Friday, August 26, 2011

Amorgos, Cyclades Islands


In brief
Far away, to the east, in the archipelago rises the isle ridge of Amorgos, lonely and mysterious. Although it lies in the middle of the open sea, its oblong shape, reminiscent of a gigantic snake, literally obscures the horizon to the traveler coming from the west on his way to the Eastern Aegean. It is as if the Cyclades look forward to blocking any sailing beyond their boundary, giving the newcomer the impression that the end of the world must be somewhere near about...

General Information
The oblong shape of the mountainous and barren island of Amorgos lies on the eastern edge of the Cyclades, almost in the Dodecanese.
In some places, the coastline is steep and rocky, while elsewhere it forms quiet, shady bays.
The ruins to be found all over the island and the important archaeological finds discovered there (some of which are in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens) are testimony to the fact that Amorgos was inhabited in prehistoric times and was a place of great importance during the period of the Cycladic civilisation.
In antiquity, there were three flourishing and independent cities on Amorgos: Minoa, Arkessini and Egiali.
 
At Katapola, the main harbour of the island today and the location of the interesting church of Our Lady “Katapoliani” (built on the site of a temple of Apollo), traces of ancient Minoa have come to light.
Swimmers will be delighted by the superb beaches to be found in the vicinity.
The whitewashed houses of the capital of the island, Hora or Amorgos, spread out beneath the Venetian castle, which stands on the peak of the hill.
The typical Cycladic architectural style of the double or “twin” church is much in evidence here.
The Archaeological Museum has findings from all over the island and is well worth a visit.
To the north-east of Hora, at the foot of a rock, is the Byzantine monastery of Our Lady “Hozoviotissa”, one of the most important monuments of its kind.
 
The second port of Amorgos, Egiali, is a pretty village famed for its superb sandy beaches and consisting of three distinct “quarters”. It is easier to reach Egiali by sea than along the poor and steep road linking it to Hora.
In the south of the island, Arkessini stands near the site of the ancient city of the same name, amid a group of picturesque whitewashed hamlets.
The road network of Amorgos links up all the villages on the island, although at points it's quite difficult.
 
Sightseeing
Rent a car or a bike and visit the small villages. The capital, Hora, is a very quiet village with about 500 inhabitants. It is situated high up in the mountains, and the road is long and winding. You'll have to park outside Hora. Even though it is so small, there are quite a few little taverns and cafes. This is truly a place where the time has stopped, and thanks to local regulations, the architecture is kept in the traditional style. There is a church attached to the cliff, and the locals are also proud to have Greece's smallest church here - with room for only three!!! There is also a museum as well as a Venetian Citadel from the 13th century.
 
Katapola is a village next to the sea with lovely little fish taverns along the harbour. You'll see fish trying to get some bread in the crystal waters and there is a tiny beach here. From here you can easily get to the monastery Hozoviotissa; a definite worthy visit. According to tradition it was built in the 9th century after a ship had sunk just outside Amorgos carrying an icon of the Virgin Mary, or Panagia as she is called in Greek. With a little luck the monks will offer you some local liqueur. To get to Hozoviotissa you'll have to climb many steps.
 
The ancient capital of the island, Minoa, is situated on a high cliff above Katapola. There are still ruins there from classical and Roman times.
Egiali is a pretty village built on a thin strip between the mountain and the sea. There are few shops, cafes and taverns here worth a visit.
The village Potamos is built just above Egiali, and the two villages pretty much seem like one. In Potamos you can stroll around in the little winding streets that were built that way to confuse the pirates.
 
Beaches
Despite the limited luxuries available for visitors, the fine beaches and particular beauty of the island attract more and more tourists each year. The island was featured in Luc Besson's film "Big Blue" and ever since attracts more and more visitors in search of the magnificent landscapes and diving experiences presented in the film.

There are several beaches around, yet lots of visitors also take one of the small boats to the little island Nicouria. The quite beach of Egiali gets really crowded in summertime, still there are few unexplored swimming spots waiting to be discovered. You can also drive around on your own and find isolated cliffs where the waters are excellent for snorkeling.

Things to taste & buy
Cheese pies "kaltsounia"
Almond confectionery "amygdalota"
Rakomelo (logal drink with raki, honey & cinnamon)











Useful travel information 
(Area 134 sq. km. Distance from Piraeus 138 nautical miles) 
How to get there
By sea from Pireaus
Pireaus Port Authority: +30 2104226000-4, +30 2104114005

Useful telephone numbers
Area Code: +30 22850
Municipal Offices: 74100, 71246
Police: 71210
Port Authority: 71259
Health center: 73222, 71805, 72250

http://www.amorgos.gov.gr

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