Langáda - Tholária and back
Evaluation:
This walk runs between two picturesque villages in the northern part of Amorgós.
The trails are beautiful, the views stunning and the two villages deserve an
extended visit. The walk thus gets an evaluation of ***.
Estimated time: The actual walking time (AWT) of the hike between the two villages is
about 1h05, for a distance of 3,01 km; the way back takes exactly one hour - so
the total AWT amounts to approximately 2h05.
But taking into account the time you should spend on visiting both the villages
of Langáda and Tholária, the total walking time (TWT) can easily mount to 5-6
hours. There are nice outdoor terraces in Langáda (I Lóza) and in Tholária (Choréftis
or Santouráki.
Route directions: (0h00) You leave the parking lot of Langáda
(here is also the bus stop) and you take the small street towards the church
with the big blue dome. In this way you reach a small square with the taverna I
Lóza and the minimarket O Bébis.
You follow the main street to the left, you pass underneath the church of Agia
Sofía – it is worthwhile to take the stairs on the right in order to have a look
at the church - and then you continue while keeping to the left, through a
kamára (vaulted passage). You pass some side streets on the right and you
continue a long time straight ahead, until you reach a side street with a
circular wall at the corner. At this spot you take a right: you notice a hiking
sign Stroúmbos / Tholária + [4] and also a sign to the shop I Plátsa.
(0h07) You continue past the grocery store I Plátsa and soon you leave
the village: at the edge of the village you get a magnificent view of the deep,
rocky valley on your left and also on Tholária, far away. If you look carefully,
you even see the line of the path far away in front of you – this is the path
you will follow later on.
A little while later, you also get a nice view of the gorge of Araklós on the
left and you continue your descent on a sometimes very rocky or stony path, with
stunning views of Stroúmbos and the distant church of Panagía Epanochorianí.
Stroúmbos is a deserted village where - mostly German - tourists restore houses.
You go down, sometimes on a nice staircase, you cross the deep river bed
and you then climb quite a bit. After a few minutes you pass some ruins
and also a few renovated houses of the village.
(0h17)
A little further there is a junction where you keep to the RIGHT (sign Tholária).
[By taking a left, you can make a little detour to a beautiful chapel with a
great view of the island of Nikouriá; in that case you will have to return the
same way you came.]
You now enter the village of Stroúmbos and you take a left just past the first
restored house. You climb steeply on a stony path, then on a staircase, and you
arrive at a side path. On the right walk [4] goes to the Panagía Epanochorianí -
see the walk Egiáli - Langáda - Panagía Epanochorianí - Tholária - Egiáli (walk
sign Right Epanochorianí / Tholária 55' + [4] - Left Tholária 45').
(0h24)
So you go LEFT; you descend for a few moments and then you climb steeply. At the
top you get a nice view behind you of Langáda and behind it of the crest of the
hill with the mill row.
(0h33)
After a nice flat end, you come again to a crossroads, where the path of Panagía
Epanochorianí comes from the right (sign Epanochorianí 15' + [4]. You go
straight ahead, of course.
On your left side, you have a truly stunning view over the plain, the bay of
Egiáli and the isle of Nikouriá.
Shortly thereafter you keep to the left. During the following minutes you will
describe a wide arc by proceeding on an easy path - it is mostly flat and
sometimes it rises slightly; all the time there is a beautiful view of the green
valley of Egiáli, of Langáda and of the seven mills high up on the mountain
beyond. After about 5 minutes there is a side path on the right; a path that
leads to the chapel of Astrátios (sign), but you veer to the left on a kind of
pass until you reach some ruins. Over here, you find a side path on the right,
running in the direction of Megáli Vlycháda, but you have to continue straight
ahead [4 ].
(0h41)
The following stretch is really marvellous, mostly beautifully paved and uneven.
Tholária appears after 13-14 minutes, you pass a well, and then the pavement
gets less beautiful. During the final climb there are some steps and in this way
you reach the first houses of the village. You keep to the right on a white
staircase, then to the left, and you thus reach a side street.
On the right, you can walk through an old arch with a roof made of wooden beams,
where you will notice the kafenío O Choréftis (the Dancer). To the left, you can
see some bars and taverns, amongst others the restaurant To Santouráki and the
café Seaview. You can also take a very pleasant break in the kafenío Kalí Kardiá
(Beautiful Heart), next to the church – this is the café with the longest name
we have ever come across in Greece: a "kafeouzomezedopantopolío", or “a café
where you can get ouzo with mezé and which is also a grocery”. (1h05)
(1h10)
For the way back, you leave from the church. Just past the restaurant To
Santouráki, you take a right (signpost To Panórama). A little bit further you go
down the staircase to the right, and you continue straight ahead, while you pass
some little streets off the right and the left -
and only then you see a hiking sign [4]. You get a very nice view of
Langáda with the windmills and shortly thereafter you descend to the right (sign
Langáda 1h05). A truly beautiful trail starts from here; the marvellous pavement
begins almost right away, but once in a while it is very uneven. You pass next
to the large well and the beautiful trail goes on and on, with sometimes a stony
stretch. After 15 wonderful minutes you climb to the pass.
(1h30)
Hike [4] goes straight ahead, while you pass the path to Astrátios. Some 6
minutes later you arrive at the bifurcation where path [4] t0 Panagía
Epanochorianí goes right. You continue again straight ahead. Again, the stunning
views towards Nikouriá island stand out.
(1h36)
You walk beautifully "en balcon", and in Spring time the flowering broom is
truly impressive. After another 4-5 minutes you keep to the left and you descend
quickly on a narrow and sunken path. Later on you pass under a palm tree and so
you reach the bifurcation with the path that comes from Epanochorianí of hike
[4].
(1h47)
You descend to the right on a uneven pavement and in this way you arrive among
the restored houses of Stroúmbos. A little further - not too far away from a
little church - you keep to the left and while describing some curves you
descend into the valley, at first on paved stairs, later on a very uneven path.
At the bottom, you go up straight ahead and after a little under 2 minutes you
go straight ahead again and up [4]. You pass a modern staircase on the left and
soon thereafter you arrive at some old steps, alternating with stretches of
loose stones. The beautiful canyon of Araklós lies on your right.
You arrive at some concrete and you continue straight ahead, midst the houses,
until you reach the side street.
(1h57)
The street on the right descends to Egiáli, but for the moment you have to take
a left. You keep following the mounting staircase: at the first bifurcation you
keep to the right, at the second one you take a left and so you continue to walk
up, until you pass underneath the church and you reach the square with the cafe
I Lóza. The little street on the right leads to the parking lot.
(2h04)
Gpx-files:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/amorgos-langada-stroumbos-tholaria-125346284
https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/12112988/hiking-route/amorgos-langada-stroumbos-tholaria