Three hundred steps up from the port of Hydra, in the neighbourhood of Kiafa, are narrow walled streets that once protected its residents from pirates; houses are hidden behind wooden doors. One of them opens up to an enigmatic vessel that transcends typologies and eras. Since it was built in the late 18th century, by a wealthy naval captain, this place has attracted creative and ambitious stewards: entrepreneurs, bohemians, artists and musicians, all of whom have contributed to its shifting architecture and cosmopolitan aura.