Hydra Trail 3 - Eastern Hydra

Starting from the port of Hydra, near the Clock, where the main route map is located, Route 3 climbs eastwards to pass the Holy Monastery of Agia Foteini and Elisavet and leave the town of Hydra, following a path headed towards the valley of the windmills. From there it follows a dirt road, passing by the nearby monasteries of the area to enter a path after the Holy Monastery of Agios Nikolaos and climb the wild, rocky slopes with dry stone walls to the small church of Prophet Elias. From there it continues passing through fields and farmhouses (some abandoned and others not) but also through stands of junipers, in the direction of the Holy Monastery of Gennisi tis Theotokou in Zourva. The impressive rocky landscape with dry stone walls and chapels contrasts with the blue sea and the imposing presence of the monastery. The landscape is decorated with small touches of color from the wildflowers, but also the sound and movement of the animals roaming the slopes. From the Monastery of Zourva, the hiker can follow the impressive stone path that descends towards the bay of Ledeza, where there is a small pier for the water taxis carrying visitors to the Monastery to moor. According to the nuns the path was built by a single person who worked for 19 years. The Holy Monastery of Zourva has a small guest house that can, upon arrangement, host guests. The path continues eastwards, sometimes between drystone walls and sometimes on open slopes, passing chapels and abandoned farmhouses to approach the lighthouse of Zourva at the easternmost tip of the island, from where you can only return by water taxi when the sea is calm. Along the route one will also find the impressive chapel of Agios Ioannikios (Yiannikos), perched on the steep rocks above the sea, overlooking the Aegean. Alternatively, the route can be walked from the Lighthouse of Zourva to the city of Hydra.