Aghia Fotini, Cemetery and Monastery on Hydra Island
Ag. Fotini ©2020 Willem Jan Smit
Aghia Fotini is a Monastery on Hydra Island Greece. It is lived in and maintained by Greek Orthodox Nuns who have a specific responsibility for the neighbouring cemetery. It is not open to the public as a courtesy to those who have family members laid to rest there.
Although you may not enter as a tourist, Ag. Fotini is a good destination for a walk or a starting point for a hike. Once you are there, photography opportunities abound in every direction. It is reached via the zig-zag road that climbs the side of the mountain opposite the high school at the back of the valley where many of the horses are stabled.
Walking Notes: Easy road from Hydra town that you can do in casual footwear. Only a little rough if you want to climb behind to get a better view, so walking shoes or trainers are advised. There's no where to buy refreshments so bring your own.
Directions from Hydra Town
From Hydra harbour, take the lane out of the corner next to the Alpha Bank and walk towards the Amalour bar. Branch left and walk between the Amalour on your right and Adonis's hardware shop on your left. Walk straight on then go right and immediate left. Now you are on the main road that goes to the back of town. Pass the Phaedre Hotel on your right, the Piteoussa on your left to the end and then go up the steps from the street to the higher pavement on your right just opposite the Greco Hotel. Keep following that pavement and follow it up as it starts to climb the right hand side of the back of the valley. You'll go up the wide concrete lane above the levels where some of the island's equines are stabled.
The zig-zag road twists back on itself half a dozen times until you reach the top at the gates of the cemetery. The gates are rarely open, and unless you have someone buried in the graveyard it's not really the done thing to go wandering around inside, and it's almost impossible to see the buildings of Aghia Fotini from here as they are on the other side of the cemetery. So the best way to see it is to follow the white wall, all the way around. From this point on you must have sensible walking footwear on. If you're wearing sandals or flip-flops give up now before you twist your ankle!
If you want to hike further, from the back corner of the cemetery wall there are sign posts left to Zourva (which takes in the Matrona and Nikolias, Panagia Zourva Monasteries and the lighthouse to the west of the island. Or go right the head towards Profitis Elias taking in the wells at Kala Pigadi, up to Agios Konstandinos then further up to Profitis Elias.