Hydra is located 30 nautical miles from Athens, close enough to reach by sea in less than two hours, but far enough to feel completely separate from the mainland. The island is seen as the heart of the Argosaronic, with Poros, Spetses, and Ermioni nearby, but Hydra is the one people visit for its own unique charm. The port town climbs steeply from the waterfront like an amphitheatre, with 18th-century stone mansions built by seafaring families whose ships once traded across the Mediterranean. There are no cars here. The cobblestone streets are only accessible on foot or by donkey, lined with over three hundred churches and the kind of architecture that has attracted painters and artists for generations.