Amrorgos is one of those places that you’ve probably never heard of, but will instantly be intrigued to visit once you hear about it. Amorgos is a tiny island in the Cyclades Greek island group with only about 2000 residents. It measures only 48 square miles, but it seems as if every square inch is packed with outstanding beauty.

Amorgos has escaped the mass crowds that other Greek islands in the Cyclades can’t seem to shake. Most of the small crowd you will see on the island is composed of French tourists due to a famous French director’s movie that was shot on the island called Le Grand Bleu.

I visited in mid October and it felt as if I had the whole island to myself at some times. This is what you call a Greek island paradise dream!

The one really unique thing about Amorgos island is that you can hike the entire island from top to bottom basically. There are hiking maps all throughout the island so they make it really easy!

All the hikes are well demarcated with information signs with the distance and time it takes between hikes. If you like hiking, and stunning beaches, you will love Amorgos!

How to get to Amorgos

There is NO airport on Amorgos so the only option is by ferry. It’s only 1 hour and 20 minutes from Naxos and 1 hour and 50 minutes from Santorini.

It’s not the easiest place to get to, but the trade off is less crowds! I would fly into either Santorini or Naxos and then take a ferry from there.

Where to Stay on Amorgos

There are 2 main port towns you will want to stay on Amorgos island, depending on which port your ferry arrives and departs.

The 2 towns are Katapola and Aegiali. Aegiali is more expensive but has more stuff to do. Katapola is more sleepy and has less stuff to see/do but it is the cheaper of the two. Decide on where to stay based on where your ferry arrives and departs. My ferry arrived and departed in Katapola so I stayed in this town. 

Where to Stay in Katapoli

Le Grande Bleu Villa (named after the famous French movie!)

This is a cute little boutique hotel a 5 minute walk to the port. The rooms were spacious, it was super quiet, and the hosts were SO hospital and nice! I absolutely loved my stay here and would highly recommend it. They even got a 9.7 review score on Booking.com! You can check the listing HERE. Oh, and did I mention it was only $35/night?

PS: You can rent an ATV directly from the villa and get it delivered for €15 per day, which is the cheapest price for an ATV that I’ve ever received on a Greek island (it was also off season so keep that in mind).

How to Get Around Amorgos

This is one island you absolutely need your own transportation as the bus service on the island is not that frequent and will not go to all the places you will want to visit.

The island is so small I would definitely rent an ATV to explore! There aren’t many cars on the road and it’s so easy to park everywhere with a small ATV.

Tip: There are only 2 gas stations on the entire island so make sure to fill up whenever you can!

12 Amazing Reasons to Visit Amorgos, Greece

Mouros Bay

Mouros Bay is a secluded beach that you have to walk down many steps to get to. The beach is lined with black sand and rocks, which contrasts so beautifully with the aqua water. There are no facilities on the beach and it is one of the more rugged beaches on the island. 

There are also underwater caves that you can swim in on the far end (which you can see when you walk down there). They are visible in the photo below.

Maltezi Beach

A 30-40 minute walk from the town of Katapola is a beautiful sandy beach called Maltezi. The walk starts off in the little village called Xilokeratidi and then takes you along the shoreline of the water.

You will pass a little church and then over a rocky hill is this gorgeous turquoise beach that will beg you to come take a dip in. It does require a small hike up some rocks so closed toe shoes would be best.

The beach is hidden from the winds and remains pretty calm throughout the day. There are sun beds, umbrellas, and a little shack that serves drinks and snacks (but these facilities were not available when I visited in October).

Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa

This was the most spectacular thing to see on Amorgos in my opinion. The Monastery was built in the 11th century into the dramatic cliffside and sits an astonishing 980+ feet above the sea. The monastery is dedicated to Panagia (the Virgin Mary), the patron saint of the Island of Amorgos.

You will have to walk up about 309 steps to reach the top, but when the monastery first peaks through, it will blow you mind. At every turn it gets closer and closer and you continue to be in awe of this marvelous architectural marvel.

There are 3 monks that live here and act as guardians of the monastery. When you arrive, they serve you psimemi raki (a local liqueur) and some sweets. 

The monastery entrance is free but they so sell a few little trinkets inside to help pay for the upkeep. I bought a cute little ring with a cross for €5 for support of the monastery since it’s free entrance.

Tip: You must dress appropriately with shoulders and knees covered to get inside the monastery. They have some shawls at the entrance to cover up if you forget.

If you’re into lesser known Greek islands to visit, check out my guides on Kefalonia, Milos and Rhodes, 2 of the best Greek islands to visit!

Agia Anna Beach 

Agia Anna beach is right under the monastery and it takes just a few minutes to drive down the windy road to get to it. It is a very tiny pebbled beach with crystal waters. It is framed nicely by a cute little church. 

Olympia Shipwreck

The shipwreck was made famous by the movie Big Blue. The ship sank back in 1980 when the captain tried to find shelter from a storm. Everyone survived fortunately! There are rumors that the crew consisted of contemporary pirates that were coming from Cyprus. I guess we will never know!

You must hike down about 10-15 minutes to get to the shipwreck. It’s an easy hike and I did it in sandals. This has also become a popular diving spot on the island.

Kalotaritissa Beach

Kalotaritissa Beach is about 5 minutes from the Olympia shipwreck. It is a gorgeous calm sandy beach with lots of little boats in the bay. In the summer you can cross to Gramvousa island from there, which looks absolutely stunning.

There are no facilities at this beach and it’s a bit more rugged if that’s what you like.

Chora

Chora is the main town on the island of Amorgos and sits 400 meters above sea level with small streets and views of the windmills and castle.

There are remnants of a Venetian castle on the top which looks like a rock coming out of the top and contrasts great with the white buildings. 

The city is filled with small, maze-like streets, white washed buildings, and small boutiques and cafes.

Go to Jazzmin Cafe for great coffee and the best sunset view. From the terrace you can see the windmills sitting on the hill and admire the views while sipping on some coffee (or wine).

Katapola

The quiet little port town that I stayed in was very peaceful and relaxing. There is a pebbled beach and a handful of tavernas lining the water.

Go to Moonbar Katerina in Katapola for sunset. It’s a cute little wine bar with outdoor seating with a great view of the sunset. They serve a glass of wine with the local cheese which is SO good. A glass of wine costs €3.50, but the view is free. 

Most the restaurants in the port town have a view of the water and it’s so nice to end a day of exploring with a relaxing glass of wine watching the sun dip below the sea.

Kastri Hike

Start from the town of Vroutsis and take a peaceful stroll to Kastri, situated on the cliff overlooking the water. The hike ends at the acropolis of Ancient Arkesini, an ancient Greek settlement. 

The hike takes about 30 minutes and you will pass a beautiful church on the way. The views the whole way are stunning. Definitely wear sneakers and not sandals like I did because it gets a bit rocky.

Tip: the Kastri hike is hike #3 on the hiking map of Amorgos. 

Tholaria to Langada Hike

One really cool hike is from one hilltop town to the other! You can hike from Tholaria to Langada hilltop towns in about 1 hour and 15 minutes and it is pretty flat the whole way.

It’s an easy hike with views of Aegiali Bay the whole way. The hike is completely uncovered so you’re exposed to the sun the whole time. You definitely will want to wear a hat and sunscreen for this hike. 

cute little streets of Tholaria town

Tip: this is hike #4 on the hiking map of Amorgos.

Aegiali Bay

One of the main port towns on the island, along with Katapola, is called Aegiali. This town is more populated than Katapola and where to stay if you want a little more action.

Aegiali has little cafes and gift shops lining the harbor with calm and aqua waters. Go to Maestro Cafe at the far end of the port. It has a great view of the water and has excellent coffee and breakfast. I went here twice!

Aegiali has an upscale hotel on the hillside overlooking the whole bay called Aegialis Hotel & Spa. It is the only 5 star hotel on the island. I didn’t stay here but took a tour of the facilities with one of the staff members and this place is absolutely breathtaking! They definitely have the best view of the island from the hotel, as you can see below. 

Levrossos Beach

This was my favorite beach on the island of Amorgos. Levrossos is basically a continuation of Aegiali Bay, but more secluded. You can walk from Aegiali in about 20 minutes or you can drive to the little parking lot above it and walk down in less than 5 minutes.

There’s a cute little taverna above the beach with amazing views of the sea and surrounding mountains. This is a considered a nudist beach but not many people were nude. It is a calm sandy beach that’s a great place to relax.

Tip: If you walk 10-15 minutes past Levrossos, there is Psili Ammos Beach, an even more secluded beach with black sand. It was almost all nude sunbathers when I went. The views on the way to the beach are some of the best I saw on the whole island. You will see Levrossos and Aegiali beach in the distance framed by the mountains and hilltop towns. It’s so darn pretty!

Tip: As you’re leaving Levrossos, there are some epic white stairs carved into the mountain, which leads to a little church called Agios Konstantinos. It is right above Levrossos beach so keep an eye out.

Travel Insurance for Greek Islands 

I would never travel without travel insurance anymore. I learned my lesson. Too many bad things can happen (and they have unfortunately). Travel insurance is especially important when traveling to islands, as you may need to be air-lifted to the mainland in the worst case scenario. Do you know how much air-lifting costs? Think at least 5 digits (I.e. Expensive AF!).

My favorite travel insurance that I have been using for the past 4 years is World Nomads. I have made 3 claims so far and have been fully reimbursed for all 3 without any hassle. I highly recommend them.

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