Glorious Hillside Hikes from Lagada, Amorgos – Greece, Spring 2025

Lagada to Tholaria and Ancient Aegiali Hike, Lagada to the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos Hike, Cliffside Agia Triada, and Aegiali Bay, Beach, and Village

I travelled once again in Dina’s taxi, this time from the village of Chora, Amorgos, to the village of Lagada, located about thirty minutes north, and located on a hillside overlooking Aegiali and its bay and valley. I was again very lucky to have an early check in, at yet another fabulous accommodation, Armonia Studios. This was my charming room with an excellent kitchenette and private balcony!

I had shopped for my groceries before leaving Chora as the following day was Easter, so after dropping everything off I headed out right away on a walk of about 8 kilometres from hillside Lagada, to hillside Tholaria on the other side of the valley, and from there to Ancient Aegiali. It was another beautiful day as I walked into the centre of the village, found the main church,

and then found the long staircase that was the beginning of my hike to Tholaria. This was my view, from the staircase, to my destination on the opposite side of the valley.

The staircase led towards the head of the valley to a trail that dropped down into a ravine, and then rose back up and passed through the tiny community of Strombous (with no mains water or electricity).

Then the trail rose higher up on the hillside, and began its long curve around the head of the valley.

There were fabulous views down the valley to Aegaeli Bay in the distance,

and back towards Lagada. In the photo below you can just make out the old windmills on a ridge high above the village. What work and effort it must have been to build all of these terraces, grow the grain, build and maintain the windmills and hillside paths, and transport the grain to and from the mills!

It was a brilliant walk, easy and scenic. Flowers lined the trail, and there were now also views to the sea on the other side of the island. A short trail in that direction led past fenced farm fields to a small chapel.

After that, the trail curved around to the other side of the valley,

and became an ancient stone-paved path that led all the way around and up to Tholaria.

There were so many small lizards along that south-facing stone path, bright and iridescent green, but they were just too quick to photograph! I entered the village of Tholaria which has a population of about 150 but a very large church!

I didn’t linger, though several cafes looking appealing, as I was intent on visiting Ancient Aegiali, visible on the hilltop in the distance.

The path led me past a large and active farm, noisy with goats and chickens, where the terraces were planted with some kind of legume, and dotted with red poppies and yellow and white crown daisies.

Here is a zoomed in view of Tholaria, across the way.

The trail on the approach to Ancient Aegiali, between farm fences, was overgrown with vegetation, and it looked like no one had walked this path for some time.

I climbed up onto the rocky outcrop, with its jumble of stone fences and parts of a former defensive wall. There were no interpretive signs to make sense of this citadel of ruins, high above the sea, but I had read that it had been occupied in Neolithic times, and that an Ionian settlement here became the third city-state of Amorgos in the 7th century BC.

There was a rather dizzying view, at the far end of the hill, down to a small beach,

but I preferred this view down over the terraces and to the distant hills. I sat here for a while, happy, before beginning the return journey back to Lagada.

That return walk was as wonderful as the onward journey had been, with bright sun, a light breeze, fragrant plants, quick lizards, and glorious views in every direction.

Back in Lagada, I enjoyed a quiet and restful afternoon, and cooked up a dinner of veggie pasta seasoned with a generous amount of oregano that I had picked from the hillside. Then, as the sun began to lower, I walked into the village and beyond it a short distance to the nearby chapel of Agia Triada which is built, like Chozoviotissa, tucked up against a cliff wall. I walked a bit past the chapel, along the road, for this view up,

and then backtracked to enter through a gate where a long paved path led to a staircase, with views back to Lagada.

I climbed up the stairs and entered, first, a small cell,

then there was another narrow staircase,

that led up to a platform and the church where the door is kept unlocked.

From there, more steps led up to another platform, with a wooden bench tucked up against the cliff wall, and all of the valley and bay spread out below. This was the view down over the church,

and this was a zoomed in view of Aegiali Bay where a ferry was just arriving at the pier.

I stayed a little longer, and then stopped on my descent for this last photo of the day. It was a brilliant ending to a wonderful first day in Lagada.

The next morning, I woke up a little late and the day was already warm. My intention had been to hike to a distant chapel, Stavros, 90 minutes from Lagada, with a visit to the Agios Ionnasis Theologos Monastery along the way. I took a wrong turn out of the village, and ended up climbing much higher than I needed to, before correcting my route and finding the correct path where, again, I needed to climb. I have at least a half dozen photos of stairs going up (!), but I will show only one.

Despite the exertion, I was very happy and took my time. It was Easter Sunday, and as I walked I enjoyed the exceptional landscape all around me. Several small patches of daisies caught my eye and they were just so perfect. I stopped to photograph this one,

because to me these flowers represented the real miracle and mystery of the day. This, to me, is what should be celebrated and revered – nature and our very precious Earth. I carried on, and the climb finally ended at a plateau where I walked first through the welcome shade of a path lined with rock walls and many trees.

The path ended at the chapel of Agios Varvara where there is an ancient well.

From the chapel, there was a view up to the Monastery of Agios Ioannais Theologos, at the very top of the rise,

and the walk between here and there was truly spectacular. It was a beautiful, small, and verdant plateau,

with much evidence of previous cultivation and habitation. Just below the monastery there was one building currently inhabited, where a donkey and dog waited patiently for their master.

I climbed the last little rise to the monastery,

and, wow, what a place!

I called “hello” as I entered through an archway into a back courtyard but all was quiet. There were multiple individual cells, behind the church, and I wondered how many monks might have once lived here, and how many might live here now. I walked all around this beautiful monastery, and its church, with its round tower and east-facing church window.

The monastery was founded here in the 9th century AD, and these buildings date from the 1300s, with some carved stones, set in the altar, indicating that a pre-Christian temple once stood here. And, it is easy to understand why this site was chosen, with views to the sea in the west at Aegiali,

and to the sea in the east,

and over that beautiful small plateau.

I explored north of the monastery where there were many remains of old farmsteads, field fences, and a threshing circle, and in the near distance I heard the bells of sheep and goats, and the whistles and calls of a shepherd, as he led his flock. It was all rather emotionally overwhelming, in the best way, as I turned around and around and every single thing I saw was beautiful. I sat for a while, near the monastery, for food and water and a rest. Part of me wanted to continue to Stavros, about two kilometres distant, and part of me felt that this was the place to stop. I could certainly understand why this place had been chosen, all those centuries ago, and by so many, as a place to settle, and to give thanks.

I began my return back to Lagada, and absorbed all of the beauty again as I left the monastery, walked back through the gorgeous pastoral plateau to the chapel, then along the shaded level path, to the start of my descent on narrow paths and uneven stone steps. My eyes were necessarily focussed on my foot placement as I made my way down, until I noticed the geometric beauty of a thistle plant. That made me stop, and I became hyper-aware of the plants around me. There was yet another new kind of wildflower, in varying shades of pink and white,

and great mounds of euphorbia, oregano, and purple-blooming sage.

The most skilled gardener would be hard pressed to improve on the shapes and arrangements of the trees, shrubs, and flowers all around me along the steps,

and across the hillsides.

I couldn’t go forward more than ten steps at a time without finding another exceptional view to photograph.

It was truly spectacular, and I was feeling euphoric on that hillside, in that natural garden.

Finally, though, it was time to leave, and I set my sights back on Lagada below,

and on Aegiali Bay beyond that, knowing that I would travel there the following morning for my last day on Amorgos.

That evening, I went for a walk through the village. It was surprisingly very quiet, with only a few people sitting together at several tavernas and cafes. I had fun taking many photos of windows and doors, and of whatever else caught my fancy. Here are a few collages from an evening walk in lovely Lagada.

The following day was to be my last day on Amorogos, and I had no ambitions beyond, possibly, braving a swim. I took a taxi down to Aegiali, and again was able to check in early to another wonderful, clean, and inexpensive accommodation that included a seaview balcony.

I took a walk to the village, and was not in the mood to take any photos until I saw a small windmill down by the harbour, so then I had to take a few!

I wandered into a few shops, perused taverna menus, and then returned to my accommodation to be lazy for awhile. Later, in the afternoon, I put on a bathing suit under my shorts and top, and headed down to Aegiali’s long sandy beach where many families were enjoying the holiday Easter Monday, with young children playing in the sand, and a few older ones swimming, while their parents sat in family groups chatting and enjoying the lovely weather. I lay for a short while on the sand, and then went in to the sea up to my knees. My swimming ambitions had deserted me, and I happily strolled barefoot, back and forth along the beach, collecting small flat gray and white pebbles as souvenirs of Amorgos. A short concrete pier extended into the water near the centre of the beach, and from there I took a photo towards the village of Aegiali,

and one to the other side of the bay.

It was a peaceful and relaxing afternoon, and at dinner I treated myself to a sit down dinner at a taverna where I ordered the roasted goat, stuffed with dill and lemon rice, that had been cooked on Easter day. It was delicious, with a side of tzatziki, and a glass of local wine. My island time was ending, and as the sun set I reflected on my week on Amorgos. I was so glad that I had chosen this place for a longer stay, and yet it wasn’t quite long enough.

Perhaps I will be lucky enough to return again one day, for more glorious hillside hikes, on this very special island.