A Great Start on Amorgos – Greece, Spring 2025

Katapola, Xylokeratidi, Evangelistria Hike

My ferry from Naxos to Katapola, on the island of Amorgos, was scheduled to leave at 1:00 a.m., and to arrive in Katapola at 4:00 a.m.. I had originally booked an afternoon sailing on a different ship, the Express Skopelitis, a sturdy nautical work horse based in Katapola that services the Small Cyclades Islands, Amorgos, and Naxos, by ferrying passengers and cargo daily. Unfortunately, the Express Skopelitis was undergoing repairs so I had to change my booking to the only other option, a Blue Star ferry at 1:00 a.m.. I decided to book another day at my current accommodation because I couldn’t imagine wandering around about town, kicking my heels, until past midnight. I felt nervous, leaving to walk to the port shortly after midnight, but I needn’t have worried as the waterfront promenade was all lit up, music was playing, and there were lots of people around in groups and couples having a drink or a late night snack. I had worried that I would be the only person at the port, all by myself in the dark, but there were cars and people all over. An older U.K. couple, who have visited Amorgos every year for the last thirty years, told me that Greek ferries run at all hours of the night, and are always busy at any hour.

I rested on the three-hour voyage, and tried to sleep, but couldn’t. Thankfully, my accommodation provider picked me up at the port and whisked myself and two other guests the short distance to Titika Pension where I buried myself immediately under a heavy and warm, deep blue blanket, to sleep well for a good solid six hours. I woke refreshed, admired my small but charming room, and made up a simple breakfast to enjoy on a lovely communal balcony with a view of Katapola Bay.

Amorgos is one of the lesser visited of the Cyclades islands, having few beaches, but it is popular with hikers and those who want a quieter experience. It is a long, thin, and mountainous island, with high cliffs that plunge down to the sea on much of its two long-sided coasts. It has two ports, and I began my week on Amorgos at its southern port, Katapola, which is located on a beautiful bay. Actually, my accommodation was opposite the village Katapola, on the other side of the bay, in a very tiny village named Xylokeratidi. After breakfast, I strolled along the waterfront promenade, over to the Katapola side, to visit the bakery and grocery store.

Then, back on my side of the bay, and provisioned with a healthy snack and water, I decided to head out on a walk to visit the Church of St. Panteleimon, located scenically on a small headland about two kilometres from me along the coast. It was a lovely walk, first past a small harbour with fishing boats,

then up through the few quiet streets of Xylokeratidi,

to arrive at what may be the prettiest chapel that I have come across yet in Greece!

And this was the front!

There were also great views to my destination ahead, with the church just visible on the headland.

I continued along on a stony beach,

and greatly enjoyed both the walk and the views of Katapola Bay. The water was so beautiful!

I arrived at the small headland,

and viewed the Church of St. Panteleimon from all sides.

From there, I decided to take a path to connect to the #7, “Evangalistria”, way-marked trail, a looped trail of just under four kilometres that rose up onto a hillside,

and continued to rise up alongside terraces,

to arrive at a small, hidden, and beautiful hilltop plateau, divided by stone walls into fields.

There was a ruined farm house in the distance, and I felt a little sad looking at these no-longer used fields. It felt like a bit of a magical place, like a place to settle, where the land could be generous, and I imagine that for a time it was. A little farther up the path, I came across the ruins of several other old and abandoned homes that were aligned on the ridge, with Katapola Bay below and the fields behind.

The circular grouping of flat paving stones puzzled me, and on a later hike I came across another one that was near a field of planted wheat. I deduced then that it must be an old threshing circle. I googled it to make sure, and have since seen several others on the island. I left the small abandoned community behind, and began a slow descent down one hill, and then up and around another. On the way, I noticed two new, very delicate and beautiful flowers, that I hadn’t yet encountered on my travels in Greece.

There were also many very fragrant plants all over the hillsides, including a type of sage, with pale purple blooms, and a yellow-flowered plant which had a very strong and unusual scent – I couldn’t decided whether I loved it or hated it!

Here are a few more plants that were blooming along the route, including one with tiny pink flowers that is possibly in the orchid family.

As I began the descent towards Katapola, I saw the bright white roof of the Evangelistria Chapel, after which this trail is named.

Newly painted, incuding its pretty blue gate, this early Byzantine chapel was very beautiful.

It had an interesting side door made of hammered metal, and iron nail heads or rivets formed the design of a Greek cross in a circle. There was also a pleasant little shaded sitting area facing the chapel.

(I later learned that near here there are also the remains of a Mycenaean chamber tomb from the 14th-13th century BC.) I paused for this next view, over a lovely olive grove, across towards Katapola, and up to the mountain rising up behind the port. That mountain is topped by the ruins of Ancient Minoa, which was an ancient Cycladic settlement, and there is also evidence of habitation there in late Stone Age.

It had been my original intention, today, to do the hike from Katapola up to Ancient Minoa, but I hadn’t expected to hike Trail 7 – that had been an impulse decision, and one that I was happy I had made. I was beginning to feel a bit tired from my middle-of-the-night ferry ride, so I decided to return to my accommodation and see how I felt later about possibly making the climb – perhaps I would do the hike in the early evening… I passed a chapel as I walked back through tiny Xylokeratidi, with its pretty villas and quiet streets,

and then I reached the bay and walked out onto a pier for this photo over to my accommodation, Pension Titika, across the water. I was really beginning to settle into the peace and the relaxed pace of this beautiful place.

Back at Titika, I noticed for the first time that my room number 8 had its own little balcony!

Reason enough to spend time at home, I think! I did stroll back around the bay to Katapola around dinner time (no kitchenette), to check out its shops and restaurants,

and I settled on a souvlaki pita wrap to take back to my balcony, where I sat and looked at the bay for the rest of the evening.

I kept looking up at Ancient Minoa a little wistfully, and felt like the mountain looked back at me somewhat reproachfully, but perhaps it was best to have omitted that hike, because now I was already beginning to plan a return trip to the beautiful island of Amorgos.