In the south-west of the Cyclades, Sifnos is an island of about 3000 inhabitants, 78 nautical miles from Piraeus. The main port, Kamares, is on the west coast. Its summit, the Mount of the Prophet Elias (Profitis Ilias) is 680 meters high. Sifnos is a fertile and verdant island. Its villages are numerous. It has several interesting monasteries and many hiking trails.

The bay of Kamares is sheltered between high mountains. The port of Kamares is particularly busy during the arrivals of boats. It has a beautiful sandy beach and still has some pottery workshops. On the other side of this bay is the district of Agia Marina which owes its name to the small chapel located at the end of the beach. It is famous for its shallow water. Apart from Kamares, tourist activity is mainly present in Platy Yialos and Vathi thanks to their large beaches. The island has a well-established reputation for pottery and gastronomy.

Its culinary specialties are numerous and make it one of the Greek islands where one eats the best. The capital Apollonia is located inland. It is a pretty village, sheltered from the noise of the road that crosses it. The main lane, the ‘Steno’ is very crowded in the evening and there are trendy taverns and bars. The rest of the resort consists of a labyrinth of picturesque lanes. Apollonia is very extensive and touches literally the surrounding villages like the one, unmistakable, of Artemonas.

The village of Artemonas is located north of Apollonia, one and a half kilometers away. Artemonas derives its name from the cult of the goddess Artemis (Goddess of Hunt). It is one of the most beautiful villages of Sifnos. At the top of the hill, there are the ruins of the ancient lines of towers, of which only two are preserved in good condition. The view is panoramic. Venetian and neoclassical houses, surrounded by flower gardens and also the richest of the island, are also to be found there. It is much quieter than the capital.

From there a 15-minute walk through the narrow streets will lead you there but the village is also accessible by road. Kastro, to the east of the island by the sea, is the ancient capital of Sifnos. Kastro is one of the most beautiful villages in Sifnos. Until today it is one of the most important colonization’s of structure of medieval urban architecture. The current village is built on the site of the ancient city of which it retains vestiges (walls of the acropolis, columns, and tombs). It is the residence of the nobles since the Venetian period.

Faros is a fishing village, south-east of Sifnos. Its name is due to the installation of the lighthouse at the entrance of the port. It is surrounded by three consecutive sandy beaches, Fassolou, Faros and Glipho from where begins the most frequented path of Sifnos which leads to Chrissopigi.

It was recently one of the shooting locations of the film ‘Nikostratos the Pelican’. From the beach of Glipho, a nice coastal path will take you in about 20 minutes to the beautiful beach of Apokofto and to the monastery of Chrissopigi, emblematic figure of the island.

Do not miss:
The Chrissopighi monastery, the ascent of Mount Prophitis Ilias, the villages of Kastro and Artemonas, the bay of Vathi.