Hydra’s history is intertwined with Greece’s naval struggle, as the island rebelled against the Ottoman rule on April 15, 1821, just twenty days after the start of the Greek Revolution. Visitors can delve into Hydra’s past at the Historical Archives Museum, which houses a collection of weapons used by Hydra’s fighters, Rigas Feraios’ Charta of Greece, a silver urn containing Admiral Andreas Miaoulis’ embalmed heart, and paintings depicting ships of the Greek War for Independence by Greek and foreign artists.
For a more immersive experience, head to the mansion of Lazaros Kountouriotis, which is part of the National Historical Museum. The ground floor hosts a permanent painting exhibition featuring the works of Konstantinos and Pericles Byzantios, while heirlooms of the Kountouriotis family are on display on the upper floors.
On the western side of the port, amidst pine trees, is the grand mansion of George Kountouriotis, one of Hydra’s five prime ministers, who served as Greece’s prime minister in 1848. Today, this mansion has been transformed into a museum displaying post-Byzantine art and history.
