Hydra is an area of 52 sq. km. and is 6 nautical miles far from the NE coast of Peloponnesus. The island is 35 nautical miles far from Piraeus. The municipality of Hydra has approximately 3.000 residents. The climate is mild with a cool summer and a soft winter. North winds mostly take off the sea fog and create a brilliant and clear horizon.

The name of Hydra is owed to the rich waters, which sprang out from the quarries which existed in the antiquity. The first residents of the island were called Dryopes (3000 - 2600 b.C.).
Historians mention the island by the name of Hydreas and in the interiors has been saved signs of ancient settlements. From very early, Hydra was used as a nautical station, and as a result, it starred in the sea commerce and communications. Special flush presented the commerce towards the end of the 18th century and in the beginning of the 19th. Then, the Hydrians have taken the chance of using the English-French argument and cashed in on great profits!
The help of Hydra in the ethnic-liberating Battle of 1821 was important. The Holy Battle's eves, find the island financial and polemic ready. It offered 130 ready to battle ships, with a tonnage of 30.000 tonnes, 5.400 men and 2.400 cannons. Fairly Hibraim called Hydra a "Little England". The Hydrian fleet dominated in sea during the seven year agony, contributing this way resolutely to the freedom of Greece, sacrificing human lifes, ships and money.
The offer of Hydra in the Genus continues, giving to Greece a president of the republic, five prime ministers, and innumerable ministers:

1. George Koundouriotis, worked out as a President of the performing during the revolution, member of the council of Kapodistrias, and for King Othon, Prime Minister and Minister of Marine.



2. Antonios Kriezis, Prime Minister during King Othon's era.


3. Dimitrios Voulgaris, seven times Prime Minister of Greece.


4. Athanasios Miaoulis, three times Prime Minister of Greece.


5. Petros Voulgaris, Prime Minister of Greece.

Main point type of Hydra is that there are no wheeled vehicles and the transfers are being made only by donkeys, a thing that makes it even more graphic. The port of Hydra submerges daily from little and big yachts, boats and cruisers.
The town which is the centre of the whole island is built amphitheatrically, around the port. It looks glamorous like an art-paint, with grey, white and blue colours above the blue of the sea, an exemplar of architectonics and aesthetics. Right and left from the entrance of the port, there are the parapets with the canons, which protected the city.

On the right side of the port, the beachside road under the main of Koudouriotis, the Mills reaches Kamini and abuts to Vlihos.
It will be worth it for anyone to visit the mansions of the island, look far away the port from the hill, admire the sunset from the "lodge" and the cave and visit the 6 monasteries and the 300 churches. Especially the twin monasteries of Saint Eutaksy and of the prophet Elias, the monastery of the assumption and the churches of Ypapanti and Saint John.

Hydra was one of the most important cultural centres and grouped from time to time many people of art and literary.
It deserves you visit the historical residence of Lazarus Kountouriotis, the Museum of Kountourioti's Family, as well as the Exhibition and Concert Municipal Hall "Melina Merkouri", which is hosted exhibitions of famous artists during the year.
In 1918 the Historical File-Museum of Hydra is founded, in a building which has been donated by the Hydrian ship-owner Gkikas N. Koulouras. In the museum, it operates Archival Department, Museum Department and a Library. In the Archival place, there are approximately 18,000 original documents, manuscripted, codes and registers which adumbrate detailed the pro-rebellious, the rebellious, and after-rebellious times, of Greek History.
The Ecclesiastic Museum is installed in the Holly church of the Assumption which is also the Cathedral of Hydra, from 1933. In the Museum there are jewels and documents, of great historical value.
The Fine Arts School is located at the left part of the port-arm, near to the statue of Koudouriotis and is lodged at the mansion of Tobazis. The internal parts of the building are decorated by painting with historical events and boats of season of '21.
The Shipman School represents today a live nautical monument and a tangible expression of our nautical continuance. It first operated in 1800 with an initiative of the elders of a village of the island. In 1930 became national and belongs to the stage of the Superior Technical and Professional Education. It's been lodged in a building which belonged to A. Tsamados. There have graduated approximately 2,800 captains until today from the School.

The lacy beaches along with the "grey" of the rocks and the "blue" of the sea, give Hydra a "wild" beauty and make her an ideal place for inspiration and creation!
The "Cave", the "Ydroneta", the "Ayla'ki", the "Small Kamini", the Vlihos", the "Agios Nikolaos", the "Limioniza" and "Mantraki" are some from the most famous beaches of the island.

Apart from the historical re-enactment in Hydra they are realised during the year a line from cultural and traditional events. At the same time the presence of the Departments of the Fine Arts School creates a favourable climate for the presentation of tens of exhibitions of painting as the organisation of important concerts with popular, classic and modern music.
From the more important annual events is the eminent Hydrian carnival the last Sunday of the Halloween, which goes all around the alleys of the Island, with many maskers, who take part in the carousal.
On Good Friday, at Kamini beach, the procession of the Epitaph is something special.
It's being done in the sea!
At the Sunday of Easter, apart from the traditional grilling of the lamb on the spit, we also have the "burning of Judas".
Every July it is being organised the International Marionette Festival, with the support of the Municipality and the ministry of Culture. It is an exhibition which has no profit kind and embraces whole Greece.