Hydra to Poros (Saronic Islands) Ferry

Hydra Guide

Located in the Saronic group of islands in the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf, the Greek island of Hydra is separated from the Peloponnese by a narrow strip of water. The island's natural springs have given the island its name as Hydra is derived from the Greek word for water. The island's main town, Hydra Port, is home to the island's harbour which can be found nestled amongst a number of restaurants, markets, shops and galleries, all of which cater for visiting tourists.

The only method of transport available on the island are water taxis and donkeys as cars and motorcycles are forbidden. However, the populated parts of Hydra are relatively small and therefore most people seem happy to walk everywhere.

From the island's harbour there are daily catamaran and flying dolphin services to Piraeus, Athens. The crossing time is around 1 hour, or between 3 and 3 1/2 hours by conventional ferry. The island is also connected by ferry to the rest of the islands in the Saronic Gulf and also with Porto Cheli.

Poros Guide

The town and port of Poros is located on the Greek island of Kefalonia and provides an important link, via its ferry service, between the island and mainland Greece. Many of the fishermen's houses that made up the town were destroyed by an earthquake in 1953 but with the aid of the British the town was rebuilt and is set in the beautiful scenery of the Atros and Pahni mountains and its coastline, which provides the town with its port and beaches. The ravine of Poros is a popular attraction and is an 80 m deep precipice, with steep slopes where you can see hollows in the rocks - which are supposedly the footprints of the mythological Hercules. The River Vohinas springs from a 'bottomless' lake, with is a dry bed river in the summer months but in winter it flows through the town.

Legend has it that the large rocks that are located just off the beach between Poros and Skala were thrown at early invaders by the Cyclops. The coastline on the other side of Poros, facing Ithaca, is one of the last refuges of the endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal.