Arkesini: Village Paths and Ancient History

Arkesini is one of the oldest settlements on the island of Amorgos. You can explore the village on foot among its traditional whitewashed houses. Evidence of ancient Arkesini can also be found in the surrounding area; the Itônia Route extends further into the regional context of western Amorgos.

Village Paths and Settlement History

A walk among the traditional whitewashed houses takes you through Arkesini itself. If you are interested in the village’s history, you can combine this immediate impression with the archaeological evidence in the nearby area. The houses, as part of today’s village, thus sit alongside traces that tell of ancient fortifications and the former urban layout. Arkesini’s status as one of the oldest settlements on Amorgos gives this village scene a historical context.

Ancient Evidence in the Nearby Area

At the archaeological site of Ancient Arkesini, parts of the fortifications and the monumental double gate are visible. Inscriptions, bronze coins, and structural remains also offer an incomplete indication of the urban layout. To understand the site, it is helpful to distinguish between visible structural elements and evidence of the town’s layout: the gate and sections of fortification are surviving elements, while the layout can only be partly inferred from the other evidence.

The Agia Triada Tower is also located in the nearby area. 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. The site also includes a rainwater cistern, a masonry oven, an olive press, and a livestock stall. These are early modern remains classified as agricultural installations. The ancient defensive tower from the 4th century BC should therefore be distinguished from the early modern agricultural remains. The cistern, oven, press, and stall illustrate the agricultural character of these remains.

Objects from the Ancient City Area

The Amorgos Archaeological Collection includes statues and reliefs from the area of the ancient city. These include child figures dating to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, as well as a funerary relief from the same period. The collection thus offers a different view of the past from the structural remains: here, objects from the city area take center stage, while there, the visible fortifications and evidence of the urban layout are the focus. The dates of the child figures and the funerary relief span several centuries and should not be combined into a single period.

Distinguishing Arkesini from the Itônia Route

The Itônia Route passes through Vroutsi and Rachoula toward the coastal acropolis of ancient Arkesini. It runs through western Amorgos and is therefore broader in regional scope than a walk among the houses of Arkesini. For your planning, these are different scales: the village path takes you through the settlement, the remains of Ancient Arkesini and the Agia Triada Tower are in the nearby area, while the Itônia Route takes in several places in the west of the island. This distinction can help you choose the focus of your trip without equating the route with a walk around the village.

If you are looking for a hotel for your trip to Arkesini, you can first consider which focus interests you most: the village and its houses, the ancient fortifications and their history, or the broader regional route of the Itônia Route. This lets you tailor your search to your travel plans without confusing different places and scales.

Discover more destinations: Moutsouna, Plaka, Naxos, Aperathos, Kalantos, Amorgós, Egiali, Agia Anna.

Go to the main travel overview: Naxos.