Sifnos, A Hidden Gem

Greece has more or less 200 inhabited islands, so choosing one to visit might seem impossible since they are all incredibly beautiful and have an abundance of experiences to offer. Nonetheless, this grand variety gives you the option to choose an island that best suits your taste, time-schedule and budget. Needless to say, there is a Greek island for everyone. 

While looking for a close, safe and new destination to visit with friends during summer 2020, the small island of Sifnos came to my attention. Favoured by the Greeks, close to Athens and considered a foodie destination, it seemed like a great option for our first trip after the first wave of the pandemic. We harmoniously combined Sifnos with neighboring Milos and of course the Greek capital of Athens, and the whole experience left us wanting more!

BASIC INFO

Sifnos belongs to the southwest Cyclades group of islands and is located between Serifos and Milos, about 130 km (81 miles) from Piraeus (Athens Port). Its population is a bit over 2,500 residents (2011 census) and it covers an area of 73,94 km². Its capital and largest town is Apollonia, while the second-largest town is Artemonas. The trip from Piraeus to Sifnos might take from 3-5 hours, depending on the ferry service you choose.

In general, Sifnos boasts typical Cycladic architecture and a mesmerizing Aegean island landscape. The island is dotted with whitewashed houses, adorned by little hidden coves and beautiful beaches, amazing viewpoints over the Aegean Sea, while it is said to have more than 366 churches. 

MUST SEE PLACES

Apollonia

The charming capital of the island, is essentially a collection of small villages built amphitheatrically around three hills, of which Apollonia is the largest one. The others are Artemona, Ano Petali, Kato Petali, and Exambala. The heart of the island’s life beats at the capital so this is where you want to be if you want to be part of all the action. Most cafes, bars, shops and restaurants run along a main street called “Steno”, where you can easily stroll along day and night to find the perfect spot for a coffee, cocktail or meal. Take your time and explore Steno and its surrounding little streets to discover classy souvenir shops, trendy rooftop bars, small family-owned tavernas and the characteristic white churches, such as Agios Athanasios, Panagia Sotira and Agios Sostis.

Artemonas

Artemonas is about a 1.5km northwest of Apollonia, and it has a distinct aristocratic vibe due to its wonderful neoclassical buildings where sweet-scented flowers are overhanging their large courtyards. The true highlight of the village is the windmills area known as “Bella Vista” and “Kallithea”. There one can catch some truly fascinating views of the island (like the nearby Kastro), or look across the open sea over to the neighbouring Cycladic islands. There are a number of beautiful old churches all around the village, traditional pastry shops, tavernas, as well as some wonderful pottery workshops. Artemonas is also where you will take the bus to explore the rest of the island as this is where the terminus for all bus routes can be found. 

Kastro

Kastro is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and picturesque places on the island. Essentially a fortress-like village that sits upon a domed rock right above the sea, Kastro has been continuously inhabited since prehistoric times and used to be the capital of Sifnos.

As you enter the town you will go through tunnels and narrow passageways into a labyrinth of tiny streets passing through compact small houses and little chapels. As you follow the main street you will eventually come to the sea, where you will be greeted by a stunning view of the cliffs and the rugged coast below. You can also see the ruins of the ancient citadel (6th century BC) on top of the hill. There is a small number of cafes, restaurants and some interesting shops scattered around the village.

The most instagrammable spot of Kastro and undoubtedly of the whole island, is the Church of the Seven Martyrs, that stands alone on a protruding rock across Kastro, like a small white boat in the sparkling Aegean Sea. 

Kamares 

Kamares is about 5km away from Apollonia and it will be the very first place you ‘ll see as you arrive by ferry. It is the main port facility and the largest coastal settlement. There are a great number of  cafes, shops and restaurants in Kamares, as well as various travel-related services and the Port Authority. Furthermore, for all nature-lovers a number of newly-created hiking routes start out from Kamares, leading to a number of interesting attractions, such as the old mining area site, and a NATURA 2000 protected area. 

BEACHES

As with most islands of the Cyclades, the unique geomorphology has created a multitude of different types of beaches, that range from isolated small coves, sandy beaches, pebble beaches and of course organised beaches.

Platis Gialos is one of the largest and arguably the most popular beach in Sifnos. Essentially, a golden sandy beach surrounded by a long tuft of trees that stretches for thousands of meters with sunbeds, umbrellas, shops, bars, restaurants, watersports and other facilities. Just off the beach, there are various options for accomodation, grocery stores, as well as some lovely pottery workshops. 

Vathi Beach is more on the picturesque side of things, as it is a long golden beach of more than 1km, along a coastal bay with charming waterfront tavernas along its edge. Vathi beach’s most interesting feature is the beautiful Church of Taxiarches, which stands in front of the small port. As with Platis Gialos, there are many options for accommodation as well as traditional patisserie shops, cafeterias and pottery stores.

Despite the nearby port activity, the long sandy beach of Kamares remains one of the cleanest in Cyclades. It’s lined with umbrellas and sunbeds that are serviced by the various beach bars. As it is close to the main entry of the island, the area has every facility one may need. To top it all off, the view of the island across the beach is truly mesmerizing.

Faros is a beautiful scenic beach at a traditional fishing village where locals still earn a living by fishing and its alluring waterfront is dotted with seafood tavernas. Faros was actually the island’s main port up until 1883 and alongside Faros you will also find the peaceful coves of Phasolos and Glyfo. 

ACCOMODATION

There is quite a good variety of accommodation options on the island, from large hotels and resorts to tourist apartments and AirBnBs. We decided to stay in a beautiful traditional family-run house in Apollonia. The owner was lovely and the house was just wonderful. A traditional Cycladic house with an amazing view, located right at the centre of Apollonia. We could prepare our own breakfast from local ingredients we bought and enjoy the tranquility of the Aegean from our private terrace. We even had our own house cat accompanying us every step of the way. The perfect Greek summer holiday I must say.

GASTRONOMY

As already mentioned, Sifnos is considered a foodie island among the Cyclades. The reason being mainly due to Nikos Tselementes, Greece’s most important chef that had literally transformed modern Greek cuisine and was born in Sifnos. The islands’ inhabitants are really proud of their local hero, and as such they continue the chef’s legacy by maintaining high food standards and constantly experimenting with new tastes with respect to the authentic tastes of their land.

Greek gastronomy is renowned and apart from the other known delicious Greek dishes that you can easily find in other Greek islands, while in Sifnos there are a few signature dishes you must try.  The most famous being Revithada, a chickpea soup cooked overnight in a clay pot. Another local dish is Mastelo, consisting of lamb or goat meat, washed in red wine, slow-cooked with dill in a clay pot. Sifnos is also quite famous for its cheese production, and there are three main types of cheese, Chloromanoura, Gilomeni Manoura and Xinomizithra. So try them out when you spot them. Another tasty local dish is Kaparosalata (capers salad), a staple starter dish with capers and onions, cooked together until they reach a chutney-like texture with a very distinct taste.

The typical dessert of Sifnos is Melopita, a traditional sweet that’s made of local cheese and honey. In addition, Amygdalota (soft almond cookies rolled in icing sugar) are another local traditional delicacy and you can find it in various family-run sweet shops in the island’s main towns.

There are a number of high quality restaurants and traditional tavernas scattered all over Sifnos. Some of the places our taste buds enjoyed the local cuisine are Okyalos (Apollonia), To Steki (Platis Gialos) and Kafeneio Drakakis (Apollonia). Apokofto beachside taverna is quite popular, as well as Omega 3 in Platis Gialos. Apollonia’s famous ‘Cycladic multi-space’, commonly known as ‘Rabagas’ is also another very good option. 

WHAT TO TAKE BACK HOME

Apart from its tantalizing gastronomy, Sifnos is famous for its pottery. The island has been producing and exporting pottery work since antiquity and you can still find small family-run businesses practising the art of pottery for generations. We found some quite interesting seaside shops in Platis Gialos, but there are many more in Artemonas and of course Apollonia.

CLOSING REMARK

Overall, Sifnos was a very pleasant discovery, a hidden gem. It’s rather compact size, beautiful architecture, amazing cuisine, sparkling beaches, warm locals, and it’s authentic island vibe will steal your heart, like it did mine. Sifnos is like a home away from home.