Edmund Keeley's book, Inventing Paradise, explores this period of in lives of Miller, Seferis and Laurence Durrell, the men whose writings introduced the literary world to the romance and beauty of the Greek islands. Hydra is the island that launched Greek tourism. This purity, this wild and naked perfection of Hydra, is in great part due to the spirit of the men who once dominated the island." That flawless anarchy which supersedes, because it includes and goes beyond, all the formal arrangements of the imagination. Aesthetically it is perfect, the very epitome of The houses are even more cubistically arranged than at Poros. There are only two colors, blue and white, and the white is whitewashed every day, down to the cobblestones in the street. The town, which clusters about the harbor in the form of an amphitheatre, is immaculate. " Hydra is almost a bare rock of an island and its population, made up almost exclusively of seamen, is rapidly dwindling. As my favorite writer, Henry Miller described it when he visited with the poet George Seferis in 1939 in his book The Colossus of Marousi. Houses and mansions that rise up the hills like an amphitheatre. Its rich history, beautiful natural harbour, clean waters, and proximity to Turkey give it a very unique atmosphere.Small, boat filled harbor ringed with cafes, When I leave Hydra, I go to Amorgos for its rugged beauty, unspoiled nature, and friendly locals, and to dip into the ‘Big Blue.’ Or Kastellorizo, the only other Greek island without vehicles. Go to Ostria taverna for locally caught calamari, The Pirate Bar for pre-dinner drinks, or Hydronetta for sunset.
We also have an open-air cinema and a multitude of bars open until the early hours of the morning. Hydra is famous for its almond sweets, so take a box home from Tsagaris pastry shop. The main town itself is filled with galleries, cafés, and tavernas for daydreaming and observing the commotion. Walk along the coast past the villages of Kamini and Vlychos, visiting the many beaches and coves along the way. Hike into the mountain settlement of Episkopi. A must-see is also the monastery up on Mount Eros, the highest spot, which presents an incredible view of the island below. I always recommend that people explore and get a bit lost, which is the best way to discover the marvels of this island. Hydra is an island of many soundtracks, with an uncanny ability to mold its atmosphere to anything from chamber orchestras to jazz, blues, rock, or even the spoken word. It's a place for people to freely create and exist without the distractions of modern society. I started building a recording studio and gradually turned the property into a multi-faceted artists’ residence, incorporating painting, photography, writing, installations, sound art, field recordings, and any other interesting medium. After growing up amid artists, bohemians, and dropouts, I returned to the island a dozen years ago with the vision of recreating this magical atmosphere. Throughout its many incarnations, it has served as a school, factory, painting studio and weaving centre, and an old carpet factory. It was built in the late 18th century for the Tsamados family. The Old Carpet Factory is actually the house I grew up in.