Hydra voted Europe’s best island — and Greece the world’s best country
Readers of Condé Nast Traveller have voted Hydra the highest-rated island in Europe, with a score of 98.12 in the magazine’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards — narrowly ahead of Sardinia and Naxos. Six more Greek islands made Europe’s top 20.
In the same awards, Greece was named the world’s best country, with 98.14, ahead of Japan on 97.01. The magazine wrote of travellers exploring “the less-heralded Paros, car-free Hydra, mysterious Ios and windswept Tinos”.
The awards, now in their 29th edition, are based on votes from the British magazine’s UK readers.
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28 October in Hydra: the programme day by day
A sailing race from Faliro, flags and a lit-up harbour, wreaths, the Doxology and the parade on Wednesday 28 October: the Municipality of Hydra’s programme.
Free tennis lessons for children and teenagers: register by 5 November
The Municipality of Hydra has opened registration for free tennis lessons for children and teenagers at the Municipal Tennis Court. Apply by 5 November 2026, with a medical certificate.
SwimRun returns to Hydra, 30 October to 1 November
Teams of two swim and run around Hydra over four distances from 7.5 to 38.7 km. Free for Hydra residents with the code SRH26_HYDRA.
Free neutering of Hydra’s stray cats, 22 to 27 October
A veterinary team neuters Hydra’s stray cats free of charge from 22 to 27 October. Appointments on 6997050629.