Amorgos Villages

Amorgos is part of the archipelago of the Cyclades Islands and is considered one of the most beautiful and peaceful. It became famous because the director Luc Besson shot a part of the cult film "The Big Blue", today it is not only frequented by connoisseurs or occasional travelers but is starting to become a sought-after destination for an alternative holiday in Greece, away from the confusion of mass and with a magnificent territory to discover with its arid mountains, valleys full of flowers, vegetation and beautiful beaches bathed by an almost uncontaminated sea.

Amorgos has very ancient origins, from the archaeological finds it turns out that it was inhabited in the fourth millennium BC before the arrival of the Cretans where Minos, the first king of Crete, decided to make it his summer residence. In 1207 the governor Marco Sanudos included Amorgos in the Duchy of the Aegean until the sixteenth century when the Turks took possession of it. A dark and sad period for the inhabitants of Amorgos who passed terrible years of persecution even by pirates who infested the Aegean Sea. Finally in 1821 it was liberated with the War of Independence, but with the Second World War it returned to have terrible moments as it was completely isolated making the population suffer from hunger. Fortunately, now we can say that Amorgos, thanks to tourism and modernity that have revived the economy, is starting to regain its well-being so much so that many islanders are returning to their origins.

Many small and large villages are located on the island and as always we recommend that you put them on the list of things to do in Amorgos to understand a little more about this beautiful land.

Let's start with the capital, the Chora (strange that it's called that). The capital is located in the central part of the island on the east side at four hundred meters above sea level. A medieval town, hidden precisely to defend the population from attacks by marauders, magical and mysterious with its mills on the hill where the view is breathtaking and is lost towards the Aegean, with its blinding white lime houses and the its labyrinthine alleys with stone-paved streets, and again the main square Plateia Loza, with its picturesque cafes under ancient eucalyptus trees that provide a precious shade in the hottest hours. The classic Greek village suffused by night and vital by day with its typical restaurants with traditional dishes at truly honest costs and places where you can spend the evening in front of a glass of wine or a Greek liqueur having a chat with the locals who always have extraordinary stories to tell. La Chora is located right next to the Hozoviotissa Monastery and Agia Anna beach with crystal clear waters, dominated by the 13th century Venetian castle called the Kastro.

We continue with Katapola village the main port of Amorgos which is located on the west side of the island. One of the very few natural ports in the whole Aegean with a beautiful region divided by three settlements including Rachidi Xilokratidi and Katapola. A beautiful bay full of life where the typically Cycladic architecture made of low houses and narrow streets offers everything from bars for an aperitif contemplating the sun that literally plunges into the sea, restaurants and classic taverns where you can taste the tasty dishes of the Greek and local tradition , souvenir shops, a not exactly exaggerated nightlife but that will make you spend enchanting evenings and a wide choice of accommodations ranging from hotels, apartments or guest houses. The promenade on the pier is closed to traffic from 20 to 2 in the morning, thus making this space livable for everyone without danger and with the typical atmosphere of a seaside resort. A city beach that let's face it all in our opinion is not that great but certainly comfortable if for a day you don't want to do anything and just enjoy the sea. In short, the classic fishing village but with that modern touch that offers comfort without destroying that climate of the past. Above Katapola on the hill the ancient city of Minoa where Minos loved to spend his holidays with a Mycenaean cemetery to be reached through a beautiful walk. Also of great interest is the Panagia Katapoliani church built over a pre-Christian basilica with marble relief elements, near the ancient temple of Apollo and some chapels from the Byzantine era. In addition to the local beach, nearby coves can also be reached on foot if desired, such as Agios Saranta beach and Finikies beach.

We arrive at  Aegiali village which is located in the northwestern part of the island, the most important in the northern part with its port about fifteen kilometers from the Chora and a favorite destination for those who love to spend whole days on the beach. A beautiful cove that climbs steeply at the foot of the mountain dominated by old mills that once served to produce flour for the villages of Tholaria, Langada and Potamos, the picturesque villages built as an amphitheater on the slopes of Mount Krikellos. The nightlife of Amorgos develops above all in Aegiali with delicious clubs and for the most demanding well-equipped spas where to pamper body and soul. Its population has four hundred and thirty permanent inhabitants who live mainly from tourism and fishing. Narrow mazes with white houses and flashes of intense colors of the bougainvillea that seem almost as fake as they are perfect, taverns where you can enjoy excellent fresh fish or local cuisine, many facilities to satisfy any taste and small shops of local products. The population is very friendly and it will not be difficult to stop and make long speeches with the locals who always have fascinating stories and myths to share with tourists. Aegiali also offers a long beach of soft sand with crystal clear blue waters, a few tamarisk trees to shelter from the sun, a handful of tavernas and almost absolute tranquility. About five minutes uphill walk you will arrive at Levrossos beach which offers a fantastic view. From the port about two kilometers away, however, reachable by a small path that starts from Levrossos Beach, we arrive at the Psili Ammos beach, a lovely sandy bay and with a sea that is now useless to repeat it. Still through another path on foot it is possible to reach the small monastery of Agios Theologos dated between the seventh and ninth centuries, built over an ancient temple and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. From the Byzantine style it has a three-nave basilica in limestone. Legend has it that the church was built at the behest of a captain who, during a storm in the north-eastern part of Aegiali, prayed to the Saint for his salvation and having his prayers answered as a sign of gratitude, he built the church. Continuing, we arrive at the small church of Stavros, a solitary and magical chapel where a characteristic festival is held in September and a traditional dish from Amorgos is served, the “patato amorgiano” a stew made with goat and potatoes.

We continue with the Langada village on the edge of the Arakos canyon in the highest mountains of Krikellos about four kilometers west of the Aegiali. A real Greek Cycladic-style mountain suburb with immaculate white houses, narrow and labyrinthine streets, go-go flowers, dry stone walls, stairs leading to hidden corners, small churches all accompanied by an almost disturbing silence broken by the chirping of cicadas and every now and then some donkey braying. A country with an intact atmosphere where tradition and customs are still very present in the life of the inhabitants and which despite progress are strongly defended to make them remain so. Behind a rough rock and in front of the Aegiali Bay with its deep sea, the Big Blue. With a walk since Amorgos let's not forget it is a perfect island for trekking lovers, you can get to Agia Triada, to the Panagia Epanochoriani and the windmills of the archaic settlement of Stroumbus. Obviously there is no lack of typical taverns with the classic blue tables where the food is truly homemade and abundant with the classic cats curled up in the strangest positions to doze or with that pimp that only felines have waiting for something to eat.

We now move to the Potamos village which is only less than a kilometer from the Aegiali village heading south. Perched on the side of the mountain on the top of the hill with a view of the bay and the entire archipelago that rivals many famous places in the world especially at sunset. Surrounded by unspoiled nature, it still maintains the traditional lifestyle of the Cyclades Islands. It is actually divided into two parts which can be reached either on foot or by car until they start. The lower part is called Kato Potamos (in Greek kato means below) while the higher part is called Ano Potamos (in Greek ano or pano means above). Small houses with blue windows framed by colorful flowers, stone-paved streets, up and down stairs and small alleys with some taverns, a few cafes for a relaxing break and some pensions to stay if you want a small corner of paradise where the noise almost does not exist and everything flows at a slow pace. A village of fascinating beauty where mechanical vehicles cannot circulate leaving everything so intact and silent. Since it is located very close to Aegiali village, reaching the beach for a regenerating dip is not so difficult even on foot. The best way to visit the Potamos village is to walk from the majestic Hozioviotissa monastery, thus discovering all the wonder that Mother Nature has been able to give on the Amorgos Island.

We then finish our roundup with Tholaria village the most 'to the north, about four kilometers from Aegiali to one hundred eighty-two meters above sea level. Here this is by far the quietest and most authentic village in the whole area. Small with its low houses adorned with flowers of a thousand shades, the classic square with taverns and cafes where you can sit, let yourself go and stop thinking about anything, genuine food at very low prices at times and an almost disarming hospitality, where there is no you will feel tourists but integral parts of daily life. Here the people are simple and still live with traditional crafts. The fava bean is the yellow lentil puree that is still cultivated and treated by hand and thanks to the soil rich in minerals it is possible to have a high quality product recognized throughout Greece. Near Tholaria village is Vigla the acropolis of the ancient city of Aegiali dating back to the 10th century BC with a crazy view of the gorge where Mikri Glifada beach is located and where the largest sculpture of the Cycladic period was found. Today some parts of the wall remain, some statues from the Hellenistic period and some engravings on the nearby cliffs. In the village of Tholaria, the church of Agioi Anargyroi on the mountain deserves a visit, where on the first of July a great feast is held in honor of the saint. Here old women still wear typical clothes, men can still be seen on the back of mules and the square with the church is the fulcrum of life, in short, a temporal door that will catapult you into an atmosphere parallel to the hectic life of now where everything is the opposite of everything.

A real cultural, gastronomic, historical and ecological tour, mandatory stops to put on the list of things to do in Amorgos to get to know and appreciate this beautiful, remote and still unknown island.