Before we begin our tour of Amorgos, I will repeat the advice I heard from a friend, warning me not to miss this island of solitude just east of Ios: "You go there, and then you can die."

The Amorgos countryside is rocky and uncultivated. Roads are few and guides are fewer, making conquering the mountainous island a challenge to most visitors. As we hiked along the western coastline, we found this path to the Chozoviotissa Monastery.