AMORGOS SIGHTSEEING

Hora, is the capital of the island. The Cycladic culture prevails in the region that impresses her visitors. You can discover the beauties of the island by walking in he paved back streets with the white-washed churches, the two-story mansions and the hill with the windmills that look faraway to Aegean Sea.  All streets will lead you to a paved quad known on as the Loza or to the Kastro (castle) perched atop a crag in the settlement’s center. Archaeological finds recovered from excavations around the island are exhibited at the former Gavras mansion.
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The Byzantine monastery of Panayia Hozoviotissa is an important religious and historical landmark. It is known for its unique architecture and the important collection of historical relics.

The historical gulf of Katapola is one of the natural harbours of the island. It is constituted from three settlements, Katapola, Xylokeratidi, and Rahidi. Katapola is a graphical settlement with intense cycladic culture, historical churches, beautiful beaches with fish boats and a lush rolling plain thick with olive trees and vegetable gardens.
The hill of ancient Minoa is located in Katapola, with a number of important historical discoveries. Just beyond is Lefka, one of the island’s most charming areas.
In the harbour you will find rooms to let for your accommodation and a lot of shops. The harbour of Katapola offers good anchorage for small fishing boats and leisure crafts.

The settlement of Kato Meria maintains the traditional rural character. The residents of the settlement deal with the agriculture and the livestock-farming. South-western from Hora in a distance of 12 kilometres, you will find the first settlements of Kamari and Vroutsi. There you can visit the historical church of Agios Nicholas, Kastri, the ancient acropolis of Arkesini and the gorgeous beach of Mouros.
Just past these two villages are a number of smaller settlements built at the foot of rolling slopes. These are Arkessini, Rahoula, Kolofana, Kalotairitissa, and Mavri Myti.
Local sights include the ancient tower of Ayia Triada (Holy Trinity) at Arkesini, the church of Panayia tou Politi at Kolofana, and the church of Ayia Paraskevi, whose paniyiri (religious and folk feast) on July 26 attracts pilgrims from around the island.

Aegiali, at the northern end of Amorgos, is a pretty bay formed by sand beaches. Three villages of Lagada, Tholaria, and Potamos, perch on the slopes of the mountains that form its basin.

Ormos, the picturesque port, is the area’s primary tourist resort and offers a range of amenities and services. The village of Potamos perches atop a hill above the port, offering a panoramic view of the land and sea below—and the most glorious Aegean sunsets on the island.

Langada overlooks Aegiali’s small plain. It’s marked by a series of old windmills, while the Araklos canyon, the fortified church of Ayia Triada (Holy Trinity), the church of Panohoriani, and the old settlement of Stroumbos are sights worth exploring. From Langada, a stone-paved footpath marks a mild hiking trail that leads through a Natura 2000-protected natural landscape to the Byzantine-era Monastery of Ayios Ioannis Theologos and, further north, to the Stavros (Crucifixion) chapel over a disused bauxite mine.

Tholaria, which also offers gorgeous views over the coast, are located near Vigla, site of ancient Aegiali.

Beaches at Aegiali, Levrossos, Psili Ammos (literally, fine sand), Hohlakas, Mikri Vlihada, and Ayios Pavlos (about 5 kms from Ormos) are easily accessible from Ormos and the other three villages. Ayios Pavlos is the departure point for Nikouria, an islet just off the shore with pristine beaches.

For those who enjoy walking or hiking, Amorgos is an exceptional destination as it’s crossed by a network of footpaths that offer a unique look at the land and its people. Indeed, through the late 1980s, these footpaths provided the main links between settlements. Today, they’ve been mapped, while six main routes have been marked and published in a ramblers’ guide.
In addition to connecting the island’s settlements, the footpaths provide access to remote areas as well as cultural and natural landmarks.
Visitors with a deep love of nature will enjoy exploring the island on foot and discovering its rare flora, herbs, and wildflowers. The routes are Palia Strata: Hora-Hozoviotissa-Kapsala-Asfontylitis-Potamos-Ormos Aegialis, Fotodotis: Hora-Milies-Ayia Irini-Katapola, Itonia: Lefkes-Ayioi Saranta-Kamari-Kastri-Vroutsi-Rahoula-Arkesini, Melania: Ormos Aegialis-Langada-Stroumbos-Epanohoriani-Tholaria-Fokiotrypa and Valsamitis: Katapola-Ayios Georgios Valsamitis-Ayia Marina-Minoa.