Amorgos
4.0/5The Big Blue island — a clifftop monastery, wild hiking and the remotest Cyclades
Chozoviotissa monastery, the Minoan town of Minoa, the beaches of Aegiali and the clifftop Chora.
Why 4.0: a genuinely dramatic landscape and one of the finest choras in the Aegean, and nothing that actively lets it down.
Amorgos is the eastern anchor of the Cyclades — seven to nine hours from Piraeus. Long, thin and mountainous, it keeps its two ends in different worlds: Katapola, the triple harbour in the west with the archaic ruins of Minoa on the hill above, and Aegiali in the north, relaxed, with the best organised sand on the island. Between them sits the Chora, a Venetian castle on a pinnacle above white houses and windmills. Chozoviotissa, plastered white against a sheer 300m cliff over the sea, is the most dramatic building in Greece, and Agia Anna, the pebble cove directly below it, is the beach from Luc Besson's The Big Blue. The walking is the real reason to come: the trail network is world-class from March to November and stays nearly empty even in August, when the monastery climb is a queue by mid-morning. Skip it if you want a short journey, or if your dates fall outside May to October, when the island shuts and ferries thin out. June, before the meltemi turns mean; September for the warmest sea. Psimeni raki after dinner, every taverna.
Good for
- Walkers — the trail network is world-class from March to November and stays nearly empty even in August
- Anyone who wants the most dramatic building in Greece — Chozoviotissa is plastered against a 300m cliff above the sea
- Big Blue viewers and cove swimmers — Agia Anna is the pebble beach from the film, directly below the monastery
Maybe skip if
- If you want a short journey — Amorgos is 7–9 hours from Piraeus, or a change at Naxos
- If your dates fall outside May to October; the island shuts and winter ferries thin out
Getting there
No airport. Two ports: Katapola (main) and Aegiali (north). Direct from Piraeus 7–9h on the Small Cyclades line, or via Naxos for a faster route. Limited frequency in winter.
Tip: Aegiali is closer to the iconic Hozoviotissa monastery and Tholaria village — pick your port.
Best time to visit Amorgos
Amorgos is the eastern frontier of the Cyclades — long ferry, dramatic cliff scenery, the Big Blue cove and Hozoviotissa monastery. Open May through October only. June and September are sweetest. Hiking is world-class March through November.
Top beaches of Amorgos
Aegiali Beach
The finest organised beach on Amorgos — sandy, shallow and calm in a beautiful bay surrounded by mountains. The best base for those who want both hiking and swimming.
- Type
- Fine sand
- Length
- 600 m
- Depth
- Shallow — calm, clear water
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northwest to northeast at over 5 Bft. North-facing — fully exposed to the meltemi (the dominant summer N/NE wind); often choppy June–September
- Facilities
- Good: sunbeds, beach bars, tavernas in the village behind.
Agia Anna Beach
The most atmospheric beach in the Cyclades — a small pebble cove directly below the sheer cliff and the white monastery of Chozoviotissa. Filming location for The Big Blue. The setting is incomparable.
- Type
- Pebble
- Length
- 100 m
- Depth
- Medium — clear, cold water
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northeast to southeast at over 4 Bft. East-facing — mostly sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); can be choppy on the strongest NE days
- Facilities
- None — the monastery and the cliff are the attraction.
Kalotaritissa Beach
The wildest and most beautiful beach on Amorgos — white sand and turquoise water in a completely isolated bay. The effort required keeps it empty. One of the finest undiscovered beaches in the Cyclades.
- Type
- White sand
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Shallow — warm, turquoise water
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southwest to northwest at over 5 Bft. West-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm most summer days, sometimes choppy on rare westerly winds
- Facilities
- None — rough track or boat access only.
4-day itinerary for Amorgos
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Katapola & Chora
- 09:00 · Katapola
The main port — a beautiful triple harbour of three villages. The ancient city of Minoa is on the hill above.
- 🍴 Stop for lunch · Katapola — see Eat & Drink below
- 10:00 · Ancient Minoa
Archaic city ruins above Katapola with remains of a gymnasium, temples and a stadium. The views over the three harbours are extraordinary.
- 12:00 · Amorgos Chora
One of the most beautiful Cycladic capitals — a Venetian castle on a pinnacle above a white village, with windmills and superb views. Walk every lane.
- 15:30 · Agia Anna Beach
The small beach below the Chozoviotissa monastery — pebble, clear, beautiful setting. Made famous as the filming location for The Big Blue. - 20:30 · Dinner in Chora
Drive back up to Chora (about 10 minutes from Agia Anna). The whitewashed alleys and windmills of Chora light up at dusk — Jazzmin Bar and the tavernas around the main square are reliable. - 🍴 Stop for dinner · Chora — see Eat & Drink below
Day 2: Chozoviotissa Monastery
- 09:00 · Chozoviotissa Monastery
The most dramatic building in Greece — an 11th-century monastery plastered white against a sheer 300m cliff, visible from miles away. Access via 300 steps cut into the rock. The monks serve visitors loukoumades and rakomelo. Modest dress required.
- 11:30 · Agia Anna Beach
Swim below the monastery — the cliff and the white church above make this one of the most memorable beach settings in Greece. - 14:00 · Maltezi Beach
Quieter pebble beach south of Agia Anna — accessible by a short path. Usually empty.
- 19:00 · Chora Sunset
The Chora at golden hour — the light on the white buildings is extraordinary. Dinner at one of the village square tavernas.
Day 3: Aegiali & the North
- 10:00 · Aegiali
🚗 ≈30 min north of Chora
The northern resort — a completely different character to the south. Relaxed, with a good sandy beach and the most hiking trails on the island. The bay is beautiful.
- 🍴 Stop for lunch · Aegiali — see Eat & Drink below
- 11:00 · Aegiali Beach
The best organised beach on Amorgos — sandy, shallow and calm. The backdrop of the mountains and the clear water make it one of the finest beach settings in the eastern Cyclades. - 15:00 · Tholaria & Lagkada Villages
Two beautiful traditional villages above Aegiali — walk the path between them for views over the bay and the island. The finest hiking on Amorgos is in this area. - 21:00 · Sunset in Chora
Drive back from Aegiali/Tholaria to Chora (about 40 minutes via the central road). The mountain road in evening light is part of the experience.
Day 4: Hiking & Departure
- 09:30 · Kalotaritissa Beach
Remote wild beach in the southwest — accessible only by a rough track or boat. White sand, turquoise water, completely deserted. The finest wild beach on the island. - 15:00 · Katapola — Departure
Ferry to Piraeus, Naxos or the Small Cyclades. Amorgos is the end of the Cyclades line — the ferry connections are fewer but the island rewards the extra effort.