Amorgos Sights: The Hozoviotissa Monastery, the Chora & Ancient Minoa
The marquee sight of Amorgos is the Monastery of Hozoviotissa, a white monastery built into a sheer cliff below the Chora. Beyond it, the sights of Amorgos are its hilltop Chora with a 13th-century castle, the ancient city of Minoa above Katapola, and the Hellenistic towers scattered across the island, above all at Arkesini in the south. Hire a car to explore Amorgos at your own pace, covered in our Amorgos car hire guide.
- Marquee sight
- Hozoviotissa
- Capital
- Chora
- Castle
- 13th century
- Ancient city
- Minoa
Monastery of Hozoviotissa
The Monastery of Hozoviotissa is the marquee sight of Amorgos, a white monastery that seems glued to a sheer cliff on the east coast below the Chora. Stairs from the end of the Chora's main street lead down the rock face to its entrance and on to the pebble beach of Agia Anna at the foot of the cliff. Set against the bare grey mountain and the sea far below, it is one of the most striking sights in the Cyclades and the image most people carry away from the island. From the Chora it is a short walk; visitors climb the steps in modest dress.
The Chora and its castle
The Chora, the island capital, is a sight in itself: an unspoilt Cycladic town high in the hills, almost free of traffic, of white cubic houses, pretty churches, old stone windmills and small squares. At its heart a 13th-century castle stands on a rock above the lanes, a reminder of the island's medieval past. A winding road climbs to the Chora from Katapola through a fertile green plain, and the town keeps much of its character because most rooms sit down at the two ports. The Hozoviotissa monastery is reached from the end of its main street.
Ancient Minoa
On the hillside above Katapola lie the remains of the ancient city of Minoa, named after King Minos of Crete, who legend says also ruled on Amorgos. It was one of the three ancient city-states of the island, and its remains — walls, foundations and a gymnasium among them — look down over the sheltered bay of Katapola. The site is reached on a path above the port beach, and the walk pairs well with a day on the Katapola-side beaches of Maltezi and Agios Panteleimon below.
Arkesini and the Hellenistic towers
Amorgos is dotted with Hellenistic watchtowers, and the best of them stands near the village of Arkesini in the south. Arkesini keeps the remains of a Hellenistic tower and, at its entrance, the ancient temple of Agios Onoufrios, marking the site of one of the island's three ancient towns. More towers are scattered across the ridges and terraces of Amorgos, built to guard the old settlements and the sea lanes. They make good goals for walkers exploring the quieter south of the island.
