Amorgos Island, Cyclades, Greece, pictures and information, beaches, nature, car rental

<XMP><body> </xmp> Amorgos Island, Cyclades, Greece, pictures and information, beaches, nature, car rental
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AMORGOS ISLAND

Amorgos is one of the most eastern of the Cycladic islands. It's long stretched and it has high mountains. It has two main harbours, Katapola and Egiali, that are both visited by the ferries. The last, Egiali is more or less the name for a couple of villages, one right at the sea and a couple more on the hills just above (they do have their own names). We stayed in Egiali because it had a very long sandy beach, something that Katapola lacks. It also looks upon a beautful small island called Nikouria. The village appears nice at first, with an old church (with a public telephone attached to it!) and an old windmill in the harbour. The view from our balcony was gorgeous, overlooking the harbour and the villages in the mountains. Completely out of season (in september) we wanted to rent a car, which was impossible: all cars were already rented out at nine o'clock in the morning. So we deceided to visit Katopola by bus: a big mistake. The bus connecting the two villages went only every three hours, it was ancient, and it was completely packed. It was the worst means of public transport I ever encountered on the Greek islands. The ride was beautifull though, going high through the mountains along cliffs. We got out in the mountains in Chora and enjoyed a beautiful walk down to the village of Katapola. Chora is a quiet little village with lots of old churches and windmills. As you walk down you can see lots of other islands. Like in quite a number of mountain-villages it looks like time stood still in the chora of Amorgos. The Chora in Amorgos is very quiet, with churches and little squares everywhere, and a long row of windmills. It has lots of small streets with bougainville-bushes and trees, here and there a tourist-shop or a cafenion, and you will hardly see any traffic. The village of Egiali is nice and has a couple of nice landmarks in the harbour, but it's not so overwhelmingly impressive that you will walk around in it for hours and hours. The beach is very good though, long and with good sand. It also has a small Venetian ruin standing on it. There's plenty of accomodation to choose from and lots of pensions and studios for rent at a reasonable price. The only bank on Amorgos is on the other side of the island in Katapola though, so make sure you bring some cash on arrival. The village of Egiali overlooks the small island of Nikouria, which gives staying at the beach a little extra. I was told that you could find a boat in Egiali that would take you there, but I have never found it. On the busride to Katapola you ride past it and you can have a better look. There's a small beach opposite the island where the bust makes a stop.
Some more information on the island of Amorgos
Amorgos island is 117 km2 large and has around 1800 inhabitants. It is the most easterly of the Cyclades islands and also one of the least touristed of the large Aegean islands. It is rugged, it has high mountains and is often battered by the sea. The sight of Amorgos on arrival by ferry is impressing and maybe a bit imtimidating, but once ashore it turns out to be very friendly and unspoilt. The road system on the island with the two major settlements on either side of the island is pretty poor, with only one asfalt road going in between Katapola and Egiali. This is one of the reasons why the ferries make a stop in both villages. Katapola is situated in the more crowded western part, and is set in a bay on the north side of the island. Here you find plenty of restaurants, tavernes and most of the accommodation. There is a town beach but it is not very attractive. The taxi boats in the port can take you to a better beach behind the eastern headland. Behind Katapola is a fertile green plain and a winding road that leads up the hill to the capital of the island, Chora. Between Katapola and Chora there are busses (on the route Katapola - Chora - Egiali). Chora is a typical unspoilt and charming Cycladic town with white cubic houses, pretty churches and a lot of old stone windmills. There is hardly any traffic and it is a peaceful and delightful place with a narrow streets, squares with trees and flowers and a few small tavernes and tourist shops. The main street in the Chora is inaccessible to vehicles. At the end of this street there is a viewing point (at the satelite dish towers) and the stairs here lead to the main tourist attraction of the island: the monastery of Chozoviotissa, which seems to be glued to the mountains, and the road to the most popular beach of the island, Agia Anna, a small pebble beach which is known for its nudism. Egiali, the second port of the island, is smaller, but thanks to a better beach and a hilly skyline topped with several villages its is easily more picturesque than Katapola. This destination is more quiet and actually more likely to appeal to seasoned islandhoppers.
Ferries to the island of Amorgos
There are direct ferries from Pireaus (near Athens) to the island of Amorgos, and it is also possible to reach Amorgos from other islands such as Paros, Naxos, Folegandros and Astipalea. Check the websites of Danea and Blue Star Ferries for the schedules. The picture on the left show the route of the fast ferry from Hellenic Seaways (2008) which makes a stop in Folegandros and then ends in Katapola - Amorgos. It leaves almost every day of the week at 7.00 o'clock in de morning (except wednesdays) and arrives at 11.30, so it takes 4 and a half hour. Please note that I only gather this information from the internet and things change from time to time and from year to year. The ferry from Blue Star (picture on the right) that also makes the way from Piraeus to Amorgos takes much longer because it is not a superfast ferry and it makes stops on more islands. This one leaves at 17.30 in the afternoon and arrives in Egiali at 1.10 in the night after stops in Paros, Naxos and Donoussa. If you check and cannot find any schedules on than you are probably too early and the timetables haven't been approved yet. Please try again later in the season. Sometimes the owner of the hotel you booked knows best and you can ask him / her.

Amorgos Naturist Beaches
On the island of Amorgos there are quite some beaches. There is also an (un)official nudist beach at a 20 minutes walking distance of Egiali. This naturistbeach is called Levressos. In the summermonths there are boats leaving from Egiali harbour to the beaches on the coast, including this naturistbeach. Next to the textile beach of Agia Anna are a couple of coves and another beach that are used or partially used by naturists. At Mouros Beach naturism takes place at the end of the beach, less so in highs season. South of Mouros Beach is Amoudi Beach where there are also naturists. Whenever you go to a more remote beach there will not allways be a taverna, so be smart and bring your own water and snacks.

AMORGOS ISLAND ACCOMMODATION
Some people like to book accommodation ahead, which is especially useful when you arrive in high season or when you have made up your mind and want to book for that special place that you have seen. Below are a couple of hotels, apartments and studios that I liked and that maybe you will like too. The descriptions and the pictures are from the hotel itself.
Poseidon Studios - Egiali (pictures above)
"Poseidon" studios are located in Aigiali at the north west side of the island. Our apartments are fully furnished and have a nice kitchen with its necessary cooking utensils, a refrigerator, air condition and TV.
Phone : 0030 22850 73453 - Fax : 0030 22850 73007 - Send an email to Poseidon Studios in Amorgos
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Aegialis Hotel & Spa in Amorgos - very good reviews
This luxury hotel is situated on the hill above the village of Egiali and is within walking distance of the beach of Egiali itself and the naturist beach Levressos. The view is magnificent, overlooking the Bay of Egiali, the sea and surrounding islands. The port is situated 1 km away and there is a bus stop in front of the hotel. The hotel has a large swimming pool and a fitness space, restaurant, pool bar and a spa and beauty center. You can choose from different types of rooms and suites.
If you want you can book / reserve the Aegialis Hotel here

Michail Studios - Amorgos Chora
You will find our rooms in Chora, the snow-white capital of the island with the windmills, the imposing castle, the numerous churches, the picturesque paved narrow steets. You will stay into a newly-built house of traditional architecture which includes studios and twin-bed rooms. All, without exception, have bathroom, kitchenette, tv, veranda and are decorated with good taste. Some of them also have airconditioning.
Tel: +30-22850-71111 Mobile : +30-6974-294843 - Send an email to Michail Studios in Amorgos
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Hans Huisman, www.angelfire.com/super2/greece 2007