Hydra: Far From Crowds…and the Expected

On surveys and in conversation with NextTribers, Greece constantly comes up as a bucket-list destination. We are always encouraged to add it to our travel schedule.

But I don’t want to host just ANY trip to Greece. I want it to be exquisite—something beyond the ordinary Greek itineraries that stick to Santorini and Mykonos (as beautiful as they are). I wondered if I could draw on something from the Greece trip I planned when I was homeschooling my sons, but that was very history-oriented—Sparta, Delphi, Thermopylae. I asked my Greek college roommate, Gigi, if she knew some secret gems, but she demurred.

Then, Jeannie Edmunds and I were approached by a creative genius, Barbara Groth. I say that because she is one of the founding forces behind Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, the immersive art experience that regularly blows travelers’ minds on our Santa Fe trip. She now runs a company called the Nomadic School of Wonder, which produces workshops for big companies like Google and AirBnB. The goal is to integrate art, nature and community to empower people to explore new possibilities, cultivate innovation, resilience and deeper connections.

Barbara came to NextTribe suggesting she create such a program for women our age on the Greek Island of Hydra.

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Why This Particular Greek Island?

“I will never forget Hydra…one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Sophia Loren recently told the New York Times, remembering her days shooting a film there in 1957.

And she is far from alone. Jackie O. loved the island—a mere two-hour ferry ride from Athens. Creatives such as Leonard Cohen and Henry Miller have been inspired by the peacock-blue sea, the boundless sky, and the streets of white houses spilling down the hillside to the harbor.

"This purity, this wild and naked perfection of Hydra,” Henry Miller wrote about the island.

One of the things that makes Hydra so special is that cars aren’t allowed here. They were banned in the 1950s to preserve the island’s essential character. It’s like a throwback in time. A way to experience a culture as it has been for generations. Instead, horses, mules, donkeys, and your own two feet are used to get around on the tiny island. Boats can take you to secluded beaches.

“The island of Hydra offers the ideal Greek island experience,” says travel pro Rick Steves. “Here, a traffic jam is three donkeys and a fisherman.”

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Our Personal Connection

Another reason to base our Greek experience in Hydra is that writer and artist Alexis Averbuck lives there. And she will be our guide—both in creativity and more Earthly matters—for the week. She writes books for Lonely Planet—all over the world—but she returns to Hydra for six months of every year. This means she can easily integrate us into the local community—musicians, other artists, fascinating women.

I truly believe that interacting with locals will elevate any trip to the extraordinary, and even more so if we’re talking about a truly magical destination like Hydra.

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A Week in Hydra

What do you do on an island like Hydra for a week? Oh, are you ever in for a treat?

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll experience:

• Eating sumptuous (but healthy) meals in local tavernas.

• Playing, as you maybe haven’t done since you were a child.

• Creating, as you never thought you could.

• Swimming in hidden coves.

• Horseback riding to stunning lookout points.

• Boating to secret spots in the Aegean Sea.

• Learning to cook and bake—the best Greek dishes.

• Listening to local musicians.

• Watching sunsets light up the horizon across the sea.

• Being inspired by nature and the creative energy that exists here between sea and sky.

• Developing a new appreciation for your own resilience and imagination.

• Afternoon nap, in the great Greek tradition.

• Dancing, in the great Greek—and NextTribe—tradition.

• Celebrating new connections and perspectives at a community dinner—filled with travelers and locals who are as dedicated to embracing the fullness of life as you are.

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Find Out More at Our Info Session

On Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, you’ll be able to meet Barbara Groth and Alexis Averbuck and learn more about what they have planned for us during this thoughtfully curated week of adventure, art, and awe.

Sign up for the Info Session here.

We’ll pick one attendee at the Info Session to win a $400 discount on the trip.

“Adio,” as they say on Hydra—

Jeannie R.

Almost Sold Out

A heads-up that just a few spots remain on these upcoming trips:

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