Hydra, the dream island for holidays in Greece

Located in the Saronic Gulf, south of Athens, Hydra brings together all that Greece has to offer. The opportunity to discover the island in the footsteps of a regular this summer.

Launched in 2014 by journalist Pauline Simons, the association HYam (Hydra for Artists of the Mediterranean) celebrates the work of emerging artists from all over the Mediterranean. At the helm of various initiatives, this year she is organizing an exhibition Danser dans les chains in the annex of the Athens School of Fine Arts. Based between Paris and Hydra, she takes advantage of the arrival of summer to reveal her insider addresses on the island.

Insider addresses to know in Hydra

Hydra in 3 words? Pauline Simons: “Freedom, exception, history”

What can only be found in Hydra?

“The fact that there are no cars. You get around on foot, on the back of a mule or by water taxi. And that is priceless.”

A perfume that reminds you of Hydra?

“Jasmine”

The address where to have a coffee in the early morning?

“The pirate (o Piratis) on the port, run for a long time by a Greek-English couple. A mandatory appointment.”

Your favorite beach?

“We don’t come to Hydra for its beaches because they are rare and crowded during the summer period. The most beautiful and also the most distant is that of Agios Nikolaos. Fortunately, the water buses do the shuttle. However, bathing in the rocks and the mini creeks near the port is not lacking in charm.”

A pool to jump into?

“That of the Bratsera, the only town hall that has one.”

A restaurant for lunch on the terrace?

“Nibbling on a salad or ordering a fish at Omilos, with your eyes in the water, is a privileged moment. We have almost forgotten that, in the 60s, it was the rallying point of an unbridled jet set. We did not meet Jackie O. and Aristotle, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elisabeth Taylor and Richard Burton there… But on the road to Kamini, between two swims, you never sulk a plate of keftedes in Pefkaki.”

A shopping address?

“Several shops offer a nice selection of clothing and accessories as well as jewelry such as Speak Out and Sirens. For decorative items, head to Koutsikou. Not to mention the essential Turquoise and its Indian cotton fabrics.”

A spa?

“Armonia is not really one but offers, in a cozy place, à la carte massages and well-targeted facial treatments. To book after a Yoga or Pilates class.”

Your favorite restaurant to dine at?

“In town at Il Casta, an Italian restaurant tucked away in an alley. Pietro, the chef, serves his specialties with great kindness, such as spaghetti with lemon and ginger or eggplant with tomato, in a holiday setting. Or further in Kamini, a small village right next to Hydra. At Pirofani, another even less exposed address, Theo serves Greek cuisine deliciously accompanied by selected wines.”

And drink a cocktail?

“At Hydronetta at sunset. It’s magical but the places are expensive.”

What to bring back from Hydra?

“For fine-toothed people, a box of amygdalota or katsouli, invigorating sweets with almonds, walnuts and cherries from Flora (Patisserie Anemoni). To be presented in a dish with the pretty blue mule designed by Elena Votsi, famous jewelry designer.

Your best memory of summer in Hydra?

“A walk in the mountains before dawn to contemplate the sunrise on Mount Eros, the highest point of the island.”

A typical culinary specialty of the island?

“Totally unknown and yet very much alive: beef with quinces.”

Your favorite cultural spot?

“The former Hydra slaughterhouses, a pocket handkerchief by the sea that still bears the scars of its function. Since 2009, the Deste foundation has organized exhibitions of international artists there.”