Avlaki on Hydra Island Greece
Calm And Elegant
Avlaki is the area of Hydra Island above the Hydra to Kamini coast road. It is a very quiet residential area that is protected from noise by the hill between Hydra harbour & town and the wonderfully green Avlaki Valley. It has the advantage of being one of the quickest and easiest areas to reach from the main Hydra town especially if you are not too keen on lots of continuous steps. The atmosphere is calm and the area is uncluttered. There are lots of trees which give shade, making the streets cooler to walk.
From Hydra Harbour, walk west passing the Omilos Restaurant and Spilia Cafe. When you reach the Sunset Restaurant, continue on the main (middle) road. You will pass below the Sophia Loren Windmill on your left with the Hydronetta below on your right. It is at this point that you have arrived at Avlaki. You could also take the top road at the Sunset junction with the pine forest on your left and goes between the 'Boy on a Dolphin' statue and the 'Sophia Loren Windmill' immortalised by the film made on Hydra in the 50's. Whichever path you take, as soon as you go around the first bend, you will see Avlaki Bay and its beach beneath you.
All the properties that cascade down from the top of the hillside overlooking Avlaki Bay are classed as being in Avlaki. Continue along the coast road until you reach the 'Leonard Cohen Memorial Bench'. At this point you have reached Kamini.
In addition to having one of the best restaurants on the island, Techne, literally on the door, the Avlaki area is equidistant between both Hydra and Kamini's tavernas and restaurants. The well-lighted coast road makes walking back at night time easy and safe from whichever direction.
The highest point of Avlaki is the Haramis Windmill directly above the bay. It is privately owned and sometimes lived in during the summer. As soon as you pass the windmill and start to descend on the other side of the hill, you reach the area known as Four Corners (Kamini inland).
