Amorgos

A long, slender island on the eastern edge of the Cyclades, famous for the cliff-hanging Monastery of Hozoviotissa and the shipwreck from The Big Blue, with ancient paths linking its hill villages.

Amorgos lies at the far eastern edge of Greece's Cyclades. The island is long and narrow – about 33 km from end to end and only a few kilometres across at its widest – with sheer cliffs plunging into the sea along the southeast coast and bays scattered along the northwest. Luc Besson filmed his 1988 movie The Big Blue here, making this quiet island famous across Europe, and it remains a favourite with divers, hikers and slow travellers.

Areas to explore: ① The centre – the hilltop capital Chora, the Monastery of Hozoviotissa on its cliff and Agia Anna bay below it form the unmissable core, easily covered in a day; ② Katapola, the main port – where ferries dock and most hotels and restaurants are found, with the ancient site of Minoa and the Monastery of Agios Georgios Valsamitis in the hills behind; ③ The south – the Olympia shipwreck, Kalotaritissa and Mouros beaches and the ancient Tower of Agia Triada, ideal for a day trip by car; ④ Aegiali in the northeast – the island's longest sandy beach and the mountain villages of Tholaria and Langada, the hub of the hiking network and worth 2–3 nights.

Getting there: The island has no airport. Ferries from Piraeus (Athens) take about 7–9 hours (around 5 hours by fast boat), or you can connect via Naxos in about 1.5–3 hours; ferries call at both Katapola and Aegiali. Buses link the main villages and beaches but run infrequently, so renting a car or scooter is recommended. The best seasons are April–June and September–October, ideal for hiking with wildflowers in bloom or pleasant temperatures; July–August brings the warmest sea but strong meltemi winds that can delay ferries. Allow 3–5 days. Tourism development here is fairly restrained, and some trails have no shade, so carry plenty of water and sun protection.

Top sights

• Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa – A white monastery embedded in a 300-meter cliff, founded in the 11th century, and the emblem of Amorgos island.
• Chora – The island's capital, a white hilltop village at about 320 meters above sea level, where a Venetian castle rock, a row of windmills and sma…
• Agia Anna Beach – A small rocky bay beneath the monastery cliffs, filming location of The Big Blue, with clear water good for diving and snorkelling.
• Olympia Shipwreck – A rusting cargo ship that ran aground in Levrossos Bay in 1980, and the island's most famous photo spot thanks to the opening scene of The…
• Kalotaritissa Beach – A shallow sandy bay at the southwest tip of the island, with calm emerald water and summer boats to the islet of Gramvousa opposite.
• Aegiali – A harbour town on the northeast coast with the island's longest beach, and a second hub for accommodation, diving and hiking.
• Tholaria – A hillside village above Aegiali, named after an ancient Roman domed tomb, with views over the bay and the sunset.
• Langada – One of the island's highest villages, whose flower-filled white lanes are the starting point for the Theologos Monastery and the Krikelos c…
• Katapola – The island's main ferry port, with three small villages around a deep bay, the most restaurants and accommodation, and the best transport l…
• Ancient Minoa – An ancient hilltop city above Katapola harbour, with city walls, temple remains and a stadium spanning the Geometric to Roman periods.
• Mouros Beach – A pebble beach at the bottom of a steep gorge in the south of the island, with deep blue water and sea caves in the rock walls that you can…
• Agios Pavlos Beach – A small fishing cove with pebble and sand beaches on the northwest coast, clear water and a simple taverna behind it, and the ferry dock fo…
• Nikouria Island – An uninhabited islet opposite Agios Pavlos Beach, with green shallow coves and wild sand beaches but no facilities, about 5 minutes away by…
• Levrossos Beach – A fine-sand beach on the north side of Aegiali Bay, within walking distance, with shallow clear water and a quieter atmosphere than the mai…
• Old Strata Trail (Chora–Aegiali) – An ancient mule track along the island's ridge from Chora, past the monastery, to Aegiali, with cliffs and sea on one side. The island's cl…
• Monastery of Agios Georgios Valsamitis – A small monastery in a valley south of Katapola, built over an ancient oracular spring and surrounded by terraces and old paths.
• Tower of Agia Triada – A 4th-century BC Hellenistic stone watchtower, one of the best-preserved ancient towers in the Cyclades.

Where to eat

• Youkali – A seaside husband-and-wife taverna across the bay from Katapola Harbour, serving Greek home cooking with a modern twist…
• Taverna Nikos – A family taverna in the mountain village of Langada, founded in 1950, using home-farm ingredients. Slow-cooked goat is…
• Ston Pyrgo – A family café-bar near the ancient tower in Arkesini, in the south of Amorgos. Wood-fired black bread and eggs with cur…
• Kapetan Dimos – An old taverna on Katapola's harbour front run by three brothers. Moussaka and seafood moussaka are the most praised di…