Now I’ll live the drama my past self talked about, here.
As I’ve said before, I’m not an August-holidays kind of girl. I prefer to stay in Athens when it’s at its most beautiful and only leave in September, once everything has already gone back to normal (for everyone else).
Fate, however, had different plans for me this year. I had to vacation in the worst possible week (yes, the one that includes the 15th of August), and the cherry on top is that I only found out about it a month and a half before. The result? Nothing decent was available in a place that would be bearable during that week.
So when the going got tough, the tough got going. We thought: ‘Which place feels familiar, where we know our way around, that’s perfect for relaxing, close by, and with many, many, MANY options?’ (And when I say ‘options,’ I mean food, I don’t care about anything else).
Enter Hydra: a place I visit religiously at least once a year for a quick weekend escape.
The plan was simple: have breakfast every morning in a different café, swim, enjoy an afternoon coffee (maybe even a little pre-dinner dessert), visit DESTE -during sunset- once, have dinner and go to bed early.
The “Have breakfast every morning in a different café” part
The rug that ties the room together for me? My trusty Havaianas (m’excuse)
Starts with me descending the same stairs every morning to reach the much awaited breakfast.
Where to go for said breakfast?
Isalos : probably the best option, along with
Plakostroto : It’s tucked away in an alley, so it feels a bit more chilled and has great shade from all the trees
Papagalos : I love its location, it’s in my favourite part of the port
Tassos : because you also want sunny side up eggs, not only avocado toast. Also! They have the cleanest toilets of all, that was a shock.
Croissant : I haven’t actually tried it because I prefer to sit down and have breakfast. But, if you want to take something to go for the beach it looks like a good option and Hydra certainly lacked something like that.
While you are at the port, sneak inside the church’s courtyard. They have some beautiful marble busts, intricate marble columns and υπέρθυρα.
The “swim” part
Unpopular opinion: I don’t like Avlaki. It’s too crowded and it’s often very dirty.
Instead, we kept it simple almost every day. We walked a bit more, and right before Kamini you will find some stairs that lead to some rocks you can jump in the sea from. Even on the 15th of August we were 6 people, everyone in its own personal rock.
Where did I find a shore in Hydra you ask? Good question.
Just a 35’ (fun) walk away is Vlychos beach. It’s an organized beach, yes, but it’s easy to avoid that. It has almyrikia on one side and the houses’ shadows on the other, so you will be able to relax comfortably as long as you want.
Bonus: You can have lunch at Taverna Marina, right next to the sea.
You get to cross this bridge too.
The walk back -especially late in the afternoon- is quite scenic.
You know you’ll do it: Hydronetta.
Let’s be honest, it’s a must. If you’re lucky enough to get there on time and secure a little rock seat, you can even read your book in comfort.
Of course, there’s always the option of taking a sea taxi or one of the scheduled boats to Bisti or Agios Nikolaos, but organized beaches aren’t for me. If I did take a sea taxi, though, I’d go to Nisiza Beach — but this time, we really took it slow.
(The “afternoon rest” part)
My view every afternoon around 17:59.
The “visit DESTE -during sunset- once” part
It’s a pity to be in Hydra and not visit at least one gallery. We chose the obvious one —because if you only visit one, make it DESTE Foundation’s Slaughterhouse. This year, they host the exhibition Apocalypse Now and Then, by Romanian artist Andra Ursuţa.
Ursuţa draws from the visual language and display strategies of archeological museums to invent faux-historicist artefacts belonging to a defunct civilization whose relics seem to speak to the anxieties of our present. These works explore the history of object-making and sculpture and the ways in which this manually-derived system of knowledge and speculation has come to shape our visual world, where passingly familiar ancient tropes, grotesque votives, and scarred bronze figures hover between archaeology and fiction.
The “have dinner” part
The most important meal of the day!
(You need to book EVERYTHING in advance. Yes, even tavernas.)
My absolute favourite one was at Téchnē. I mean, look at that view.
Amazing food and bread, good service, spectacular view and the best spot to enjoy the sunset. Needless to say, you should book the time slot that includes (you guessed it!) the sunset. For us, it was the 20:00 slot (if you visit in September, book the 19:00 one; in June, the 21:00 one).
(Not just a city kaftan)
On our way to Pirofani. It looks like a normal taverna, it feels like a normal taverna, but the menu is something between Greek, middle-Eastern and French. They are certainly discombobulated, but we had a great time and the meal was decent.
(One of my favourite things about summer? Taking a shower and immediately going out to dinner. I love it, it reminds me of my childhood.)
Can’t leave Hydra without going to Il Casta. Tucked away in a back alley, they make fantastic fresh pasta and a few other dishes I haven’t even looked at, as they make the best lemon pasta you will ever have. (You are on vacation, overlook their rudeness.)
Tavernas you shouldn’t miss:
Christina : we loved going to Kamini for dinner, because you get to enjoy the romantic night stroll above the sea twice. Christina’s has great food and very polite service. It certainly was a favourite.
Giasemi : Want a taverna but too bored to walk to Kamini? Go to Giasemi. A secluded yet central spot with plenty of options and simple, good food.
Skip: Veranda. Yes, the view is nice, but the food is mediocre to bad and priced at 3 times what it should be. If it’s the view you’re after, go to Téchnē twice instead.
If you do want to have a drink, the new bar in town is L'Americano
You are wondering how Alexandra is passing her time when in Hydra?
(Maybe Valisia is next?)
Here’s to settling back in gracefully!
Bisous,
Stella