Climbing from the square up to the castle of Pyrgos (cars are not allowed within the village), the stone houses crowd more densely together and the labyrinth of narrow vaulted lanes becomes more tortuous. But once you come out at the top, the fabulous panoramic view of the island will take your breath away.

Spread out below you lie Fira, the plain of Messaria, la and Thirassia, while set around you are the little churches of Panagia Kasteliou, Aghios Andreas and the Theotokaki (Little Virgin). Up there you feel like a captain on the bridge. And if you happen to be there in the late afternoon, be sure to stay to watch the sun go down - you'll never see anything like it again. Although it is one of the prettiest places on the island, Pyrgos has only recently won a place on the tourist map. It has become known largely because of the splendid Easter celebrations instituted a few years ago by its deputy mayor.

Starting the day before Palm Sunday, the whole place is fragrant with the scent of the rosemary that decorates the seven-teen-metre cross. The whole island turns out to the procession of the Epitaphios on
Good Friday: profound reverence, splendid icons, and the whole village decked with tin lanterns so that it glows like a jewel in the night.

Pyrgos was (and still is, of course), a cross-roads for walkers: the road to the Monastery of the Prophitis Ilias passes through Pyrgos, and the paths to Exo Gonia (from the school or from the little church of Aghios Christoforos on the ring road), Profitis Ilias and Emborio (on the left and on the right of the church of the Apostles, respectively) all start from here. Pyrgos is a lively place, winter and summer alike.

Pyrgos is a place you should certainly visit, and do allow yourself enough time, if only to see its churches, we counted thirty-three of them! Many belong to a parish, but a fair number are private and are only open on the feast day of their patron saint. The prettiest, and one of the oldest on the island, is the Theotokaki (Dormition of the Virgin), inside the castle walls.

You can also see the exhibition of Byzantine treasures that used to be housed in the Monastery of the Prophitis Ilias, while in the first two weeks in September there is a series of cultural events with concerts, theatre and poetry, the Ode to the Kasteli.