Amorgos, Greece is a beautiful and unpretentious island standing alone on a rocky coast, south of the Aegean Sea. It is the perfect place to disconnect from the world, eating the most exquisite honey under soft sunsets in a spiritual and natural environment. That means getting lost in the small villages hidden in the folds of the valleys, and visiting the chapels floating in the clouds. Down in the harbor, a seahorse-shaped map of the island announces: “Welcome to Amorgos, nobody will find you here.”
Things to do in Amorgos
Far from everything and from all, this is definitely one of the most beautiful islands in Greece; if not the most beautiful. Fortunately, it requires a certain amount of effort to get there, so not many people seem to bother. For this reason, Amorgos is a fantastic place for total privacy, often described as a paradise by visitors.
Hiking in Amorgos
Hiking in Amorgos is a top activity and you should definitely try following one of its walking paths. In fact, hiking routes in Amorgos are called blue routes, because you can see the bright Aegean sea wherever you are. There are seven main paths, all marked with signs that makes it easy to recognize them. These blue routes are ranked as easy, medium and hard based on how long they take to finish.
Easy trails
Out of the seven hiking trails, four are considered easy trails since they take less that 2 hours to complete.
Fotodotis (3.5 km) – This hiking trail starts in northern Chora, following a deep gorge and passing by chapels on the capital. Then, you get to Milies, a region with green vegetation and after walking through an olive grove, you arrive at Katapola, the end of this trail. This blue route is downhill, going from 300 masl at Chora to 0 masl at Katapola. However, you can walk the route the opposite way if you want your hike to be a little bit more difficult.
Address: Chora Amorgos, Chora 840 08, Greece.
Websites:
- Official Website – Fotodotis hike
Melania (7.6 km) – This path is longer so you can break it down into smaller sections. From the port of Aegiali it takes you 30 minutes of hiking, going up 200 m, until you see the old windmills in Langada. From there, the mountainous terrain goes over and under 200 m for about an hour hike, and you get to Tholaria. Finally, another 30 minutes and you go down to Fokiotripa, at the end of Aegiali beach.
Address: 840 08, Greece.
Websites:
- Official Website – Melania hike
Source by Amphithoe on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
Valsamitis (7.4 km) – This is a round hike that takes about 2 hours to complete, starting in Katapola and ending in Katapola. First, you will visit the monastery of Agios Geogios Valsamitis, and then pass by Agia Marina to reach Ancient Minoa. In this ancient city you can see the remains of a stadium, a gymnasium and the temple dedicated to Dionysus. Lastly, you go back to Katapola on a road that you can follow to reach the temple of Saint Nicolas.
Address: Chora, 840 08, Greece
Opening and Closing Hours: from 9 AM to 1 PM and from 5 PM to 7PM. On Sundays from 5 PM to 7 PM only.
Websites:
- Official Website – Valsamitis hike
- TripAdvisor – Monastery of Agios Georgios Valsamitis
Source by Graeme Churchard on Flickr – Under Creative Commons license
Evangelistria (3.7 km) – Another path starting from Katapola, this one being 1 hour long. First, you pass by the cemetery in Xylokeratidi and walk until you reach the ancient well of Nera. As you keep going on the path, to your right you spot Viglia, a significan Cycladic installation. At the end of this blue route you get to visit the chapel of Evangelistria. This route hardly goes over 120 m, making it the easiest hike in Amorgos.
Address: Katapola, 840 08, Greece
Websites:
- Official Website – Evangelistria hike
Medium paths
Itonia (12.2 km) – This is the only hike in Amorgos rated medium difficulty since it takes about 3 hours to complete, with a fluctuating elevation. The name Itonia is dedicated to the feast in honor of Athena Itonia. This hike starts in Lefkes, near the Katapola port, where you can visit the chapel of Agia Thekla. Itonia also takes you through archaeological sites, such as Ancient Arkesini and Rachoula. Your last stop, after admiring clear beaches and impressive canyons, is at the Tower of Agia Triada, in Arkesini.
Address: Lefkes, 840 08 Greece
Websites:
- Official Website – Itonia hike
Hard paths
The Old Strata (14.5 km) – This trail is a favorite hike in Amorgos; starting from Chora, it takes from 4 to 5 hours to reach the final stop in Langada. After passing the Monastery of Hozoviotissa, you get to the church of Virgin Mary Theoskepasti in Kapsala. Then, you get to the rural settlement of Asfontilitis; here, you can admire rock paintings. Finally, you pass htrough Upper Potamos and reach Langada.
Websites:
- Official Website – The Old Strata hike
Pan – Although this path is shorter in time than The Old Strata (around 2.5 hours), what makes Pan one of the hard hikes in Amorgos is the final stop; Krikelos. Your hike starts in Lakgada, on northern Amorgos, following a especially mountainous path. The Holy Convent of Staint John the Theologian is one of the favorite spots, followed by the chapel of Stavros. Your journey keeps going higher until you get to Krikelos, the highest peak in Amorgos with 821 meters, from where you get the most amazing views over the island.
Websites:
- Official Website – Pan hike
Best Beaches in Amorgos
On this list, I will show you the top 3 beaches in Amorgos; one in Aegiali, one in Katapola and one in Chora. Of course, you can feel free to ask the locals for the best beaches and they will kindly help.
Agios Pavlos Beach, Aegiali – After 5 km of winding roads from the port of Aegiali, about 1.5 hours, you reach this pebbled beach with calm waters, perfect for watersports. It’s a child-friendly beach where you can go fishing and relax, and enjoy the red sunset from your sunbed. Besides, if you take a transfer boat to the nearby island of Nikouria, you get to enjoy its three sandy beaches. The Scopas Beach Bar offers delicious food, as well as the taverna.
Address: Saint Pavlos, 840 08, Greece.
Opening and Closing Hours: Open 24 hours all week.
Websites:
- Official Website – Agios Pavlos Beach
- TripAdvisor – Agios Pavlos Beach
Agia Anna Beach, Chora – You can get to this beach if you walk 30 minutes from the Monastery of Hozoviotissa. This is one of the beaches you see on the movie The Big Blue. The beach is rather small, so it can be crowded; arrive early if you want to still have some time alone. Enjoy a drink at the cafe on top to warm up after swimming on the cool waters.
Address: Amorgos 840 08, Greece
Opening and Closing Hours: Open 24 hours all week.
Websites:
- Official Website – Agia Anna Beach
- TripAdvisor – Agia Anna Beach
Maltezi Beach, Katapola – Maltezi is a 20-minute walk from the port of Katapola, but you can rent a boat to get there. The hills on both sides protect the beach from the wind, which makes it a favorite beach in Amorgos. There’s also a beach bar with a friendly staff, a variety of drinks and tasty food.
Address: Amorgos 840 08, Greece
Opening and Closing Hours: Open 24 hours all week.
Websites:
- Official Website – Maltezi Beach
- TripAdvisor – Maltezi Beach
Villages in Amorgos
Amorgos has nine villages with bright white houses in small groups, and only two ports: one in Aegiali and one in Katapola.
Aegiali village
Since Aegiali has one of the only two ports on Amorgos, it is a top tourist site of the island. The village stands 21 km from the Katapola port, and it has great shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. The highlights of Aegiali are its beautiful beaches; sandy, pebbled or rocky, some are perfect for water sports, some are made to have an isolated time. You should definitely try snorkeling and diving on these crystal clear waters, or walking on the lonely rocky beaches to clear your mind.
Websites:
- Official Website – Aegiali village
- TripAdvisor – Aegiali village
Katapola village
Katapola is the main port of Amorgos, 21 km from the port of Aegiali. The region is divided in three areas: Katapola, Rachidi and Xilokeratidi. On the Katapola settlement, you can hike the hill to visit the excavations of the ancient city of Minoa. Visit Rachidi for more proof of the religious characteristic of Amorgos, on the church of Agios Georgios. Last but not least, Xilokeratidi is perfect to hang out with friends; a charming settlement with taverns and cafes.
Websites:
- Official Website – Katapola village
- TripAdvisor – Katapola village
Chora village
Chora, the capital of Amorgos, is the image of the perfect Greek village, its narrow alleys and white houses surrounded with windmills. The capital is 5 km from Katapola and 16 km from Aegiali. Amorgos is known for being a religious island, with many churches and monasteries littered around, and the most famous is here, in Chora.
Address: Amorgos 840 08, Greece.
Opening and Closing Hours: from 8:30 AM to 1 PM and from 5 PM to 7 PM.
The impressive Monastery of Hozoviotissa, built in 1017, stands on the side of a cliff 300 meters above the sea. From Hozoviotissa, you get stunning views of the sea, as the smell of incense comes from the inside. Take the time to learn about the interesting history of this monastery, an ode to Grace of Panagia, the saint of Amorgos
Websites:
- Official Website – Chora village
- TripAdvisor – Chora village
Source by Andrea Moroni on Flickr – Under Creative Commons License
Langada village
Langada is encircled by the tallest mountains of Amorgos, towards the northern part of the island, 5 km from Aegiali port and 26 km from Katapola port. Krikelos, the highest mountain with its 821 m, is one of the favorite sights on Langada. This village is said to be the closest to traditional Greek customs, giving you the opportunity to see how their everyday life is like. A 5-minute walk from the village and you reach the Agia Triada Chapel, another impressive chapel bulit on the face of a cliff. 50 days after the Greek Eater, the festival of Agia Triada takes place here.
Websites:
- Official Website – Langada village
Arkesini village
The little white houses that make up this village stand on the slopes of the Korakas mountain. This is one of the oldest settlements on the island, located 19 km from the Katapola port, and 29 km from Aegiali. You can visit the small valleys that locals use for cattle-breeding and farming. On most of them, you will find fruit trees.
Arkesini is known for Kastri (castle), an ancient city founded in the 900th century BC, and abandoned when pirates threatened to invade it during the Medieval Period. This ancient city of Arkesini has an Acropolis dedicated to the greek Goddesses Aphrodite and Athena, as well as an ancient tower of the 400th century. These monuments give Kastri a high archaeological importance and make it a site to be visited.
Websites:
- Official Website – Arkesini village
- TripAdvisor – Arkesini village
Kalofana village
Just like Arkesini, this village lives off of fishing, farming and cattle-breeding. Every year, the Agia Paraskevi church celebrates the biggest festival in the Cyclades, a celebration that takes 10 days to plan out. Enjoy the traditional music and dances, as you taste the delicious local food. Kalofana is 22 km from the Katapola port and 32 km from Aegiali.
Websites:
- Official Website – Kalofana village
Potamos village
Potamos is a mountain village famous for its breathtaking sunsets and views over the Aegiali bay and some of the Cyclades islands. The village is 3 km from the port of Aegiali and 23 km from Katapola. A must while on Potamos is Kamara, a taverna located at the top of the village.
Address: Potamos, Aegiali Potamos, 840 08 Greece
Opening and Closing Hours: from 9 AM to 12 AM
The entrance to Kamara is around 5-minutes from the parking area, but this short walk is totally worth it. Zucchini and goat meat are the specialties, everything home-made and with local ingredients.
Make sure to be here when the sun starts to hide; watching the sunset as you enjoy dinner from the terrace is a unique experience on its own.
Websites:
- Official Website – Potamos village
- TripAdvisor – Kamara Restaurant
Tholaria village
Amorgos has clear night skies perfect for stargazing, and you can join one of its organized astronomical excursions. On these excursions you will learn how to recognize different constellations and how to tell stars and planets apart. Spotting nebulas and galaxies far away is a unique and inspiring experience. A favorite stargazing spot is on the Tholaria village, located 3km from the Aegiali port and 24 km from Katapola.
Websites:
- Official Website – Tholaria village
Vroutsi village
This is the smallest village on Amorgos, with around 90 inhabitants. Vroutsi is 17 km from the Katapola port and 27 km from the port of Aegiali. You can start a walking path here on Vroutsi to reach the ancient town of Arkesini.
Websites:
- Official Website – Vroutsi village
How to get to Amorgos
To get to Amorgos, you first need to fly to Athens International Aiport, the main airport in Greece. From there, hire a car for around $8 to the Piraeus port in Athens (45 minutes).
By boat: There are two main ports in Amorgos, in Katapola and Aegiali. From Piraeus, a 5-hour Car Ferry trip takes you to Amorgos, being from $35 to $100.
Closer airports to Amorgos are on the islands of Naxos and Santorini. Ferry boats connect these islands to both ports in Amorgos daily in the summer months.
When to go
If you want to enjoy the beaches in Amorgos, the summer months are perfect. The temperatures are higher from June to September, but never go over 28 °C (82 °F) or under 22 °C (72 °F). When a heat wave strikes Greece, temperatures can reach 40 °C (104 °F) on the mainland, but on Amorgos and the other Cyclades, they don’t usually pass the 35 °C (95 °F). On the other hand, if you’re planning to hike in Amorgos, visiting on April or May is the best option; however, summer is good for hiking too.
How long do I go for
Stay for 4 to 5 days to be able to enjoy the best hikes, the best beaches in Amorgos and visit all your favorite villages.
Planning
Once your ferry arrives at Katapola or Aegiali, you will meet the owners of domatia (rooms). These rooms have the basic services and have a very reasonable price; I recommend you rent a room at Chora. In the central square of Katapola, the Minoa Hotel is one of the best options to stay in Amorgos; make your reservations here. In Aegiali you can find the Agios Pavlos Studios; a variety of apartments, studios and houses scattered around the village, all with an amazing view of the Aegean sea. Book your room here.
Inside Information
There are only four taxi services in Amorgos:
- Katapola
Nikitas Giannakos – Mobile: +30 6932 000 455
Vangelis Spanos – Mobile: +30 6932 103 077
- Aegiali
Mixalis Liviakis – Mobile: + 30 6937 883 838
- Chora
Jannis Kapeles – Mobile: +30 6973 988 702
Most people in Amorgos speak English, but it is still nice to learn common phrases like “please” (Παρακαλώ: pah-rah-kah-LOH) and “thank you” (Ευχαριστώ: ef-khah-rees-TOH).
Even though the weather can be relatively warm, always be prepared for the cool breeze at night. For hiking, make sure you have good shoes, preferably some that cover you ankles, since some paths have loose stones. Bring enough water, a hat, and sunscreen.
Entry Requirements
Greece is a member of the Schengen Agreement, so border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the agreement are uncommon. However, identity checks before boarding international flights or boats are common; temporary border controls at land borders may happen.
Visit Greek Ministry for Foreign Affairs for regulations applied to your country.
Local Laws and Customs
On the churches around Amorgos, the dress codes are basically covered shoulders for women and knees covered for all. However, it is not a big deal as long as your clothes are not very provocative. Smoking is banned by law in all public places since 2010, but some establishments and most Greeks just ignore this. Don’t take this as a reason to treat the ban lightly; follow the smoking ban, or ask if you can smoke where you are.
There are some sensitive topics for Greeks that you should be especially careful when touching. First, Greece is considered part of Southern Europe, so refererring to the country as part of Eastern Europe can be disrespectful. Also, since the Balkans have a negative image, Greeks don’t like for Greece to be labelled as a Balkan country. Be careful when talking about anything related to Ancient Greece and the Byzantine Empire, since they are symbols of their national pride.
Hand gestures
Avoid putting out your hand to someone as if to signal them to stop; this gesture with the palm open and five fingers spread is called “mountza“. Greeks usually do this gesture while saying “na” (here), and it basically means that someone did something ridiculous, or telling them to screw off.
Money
Greece uses the euro (€), like several other European countries. The banknotes look the same in these countries, but coins have a standard design on one side and a country-specific design on the other.
As of January 2020:
- US$1 ≈ €0.89
- UK£1 ≈ €1.18
- Australian $1 ≈ €0.61
- Canadian $1 ≈ €0.69
MasterCard, Visa, and Eurocard are accepted across Greece in hotels, and travel or transportation agencies (ferry, airline, and car rental agencies). However, some restaurants might not accept them.
Tipping
Tipping is not based on a predetermined percentage, and customers usually leave a tip going from a few coins to large amounts of money. Of course, this is based on how satisfied they are by the service, but generally tips are €1-2. Howevver, tipping to taxi drivers is very uncommon.
Safety and Security
Crime
Be aware of rental scams, especially if you find an agency that works only with motorbikes and ATVs. These vehicles are widely used on Cyclades and you can find them almost everywhere, but not all of them are trustworthy. Be careful when you are offered damaged motorbikes or ATVs for a lower price; in case of an accident, they will most likely demand that you pay for the whole cost of damage.
These rental agencies often attract tourists aggressively and always offer the lowest prices. The employees of these agencies will promise you everything they can until you sign the contract. Be careful when you spot these behaviors, and check the vehicle they offer before making a decision. If they look dusty, dirty and look old, kindly decline their offer.
Sexual Assaults
Personal attacks, such as sexual assaults and rape, are uncommon in Greece. However, excessive drinking was almost always involved in the handful of incidents that have happened.
Terrorism
Terrorist attacks in Greece could be indiscriminate and take place in areas frequented by foreigners. Reported attacks in mainland Greece have involved explosives and automatic weapons, and have been carried against Greek institutions, shopping malls, banks and the police.
Health
Medical facilities are good on the mainland, but are often limited on the islands; on some of them, ambulances are limited. If you need emergency medical assistance while on Greece, dial 112 or 166 and ask for an ambulance. If you are referred to a medical facility for treatment, contact your insurance/medical assistance company.
Tap water in most tourist-frequented places is drinkable. but usually it doesn’t taste very good, especially on some small islands. If in doubt about the state of tap water, ask. If you are hiking in Amorgos, remember to take water with you, and avoid the hottest hours.
Check the Greece’s specific health advice on TravelHealthPro at least 8 weeks before your trip.
Natural Disasters
Greece is subject to frequent forest fires during the dry summer season, so definitely avoid smoking in forested areas!
History
Amorgos has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Old tombs were discovered, dating to as early as 3300 B.C. Throughout the centuries, the island came under the rule of many masters, most notably the Venetians who built the fortress in the capital.They held onto the island for three centuries from 1207, until it fell to the Turks. It was finally liberated in 1832 and then united with Greece.
Other Nearby Attractions
Santorini, Greece
Santorini, Greece is a small spot of crowded white houses, dotted by pastel colors here and there. Squared, blue windows reflect the warm sunlight, leaving kaleidoscope-like shapes across the cobblestone floor. The island of Santorini is a blossoming flower in the middle of the dark blue Aegean sea, once destroyed by the vast force of nature around 1550 BC.
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