Simply Stunning, the Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary Chozoviotissa, Amorgos – Greece, Spring 2025

Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary Chozoviotissa, Amorgos

After my second night in Katapola, I took a taxi up to the beautiful town of Chora. I had originally planned to travel by bus on Amorgos, but no buses were running because of the Easter holidays, and I did not wish to rent a car. Thankfully, the taxis were reasonably priced, and I was rather glad that I had not booked a car as my driver, Dina, drove with speed and skill up, down, and around precipitous and dizzying mountain curves! My hosts greeted me at a lovely cafe, and walked with me the short distance to my spacious and beautiful accommodation, with its own private little courtyard!

I dropped off my things, and headed out straight away for my walk to the Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary Chozoviotissa. I had seen a photo of this stunning monastery, dramatically situated on the side of golden cliffs, high above the sea, when I was first deciding which of the many Cycladic islands to visit. As soon as I saw the image, I knew that I wanted to travel here. The trail to the monastery started right at the edge of the village. Trail 1, the “Palia Strada” (Old Road) follows ancient pathways for 14.5 kilometres along the spine of Amorgos, from Chora to the village of Lagada, with 930 metres of ascent, and 645 metres of descent along that distance! Traders and pilgrims used this path for centuries to travel between the port of Aegiali, below Lagada, to Chora and the monastery. (It is interesting to note that electricity was not installed on Amorgos until the 1980s, and the main road between the two ports of Katapola and Aegiali, was not paved until 1991!) My journey on Trail 1, however, would be quite short, as the monastery was only thirty minutes away, first down a steep zigzagging trail,

then along a short section of roadway. I surveyed the cliffs ahead as I walked, and noticed an area of pretty serious rockfall. Giant slabs of rock lay in a jumbled pile below where they had obviously sheared off of the cliff face, and it looked fairly recent! I was reminded sharply that Amorgos had experienced the same recent swarm of thousands of earthquakes as Santorini. The two islands are only about fifty kilometres apart, and most of the quakes were centred on a fault line that runs between the two!

I reached the famous staircase to the monastery, and began to climb up the 350 steps. Once I had rounded the curve of the cliff, I got my first glimpse of Chozoviotissa!

And here was the gorgeous blue sea below!

I paused (but not too long!) to look at the narrow beginnings of a cave on the rock wall. The monastery is built into a recess such as this, as well as much of it being carved right out of the cliff face.

I continued up the staircase, nearer and nearer to the stunning edifice.

What a place!

There were buildings off to the left of the main structure, and narrow terraced gardens below.

I walked up to the base of the monastery for this amazing view up,

and this one,

and this one!

The monastery is 40 metres wide, and 5 metres at its deepest. It is 8 stories high, and includes 15 monastic cells, a small church, and 72 different rooms, all linked by narrow staircases. It is the second oldest monastery in Greece, and was built in 1017, with renovations in 1088. It has been continuously occupied and maintained for over a thousand years!

The monastery is usually open between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5-7 p.m. I arrived there close to 11. There was one other visitor, a young woman from Athens who comes here every year at Easter for a pilgrimage. We talked for a few moments, and she told me that the first two doors were unlocked, but not the door to the church. She guessed that the monastery might fully open at 11. Here is the beautiful entrance, at the far side of the monastery.

I entered through the low doorway,

and found myself in a narrow passageway. The rock wall of the cliff curves closely to the stairs as you go up, and there was a beautiful painting in a recess above the entrance font.

I rose up to a second floor passageway, but the end door was locked, as was the door to the church which was up another short flight of stairs.

I returned outside, and decided to explore a bit more and take more photos from different vantage points, like this one!

A small tour group arrived at 11 with a local guide, and the monastery opened soon after. I entered with the group into the monastery, and then into the small church which was quite beautifully decorated and very atmospheric (no photos were allowed). I was lucky to be there to listen to the guide as she related some of the history and the interesting stories of this place. We then moved to the outside balcony where photos are allowed. We were 300 metres above the sea! Here is a photo down to the staircase,

one looking straight down to the sea,

and one of the balcony itself, the north and south sides.

I looked through the window of the north side wall, to the continuation of Trail 1, the Palia Strada, as it heads off along the perilous cliff edge. I wondered if I would be brave enough to hike that section of trail if I ever return to Amorgos one day. Writing this now, I still don’t know the answer to that question.

I took one final photo from the balcony, looking up at the church bells and the massive amount of rock above us!

I returned inside, and sat for a while longer in the church, looking at the artistry of the devotional paintings, woodwork, textiles, and silver work. After, I found another corridor with a kitchen at one end and a sitting room at the other. The tour group members were there with their guide, and also with the monastery’s young monk, Constantine, learning more about the monastery and enjoying a small glass of raki which is traditionally offered to guests. I didn’t want to intrude, so I sat in the space between the two rooms and listened in as well as I could to the stories that were being shared.

I sat in front of a bright window, with the kitchen to my left, and the sitting room to my right. Before me were some photographs and paintings on the wall, and one photo was of the monk Father Spyridon. He is one of two monks who came here in their early twenties, and they are now in their eighties. For sixty years they have travelled, most often on foot, to conduct services in various churches and chapels all over the island. In the church I had spoken briefly with the young monk, Constantine, who has been here for three years, and he is deciding whether he will stay on here at Chozoviotissa.

The tour group left, and other visitors were arriving, so I felt it was time for me to go, but I was reluctant to leave this special and unique place. I slowed my departure by taking yet more photographs – the stairs as I descended,

and then, this wonderful and unexpected view as I passed through the doorway to outside. I love this photo!

And this one too!

The cats were seeking shade for their midday naps, and this little fellow kind of reminded me of Brent who can sleep in the oddest places and positions!

Still reluctant to leave, I took several more photos, and then,

when I saw more visitors coming up the stairs,

I knew that my visit was well and truly over. I descended maybe twenty steps, and then, unable to resist, I stopped for one last look down to the sea,

and one last look up to the monastery.

I made my way down the stairs, then up the roadway, and onto the zigzag path back up to Chora, stopping only a few times to catch my breath, and to photograph two last, beautiful things, small but perfect, on this very special island.

And more beauty was yet to come!