Arkesini on Amorgos: Village Houses and History

Arkesini is one of the oldest settlements on the island of Amorgos. In the village, you can stroll among traditional whitewashed houses. The village itself takes centre stage, while archaeological remains in the surrounding area add a sense of its long history. When planning your trip, these offer different perspectives: a walk through Arkesini, and the historic sites and finds in the wider area.

Ancient settlement and visible traces

At the archaeological site of Ancient Arkesini, parts of the fortifications and the monumental double gate are visible. Inscriptions, bronze coins and building remains also offer a still-incomplete indication of the urban layout. The finds sketch out individual aspects of the city, but do not provide a complete picture. If you are interested in history, you can view the visible structures and the different types of finds as separate clues to Ancient Arkesini.

Another historical site in the surrounding area is the Agia Triada Tower. It was built in the 4th century BC to protect the area from raids and is one of the largest and best-preserved towers in the Cyclades. Its defensive purpose and state of preservation draw attention to different aspects of the structure. The site also includes a rainwater cistern, a masonry oven, an olive press and a livestock shed. These facilities date from the early modern period and are associated with agricultural use. The site thus brings together an ancient defensive tower and early modern agricultural structures.

Finds and regional perspectives

The Amorgos Archaeological Collection also includes statues and reliefs from the area of the ancient city. These include child figures from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, as well as a funerary relief dating from the same period. Alongside the remains of fortifications and buildings, figurative works and funerary art offer further historical themes. The archaeological site and the collection provide different perspectives: here, visible sections of the fortifications and clues to the urban layout; there, objects from the area of the ancient city.

The Itônia Route passes through Vroutsi and Rachoula towards the coastal acropolis of ancient Arkesini. It runs through western Amorgos, offering a regional perspective beyond the village. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between these different scales: a walk among the white houses focuses on Arkesini itself; the Itônia Route passes through other named places in the region and heads towards the coastal acropolis.

Which perspective suits your trip?

When deciding whether Arkesini fits your travel plans, you can start by choosing your main focus: would you mainly like to experience the village and its traditional houses, or are you particularly interested in the ancient remains and their different traces? The Itônia Route adds a regional route through Vroutsi and Rachoula. These are different approaches that you can keep distinct when planning your holiday, rather than treating the village walk, archaeological themes and route as one single experience.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Arkesini, start by considering which of these themes you want to give the most weight during your stay. The village walk, the history of the ancient settlement and the regionally focused route each offer a different emphasis. This lets you choose a location based on the experiences you would like to include in your holiday.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Katápola, Kalantos, Galíni, Koufonisia, Naxos, Melanes, Agia Anna, Tholaria.

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