Greek Island Adventure: Athens, Hydra and Santorini

From Stuttgart, we flew to Athens – but not to stay. Our real destination was out on the water: Hydra, a small island in the Saronic Gulf that barely makes it onto most people’s travel plans.

And Hydra surprises you immediately. The island is completely car-free – no cars, no scooters, nothing. The only vehicles you’ll see are garbage trucks, ambulances, and fire engines. Everything else gets carried on the backs of donkeys and mules – not a staged tourist attraction, just everyday life. The roads are unpaved, the paths are narrow, and the sound of hooves on stone is constant. It sounds like a postcard, but it feels surprisingly real.

You explore Hydra on foot – there’s no other way. And that means steps. Lots of steps. Steep staircases, cobblestones, tight alleyways. Good shoes are essential, but in return you’re rewarded with views you won’t forget anytime soon.

Back in Athens, we used a quick 24-hour stopover to take in the city at full speed. And yes – there’s no getting around the Acropolis. Even with just one day, the Parthenon alone is worth the climb. Add to that the view stretching endlessly across the city all the way to the sea.

From Athens, we continued to Santorini. The white houses, the blue domes, the caldera – you know the images, but standing there in person still hits differently. From Skaros Rock, the view across the entire caldera is hard to beat, especially at sunset.

The famous Caldera Trail from Fira to Oia? We’ll be honest – we didn’t trust ourselves with it. In that heat and with those elevation changes, a rental car felt like the smarter call. We explored the island our way, at our own pace, stopping wherever we wanted. Sometimes the wiser path is the one with four wheels.