Crete to Hydra

by Erin

Hi,

I wonder if you can help. I will be visiting Crete at the end of September and would like to visit Hydra.

Is it possible to travel by ferry from Crete to Hydra without having to to to Pireaus first?

Thanks and regards,
Erin

Crete to Hydra by Ferry and Bus

Hi Erin,

Yes it is possible, just a bit tricky and if you are up for an adventure, will be a really interesting journey.

The end of September is the tail end of summer, so all transport services will be dropping off in frequency. This means that for some sections there may be a ferry once a week or once every 3 days.

So keep this in mind and contact the transport companies directly to get the latest sailing dates.

Take the ferry from Kastelli Kissamos in the west of Crete to Kythera then to the mainland of Peloponissos, at Gythion.

See info here Crete to Kythera

From Gythion you can take local buses to mainland ports near or opposite Hydra such as Nafplion, Porto Cheli or Ermioni.

Ooh, you are in for a treat! Nafplion is one of our favourite places in Peloponniso, it is really pretty, situated on the wide bay of the Argolic Gulf and atmospheric, with beautiful mixture of Greek, Venetian and Byzantine architecture down by the port side and main square. There are lots of cozy B&Bs and pensions to choose from, great tavernas and beaches nearby. Don't forget to climb up to the Palmidi fortress behind the town and to walk the coastal path around the point.

More about Nafplion here...

It is then a short ferry ride over to Hydra town. You can take the ferry from Porto Heli or Ermioni. We took it from Ermioni, staying the night before in that tiny seaside village and enjoying the quiet.

The crossing from Porto Heli takes one hour (around 15 Euro), the crossing from Ermioni takes 20 mins (around 8 Euro), both are run by Hellenic Seaways with their fast hydrofoils, the Flying Dolphins or SeaCats. Be sure to check the schedules for September.

Be sure to enjoy your arrival into Hydra harbour, surely one of the prettiest in the Med! Have fun!

See our pages about Hydra:

Hydra Island

Hydra Accommodation

Kalo Taxidi! Bon Voyage!