The
oblong shape of the mountainous and barren island of Amorgos lies
on the eastern edge of the Cyclades, almost in the Dodecanese.
In some places, the coastline is steep and rocky, while elsewhere
it forms quiet, shady bays.
 The
ruins to be found all over the island and the important archaeological
finds discovered there (some of which are in the National Archaeological
Museum, Athens) are testimony to the fact that Amorgos was inhabited
in prehistoric times and was a place of great importance during
the period of the Cycladic civilisation.
In antiquity, there were three flourishing and independent cities
on Amorgos: Minoa, Arkessini and Egiali.
At Katapola, the main harbour of the island today and the location
of the interesting church of Our Lady “Katapoliani”
(built on the site of a temple of Apollo), traces of ancient Minoa
have come to light. Swimmers will be delighted by the superb beaches
to be found in the vicinity. The whitewashed houses of the capital
of the island, Hora or Amorgos, spread out beneath the Venetian
casde which stands on the peak of the hill.
The typical Cycladic architectural style of the double or “twin”
church is much in evidence here. The Archaeological Museum has
finds from all over the island and is well worth a visit. To the
north-east of Hora, at the foot of a rock, is the Byzantine monastery
of Our Lady “Hozoviotissa”, one of the most important
monuments of its kind.
The second port of Amorgos, Egiali, is a pretty village famed
for its superb sandy beaches and consisting of three distinct
“quarters”. It is easier to reach Egiali by sea than
along the poor and steep road linking it to Hora.
In the south of the island, Arkessini stands near the site of
the ancient city of the same name, amid a group of picturesque
whitewashed hamlets. The road network of Amorgos is nearing completion,
and will link up all the villages on the island. Amorgos has few
hotels or rooms to rent. Yet despite the limited facilities available
for visitors, the fine beaches and particular beauty of the island
attract more and more tourists each year.
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