Location

A very beautiful walking route from the town of Hydra is the climb (to 485 meters altitude) to the Monasteries of the Prophet Elias and Saint Efpraxia, which tower above the city. Nearby (1000 meters south) is the highest peak on the island, the top of Mount Eros, at 590 meters.

Founded in 1813 by the "Kollyvades" fathers, the Monastery of the Prophet Elias (Profitis Ilias) has a rich library that was organized in 1870 by the then abbot, Ierotheos Kostopoulos. Theodoros Kolokotronis was imprisoned there for four months in 1825.

The distance from the city is about three kilometers and of course quite an uphill climb. We can go either on foot (an hour on a good uphill path through the pines) or by donkey. The path has been renovated and is less tiring (but also longer) than the old one.

The view of the island, the city of Hydra, the Saronic Gulf, the island of Dokos, and the coast of Ermionida is simply wonderful.

About 300 meters before the Monastery of the Prophet Elias (as we climb), a 150 meter trail on our right leads to the women’s Monastery of Saint Efpraxia, a convent founded in 1821 and famous for the handiwork of its nuns. From the Monastery of Saint (or Agia) Efpraxia, a 200 meter path leads southwest to the Monastery of the Prophet Elias. Alternatively, we can return to where we turned off the main path for a 450 meter route to the Monastery of the Prophet Elias.

Sources

Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elias - Hydra

Holy Monastery of Saint Efpraxia - Hydra

As well as the links mentioned in the articles and generally the key texts of sources about the Saronic Gulf area of Exploring Greece