Amorgos steeped in the azure of the waves and the froth of the sea

"I only know how much I loved you" writes Nikos Gatsos in "Amorgos". And the unique (but great) collection of poetry of the important lyricist may not refer exclusively to the island, whose name is used almost accidentally, symbolically, but abundantly embraces Greece. It encloses a place full of memories, beauty, and transcendental images. After all, isn't the real Amorgos, which was loved so much by those who visited it, something like that? Amorgos, that became the set for famous movies? How did it gain international fame for the deep blue color of its sea? Which is projected in the Aegean, among the other islands, as "a kiss of the sea of ​​aphrodisiac", to refer again to the lyrics of Gatsos.

Seventh in size among the Cyclades, Amorgos of 121,464 square kilometers and 1,973 inhabitants (according to the 2011 census) is a narrow strip of land with a mountainous morphology, lying on the sea. It has been inhabited since antiquity, in fact it was an important center of Cycladic culture. Its name is said to have come from the endemic plant amorgis or linocam (a type of flax), from which the ancient inhabitants made yarn and then made their own clothes. The island has two natural ports, Katapola and Aegiali. And above Katapola, at an altitude of about 350 meters, is Chora, a picturesque, whitish settlement with a special charm.

Towards the castle

Built around the 13th century by the Venetians, at a high point to avoid raids by Saracen pirates roaming the Aegean, Amorgos Town (Chora) is a set of whitewashed houses and narrow alleys with geraniums and bougainvilleas, which create a small labyrinth. It has two squares, Kato Loza (where the metropolis of Amorgos is located) and Apano Loza. It has many small churches (like almost all the settlements...