Home › Amorgos › How many days
How many days in Amorgos? 4 days, on foot along the old paths
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Amorgos is the easternmost of the Cyclades and the longest and steepest of them: a 33 km ridge of rock with two ports, a handful of villages and a monastery hung on a cliff 300 metres above the sea. It is an island for walking, swimming in deep blue water and long dinners, not for beach clubs. Give it four days, split between the south around Katapola and Chora and the north around Aegiali, because the ride between them takes 40 minutes and it is a mistake to see the island from one base only.
Short answer
Three days covers Chora, the Hozoviotissa monastery, Agia Anna and one day in Aegiali with Tholaria and Langada. Four days adds the far south, Kalotaritissa and the wreck of the Olympia, or a long walk on the Old Strata.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Chora, Hozoviotissa and Agia Anna
Morning. Go early to the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, founded in the 11th century and built into a vertical cliff on the east coast. From the parking area it is about 300 steps up; the monastery opens in the morning, closes at midday and reopens in the late afternoon (check current hours). Long trousers or a long skirt and covered shoulders are required, and the monks usually offer a small glass of raki and a loukoumi.
Afternoon. Swim below at Agia Anna, a set of rocky coves with very clear, deep water, made famous by the film The Big Blue in 1988. Climb down by the steps from the road; there is no sand, so bring a mat and water shoes. The bus from Chora stops here in summer, about 10 minutes away.
Evening. Walk around Chora, the inland capital at about 300 metres, with its row of windmills, the Venetian Kastro rock in the middle of the village and tiny churches on every corner. Have dinner in one of the small squares; a main course costs about €12-18.
Visit Hozoviotissa as soon as it opens: there is no shade on the steps and the small rooms inside fill quickly with tour groups from midday ferries.
Day 2: Katapola and ancient Minoa
Morning. Spend the morning in Katapola, the main port, a horseshoe bay with three settlements: Katapola itself, Rachidi and Xilokeratidi. Walk up for about 45 minutes to the ruins of ancient Minoa, one of the island's three ancient cities, on the hill above the bay, with walls, a gymnasium and views down to the harbour. It is an open site.
Afternoon. Take a small boat from the port to nearby beaches, or walk to Maltezi beach, about 20-30 minutes from Katapola along the bay. In the afternoon, catch the bus back up to Chora (about 15 minutes) to visit the small archaeological collection in the Gavras Tower if it is open.
Evening. Eat on the Katapola waterfront, where tavernas grill fish and serve the island's traditional dish, patatato, goat or lamb slow-cooked with potatoes. Expect €20-30 per person with house wine.
Most ferries from Piraeus and Naxos call at both Katapola and Aegiali. Check which port your boat uses before you book a room, so you are not 40 minutes away when it arrives.
Day 3: Aegiali, Tholaria and Langada
Morning. Move to Aegiali, the northern port, about 40 minutes by bus from Chora. Walk up from the beach to Tholaria, a hillside village about 3 km away with a church square that looks down on the bay; the old path takes about 45 minutes.
Afternoon. Continue to Langada, the other village above Aegiali, where the paths start to the monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos and the cliff chapel of Panagia Epanochoriani. The circular walk from Langada takes about 2-3 hours; take water, as there are no shops on the way.
Evening. Back in Aegiali, swim on the long sandy beach in front of the village, the only big sandy beach on the island, then have dinner in Langada or Tholaria, where the tavernas serve home-cooked dishes and psimeni raki, warmed raki with honey and spices.
The island's marked trail network is well signposted with numbered routes. Buy a paper hiking map in Chora or Aegiali; mobile signal disappears on parts of the trails.
Day 4: The south: Kalotaritissa and the Olympia wreck
Morning. Drive south through the villages of Arkesini and Kato Meria to Kalotaritissa, a small sheltered bay with shallow water about 50 minutes from Chora. Near it, at Liveros bay, lies the rusting wreck of the cargo ship Olympia, which ran aground in 1980 and also appears in The Big Blue.
Afternoon. Take the small boat from Kalotaritissa to the islet of Gramvousa opposite, with a sandy beach, or swim at Mouros, a cove with caves on the south-east coast, reached by a steep 10-minute path from the road.
Evening. Stop on the way back at a taverna in Kato Meria or Arkesini, then watch the sunset from Chora's windmills, facing west over the small islands towards Naxos.
Bus service to the far south is limited, so rent a car or scooter for this day, around €40-60 a day in summer. Fill the tank in advance; there are only a couple of petrol stations on the island.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, combine Days 1 and 2 by visiting Hozoviotissa and Agia Anna in the morning and Katapola in the afternoon, then do Day 3 in Aegiali. Skip the far south or visit it only by boat.
Got extra days?
Strong walkers can spend a 5th day on the Old Strata, the historic path along the spine of the island from Chora to Langada, a long day of roughly 5-7 hours with the bus back. Amorgos also links by small ferry to the Small Cyclades: Koufonisia, Schinoussa and Donousa; check current timetables.
Where to stay in Amorgos
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Katapola rooms | Family-run rooms by the port, with buses to Chora and the main ferry stop. | €45-80 |
| Mid-range | Chora | Central for the monastery and Agia Anna, cool evenings and good tavernas. | €90-170 |
| Mid-range | Aegiali / Tholaria | Sandy beach, the hiking paths of the north and sunset views over the bay. | €90-180 |
| Comfort | Aegiali and Chora boutique hotels | Small hotels with pools and terraces above the sea, spa and yoga in some. | €200-400 |
Getting around
There is no airport. Ferries from Piraeus take roughly 7-9 hours on conventional boats and less on fast boats in summer, usually via Paros and Naxos; the small local ferry links Amorgos with Naxos and the Koufonisia islands. Check current timetables, as routes change each season and in strong wind. On the island, the local bus links Katapola, Chora, Hozoviotissa, Agia Anna and Aegiali several times a day in summer for about €2-3. Taxis are few. Rent a car or scooter for the south.
What to eat in Amorgos
The island's signature dish is patatato, goat or lamb stewed with potatoes and tomato, cooked for festivals and in many tavernas. Psimeni raki, raki warmed with honey, cinnamon and cloves, is served at the end of a meal, often free. Try local fava, wild capers, fresh fish and xerotigana, thin fried pastry with honey made for weddings and festivals. A meal with wine costs €20-30 per person. Village feasts (panigyria) in summer, for example around 15 August, are open to everyone, with food, wine and music until morning.
Best time to visit
May, June and September are best for walking and swimming, with 22-28°C. July and August are hotter and busier but still calm compared with Mykonos or Santorini; the north wind can be strong and can cancel small ferries. Spring is green and ideal for hiking. From November to March most rooms close and ferries are fewer.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €35 | €70 | €150 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €40 | €75 |
| Sights & tickets | €3 | €15 | €40 |
| Local transport | €6 | €20 | €40 |
| Total per person, per day | about €70 | about €145 | about €305 |
Approximate 2026 prices for June-September; most sights on Amorgos are free or ask for a small donation. Greece adds a per-room, per-night climate resilience fee, higher from April to October.
Before you go
Common questions
Should I stay in Katapola, Chora or Aegiali?
If you can, split your stay: two nights in Chora or Katapola for the monastery, Agia Anna and Minoa, and two nights in Aegiali for the sandy beach and the hiking villages of Tholaria and Langada. If you choose one base, Chora is the most central, about 15 minutes from Katapola and 40 from Aegiali.
What should I wear at Hozoviotissa?
Shoulders must be covered and legs covered to below the knee; men need long trousers and women a long skirt or trousers. Shorts are not allowed. The monastery sometimes lends wraps, but bring your own. Wear comfortable shoes for the 300 or so steps, and check the opening hours, which include a long midday closure.
Is Amorgos good for beaches?
It is better for swimming than for sand. Aegiali has the only long sandy beach; Agia Anna, Mouros and the coves near Katapola are rocky with very clear water. For shallow sandy water, go to Kalotaritissa and the islet of Gramvousa in the south, or take a day trip to the Koufonisia islands.
Can strong wind affect my ferry?
Yes. Amorgos is exposed, and in July and August the north wind can cancel or delay the smaller boats and fast ferries. Leave a spare day before an international flight from Athens, keep the ferry company's notifications on, and check current timetables the day before you sail.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.