Ask one of our guides for their favourite trail and most will give you the same answer: the ride up to the chapel of St. Konstantinos. It is not the longest route we offer, nor the hardest, but it has the thing every good ride needs, a reward at the top that makes you stop talking and simply look.
Leaving the town behind
The ride begins the way all of ours do, at an easy walk while you and your horse get used to one another. Hydra has no cars, so there is no traffic to work around, just the sound of hooves on stone and the harbour slowly falling away behind you. Within a few minutes the town gives way to open hillside and the pines close in overhead.
The climb
The path climbs steadily. Our horses have walked this route hundreds of times and know exactly where to place their feet, which is why we are happy taking complete beginners up it. You do not need to do anything clever. You sit, you take in the view opening up beside you, and the horse does the work, with a guide alongside the whole way.
The chapel and the view
At the top stands the little white chapel of St. Konstantinos, bright against the hillside. And then there is the view: the whole port and town of Hydra below you, the Saronic Gulf beyond, boats coming and going like toys. This is the moment people reach for their cameras, and the moment they are glad they came. We stop here so you can take it in before turning back down toward the sea.
It is a short ride with a long memory.
If you do one trail with us, this is the one we would point you to first.
Good to know
The ride suits complete beginners, and a guide comes with you the whole way. Wear comfortable clothes and closed shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen and water. The light over the port is at its best in the softer hours of the morning and late afternoon, so mention it when you book and we will try to time your ride for it.
