A last opportunity for development and revitalization of Hydra society was given in the 50s when the various artists and filmmakers "discover" Hydra and use it liberally in their movies. A direct consequence was the rapid tourism and economic development on the island, which has evolved since then into a cosmopolitan tourist resort.
In the 1950s and 60s, foreign writers like the Australian George Johnston, the Swede Axel Jensen and the Canadian Leonard Cohen bought houses here and laid the foundations of a foreign community that still exists today. Practically every celebrity in the world has set foot on Hydra at some time or other. For Hydra that‘s no big deal. Celebrities and anonymous visitors have equal status here.
It also worth to be mentioned that Hydra became famous all over the world thanks to the film “Boy on a Dolphin,” shot on the island in 1957 with Sophia Loren leading the starring role.
Among the most famous films shot in Hydra is the famous "Girl with black" of Michael Cacoyannis with Ellie Lambeti, which received rave reviews in European festivals and the great Jules Dassin's film "Phaedra" with lovely Melina Merkouri and the famous Anthony Perkins and Ralph Vallone.
Hydra became a famous destination mainly between 1960-1970 when celebrities from around the world, like Lennon, Klapton, Rolling Stones, Onassis and Callas, Rex Harrison, Peter Ustinov, Leonard Cohen and many others passed through here and a place of inspiration for many people of the arts and culture like Xatzikyriakos, Gikas, Seferis, Engonopoulos, Henry Miller, Tetsis, Byzantios ...
Today, the Hydra of Miller, Seferis, Gikas, Engonopoulos, Byzantios, Tetsis, with the continuous offering to tourism and our country's cultural life, remains the jewel of the Gulf Islands, a unique phenomenon of historical and architectural wonder and certainly one of the finest resorts in Greece.
