Hozoviotissa Monastery

Hozoviotissa was founded in 1017 according to its tradition, and rebuilt in 1088 by the emperor Alexios Komnenos, on a ledge in a sheer cliff on the southeastern side of Amorgos. The building is eight storeys tall but only about five metres deep, a white strip pressed into the grey rock some three hundred metres above the sea, and inside it is a warren of narrow stairs and small rooms leading to the church, which holds a venerated icon of the Virgin said to have arrived by sea from Palestine. Two or three monks remain. Visitors climb roughly three hundred steps from the road, are lent wraps if needed, and are traditionally offered a glass of psimeni raki and a loukoumi at the top, a hospitality kept up for centuries.

What you actually see

• The cliff facade - eight storeys of white building on a narrow ledge.
• The interior stairs - a warren of steps and cells inside the five-metre depth.
• The icon - the venerated Virgin of Hozoviotissa in the church.
• The terrace view - the Aegean three hundred metres below.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the climb in comfort; the steps are exposed and hot in summer, so early morning or late afternoon is better. The monastery closes for a long midday break and observes services.

Honest expectations

The dress code is enforced strictly: covered shoulders and knees, and skirts for women, with wraps at the gate. Photography inside is not permitted. The climb is steep, about twenty minutes up, and there is no alternative access.

Nearby

Chora is above on the ridge; Agia Anna beach lies below the monastery on the coast.