Last updated 09 March 2008

The ferry journey from Pireus to Amorgos can take 12 hours (and this assumes you can find a timetable, but that's another story). Some of the Captain's contributors return year after year, such is the pull of Amorgos.

Boats usually stop at the two ports, Katapola and Egiali (shown on local signs as Aigiali). There is now a good road between the two ports and a regular bus service. One contributor says the boat berthed in Katapola for at least an hour and a half before moving on to Egiali, but the trip was worth the wait. The landscape of the sheer cliffs was eerie and coming into Egiali was an experience.

Agia Anna

Amorgos is an island for walkers with a good, really good, black and white specially drawn walkers' map. On it Agia Anna is described as suitable for naked bathing.

From the bus stop at Agia Anna there is either a concrete path down to the left to the textile beach with the chapel on it (no nudism here). About 50ms down this path one can go right and scramble across the rocks to a lovely ledge where an afternoon naturist set hangs out. It is however overlooked from the car park and is at best 50% nude. Alternatively you can go right from the car park past the canteen and down the zigzag path to the beach facing the rock shelf. It is heavy gauge rocks but on a still day it is like a scene from the big blue. Probably only 25% nude at best and overlooked again from the car park. The "real" naturist beach is about 250m further to the right in a scramble along a very rocky path at the waters edge. This beach is 100% naturist and maybe 20% gay as well. All medium size rock it also has a fresh water spring (don't drink it but it is good to wash off the salt after each dip).

It is quite a rough scramble over the rocks. This beach is stony and definitely nudist. 

The Captain finally made it here in June 2003 and thought that it's without doubt a beautiful spot but access is difficult and the apart from the view the beach is, frankly, nothing special.  This view has been endorsed by some other Barefooters.

But the Captain has been taken to task by a Barefoot reporter who is clearly a true fan of the beach.  He disputes that it is a scramble to reach and says that the view of the monastery and the mountains in the distance makes one of the most spectacular beaches anywhere. There is no Caribbean sand (or Naxos sand) but the pebbles are quite comfortable, says my reporter.  The Captain can only recommend that you try it for yourself.

Egiali/Aigiali
Egiali is a pleasant village in the north of the island accessible by ferry and by bus from Katapola.  It is still pretty low key but is beginning to wake up to tourist possibilities.  There are ample tavernas and some pleasant bars. 

It has a large, textile beach and a beach where nudism is practised. The path to the beach was along the village beach to the north and up to the right and along the cliff until you see a cove below. This was the first big cove north of the main beach.  The walk to the beach would take about 10-15 minutes from Egiali.  Follow the path around the back of the cove until you see signs pointing "to the beach" - the path goes though a new taverna which overlooks the beach.

This beach is called Levrossos.  It is composed of golden sand and is undoubtedly pleasant.  Previous correspondents reported that some days this cove was 99% nudist and the next 10%.  The Captain visited in June 2003 and found this report to be correct (we were able to go nude comfortably on the second day but not on the first).  There is, however, a large sign there which includes "nudism" as one of the don't-dos but nonetheless the practice is as I have reported.   A report from July 2007 says the beach was mainly textile but the far end, nearest Egiali, was 100% naturist, with a few single girls and couples and it rated 80%.  Swimming was pleasant.

The next two beaches along the path are not very difficult to get to, the Captain is assured the path is easy. When going to the first of the two it is important to stay above the stone wall immediately after Levrossos.  The beaches are mixed sand and stones. They are both very beautiful spots. A Barefoot reporter has visited them in the months of June, the beginning of July and September. They have always been nudist and, better yet, completely deserted.
 

Katapola
The black and white map says that naked bathing is "tolerated" on the westernmost beach of northern side of the bay of Katapola.  This presumably refers to the beach named on local signs as Plakes beach.  Plakes is the last stop of the small boat that leaves Katapola every hour from 9-10:00 till 17:00. Where people disembark most people are with their bathing-suits, but you then walk (and climb) to the left and you can immediately take off your clothes.

Plakes is not so much a beach, it is actually a series of flattish rock platforms next to deep water.  There is nowhere where you can simply wade into the sea there. But the rocks are smooth and they dive vertically into the sea, providing excellent bases from where one can jump or dive into the turquoise sea. Also, because they are very much like cubes, the rocks provide very good cubicle-like spaces just for 1-3 people, where you can be just with yourself. A last and very important thing, is that Plakes looks to the West and so one can enjoy there all the sweetness of the late afternoon sun, while protected from the winds of the Aegean.

It's not too difficult to scramble around, and you can find a nice place for some sun and a dip into the water. You just have to find a good spot to climb out. Bring your snorkel, not a bucket and spade!  It was 95% nude in September 2005.

A boat sails from the south side of Katapola, near where the ferry berths, to what is described as Maltezi beach. 

Beyond the rocks was the beach visited by the boat - a busy, entirely textile beach with a beach restaurant. There have been reports or nudism here in the off season but by June it would have been out of the question. 

There are said to be numerous coves around the island reachable only by boat which may well be suitable for nudism.

Mouros beach
Barefoot reporters arrived there around 12:00 on a day in June 2006 and there was only one couple there at the far end. My contributors stayed there until 18:00. The maximum number of people there was 15 people, where 5 of us were nude on the far side, and the other were wearing bathing suits. The beach has very clean waters, pebbly. The only problems is that as it is facing eastwards, after 18:00 there is no sun, so if there is a breeze you cannot support staying there for long. The other thing is that there is relatively a hard walk back. On the top there is a restaurant that serves everything. The Captain understands this beach gets crowded in August, and that the few naturists are all on the far end of the beach.
 

Amoudi
The beach is further down the island from Mouros. Follow the road that leads to Kalotaritisa, and after you pass the intersection for Mouros, keep going straight and after a while you will see a sign - facing the other way - saying Amoudi beach.  After a few meters you leave the vehicle/bike and you have to follow a relative steep path for 30min to end at the beach. The way back is approx 45 minutes.  Make sure you bring water with you. The water there as you can see from the picture below is amazing. There is hardly ever anybody there.

Gramvoussa island
The island of Gramvousa is across from the beach at Kalotaritisa. During July and August there is a regular service with boats (3.50 Euros per person in 2007) who can take you back and forth. There are two main beaches on the island, which you can access from the boat that takes you there and there are several other private beaches which one can reach by renting a canoe or a pedal boat from Kalotaritisa.  In June there was no regular service with the boats, but intrepid Barefooters found a guy at the canteen in Kalotaritisa beach, who for 15 Euros was willing to be their private captain. The first day there were three sail boats on the beach, most of the people were without any bathing suits. The second day another 7 people came later with a boat, and the beach was 100% naturist. The third day, our reporters had the whole island to themselves.

Barefoot reporters who were there in June 2007 liked this beach most of the 9 they visited on 5 islands.  The road to Kalotaritisa is perfectly accessible with a small hire car.  On the boat to Gramvoussa Islet, they simply told the skipper when we wanted to be picked up (and he was there on time).  The trip across took about 10 mins and they were the only ones on the boat.  Apart from the odd visit by people with their own boats (who didn't stay long), at most there were 3 or 4 other couples on the beach when my reporters were there - mainly naturist.  Beautiful clear water (you didn't need a snorkel to look at the fish), nicely shelving, secluded, sheltered sand/shingle beach with enjoyable walks along the water's edge.  Obviously no facilities of any kind (and little shade).  Fantastic - and it rated 100%!