Stylish and sophisticated, this villa on the car-free island of Hydra fits the island’s architectural tradition, built of exposed stone across three terraced levels and topped by a red tile roof. Yet the fresh interior presents a restored canvas of refined updates in linear modern furnishings and understated splashes of color against a new white backdrop.

The one-time residence and studio of renowned Greek artist Christos Karas, this villa for rent in Greece reveals the rustic charms of Hydra's original structures, with refreshed designer interiors. Recreated by architect Penny Bartsoka, the villa retains its enviable, art-studio personality, accented by primary colors against newly whitewashed stone walls. Only meters from the water and a quick walk to the beach, it overlooks the port of Kamini and the Peloponnese coast beyond the Argo-Saronic Gulf, and has deep lounging terraces on each of its three levels, plus a vivid waterfront sundeck. Original artworks and sculptures join the elegant furnishings in testament to the villa’s artistic roots.

AROUND

A strict national preservation order has kept the easily accessible island of Hydra looking much as it did in its late mid-century heyday, when the isle was the bohemian retreat of artists, musicians, and free thinkers. Just a short ferry ride from Athens, it remains a car- and bike-free oasis of calm and cool, where donkeys climb the twisting streets and the isle’s many cats roam freely. Come for the beaches lined with chic beach clubs (Castello club is nearby). Stay for the charmed nightlife, when cafes, harborside taverns, and a dozen fine-dining tables come alive. The harbor is home to Hydra’s eclectic nightlife, and the stacked, whitewashed  streets allow for daytimes spent browsing galleries, studios, and artistic salons. 

Hydra’s local residents number about 2,000, and despite its creative community and adoring international jetset crowd, the isle still offers classic, small village charms. The harbor still serves as a fishmarket, where boats become stalls bearing the day’s catch. Deep in the maze of cobbled streets, Hydra hides 18th- and 19th-century industrialists’ mansions alongside whitewashed chapels guarded over by lazing felines. A coastal walking path links Hydra’s harbor to Kimini’s small port by the villa, passing a small statue of a boy on a dolphin along the way. The statue is a reference to Sophia Loren’s 1956 film Boy on a Dolphin, which helped put Hydra on the international map. 

Four well-marked, longer distance hiking routes cross the island’s center, one trail leading to Hydra’s highest point, Mount Eros, marked on the way by the monastery of Profitis Ilias. Other trails lead down to remote beaches such as Limnionizia, where you’ll be rewarded with liquid turquoise solitude. Horsey types can explore Hydra on four legs, taking tours from an hour long to all day. 

LOCATION

Kamini, Hydra, Greece. Nearest airport: Athens (approximately 4 hours via the port of Pireaus)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Year round