Sifnos

Sifnos Travel Guide

Sifnos is one of the Cyclades islands, having the fame of a place where gourmets can enjoy Greek cuisine at its best. One of the island`s secrets is that almost all meals are cooked in clay pots and it is not accidental that the earliest samples of pottery were found exactly here. Although the meals and delicious sweets and cookies are typical for the rest Cyclades islands as well, they have a specific taste in Sifnos, maybe due to local spices or recipe variations.

Sifnos has daily ferry connections with Piraeus and the neighbor islands of the group, as the closest are Serifos, Kimolos and Milos. There is no airport. Compared to Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos and Paros, it is not that touristy but the coastal settlements of the island provide everything for a perfect holiday, including choice of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and even bars. The authentic villages in the inner part, the sandy beaches and magnificent views complement to the ideal combination.

Sifnos is not very big in size but large part of it is mountainous, and roads between the villages are steep and curving. The capital of the island is Apollonia, a beautiful old village 6 km away from the sea, built on three hills. It is almost merged with the neighbor village of Artemonas and both are great places for a walk, with numerous tiny squares and streets in the pure Cycladic combination of white, blue and pink. The old capital of Sifnos is Kastro, a quiet village on the east coast, built on a steep rock above the sea. In Kastro you can visit the church of the Seven Martyrs which is typically seen on photos from the island.

Ferries arrive at the port of Kamares which is set in a deep gulf and developed as a resort, with a long beach organized with beach bars, sunbeds and parasols. Other coastal settlements are Vathy, Platis Gialos, Faros and Chrisopigi, all on the south coast, with sandy beaches and shallow water around the shore. The only settlement in the north part (which is not populated at all since it is part of Natura 2000) is Cherronissos, a small fishing port with a couple of tavernas and a pebbly beach. Sifnos is not quite abundant in beaches but the ones it has are pretty beautiful and enough to take in the tourists and even provide some privacy, such as Vroulidia and Poulati. The latter is a rocky place accessible via a small path and suitable for snorkeling.

Sights and interesting places on Sifnos:
- The charming villages of Kastro, Apollonia and Artemonas
- The Church of the Seven Martyrs (Epta Martyres), on a rocky penisnula of Kastro
- The church of Agios Symeon on a hilltop above Kamares, with exceptional panoramic view
- The beach of Fikiada near Platis Gialos, reachable by boat or after a long walk on foot
- The Chrisopigi Monastery in the south part of the island
- The monasteries of Panagia Vrissi and Panagia to Vouvnou

Photos

highlights: delicious cuisine and Cycladic atmosphere, island in Cyclades Islands, Greece