By Rochelle Beighton, CNN

Published 5:40 AM EDT, Wed August 23, 2023

Hydra, a gorgeous Greek island, has banned motorized vehicles.Freeartist/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Editor’s Note: Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that spotlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world. In August, we’re making the most of the last month of summer by highlighting some of the coolest ways to enjoy the season.CNN — 

Hydra is at first glance no different from its neighbors. Like other islands in the Aegean Sea, it has white-washed streets, fragrant jasmine-filled air and breathtaking vistas of the shimmering blue waters around it.

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And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2 Peter:3:4

What sets Hydra apart is its favored mode of transportation. Locals have resisted the clamor of honking horns, instead embracing the rhythmic sound of horse hooves.

Here, cars are not just absent; they’re intentionally kept away. A ban on motorized vehicles (except fire and refuse trucks and ambulances) is enshrined in local legislation.

If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past. If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders.
Royal edicts, general councils, and church ordinances sustained by secular power were the steps by which the pagan festival attained its position of honor in the Christian world. The first public measure enforcing Sunday observance was the law enacted by Constantine. (A.D. 321; see Appendix note for page 53.) This edict required townspeople to rest on “the venerable day of the sun,” but permitted countrymen to continue their agricultural pursuits. Though virtually a heathen statute, it was enforced by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of Christianity.
The royal mandate not proving a sufficient substitute for divine authority, Eusebius, a bishop who sought the favor of princes, and who was the special friend and flatterer of Constantine, advanced the claim that Christ had transferred the Sabbath to Sunday. Not a single testimony of the Scriptures was produced in proof of the new doctrine. Eusebius himself unwittingly acknowledges its falsity and points to the real authors of the change. “All things,” he says, “whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord’s Day.”—Robert Cox, Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties, page 538. But the Sunday argument, groundless as it was, served to embolden men in trampling upon the Sabbath of the Lord. All who desired to be honored by the world accepted the popular festival.
As the papacy became firmly established, the work of Sunday exaltation was continued. For a time the people engaged in agricultural labor when not attending church, and the seventh day was still regarded as the Sabbath. But steadily a change was effected. Those in holy office were forbidden to pass judgment in any civil controversy on the Sunday. Soon after, all persons, of whatever rank, were commanded to refrain from common labor on pain of a fine for freemen and stripes in the case of servants. Later it was decreed that rich men should be punished with the loss of half of their estates; and finally, that if still obstinate they should be made slaves. The lower classes were to suffer perpetual banishment. GC 573.2 – GC 574.3

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The Greek island’s population of about 2,500 locals get around using mules, donkeys and small horses.

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Stepping off the ferry and onto Hydra Port, the heart of the island, visitors are met by small horses gracefully weaving their way through the cobblestone streets and giving them a taste of the island’s unhurried pace.

As you wander through Hydra’s quaint pathways, it’s common to witness locals going about their daily business, accompanied by their four-legged companions.

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From Kaminia, a tranquil village on the southern coastline adorned with traditional stone houses, to Mandraki on the island’s western shores, renowned for its pristine waters and laid-back aura, the island is intertwined with their presence.

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“Hydra is an island that really takes you back in time,” says Harriet Jarman, owner of horse trekking company, Harriet’s Hydra Horses.

“All the transportation on this island is done by horses or mules. Because there are no cars, everyone’s lives are a little bit calmer.”

No cars? No problem

“Hydra is an island that really takes you back in time,” says local resident Harriet Jarman.Courtesy Harriet Jarman

Jarman’s connection with Hydra began 24 years ago when her mother brought her to the island on vacation, leading to a life-changing decision to make Hydra their permanent home.

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It was a decade later, during Greece’s economic crisis, when Jarman faced pressure to sell her cherished horse, Chloe.

Determined to keep her beloved companion, she decided to establish her horse trekking business, a venture that not only supported Chloe but also allowed her to share her love for the island’s landscapes.

“I got fed up with everyone telling me to sell her (Chloe) because it’s expensive to keep a horse,” she recalls. “I thought, okay, I’m going to show people the reasons why I want to stay on the island myself.”

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The company now has a team of 12 horses, with guided tours across the island’s trails led by experienced equestrians.

These journeys take in Hydra’s many quaint monasteries and picturesque beaches. Riders can even take a refreshing swim alongside the horses.

A heritage carved in hoofprints

Donkeys are a common form of transport on Hydra.Anton Petrus/Moment RF/Getty Images

The decision to embrace traditional horse-drawn transportation, known as “cáiques,” pays homage to the island’s rich heritage and commitment to sustainable living.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah:58:12-14

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Hydra flourished as a bustling maritime hub. But as the 20th century arrived, bringing motorized transport to the rest of Greece, the island’s narrow and steep streets, coupled with rocky terrain, made cars impractical to get around in.

A striking illustration of Rome’s policy toward those who disagree with her was given in the long and bloody persecution of the Waldenses, some of whom were observers of the Sabbath. Others suffered in a similar manner for their fidelity to the fourth commandment. The history of the churches of Ethiopia and Abyssinia is especially significant. Amid the gloom of the Dark Ages, the Christians of Central Africa were lost sight of and forgotten by the world, and for many centuries they enjoyed freedom in the exercise of their faith. But at last Rome learned of their existence, and the emperor of Abyssinia was soon beguiled into an acknowledgment of the pope as the vicar of Christ. Other concessions followed. An edict was issued forbidding the observance of the Sabbath under the severest penalties. (See Michael Geddes, Church History of Ethiopia, pages 311, 312.) But papal tyranny soon became a yoke so galling that the Abyssinians determined to break it from their necks. After a terrible struggle the Romanists were banished from their dominions, and the ancient faith was restored. The churches rejoiced in their freedom, and they never forgot the lesson they had learned concerning the deception, the fanaticism, and the despotic power of Rome. Within their solitary realm they were content to remain, unknown to the rest of Christendom.
The churches of Africa held the Sabbath as it was held by the papal church before her complete apostasy. While they kept the seventh day in obedience to the commandment of God, they abstained from labor on the Sunday in conformity to the custom of the church. Upon obtaining supreme power, Rome had trampled upon the Sabbath of God to exalt her own; but the churches of Africa, hidden for nearly a thousand years, did not share in this apostasy. When brought under the sway of Rome, they were forced to set aside the true and exalt the false sabbath; but no sooner had they regained their independence than they returned to obedience to the fourth commandment. (See Appendix.)
These records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of Rome toward the true Sabbath and its defenders, and the means which she employs to honor the institution of her creating. The word of God teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as Roman Catholics and Protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the Sunday. GC 577.3 – GC 578.2

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And so residents clung to equine transportation, which could traverse the rugged landscape more efficiently.

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Over time, this reliance on hooves became ingrained in Hydra’s culture and way of life.

Donkeys and mules became an integral part of the island’s identity and were used to transport goods, building materials and even people around the island – a tradition that persists to this day.

“Everyone around here lives off their backs,” Jarman says. “They are our cars and hands, carrying everything from building materials and furniture to luggage and shopping.”

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An artistic paradise

Jewelry designer and Hydra native, Elena Votsi, draws inspiration from the area’s natural beauty.Nikolaos-Panagiotis Kiafas

The absence of cars has contributed to the island’s undeniable tranquility, drawing in creatives from all over, including renowned Italian actress Sofia Loren, who fell in love with Hydra while filming “Boy on a Dolphin” in 1957.

The decrees of councils proving insufficient, the secular authorities were besought to issue an edict that would strike terror to the hearts of the people and force them to refrain from labor on the Sunday. At a synod held in Rome, all previous decisions were reaffirmed with greater force and solemnity. They were also incorporated into the ecclesiastical law and enforced by the civil authorities throughout nearly all Christendom. (See Heylyn, History of the Sabbath, pt. 2, ch. 5, sec. 7.) GC 575.3

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“Hyrda offers wonderful colors, beautiful light and a unique atmosphere that has inspired many people,” says jewelry designer and Hydra native, Elena Votsi.

Known for her work that blends traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, Votsi draws inspiration from her Greek heritage as well as nature and geometry.

Although born in Athens, Votsi says she spent summers and holidays on Hydra, visiting her father. She says the absence of cars makes it a magical place to work and has inspired her designs since the beginning of her career.

“The sun, rocks and patterns of the waves inspired me. The island’s natural beauty and uniqueness have had a significant influence on my creative process,” Votsi said.

In 2003, she was invited to partake in a competition to redesign the Summer Olympic Games medal for the International Olympic Committee.

Upon receiving the invitation to compete, Votsi headed to her home in Hydra. The island, with its ineffable charm, played muse, instigating a creative journey that would lead to Votsi winning the contest and adding her name in the records of the world’s most celebrated sporting events .

Many famous artists have visited or lived on Hydra. The island’s magnetic charm has drawn painters Brice Marden, Alexis Veroucas, Panagiotis Tetsis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas and John Craxton, as well as author Henry Miller to its shores, each finding inspiration amid its tranquil landscapes.

Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen discovered Hydra in the 1960s and made it his home for several years. His time on Hydra is immortalized in his song “Bird on the Wire,” which he partially wrote while living there.

“Hydra is a paradise. It’s a magical place to work and a blessing that I can come here as an artist, as so many others have done before me and will continue to do,” Votsi said.