While the coastal outline of Sifnos is typically barren, its interior is surprisingly lush (as lush as a Cycladic island could be) with vegetation that gives the landscape a soft visual appeal. Small white isolated churches and villas allow the sunlight to bounce effortlessly off white walls before it becomes absorbed in the humble olive grove leaves.
Certain towns of Sifnos have developed to accommodate the tourists (like Kamares, Platys Gialos, and Vathi), while other ones, like Kastro, have remained pristine and beautiful. In between these two extremes, Apollonia and Faros have evolved in a state that caters to the visitors without losing its dignity.
The main port of Sifnos is the town of Kamares that has developed to accommodate a plethora of small hotels and apartments for rent. The architecture of all these recently constructed buildings has conformed to the cubist Cycladic style, while the number of available lodgings is conducive to good availability and reasonable prices.
Some of the highlights of our trip included our visit to the town of Kastro, swimming at several beaches around Sifnos, dinning at Faros, and strolling the streets of Apollonia.
Visiting Kastro on the East coast of Sifnos on a clear evening at sundown was like stepping back in time. The narrow pedestrian streets wind around the medieval houses leading the visitor through several archways and a wind-swept promenade high above the sea. The view from this eastern end of the town is breathtaking with the wide expanse of the Aegean being punctuated by the little church of the Seven Martyrs.
Swimming at one of the numerous beaches around the island is a joy as one can always find a quiet spot either in Faros, Vlyho, or Fasolou. Other nice beaches include more crowded ones, at Platis Gialos, Vathy, or Kamares.
All towns come alive in a laid-back way when the sun goes down and just about every single restaurant on the island is filled to capacity. At the same time, the trendy bars of Apollonia turn on the lights inviting those who ascend to stroll around its main pedestrian street.
Getting To Sifinos
During the summer time, Sifnos is connected by coastal navigation with Piraeus and with the islands of the line of Milos dayly by speedboats and with conventional car ferries. The duration of the trip by a conventional car ferry is five hours and by the speedboats about three hours.
Sifinos is also connected by coastal navigation with many islands of Cyclades (Paros, Syros, Santorini, Andros, Folegandros etc), as well as with Crete by Milos. During the rest of the year, the frequency of the sea transportation is formed according to the season.
If you are looking for that perfect Greek island with a balance of beautiful beaches, nightlife, white Cycladic villages, low-impact tourism and maybe the best food in the Cyclades, then look no further than Sifnos.
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