Hiking in Amorgos, Trails that lead to silence
A personal, poetic hiking journal with 8 trails, practical tips, and useful links, updated for 2026.
The island that is meant to be walked
Some islands you see with your eyes, and others you must walk. Amorgos belongs to the latter. It doesn’t give in easily, it asks for time, steps, breath.
Its paths, old and stone-built, scented with thyme and sea salt, are another way to know the island. Not from a room window or a ferry deck, but from the ground that cracks softly under your boots.
If you’ve only seen Amorgos from the sea, it’s time to see it from within, to walk it.
Amorgos for the walker
When the walking starts, Amorgos changes face. Sounds lower, the light grows stronger. The wind enters your ears like breath, and every turn opens a new horizon.
There are eight marked trails on the island. Some circular, some crossing the spine of the land, some linking village to village, or mountain to cliff that kisses the sea.
- Best seasons: Spring, autumn.
- Pack: hat, 2L of water, sunscreen, a little fruit, offline map.
- Georgia’s tip: start early, be back before sunset.
1. Fotodotis, Light that blesses the route
Chora → Katapola~2 hoursEasy
I set off early, with the sun still low above the hills. The Fotodotis trail seems to take its name from the light that embraces it. It passes by dry-stone walls, thyme, and an old, calm rhythm.
Midway, the small chapel of Fotodotis Christ appears like a white dot in the rock. The view towards Katapola takes your breath, and if you pause, you can hear the wind whistling through the stone.
2. Itonia, In the shadow of the ancients
Arkesini → Vroutsi → Katapola4–5 hoursModerate
This path is a journey through time. Itonia links ancient towns and villages that feel suspended from the present day. You walk between stone lanes, small fields, and silent ruins.
Locals say these were once Minoan routes. Let your gaze fall to the open sea for a moment and you’ll understand, it’s like seeing the same blue they saw three millennia ago.
Itonia doesn’t speak, it whispers. At every bend, it seems to remember something.
3. Melania, Between the villages of Aegiali
Aegiali → Lagada → Tholaria (circular)2–3 hoursEasy–Moderate
Melania is the most human of Amorgos’ walks. Not wild, not remote. It slips between courtyards, kafeneia, pots of basil. You hear a radio from an open window, smell fresh fritters.
Climbing gently towards Lagada, the view of Aegiali in the distance lightens every step. In Tholaria, a stop for lemonade or a little ouzo feels almost mandatory.
4. Palia Strata, The road to Hozoviotissa
Chora → Hozoviotissa Monastery → Asfontilitis → Potamos → Aegiali5–6 hoursModerate–Challenging
This isn’t just a path, it’s a rite. Palia Strata, the “old route,” follows the ancient backbone of Amorgos. It starts from Chora and ends in Aegiali, a route that seems to hold the whole island.
Climbing towards the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, the sun bounces off the white steps and gently blinds you. I’ve been there, I remember the cliff’s shadow holding the monastery, the sound of my shoes breaking the silence.
Inside, the scent of wax and lime. Outside, an endless horizon, a straight line of blue and light. Nowhere else on the island holds that much quiet.
From there, the trail continues through Asfontilitis, an old hamlet with stone carvings etched on its walls. You descend towards Potamos, and before the fatigue arrives, Aegiali opens ahead of you, like a promise.
Guided tours and activities in Amorgos
See the guided hike to Hozoviotissa and more experiences.
5. Pan, To Theologos and Stavros
Lagada → Theologos → Stavros → Krikelos~5 hoursChallenging
This walk feels like a prayer. It begins quietly, almost innocently, from Lagada, a village that wakes with the sun. The path narrows, the light intensifies, and slowly you enter another world.
Theologos, the old monastery tucked in the mountains, appears like a vision. From there, you ascend to Stavros, the highest point of Amorgos. The view steals your breath, the Aegean spreads edge to edge.
6. Valsamitis, The path of water and whispers
Katapola → Agios Georgios Valsamitis → Agia Marina → Ancient Minoa2–3 hoursEasy
If Amorgos keeps secrets, they’re here. The way to Valsamitis slopes gently to the little chapel of Agios Georgios. Beside it, a spring wells up, and something else.
They say there was once an oracle of Apollo here. The water gave prophecies, and if you listen closely, it still seems to whisper. From there, the path continues to Ancient Minoa, with a view that opens like a stage.
7. Windmills of Lagada, The mills that keep the wind
Lagada → Old Windmills~1 hour (A/R)Easy
If you only have one afternoon, walk this. From Lagada, the path rises to the old windmills overlooking the sea. The evening light paints the stones rose and gold, and the wind sings.
The mills, weary yet proud, still stand. Keepers of time, and of the view. There’s nothing to say here, only to stand and look.
8. Evaggelistria, The quiet circle
Xylokeratidi → Nera → Peristeria → Evaggelistria (circular)~2 hoursEasy
Evaggelistria is the counterpoint to the Strata, it shows nothing spectacular, and that’s why it wins you over. Low hills, stone fences, goats passing without looking at you.
You walk here to quiet down, not to arrive somewhere. When the circle closes and you’re back in Xylokeratidi, it’s as if you’ve left a bit of the world’s noise behind.
Practical bits & tips
- Amorgos has around eight official trails with decent waymarking.
- Maps & routes: see and download from my page 👉 Amorgos Hiking Trails.
- Gear: water, hat, sunscreen, power bank, light rain layer depending on season.
- Timing: early morning or late afternoon, especially for the Windmills and Hozoviotissa.
How to get to Amorgos
The journey always begins by sea. From Piraeus, Naxos, or Santorini, ferries arrive at Katapola or Aegiali. The crossing is part of the experience, the blue, the wait, the first glimpse of the island surfacing like a dream.
Ready for Amorgos, book your ferry tickets with FerryScanner for instant timetable comparison, easy booking, and fast confirmation.
Epilogue, Amorgos is walked, not consumed
Hiking in Amorgos isn’t a sport, it’s a dialogue. With the landscape, with yourself, with something old that has no name. It reminds you that travel isn’t only destination, it’s rhythm.
Every step is an island’s breath. Every ascent, a “welcome” from the mountains of the Aegean. And somewhere between thyme and light, you realize that Amorgos isn’t a place, it’s a state of mind.
📍 See detailed maps & trail guides here, Amorgos Hiking Trails by Go With Georgia.
