Property Details

Hotel Angelica is a traditional Hotel on the island of Hydra. Hydra is situated 42 nautical miles from Piraeus, which is the port for Athens, the capital of Greece.The hotel is situated on the central road of the island and is about 3 minutes from the port. It is the only one island in Greece and in the European Common Market where there are no cars, except for 3 truks which belong to the municipality and are used for garbage collection. Any other cars are strictly forbidden, including the use of bicycles and scooters.

The island is popular with artists and hosts many cultural events during the year. It is ideal for those who are interested in nature and has many walks with breathtaking scenery. Hydra is an island of leaders and has given birth to 5 Prime Ministers, 1 President of the Democracy, about 50 Political Ministers and an Archbishop. It has offered more to the history of Greece than any other place. I hope that this brief presentation has aroused your interest.

Local Area Details

A BRIEF HISTORY
The island of Hydra, in the Argosaronic gulf, close to the Eastern coast of Peloponnesian is one hour away -35 miles- by Hydrofoil from Piraeus. It is one of the only places in the world where no cars, motorcycles or even bicycles are allowed. Transport- for people and goods- are the backs of donkeys and mules. The island's area is 48 kilometers and 3000 people inhabit it.

ANCIENT TIME
The name of Hydra comes from the word "hydro" which means "water" in the Greek language.

In ancient time Hydra was an island inhabited by Dryopian shepherds of which civilization still exist some ruins in Episcope, on the west side of the island. It was an island with plenty offspring for drinking water covered by forests and thick grass that fed a lot of sheep and goats.

They say, that about 1500 BC Agamemnon, the King of Mycenae, Menelaos, the King of Sparta, and who knows, maybe Pares, the prince of Troy, who kidnapped the beautiful Helen of Sparta, (and thus began the Trojan War), stopped their ships in Hydra and bought water supplies needed for their short or long trips.

Every famous place in ancient Greece had its own legend. In this case the legend says that a huge serpent, which appeared and caused them catastrophe by his enormous appetite, upset the peaceful life of Hydra's shepherds. Every day, he gulped tremendous quantities of sheep and goats alive. The shepherds reaction was, of course, to find and kill the "dragon" .The "dragon" lived in a deep cave. Someone had the bright idea of making a fire at the entrance of the cave and killing it by … suffocation. So they did, but, unfortunately, the result was dramatic. The forest of Hydra, the thick grass, the sheep and goats, all turned into ashes. Gradually, the soil of the island became rigid and barren. The shepherds left in search of a greener island.

Around the 15th century AD, Hydra started to be inhabited by refugees, from the Peloponnese, seeking shelter from Turkish persecution. The barren soil of the island turned them first from farmers to fishermen and then to excellent sailors.

As a matter of fact, by 1800 A.D. navigation had flourished to the point where Hydra had so many wealthy ship owners that it was characterized as a "little England". In that time Hydra had 25000 inhabitants and 125 big merchant ships equipped with large cannons and well trained crews for fear of pirates. Italian and other foreign architects constructed many mansions. Each mansion had its own private church and its own private priest.

Now, in the island there exist about 370 churches. The big houses, constructed by stone, were furnished with antiques and decorated with chandeliers objects d' art precious carpets, silverware, and frescos in ceilings and walls painted by well known painters of that time. They say, that the wealthy ship owners built in the basement of their houses two cisterns: A big one for water and one smaller in which they keep their gold.

In 1821 began the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire that is the Turks, who had occupied Greece since 1453. That was the date on which the Turks conquered Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Hydra contributed to the War of Independence in a very important way. With its ships-, which constituted two thirds of total Greek fleet, it's trained crews and the wealth of its ship owners.

Many distinguished persons were born in Hydra. Five prime ministers, members of Parliament, members of the Greek academy, admirals, artists, poets, including the archbishop Dorotheo Kotara and the first president of the Greek Republic, admiral Paulo Kountouriotis, in 1925.

CONTEMPORARY HYDRA
Hydra was the first tourist island of Greece. It was become well known since 1956, when John Negoulesko filmed the famous movie, "The boy on the dolphin" with Sophia Loren and Alan Ladd. In 1960 Michaels Cacoyiannis made in Hydra the movie "Phedra" with Anthony Perkins, Ralf Val one and Melina Merkouri. The unique light, the crystal clear blue waters, the ideal combination of nature and architecture, made Hydra popular with cinema directors, photographers, artists, movie stars, and members of the jet set: Brigitte Bar dot, Bob Jacouri, Audrey Heyburn, Anthony Quinn, Ego von Fustenberg, Joan Collins, Aries Onassis, Maria Callas, Jackie Kennedy-Onassi, the fashion designer Valentino, are some of the lovers of Hydra, not to mention Leonard Cohen, who who has a house in Hydra and lived, permanently on the island, for many years.

Apart from the light, which is unique, painters, artists and photographers, consider Hydra to be a magic island full of powers and vibrations.

They say that in each rocks in hidden much "guartg" that radiates a creative energy, to those, of course, who are gifted and can absorb all that power

Property Features

* Children are allowed

Contact Information

Name:	ANGELICA HOTEL
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