Amorgos, the island of the Big Blue

Amorgos, the most easterly island of the Cyclades, is absolutely magnificent. The scenery is indeed spectacular. Here you’ll find raw, untamed nature, almost intimidating in places. And what impressed us most as we roamed the island was the color of the sea: everywhere, a deep, intense blue.

The Big Blue

The island of Amorgos has been famous since Luc Besson’s film “The Big Blue“, starring Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno and Rosanna Arquette (1988). Indeed, several scenes in this film were shot on Amorgos (other scenes were filmed on the island of Ios).

If you remember the film, you’ll easily recognize some of the locations:

First of all, Agia Anna beach, where little Jacques Maillol made his freediving debut. You can recognize the white church by the sea in the scenes from The Big Blue Bus.
But also the village of Chora, where the film’s two main characters grow up.
The wreck where Enzo dives at the beginning of the film to save the life of an American soldier.
and finally the famous white monastery clinging to the cliff.

More than thirty years have passed and yet, in Amorgos, nobody has forgotten the Big Blue. For a long time, the Le Grand Bleu bar on Katapola harbor showed the film every evening. Although this is no longer the case, it’s still a pleasant place to have a coffee. Numerous posters on the walls evoke the film’s shooting. Also worth a mention is the pretty villa “Le Grand Bleu”. Ideal for spending a few nights in Amorgos.

Amorgos, an authentic island

Beyond its success on the silver screen, Amorgos is an island worth visiting for its scenic beauty. It has retained its wild, almost austere character. And in places, the island seems completely deserted, with no trace of human activity other than the tarmac road.

Amorgos offers spectacular scenery and is a delight for hikers and nature lovers alike. For here you’ll find cliffs that plunge sheer into the sea, arid hills, a sea with a unique color and “untamable” nature.