Nafplion or Hydra

Hydra is an island so a driver can't get you there.

Hydra is an island so a driver can't get you there.

And since it's a car-free island. You will need a donkey driver. :))

We did both Hydra and Nafplion in 2021, stayed in each for 4 nights. If you just have a day I suggest Nafplion as it is much easier to get to. We used Day Trip to drive us from Athens, and they might have a driver who knows it well. From my experience, Nafplion is very easy to navigate on your own with the short time you will have there.

Hydra is an island so a driver can't get you there.

That's a bit pedantic. A driver can, of course, get you to either Piraeus or Metochi, from where you can get a ferry to Hydra.

Hydra is fantastic, our favourite place in Greece. It's doable as a day trip but so much better if you stay overnight. It really becomes magical around 5:00 pm (or as we call it, "ouzo time").

If doing as a day trip from Athens, its a simple ferry from Piraeus to Hydra, and I wouldn't bother with a guide. If you change your plans and combine it with Nafplio, you can get a drive to Metochi and take a ferry from there.

As mentioned it's apples and oranges.

That said, Hydra is a nice visit you can easily get there by a ferry from Piraeus in a couple hours. It is a lovely day trip from Athens.
Nafplion is also interesting although I think it is a better visit staying overnight and spending a night or two.

We did them both on the RS tour so I don't have any other guide recommendations. You probably wouldn't want a guide for Hydra.

Personally I'd do Hydra as a day trip over a day trip to Nafplion. If I was going out to Nafplion I'd probably want to stop a Mycanae and Epidavros which is on the way (sort of). In fact I'd suggest doing those as an alternative to even going to Nafplion if it is a day trip. I kind of think of Nafplion itself as a place to relax and enjoy for a couple days than a sightseeing destination (but that is just me).

I would check to see how many cruise ships are in port in Nafplion, if any, on your target date.

We used Nafplion as a base to explore the Mycenae and Mystras as well as exploring the city itself. It is considered one of the two,prettiest cities in Greece. The other one is Chania, Crete. You do not need a guide for Nafplion, a guide book will suffice. When planning our first trip to Greece our Greeks friends listed Nafplion as a must see and I agree.

Hydra and Nafplio are both good options but one island overlooked by many is Poros.

Easy to get to by ferry from Piraeus, beautiful main town with Cyclades character and atmosphere.

Lovely waterfront lined with shops, markets and tavernas.

Uphill back streets are real Greek neighborhoods and much quieter than the water front.