After a few hours on the island of Hydra, you’ll notice something is missing. It’s hard to put your finger on it exactly, but then it’ll hit you – cars! Without the constant drone of cars, you hear other sounds that you’d normally miss. The sound of the breeze, birds chirping, cats meowing (yes, kitties are prevalent here too), donkeys braying, the footsteps of others on the winding stone pathways…and the sound of the ocean lapping on the harbor. All of these noises sound sharper in a world without cars. And since there’s no rush (and no way to hurry other than relying on your own two feet), stress instantly melts away. Hydra has a peaceful tranquility about it. It sucks you in….and we didn’t mind at all.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon and, after the hustle and bustle of Athens, a nap was in order. We stayed in a charming little pension with only 12 rooms and a lovely garden courtyard. After a walk around the harbor and on the winding streets, we enjoyed a hearty meal at Taverna Gitoniko. JR ordered shrimp and a few minutes later a plate appeared with the largest shrimp we’d ever seen. Delicious!

Monday we took our time getting up….remember, there’s no rush in Hydra…and set our sights on finding the best beach spot on the island. We took a coastal path about 40 minutes to the village of Kaminia, and just past it found Vlychos, where there is a little resort aptly named the Four Seasons. Here we enjoyed lunch right on the water, and rented beach chairs where we napped in the sun. The water is still very cold so we didn’t brave the ocean. After our nap, we hiked back into town, this time choosing a path that brought us to the top of Hydra with wonderful village and harbor views. We ended the day with some shopping, a tasting of local desserts and a light dinner on Hydra’s harbor.

Today we woke up rested and ready for our next destination – Nafplio on the Pelopponese Peninsula.