In Athens, we have the opportunity to participate in a one-day trip to the islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina. On occasion of the TBEX in Athens, the tour operator Hydraiki invited us for the Athens One Day Cruise.
From the Acropolis Metro station we go by bus to the Trocadero Marina in the suburb Paleo Faliro. Paleo Faliro was the ancient port of Athens which lost its importance after the construction of a port in Piraeus.
When getting out of the bus, our eyes first turned to a Greek trireme and we were afraid that we have to row to Hydra. But of course this wasn’t the case. We were accompanied to a modern catamaran, the Platytera, lying just next to it. From the upper deck of the catamaran we have a good general view over the Athens’s ship museum
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More InformationAthens’s ship museum
Besides the reconstruction of an Athenian trireme of the 5th century with 3 rows of oars above each other, the armored cruiser Georgios Averof and the destroyer Velos are the highlights of this museum. The Georgios Averof enjoys a national myth because it causes heavy losses to the Ottoman Empire, without getting seriously damaged.
When leaving the port we can take again a calm look at all ships.
The passage to Hydra
The weather is changeable and not inviting to take a sunbath. The lovely light and play of colour compensated us for everything. Sunbeams break through the dark cloud cover again and again and set color accents in the landscape.
The view from sea goes across over Athens with the Olympic stadiums. The Peace- and Friendship Stadium, the football stadium and the two smaller stadiums for basketball and handball, dominate the cityscape.
We pass Aegina and Poros on our right and approach the Peloponnese.
Visiting the captain on the bridge
The friendly captain Nikos Kokonas allowed us to visit the bridge. We have the opportunity to take a closer look at the navigation instruments. The captain calls his German employee, Mrs Britta Seemann, who kindly translated.
2 days ago the waves were 4 m high, but the Platytera, a catamaran for 450 passengers with a length of 57 m could sail without problems. Then he explains us the further itinerary.
Asked if it is not sometimes uncomfortable to pass Greece’s only active volcano on the peninsula of Methana on a daily basis, he answered with a weary smile. He told us that there is a second volcano in Ouranoupoli next to Athos. Captain Nikos Kokonas knows this area quite well, because he cruised eight years with the Platytera along the coast of Athos. We thank him for his hospitality and turn towards the landscape and the sea.
Ahead of us we spot already the island of Hydra.
Please read on > A flying visit to the island of Hydra
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Disclosure: We were kindly invited by the Hydraiki and as always, all opinions about our experiences are our own.