Hydra is the connoisseur's island day: no cars, no scooters — just donkeys, sea-captains' mansions, swimming off the rocks and a harbour that's pure cinema. The catch: there are no sandy beaches (it's rocky swims off ledges), it's pricey and artsy, and a day-tripper only gets a few midday hours before the return ferry.
Hydra banned wheeled vehicles by law in the 1950s; ~500 donkeys, mules and water taxis do the transport — no cars, scooters or bicycles. · ricksteves.com
Leonard Cohen bought a house here in 1960 and lived with Marianne Ihlen; the island drew a 1960s artists' colony. Fast ferries from Piraeus take ~90 minutes. · irishtimes.com