Best Things to Do in Sifnos

​This week’s Island of the Week is our personal favourite here at The Greek Specialist, the Cyclades Island of Sifnos.  Located in the west of the Cyclades, Sifnos very much has a similar feel and look. Most notably with the white-washed houses with shutters and the white walled churches with the blue roofs. It has a number of great beaches and its capital Apollonia, is full of close winding streets packed with restaurants and tavernas, so much so that in July and August it resembles a little Mykonos. This time of year is also when the nightlife is the best. From experience of having been there countless times here is our list of the best things to do in Sifnos.

How to Get There
Sifnos doesn’t have an airport so you will need to fly into Athens and then get the ferry from Piraeus port. Sifnos is on the Western Cyclades line and ferries tend to run at least twice a day from there. You can also fly domestically from Athens to its neighbour Milos and then get the ferry from there which takes around 45/50 mins. You can fly into Athens directly from Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Edinburgh and Stansted. 

Gastronomy
One of the things that really sets Sifnos apart from the rest is its food. Known across Greece for their skills in the kitchen, people from Sifnos have a number of recipes which really delight. There’s even a rumour that if you’re in the Greek Navy and the cook on your ship is from Sifnos, you should feel very lucky. The dish that the island is most famous for is Revithada, a chickpea soup slow cooked for many hours. If you’re on the island on a Sunday we think this is the best time to get it, as the chefs take it down to the bakers on Sunday morning and it is slow cooked for 6-8 hours making it perfect for Sunday lunchtime. Our personal favourite restaurant for it is called Meropi. Another restaurant you must check out is Nus which has its own farm which creates a lot of the produce for the restaurant making it organic and delicious.  

Revithada

Sights 
The whitewashed buildings of Sifnos make for some great sights. One of the islands most iconic is the Church of Chryssopyggi. Located in the south of the island on a small peninsula, it provides some stunning views whether you're looking from the cliff down to the church with the sea in the background or looking back at the island with the houses dotted across the stepped hills. It is one of a few churches along the south coast on the end of outcrops which makes for a beautiful walk along the coast. As well as churches there is also the old walled village of Kastro. Translated to mean castle it refers to the walls around the village which date back hundreds of years, the whole settlement dates back to medieval times and is densely packed giving you lots of little streets which are full of tavernas and cafes.  

Chryssopyggi Church

Walking Trails 
One of the most popular things to do on Sifnos and a great way to take in the island’s beauty, the walking trails now stretch to over 100km across the island. Sifnos has 10 registered walking trails with a variety of lengths and difficulties so that you can choose the ones that best suit you. For a short walk the best is the trail between Kabanario and Cheronissos. The only one in the far north of the island, this trail is 2.4km long and if starting at Kabanario is mostly downhill. On the way you can take in the ruins of an ancient tower, you can also extend it by 1.8km if you want from Ambourdektis and take in the church of Agios Nikolaos. If you’re looking for something longer why not try the hidden sides of Sifnos trail which is 9km long and begins in the capital of Apollonia taking in some churches, a cave and even a natural spring. For more info on all the trails visit sifnostrails.com 

Cheronissos

Take a Day Trip to Another Island
If you’re looking to do a bit of island hopping the Cyclades is the best place to do it, the islands are closest in all of Greece and they are well served by a number of ferry routes so it means that you can go between them without having to go through the major centres of the island group. With that in mind Sifnos is nearby to a number of islands such as Paros, Antiparos, Kimolos and Folegandros however two of the best and also the easiest to get to are either Milos or Serifos. The ferry to either is around 45/50 minutes. Milos is one of the most laid-back islands in Greece with some beautiful beaches, colourful fishing villages and even some stretches of land that would make you think you’re on the moon. Serifos is also home to some amazing beaches, some of which are next to the port town of Livadi, but it is also home to a beautiful Chora further inland from Livadi. Whichever you choose both are well worth a trip. 

The port of Adamas on Milos

Walk around Apollonia
As we mentioned at the start Apollonia is the capital of Sifnos, only a 10 minute drive from the port of Kamares. A collection of very close villages of which Apollonia is one, rather than a town, you may recognise it from a photo of whitewashed houses going up stepped hills (if not here’s one below). Apollonia has a vibrant nightlife and as we mentioned earlier in the summer months it is reminiscent of Mykonos. Wandering through the streets you’ll come across many tavernas, cafes and shops selling another thing Sifnos is famous for: Pottery. The island’s heritage with pottery dates back to antiquity and it is something that it has remained a firm fixture of the islands cultural identity since, you can even take pottery classes if you fancy trying your hand. 

Sit Back and Relax on One of the Beaches 
Like Serifos and Milos, Sifnos has a number of wonderful beaches with a mixture of sand and pebble so you can choose. Here are some from across the island. Starting in the north, Vroulidia is a small pebble beach in a secluded cove, its not organised and is a good one if you’re looking for a more private beach. Kamares’ beach sits in the bay so that you can watch the ships in and out all day whilst lying on its golden sands. In the south west of the island Vathi beach is surrounded by lots of greenery and a number of buildings and as its partly organised it gives you a bit of both. Almost a straight shot south from Apollonia, Platys Gialos is one of the busier beaches on Sifnos but this means there are lots of facilities there which is always good for whatever you need.
 
We hope this has helped give you some ideas about what to see and do when you’re on Sifnos or maybe persuaded you to go or add it to an island hopping trip. If you’re looking to go to Greece don’t hesitate to contact us on 01157843388, email [email protected] or fill in our contact form with what you’re looking at and we’ll be in touch. Don't forget to follow us on social media to find out the next Destination of the Week and for all your Greek Holiday needs. If you've been to Sifnos, where was your favourite place, thing to do or if there's anything we missed? Let us know in the comments or on social media

Categories

All
Argo Saronics
Cyclades
Dodecanese
Ionians
Mainland
North East Aegeans