Amorgos ferries

Its name has been identified with peace and remoteness. It is located on the southeastern side of Cyclades complex, very close to the busy islands of Naxos and Ios. However, Amorgos has managed to keep its pace quiet and traditional.

In the ancient times, the island flourished with Minoan civilization, as excavations have shown. Then, it followed the route of the other Greek towns. In the classical times, it had three city-states that would function as a federation. These city-states based economically on fishing, trading and shipping. In 487 B.C., Amorgos lost its autonomy and became a member of the Delian League, which was controlled by Athens. The island was made to pay a yearly tax to Athens, which led into its financial decline.

In the 2nd century B.C., Amorgos was conquered by the Romans. That time Christianity was introduced to the inhabitants. In the Byzantine times, the first chapels were built and some of them exist till today all over the island. In 1207, the Venetians took over Amorgos, who built strong castles to protect the island from pirates. However, in 1537, the Turkish pirate Barbarossa conquered the island and destroyed it, before handling it over to the Ottoman Empire. Amorgos was set free in 1829, after the end of the Greek Revolution, and formed part of the first Greek State.

Today the permanent inhabitants of Amorgos are not many and live in the three bigger villages of the island, Chora, Katapola and Aegiali. A lot of residents immigrated in the 1950s and 1960s to bigger towns or abroad in search for a better life. The remaining residents deal mostly with agriculture, fishing and tourism.

Tourist facilities are many on the island and concentrate mostly around the beaches. The most popular tourist resorts on Amorgos are Katapola and Aegiali, one on the southern side and the other on the northern side. They both work as the main ports of Amorgos, receiving ferries from Piraeus and other islands and also hosting many fishing boats and yachts.

Chora village, the capital of Amorgos, is built on the slopes of a hill, about 400m above sea level. The main colors dominating the village is certainly blue and white, the typical colors of the Aegean. The remains of a Venetian Castle are found on top of a huge rock above Chora, from where you have wonderful views to the surrounding area.

The top site to visit on Amorgos is the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, built on the slopes of a rocky mountain. This Byzantine monastery was built in the 11th century and played an important role in the cultural development of the island, establishing the first secondary school on Amorgos in the 1830s. Very close to this monastery, there is the beach of Agia Anna, which provided the setting for the famous movie “Big Blue”.

Ferries from Piraeus to Amorgos:
Amorgos has two main ports: Katapola, in the centre of the island, and Aegiali, on the northen side. Normal ferries from Piraeus need about 7 to 8 hours to reach these ports, depending on the vessel and the schedule.

Ferries from the port of Aegiali Amorgos:
Vessels from Aegiali go to the remote islands of Astypalea (1 and 1/2 h) and Donousa (40 min) and also to the more popular Naxos (2 h) and Paros (3 h).

Ferries from the port of Katapola Amorgos:
Vessels from Katapola go to the remote islands of Iraklia (about 2 h), Koufonisia (40 min) and Schinousa (1 and 1/2 h) and also to the more popular islands of Naxos (3 h) and Paros (4 h).

Links for Amorgos
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