Quick facts
Location: a hilltop village at about 316 metres above sea level, roughly 5 kilometres from Katapola and 17 kilometres from Aegiali, the island’s 2 ports.
Population: around 400, making it a genuinely small capital by Cycladic standards.
Known for: its Venetian castle, whitewashed lanes and a ridge of old windmills on the village’s eastern edge.
History: settled from around the 8th to 10th century AD as islanders moved inland and uphill away from the coast for safety, with the castle rebuilt by the Venetian Ghizi family in the 13th century.
Is Chora worth visiting
Chora is everything a Cycladic hill capital should be, a genuine defensive settlement rather than a resort built to look like one, with a Venetian castle at its centre, whitewashed houses climbing the slopes below it, and 2 small squares that still function as the social heart of the village. It sits well away from the coast, deliberately so, which keeps it quieter than Amorgos’s 2 port villages while still being an easy trip from either.
Highlights
The Castle of Chora, a Byzantine era fortress rebuilt in 1207 by the Venetian brothers Ieremia and Gyzi, standing 65 metres above the village with defensive embrasures built to repel pirate raids and panoramic views over the western half of the island. The key is held at cafes near Loza square, and sunset is generally reckoned the best time to visit.
The village’s whitewashed houses, many with corners deliberately shaved off at 45 degrees rather than left square, a small but distinctive detail that made it easier for loaded donkeys to pass through the narrow lanes.
A ridge of old windmills on Chora’s eastern side, some still with their original milling mechanisms intact, built to catch the wind for grinding grain.
The Holy Metropolis, the village’s main church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Ioannis Theologos and renovated in 1689, along with the smaller Agii Pantes, renovated in 1644, and the whitewashed chapel of Kyra Leousa, said to be more than 15 centuries old and possibly the village’s oldest surviving church.
Panagia Hozoviotissa Monastery, the eleventh century monastery built directly into a cliff face on the coast below Chora, one of the most striking religious buildings in Greece. Read more in our guide to Panagia Hozoviotissa Monastery.
Getting there
Chora sits about 5 kilometres from Katapola, the island’s main port, and about 17 kilometres from Aegiali, the second port further north. See getting around Amorgos, Amorgos taxi and the Amorgos bus timetable for current options between the 2. For ferry routes onto the island, see how to get to Amorgos.
Map
Where to eat
Chora’s 2 squares, Kato Loza and Apano Loza, are the centre of village life, with kafeneia (traditional coffee houses) and tavernas gathered around both. Magiasi, a small wine bar in Chora, is worth knowing about for a glass of local wine alongside the more usual taverna fare, see the Chora section of our wineries and wine tastings in Amorgos guide.
Where to stay
Chora has a smaller choice of rooms and small hotels than either port village, generally traditional buildings within the old town itself, appealing to anyone who wants to be based somewhere quieter with easy access to the castle and windmills. Katapola and Aegiali both offer a wider range of accommodation if that matters more than staying in the old town itself.
Best time to visit
June through September is Chora’s busiest period, in line with the rest of the island, though its elevated, inland position keeps it noticeably cooler than the coast in summer. Sunset is worth timing a visit around specifically, both for the light on the castle and for the quieter atmosphere once day trippers head back down to the ports.
Back to the Amorgos island guide. See also our best villages in Amorgos guide.
