at night.
• Taxi — around €60–70, roughly 50 minutes depending on traffic.

Leave comfortable time to connect: Piraeus is a big port, and Gate E9 (the Saronic gate) is a walk from the metro station. Aim to arrive at least 30–45 minutes before your ferry.

Happy to help. Whether it's a taxi from Athens airport to the port of Piraeus, or a transfer arranged for your arrival, we can take care of it for you — fill in the short form and we'll sort it out on WhatsApp.

🚕 Arrange my taxi

Hydra has no cars, so your bags do not ride up by taxi — and yes, it is mules, not donkeys, that do the heavy lifting. How your luggage travels depends on where you are staying:

• Step-free, or beside a lane a cart can reach — a porter wheels it over on a trolley.
• Up the stone steps and alleys — a muleteer loads your bags onto a mule and brings them to your door.

The standard rate for a mule delivery is about €20. Either way, you rarely have to arrange it yourself: hotels and rental owners almost always sort the luggage transfer with you in advance — just tell them your arrival boat and how many bags. It is simply how the island works.

Hydra's sea taxis are the island's speedboats-for-hire — the quickest way to reach the beaches and coves with no road, and a lovely ride in themselves. Their rank is at the eastern end of the harbour, and they run day and night. Agree the price before you set off; fares depend on the season and the number of passengers.

As a rough guide, these are the fares local drivers charge from the port (the official list prices are a little higher):

• Kamini — €20
• Vlychos–Mandraki — €30
• Plakes (Vlychos) — €35
• Palamidas — €40
• Molos — €60
• Zourva — €70
• Kaoumithi — €70
• Kivotos — €90
• Bisti — €100
• Fanari — €100
• Agios Nikolaos — €150
• Metochi — €70
• Sabariza — €100
• Soupia — €100
• Dokos — €150
• Klimaki — €250
• Round the island — €350

Hydra’s swimming spots come in two kinds. Right below the town, Spilia, Hydronetta, Pefkaki and Antonia are rocky bathing platforms with ladders straight into deep, clear water — glorious for confident swimmers and sunset dips, but not made for small children.

For a gentler entry with an actual shore, head to the pebble beaches. Vlychos and Kaminia are a lovely walk (or a short water-taxi) west of the harbour; Mandraki is the closest and has the island’s only stretch of sand, easy to reach on foot or by boat; and the further coves of Bisti, Agios Nikolaos and Limnioniza — easiest by water taxi — reward you with calm, shallow, crystal water and room to settle in for the day.

Yes — Hydra is a living town all year round, just a quieter, more local one. From roughly November to March many seasonal tavernas, bars and shops close or open only at weekends, while a steady core stays open for residents: bakeries, mini-markets, the pharmacy, the banks, and a handful of much-loved cafés and restaurants.

Ferries run all year on a lighter winter timetable, so the island is always reachable. Because opening hours shift from week to week, we keep an eye on what is actually open and post winter updates here on hydra2go — check before you travel, or ask in our Facebook group and a local will tell you.

Yes. There are two banks with branches and cash machines on the harbour — National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank — plus an Alpha Bank ATM (cash machine only, no branch) and an independent ATM. So withdrawing cash is easy enough.

That said, it is wise to carry some cash: a few smaller tavernas, kiosks and the mule porters work in cash, and independent machines can charge a withdrawal fee. Cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.

Cards work almost everywhere. By law every business in Greece must have a card terminal (POS), so cards — contactless included — are accepted at practically all hotels, restaurants and shops on Hydra.

Revolut works fine — it's a Visa/Mastercard, accepted wherever cards are, and great for fair exchange rates and fee-free spending. You can also withdraw euros from the island's ATMs with it; prefer the bank machines (National Bank of Greece or Piraeus Bank) over the independent one, which adds a fee.

Still, it's nice to carry some cash too. A card is easy for you, but the little family taverna or shop pays a commission on every card sale — so paying cash now and then is a small kindness to them. The kiosks (periptera), mule porters and sea taxis often prefer cash anyway. Around €50–100 on you covers it.