I ditched Santorni and Mykonos for a lesser-known Greek island loved by A-Listers – and no cars are allowed
LAST summer, I went in search of a Greek island so pretty and uncrowded that even the locals holiday there.
Places like Santorini and Mykonos have become popular spots with tourists, but both can be expensive and overcrowded as a result.
Which is how I found myself on the island of Hydra, less than two hours south of Athens by ferry, and it was love at first sight.
Locals and tourists predominantly get around on foot, not only for health reasons, but because you simply don’t have a choice.
The charming island has one town, no real roads and motors are banned.
However, visitors can hail a water taxi from a quaint horseshoe-shaped harbour, to reach a string of isolated beaches and tavernas serving up mouthwatering Grecian staples.
The island also has a unique reliance on donkeys dating back to a 1950s presidential decree, which was signed to retain the Greek island’s architecture and character.
Since the town is built on steep, amphitheatre-like hills, the creatures are the only form of transport that can climb the steep steps and narrow alleyways up to many residents’ homes.
FOODIE HEAVEN
One of Hydra’s selling points is its delicious cuisine.
Among the most famous dishes of Hydra are the local pies, stuffed with mountain greens, snails, braised or stewed meat, cuttlefish and squid accompanied by pilaf, as well as red mullet savoro and the local kapama lamb.
While significantly fewer tourists during the festive period, tourists can enjoy the tasty quince and beef – a warming and tasty tagine during the month of December.
Sweet-toothed visitors, meanwhile will find it hard to resist Hydra’s famous macaroons.
If you still have space after dinner, definitely opt for kourabiedes, almond pears, skaltsounia and sugar baklavas.
During Easter, it is virtually impossible not to taste the local magiritsa and lamb on a spit, so put your order in if you’re jetting to the country in the next few weeks.
Hydra is also one of the few Greek islands where locals tuck into patoudo on the Feast of the Resurrection – a goat stuffed in the oven with rice and liver.
STAR APPEAL
The sun-soaked island is neatly perched off the beaten track but it boasts a star-studded history of visitors.
In 1956, Sophia Loren docked at Hydra to play a Hydriot sponge diver in the film Boy on a Dolphin.
A few years later, the island became a popular holiday spot for a fleet of celebs, deep-pocketed tourists and a quiet haven for writers and musicians.
Arguably its most famous expat in recent decades has been Canadian songwriter Leonard Cohen.
The late hitmaker composed his beloved song “Bird on the Wire” after observing the creature close to his home.
The main town subsequently named the street in front of his house after him.
CULTURAL HUB
If you weren’t already sold, Hydra is a haven for culture vultures eager to visit some touristic hotspots.
“After seeing the town’s historic residences, visit also the History Archives – Museum of Hydra, the Port Authority which is housed in the old stone-built powder magazine, and the Pavlos Kountouriotis statue which stands in the like-named square,” the island’s website suggests.
“Take a trip to the Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which includes a three-aisled domed basilica church and two marble belfries.
“Visit the stately home of Georgios Kountouriotis, which is surrounded by pine trees. It was built in the late 18th century and it is a fine example of early neoclassicism on the island.”