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Sifnos is one
of a group of 6 small islands forming the Western Cyclades. The appeal of
Sifnos, for Greek and foreign visitors alike, is due to its successful
retaining of traditional ways of life, its removal from the beaten track
of mass-tourism, its turquoise beaches and the historically unspoiled
settlements, churches and monasteries found here. Sifnos is well known for
its food as well, and many world famous chefs have come from this small
island.
The island of Sifnos is unspoiled by any modern architecture, and is
threaded with ancient footpaths that wander through the foothills to the
island’s many small white churches and monasteries, and ancient ruins.
Tourism hasn’t touched this island in the way it has Santorini and
Mykonos, so there are no sea sports or activities for hire; instead there
are tavernas on
the beautiful sandy and rocky beaches alike, and a good café culture. The
main village of the island, Apollonia, has pedestrian marble paths off of
which, all the island’s nightlife and many great tavernas are located. The
hills of the island create panoramic sea views everywhere you go, with
sheep and goats roaming in all the pastoral areas. I guess it sounds like
the archetypal Greek island, but not many of them are as "Greek island
like" as Sifnos is, which is part of Sifnos’ appeal.
Apollonia:
The islands capital, is a countryside village located in the centre of
Sifnos, most notable for its traditional Cycladic architecture, staying
here puts you in the heart of Sifnian life. Most of the town is situated
off small old footpaths, minimizing traffic disturbance and creating a
timeless feel to the town. The nearest beach is Kamares, which is 5 km
away, so if you decide to stay in Apollonia it will mean taking a bus or a
walk to go for a swim. The buses are very frequent however and shops,
restaurants, bars, cafes and banks are all conveniently located.
Apollonia has a very active nightlife which it is nice to be situated
near, but in the case of the hotels and pensions in the area they are
mainly on the quiet footpaths.
Sifnos is an excellent island for walking and if you intend to do a lot of
excursions by foot then Apollonia or Artemonas would be good places to
stay. There are lovely footpaths that begin in Apollonia and go through
the hills to remote monasteries and high points for views of the entire
island.
Artemonas:
Is a beautiful small, old village of Sifnos with Venetian mansions
intermingled with the traditional architecture of the Cyclades islands.
The views of the sea and of the other island villages from Artemonas are
wonderful. Artemonas is connected by footpath to the main town of Sifnos,
Apollonia so you are not too far from all the islands facilities (banks,
market, restaurants, post office, central bus stop). This is also where
the bus service begins and ends so it is an easy spot from which to
explore Sifnos by bus. As many of the island’s walking paths are based
around Artemonas it is also a great spot for exploring Sifnos on foot.
Kamares:
Is located on a bay. This is where the boats arrive and depart from, but
we don’t like to use the word Sifnos harbour because this may paint a
different picture from
the accurate one of a small village on a sandy beach. There are tavernas,
cafes, pubs and shops here and a bus service that links Kamares to the
beaches on the other side of Sifnos and the main village of Apollonia in
the center of Sifnos. Best of all in Kamares are the beautiful sunsets.
The community of Agia Marina belongs to the village of Kamares and is located on the opposite side of the bay from Kamares village. The 700 meters long sandy beach connects the two communities.
The Agia Marina community has a couple of tavernas, restaurants and cafeterias-bars and many more can be found within a few minutes walk in Kamares village. Also in Kamares you will find small tourist shops as well as food markets. In Agia Marina, whilst all the faciltieis of Kamares are close by, the setting is very relaxed and peaceful.
Kastro:
This remarkable village is Sifnos' most historical, built on the summit
of a small
peninsular and surrounded with views of the Aegean Sea. At its base it has
a small pebble beach named Seralia 200 meters down and accessible only on
foot. Until the 19th century Kastro was the capital of Sifnos and its
significance as a defensive town, designed to protect its inhabitants from
marauding pirates, is visible today in the uniquely fascinating
architecture.
 Faros:
A quaintly charming traditional fishing village resting on a sandy beach
with turquoise water. From here you can eat at sea-side tavernas, relax on
the beach or take a walk to the most theologically important and visually
stunning monastery of Sifnos located on a rocky precipice in Chrysopigi.
The village of Faros is 7 km away from the capital village of the island
(Apollonia) and 12 km away from the port (Kamares). It is accessible to
the rest of the island by a paved road and there is a regular bus service
to Apollonia.
 Platy
Yialos:
Platy Yialos is said to be one of the longest beaches of the Cyclades and
it is an excellent place for spending the day swimming in the water or
playing beach games on the sand. There are sea-side tavernas and cafes
here, a few bars and mini-markets. The distance from Platy Yialos to
Apollonia, the capital of Sifnos, is 10 km. This area is accessible by
paved road and there is a regular bus service from Apollonia to Platy
Yialos.
Vathi:
If you are looking for a beach holiday then I strongly recommend Vathi.
There is regular bus service or you could rent a scooter
for a discounted price if you got it for the length of your entire
stay.
Vathi is a beautiful old traditional fishing village with a beautiful long
sandy beach set in a large bay with a choice of excellent tavernas. The beach of
Vathi has only been accessible by paved road for a few years, and
accordingly it is less developed and touristic than the other beach areas
of Sifnos. There is a traditional potter’s workshop here and a monastery
in the middle of the sandy beach. Located 10 km. away from the island’s
main village of Apollonia, there is a bus service connecting Vathi to the
rest of Sifnos.
Some Sifnian Highlights:
Hike to the top of Profit Elias for a view of the entire island of Sifnos
Explore the historical and fascinating village of Kastro and the old
Acropolis here. There are two restaurants, a wonderful rocky beach you can
climb down to called Eftamartyris, plus possibly the best bar on Sifnos –
Kavos Sunrise. I strongly recommend having an ouzo here! The
owner/bartender is also a shepherd with a university degree in sociology,
and the view is absolutely amazing. Also, Seralia at the bottom of Kastro
has a great fish taverna right over the water.
Spend a day on the beach in Vathi.
Wander through the pedestrian paths of Apollonia, up to Artemonas - along
the path on your left is Gregory’s, arguably the best shop on Sifnos for
traditional biscuits (cookies).
 From
Faros, a small fishing village, there is a short hiking trail to
Chrysopigi, by far one of the most beautiful spots on Sifnos, and at
Chrysopigi on the beach there are two wonderful tavernas for lunch. The
trail follows the headland along the coast and offers views of the
turquoise waters.
There is a monastery named Poulati that is well worth a visit (it is
another hike, from Kastro) and at the bottom of it is a gorgeous rocky
beach for swimming, if you aren’t afraid of steps.
Panigiria or Festivals:
Visiting Sifnos during one of the island’s many panigiria is a definite
bonus to those travellers seeking experiences with a true Greek flavour. A
“panigiri” is a traditional fiesta celebrating the name-day of a saint,
held in the church bearing the saint’s name. To start there is church
service and mass, followed with a feast of traditional food and plenty of
local Sifnos wine. After eating comes the local music, accompanied by
singing and dancing, and this occasionally lasts until sunrise! The
churches most often hosting a panigiri are located in the mountains of
Sifnos away from the villages and the walking distances to reach them can
vary from one to two and a half hours. In general the festivals held in
the evenings have more of the ‘fiesta’ atmosphere while those held in the
mornings tend to be of a more serious religious nature. However this does
vary so ask before each panigiri so that you know what to expect.
What makes these Sifnian festivals different in relation to similar ones
found on the mainland and other Cycladic islands is the complete absence
of commercial events. The expenses of each panigiri are undertaken by a
different family of Sifnos every time. The family wishing to undertake
this obligation must declare it on the day of the festival the year
before. The expense of a panigiri ranges from 1,200 € to over 3,000 €.
This includes: the food, the wine, the musicians asked to participate in
the festival (usually a violinist and a laouto player), the donation to
the church, the fees for the priests, the fees of the church singer(s),
and the expenses for maintaining the church and all the buildings that
belong to it for the entire year.
All are welcome to attend this unique tradition found only on Sifnos, just
bring a sturdy pair of walking shoes and a Zorba-esque flair for fun!
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"key" classification.
