Run away to...Hydra, Greece!
You don’t realize how much mechanical things – cars, trucks, motorcycles, lawn mowers – add to the noise of your life until…you escape them.
Escaping the hectic sounds of modern life isn’t so easy, but in Greece, not so far from Athens, lies an island where you can find pure, peaceful bliss.
We’re talking about lovely Hydra (pronounced eee-drah), one of the Argo-Saronic islands. Only 2 hours southwest from Athens by ferry, this tiny 20 square-mile isle seems like a window into a simpler era.
When you disembark in the picturesque port, the first thing you notice: donkeys clustered by the harbor. These cute furry animals aren’t for show. They do all the transportation around this rocky, incredibly scenic island. (Car, motorcycles, and all mechanized vehicles are strictly verboten.)
Around the harbor you’ll also find cafes, restaurants, and bars overlooking humble fishing boats (and occasionally luxurious yachts). Summer can grow a bit crowded, but when we arrived it was March, and the Mediterranean was a tad chilly. Only 10 to 20 other overnight visitors milled around the quaint village of Hydra town.
What a treat, to savor such a beautiful island in total serenity. Sipping red wine with a dish of Kalamata olives, while your entire body relaxes as sea breezes blow and sailboat halyards clank langorously in the background? Priceless.
We’ll have to share more specifics about this Greek isle in upcoming posts, but for now, let’s say we understand why artists, writers, and musicians like Leonard Cohen have run away to Hydra over the decades. Views that will capture your imagination, stupendously fresh seafood, a warm village atmosphere, and a sense that you’ve discovered your own island treasure. Utter peace.
Photos: (c) Zickie Allgrove