Sifnos

Sifnos belongs to Western Cyclades and is geographically found between Serifos and Milos. It is 74 sq. km large and the distance from Piraeus is 75 n.m.

This is a picturesque island that offers gorgeous view to the sea and the sunset. White and blue, the typical Cycladic colors, are also the dominant colors of Sifnos. The island is a combination of wild nature, green valleys with olive oil trees, monasteries, blue church domes, lovely pathways and beautiful beaches.

In Sifnos, you will find taverns with various traditional dishes (mastello, revithada, pumpkin balls, caper salad, pies, cheese croquettes and more).

In the picturesque streets and the beaches of the island, visitors will find lovely bars to chill out. Also, in summer months, various cultural events take place, including painting and sculpture exhibitions, theatrical performances, music concerts, cooking events, pottery exhibitions, open markets with local products or even poetry reading.

Certainly do not miss the famous panigiria, where people dance traditional dances, eat and sing. We suggest you to attend the panigiri that takes place in the Monastery of Chrissopigi in May or June (moveable fest), the panigiri of Agia Marina on July 17th, of Prophet Elias on July 19th, of Katavati and Virgin Mary on August 14th, of Saint Taxiarchis in Vathi on September 5th and the panigiri of the Holy Cross in Fassolou on September 13th.

The most famous local products of Sifnos include caper, honey, wine, xinomytzithra cheese, patties, loukoumia, pastelia, amygdalota and pottery pieces, including clay cookers and decorative items famous all over Greece and in the wider region of the Mediterranean.

A visit around the island will get you to places like the villages of Artemonas with the Neoclassical buildings, Ano and Kato Petali with the 18th century church, the beautiful Exabella with the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art and Katavati.

Also in Apollonia, you can visit the Folklore Museum, the church of the Holy Cross (Stavros) and the Cathedral church of Saint Spyridon. On the way from Apollonia to Vathi, there is the hill of Saint Andrew, one of the most important archaeological sites in Sifnos, with a church built in 1701 A.D. on top of the hill. Excavations have brought to light a Mycenaean wall of the 12th century B.C. The site is open to visitors daily till sunset.

On the eastern side of the island, there is the traditional village of Kastro, a former castle and the old capital of Sifnos. There, it is worth to visit the Archaeological Museum that exhibits collections of Archaic and Hellenistic sculptures.

On the southern side, there is Faros, the official port of the island since 1833, with the large sandy beaches of Faros and Glyfos and the picturesque windless region of Fassolou.

Do not also miss the charming Vathi, the cosmopolitan Platis Gialos, the lovely Chrissopigi with the 17th century monastery, the fishing village of Herronissos, the church of Seven Martyrs constructed on a rock next to the sea, Seralia beach where you will see remains of Medieval ports, the windmills and the 55 ancient towers that are scattered around the island and were built between the 6th and the 3rd century B.C. to serve as watchtowers for sea enemies.

Sifnos is the ideal island for hiking. Countless pathways lead to magnificent, calm bays all over the island.

Sifnos is also famous for the development of the ancient art of pottery. An island with rich cultural and spiritual tradition, Sifnos has born excellent writers, poets, folklorists, journalists, lawmakers and the famous chef, Nikos Tselementes.

At night, people in Sifnos enjoy themselves in traditional restaurants, fish taverns, lounge cafes, pastry shops and bars.

The ideal choice for summer vacations, Sifnos is great for relaxing holidays but also provides many choices for night entertainment.

The entire island of Sifnos is an archaeological monument, as it is inhabited since the Neolithic area. That time, the island was named Akis and Meropie. At first, it was inhabited by Carrians and Phoenicians and then by Cretans. At around 1,130-1,120 B.C. inhabitants from Ionia arrived and gave to the island the name of their leader Siphnos.

In the ancient times, Sifnos became famous for its mines of gold and silver. The Sifnians had become so rich from these mines that in the 6th century B.C. they founded the renowned “Treasury of the Sifnians” in Delphi. However, in the 5th century B.C. the island financially declined.

In the Medieval times, Sifnos was part of the Byzantine Empire and it was frequently raid by pirates. In the centuries that followed, it was conquered by the Venetians and the Ottomans and it finally became part of the Greek State after the Greek Revolution of 1821.

Apollonia is the capital of the island since 1836. This lovely village spreads amphitheatrically over three hills in the centre of the island. On the west of Apollonia, there is the main port, Kamares. Apollonia took its name from Enagros Apollo, the protector god of the farmers.