Sifnos

delicious cuisine and Cycladic atmosphere

Sifnos

Sifnos

Except for the authentic Cycladic atmosphere and picturesque white villages, Sifnos also has 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 of the Cyclades as well, they have specific taste in Sifnos, maybe due to local spices or recipe variations.

Hotels in Sifnos

General information about Sifnos

Sifnos is not very big in size but large part of it is mountainous and not populated, and roads are steep and curved. The capital of the island is Apollonia, a beautiful old village 6 km away from the sea. It is almost merged with the neighbor village of Artemonas and both are great places for a walk, with numerous tiny squares and alleys 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.

Where to stay in Sifnos?

Apollonia and Artemonas are away from the sea but they are perfect for accommodation if you plan to explore the entire island during the day and to go for walks in the evenings. Compared to the famous Santorni and Mykonos, Sifnos is much less touristy but the coastal settlements of the island provide everything for a perfect holiday, including choice of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and even bars.

The port of Kamares is the largest seaside resort of the island, with a long beach with beach bars, sunbeds and parasols. Smaller and calmer coastal settlements are Vathy, Platis Gialos, Faros and Chrisopigi, all on the south coast. The only settlement in the north part (which is not populated at all since it is part of Natura 2000) is Cherronisos, a small fishing port with a couple of tavernas and a tiny strip of sand.

Which are the best beaches of Sifnos?

View from the road

Sifnos is not quite abundant in beaches but the ones it has are beautiful and enough to take in the tourists and even provide some privacy. The largest and most popular beaches are Kamares, Platis Gialos and Vathy, all sandy and with shallow water around the shore. The seaside village of Faros has three small blue coves called Glyfo, Faros and Fassolou - they are very picturesque but tend to get crowded in high season due to their size.

The beaches of Vroulidia and Poulati are quite rocky and suitable for snorkeling.

What to do in Sifnos?

Life style

Sights and points of interest in Sifnos include:

- 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 Chrisopigi Monastery in the south part of the island
- The beach of Fikiada near Platis Gialos, reachable by boat or after a long walk on foot
- The church of Panagia Poulati
- The archeological site of Agios Andreas

Hotels in Sifnos

White building with green door and cyclamen flowers

If you are looking for a lazy holiday by the sea, Platis Gialos offers the greatest number of beachfront hotels, followed by Vathy and Kamari. Small family hotels and guesthouses prevail but you can also find many private villas with and without pools.

In Sifnos there are three 5-star hotels, adults-only hotels and boutique hotels as well.

How to get to Sifnos?

Ferry is ready to depart from the island

Sifnos has daily ferry connections with Piraeus and the neighbor islands of the group, as the closest are Serifos, Kimolos and Milos. Ferries arrive at Kamares, the largest port of the island. There is no airport.

Sifnos photo galleryx