The area called Kamini is a much larger village than people at first realise. Starting on the coast at the little Kamini Harbour (1km west of Hydra port) the village spreads inland up the valley widening out so that it covers the back of the hill that guards the west side of Hydra Port and up and across to the top road that leads to Vlichos.

Hilary Square in Kamini (orange building is Four Corners Supermarket)If you follow the valley road up from Kamini Port and keep heading east (back towards Hydra on the inland road), you'll eventually get to Four Corners (named for the convenience store on the corner) which most people see as the separation point between Kamini and Hydra Town.

The old people's home with the ruined Ghikas Arkhontika opposite, mark the west border on the top road and the ruined armoury at the back of Kamini beach is the cut off point along the coast.

Old People's Home Upper Kamini overlooking Kamini HarbourKamini covers a much wider area than Hydra Town but even so the population of the island is divided fairly equally between the two. There's much more space around each property in Kamini and the atmosphere is definitely rural.

The nearer to the coast road you are, the more residential the properties are. As you head inland to the top road and out towards Vlichos, the properties are interspersed with small holdings. You'll see plenty of goats, sheep and free ranging chickens. There are even two fields in Kamini that are home to imported ostriches who are happy to be fed with any greenery you pick for them.

Verena Foundation at Kamini in what is fondly known locally as Mavromati Corner

Kamini Beach on a Halcyon Day backed by the ruined arsenal dating from 1750

Back in the 1700's the area of Kamini produced a lot of pottery and is reputed to be the site of the kilns for the island where storage pots, for use in homes and on ships, were fired.

The location of the arsenal at the back of the beach was of course a safety precaution. During the Greek Revolution (circa 1812) powder and shot was stored well away from the fleet at harbour in the main port of Hydra town.

The rather beautiful red and ochra building that dominates Kamini Harbour is now the home of the Vererna Foundation who bought the building for their base in 2006. The building is being slowly restored to its former glory and will be used for art exhibitions and festivals that will be open to the public during the summer months.