One of the most characteristic islands of the Cycladic islands, Sifnos is found in the centre of a conceivable triangle marked by the islands Serifos, Kimolos and Antiparos.
Sifnos is the island of harmony: Its whitewashed settlements fit with its natural landscape, its coasts create picturesque bays, creeks and windless sandy beaches, old churches and monasteries are combined harmoniously with the Venetian Kastro and its ancient towers. Wise cultivation of the ground gives pure local products of exceptional quality. The art of clay, the hospitality and the feasts of residents compose a harmonious total that fascinates and charms each traveller. Sifnos is not simply an island with beautiful nature. Its history is of many centuries, its culture appreciable, while inalterable old traditions and customs which have roots in the ancient years are still maintained today. Moreover, the island has an important intellectual tradition, since it was the homeland of eminent poets, such as A. Proveleggios, Ant. Prokos, St. Sprantsa, I. Gruparis etc.
Sifnos belongs in western Cyclades, has an extent of 74 square kilometres and 70 kilometres length of coasts. Its capital is Apollonia, built amphitheatrically on three hills in the central part of the island, a beautiful settlement with paved streets, white cubic houses and picturesque churches with elaborate belfries and white or light blue domes, which shine under the “apollonian” light of the Aegean. Apollonia constitutes an almost single cluster with another six traditional settlements – a built -up phenomenon that we do not meet in any other island of the Cyclades.The pedestrian street of Artemonas reaches to Katavati, after it passes from Ano Petali and Apollonia (route 1), while the settlements of Agios Loukas, Exampela and Kato Petali are also connected with a paved road (route 3).
Walking, is an exceptional way for the visitor to get to know the villages of Sifnos, but also its landscape, with characteristic “themonies” – small farm houses scattered in all the island and escalations with olive groves and forests from cedars and oaks. The part of the island from Profitis Ilias and up to the western coasts is a region with many sources that stays green even during summer.
Simultaneously the walk will reveal to the visitor, a cultural wealth of many centuries: from the prehistoric citadels and the ancient towers (at least 55 towers have been recorded in Sifnos -“fryktories” from the 6th up to 3rd century B.C.) up to the admirable art of clay (ceramics) of the modern period.
Sights
Settlements
All the settlements of Sifnos (Apollonia, Artemonas, Katavati, Ano and Kato Petali, Kastro etc) constitute architectural sights of preserved traditional Cycladic architecture.
Kamares
Kamares is the biggest coastal village and the harbour of Sifnos from dues of the previous century. The name Kamares came from the many caves that existed in the old days in the rocky southern coast of the bay. The location of these caves has been occupied today by houses, shops and “sirmata”-underground deposits, where boats are kept in winter, in order to be protected from bad weather.
The central settlement unfolds in the right side of the bay of Kamares. Here we find the dock of the harbour, agencies, shops, groceries, restaurants, workshops of pastry making, pottery workshops, rented rooms, car and motorcycle rental offices, newspaper stands, kiosk, private space of camp (camping) and Sifnian mansions in the western fringes of the settlement.
In the mountain foot of Agios Simeon the district of Agia Marina or Pera Mpanta is developed.There you will find taverns and rented rooms.In addition there is a golden sandy beach in the bay. Some of the older buildings of Kamares in the central settlement are the church of Agios Georgios and Agia Varvara (construction 1785, renovation 1906), Fanari (1896), relic from ovens and the loading scale of minerals (1883) and the old pier (1909).
Other churches in Pera Panta are Agioi Anargyroi, Agia Anna, Agia Ekaterini and finally Agia Marina from where the visitor can enjoy the sunset.
The beach of Kamares was rewarded for the first time in 2002 because it fits the criteria of the program: Organisation of Coasts, Cleanness, and Safety of Bathers, with the blue flag of the European Union.
Vathi
Vathi is a picturesque and calm coastal settlement. The famous Sifnian jars were exported in older times from Vathi to the markets of the neighbouring Cyclades, Crete, Cyprus and even Alexandria of Egypt. The old path and the new road of Vathi, which is an old settlement of pot-makers in the SW beach of the island, passes through Katavati. On the road to Vathi the traveller meets the monastery of Fyrogeion and the church of Agios Andreas, built (1701) in the prehistoric citadel.
Archaeological discoveries testify the continuous habitation from the Mycenaean until the Hellenistic years.
The monastery of Taxiarchis of Mersinis (1738) is found in the middle of the way. Towards the right utmost of the big horseshoe shaped beach with its calm sea, we find the double church of Taxiarhes and “Evaggelistria” built on the17th century. Rented rooms, groceries, restaurants, as well as a ceramics workshop and exhibition are also located here.
Faros
Faros is found in the SE side of Sifnos and is considered the safest harbour of the island, which was the official harbour until 1883. It is a quiet fishing village, with picturesque sandy beaches: Fasolou, Faros and Glyfo. The name Faros is owed obviously in the installation of a lighthouse in the entry of the harbour for navigation. This lighthouse is found today right at the entry of the harbour and adjacent to the monastery of Stavros, from where the view is magical.
In the western side of the gulf we find preserved ruins from the installations of mineral loading in boats for transport and treatment to Lavrion. In the bay and in the western side of the sandy beach of Faros we find the foundations of the ancient fryktoria. In the entry of the harbour lies the “petrogoleta” of Hrysopigi, a rocky island broken away from the land, on which the monastery of Panagia of Hrysopigi (1650), the protector of Sifnos is found.
Kastro
The historical village of Kastro,which constitutes one of the most picturesque regions of Sifnos,is built on the east side of the island, above an abrupt rock with exceptional panoramic view to the sea.
Walking in the narrow streets of Kastro offers moments of unique enjoyment. One would say that this is where time has actually stopped, while the atmosphere captures the visitor transmitting something from the glamour of another period. Narrow, cobbled streets with low terraces,dark galleries,old houses with wooden balconies, blazons on the entries, columns that were used later as architectural parts, marble Roman feretories are seen everywhere scattered with embossed jewels, small courtyards of the houses, the picturesque chapel “Eftamartyros” hanging on a rock that emerges from the sea, all together and each one separately compose a unique picture.
A downhill street of 3,5 kilometres, that begins from Apollonia, leads to Kastro.
The settlement’s installation in the place testifies usage of the place since the prehistoric years according to the discoveries of the excavations. It even maintains the characteristics of the Venetian fortress that was built from the dynasty of Da Koronia round 1635.
It constitutes one of the most important settlements of medieval urban structure. Main trait of the settlement are its small courtyards, its narrow streets and the unique square that is opened in front of the church of Agios Ioannis Theologos.
The visitor enters in Kastro from the old entries – galleries, “lozies”, which previously secured and protected the settlement as fort towers. The provision of levels of streets is such, that the passage ensured with small bridges. The houses of Kastro are distinguished in two categories, the single houses and the mansions.
Kastro was the capital of Sifnos in ancient,medieval and newer period until 1836, as well as seat of the Archdiocese Sifnos (1646-1797) and Bishopric Sifnomilos (1797-1852). In the entry of the village, where the cemetery of Kastro and the churches of Agios Stefanou and Agios Ioannis (1629) are found today, functioned the eminent School of Agios Tafos (1687-1835).
In the southern root of the hill of Kastro we find Seralia, the ancient harbour of Sifnos. An Archaeological Museum functions in Kastro.It includes marvellous collections of Archaic and Hellenistic sculptures.
Artemonas
Artemonas is the jewel of Sifnos, with neoclassical mansions, traditional restaurants and pastry shops, gardens and courtyards full of flowers. High on the top of the hill, the old windmills struggle with the winds of the Aegean. From here the view is panoramic, embracing the settlements of the hinterland, Kastro and the surrounding islands, even Kamares in the western coasts. The churches of Panagia of Kogchis and Panagia of Ammos, with the eminent icon of Panagia the Nun are included in the sights of Artemonas.
Cheronisos
A certain specialty of Artemonas is the Cheronisos region. When crossing the path for the region we trace the rural settlement of Troulaki whith its special traditional resaturant and ceramic workshop. This old unapproachable region become just recently accessable either by sea excursion ships or by the newly opened and asphalted roadway.Cheronisos is a traditional sea village with a small beach that once used to be the settlement of pottery and ceramic craftmanship.Now is a place with sea food restaurants, groceries, few rooms to let and with a traditional pottery workshop.
Museums
Archaeological museum at Kastro
It hosts discoveries that are dated from the prehistoric period until the Byzantine years. Out of the exhibits of the museum, the most important are: the lower part of an terracotta woman’s figurine, an early Corinthian acetabulum from the 7th century B.C., the head of a lion, the marble head of a Sphinx from the 6th century B.C., as well as the marble sarcophagus from the Roman period from Asia Minor.
Telephone: 22840-31022
Folklore museum of Apollonia
It is found in the central square. It includes objects of traditional art and samples of cultural heritage of the island. The naval tools, the foot-wheel as lpng as other tools of pottery and the collection of earthen utilitarian objects of the museum.All present great interest. Also in a showcase one can see local newspapers as well as books of writers from Sifnos. Telephone: 22840-33730
Museum of Ecclesiastical art and Tradition of the Vrisi Monastery
In the exhibits of the museum we can find the handmade chasuble, church utensils, Gospels, parchments, silver reliquaries, vestments as well as handwritten codes with information on the history of the monastery of Vrisi. Telephone: 2284031937
Churches
There are in total 227 churches on the island. Many of the churches and the monasteries of Sifnos have been characterized as historical monuments and have enormous historical and architectural interest.
Characteristic ones are the following:
Panagia Aggeloktisti in Katavati, Monasteri of Profitis Ilias, Monastery of Chrysostomos in Kato Petali, Panagia Gournia in Pano Petali, Agios Antypas in Pano Petali, Agios Konstantinos in Artemonas, Panagia of Ammos and Panagia Kogchi in Artemonas, Panagia Eleousa in Kastro, Monastery of Panagia Poulati, Panagia of Vouno and Monastery of Panagia of Hrysopigi
Ancient Towers
In total 76 ancient towers in various points of the island and the four acropoles of Profitis Ilias, Agios Nikitas, Kastro and Agios Andreas are included in the sights of Sifnos. From there, when weather permitted, the people of Sifnos used to sent signals to thger associates for enemies and other threats. The towers were circular build and they consisted of two floors. Chronologically they are estimated from 6th to 3rd century and while some are easily accesible, some others require walking and mood to expore in order to be traced and admired.Today after almost half a thousand years, every Monday after 50 days from the Greek Orthodox Ressurection, there is a revival of the custom of burning fires and sending signals from the towers across to the Aegean.
Platis Gialos
Platis Gialos( Large Beach)took its name as a result of its lengh and its big coastal area. It is indeed the most crowded beach of Sifnos – always awarded by the European award of the Blue Flag, and is one of the biggest in the Cyclades islands. The surrounding area consists of a variety in hotels, rooms to let, regional organized camping space, groceries, restaurants and ceramic and pottery workshops where one can learn the traditional way of Sifnian ceramic technical know how.
At its north, we trace the monastery of Panagia of Vouno (1813) from where the view is fantastic. At north east direction we can see the Aspros Pyrgos (white tower) which is the most famous out of the 707 ancient towers of Sifnos. South at the small cape of Platis Gialos the greek archaeologist Christos Tsountas has discover a prehistoric cemetery and finally at south east, situated on the entrance of the bay, there is the private and unhabited Kitriani island with its only structure being the church of Panagia Kipriani (1732 signed on its temple) that consists the most ancient ecclesiastical monument of Sifnos (11th century)
Beaches
Sifnos has some of the most beautiful beaches of the Cyclades. The main accesible by car are: Kamares, Vathi, Apokofto in Xrysopigi, Poulati, Kastro, Platys Gialos, Faros, Xeronissos and Vroulidia. However, there are more like Fikiada, Gialoudia, Vluxada and Tsocha which can only be accessed by various paths or by boat. Generally speaking, the coasts of Sifnos are very beautiful and deserve a visit, as well as it worth to visit the islet of Kitriani that is found outside of the gulf of Platys Gialos.
Greek highlights 