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Sifnos

Sifnos has been inhabited since Antiquity. Its position at that time was significant, since its gold and silver mines offered great financial prosperity. Evidence of the particular civilization and of its live tradition is nowadays the architectural Kastro, possibly the most picturesque village on the island as it stands on the site of the ancient and medieval towns of Sifnos.

Defensive walls, built by the Catalan rulers of the time, still surrounding part of the village and Latin coats of arms - Venetian and Calatan - can be seen on some of the houses. There is also a small archaeological museum.

The port is at Kamares, on the north-west coast, and the capital of the island, Apollonia, is six kilometers inland from the port. The village, which is really three villages that have grown into one, takes its name from Apollo. A number of churches and a Folk Museum are all worth visiting. Here you will also find a bank, post office, and tourist police, all based in or around the central square. Chora and the white villages, within an arm's length from each other, and are connected through paths.

Exploring and strolling around is one of the delights that this island offers. At the foot of Chora stretches the plain of this island with the largest olive grove next to Naxos. The ships anchor in the sheltered harbor of Kamares, where a beautiful beach is also situated. This is where the tourist center is located and constitutes the starting point for excursions by kayaks.

Apollonia, Sifno's beautiful Chora, stretches out radiantly on the hill, uniting the nearby villages in such a way that it is difficult to distinguish where one village begins and another ends.

Get to know and discover Sifnos by foot far from the asphalt-paved roads. By following the path from Chora you will reach Artemona, a village with architectural tradition, old churches and monasteries, an area worth seeing.

Apart from beautiful beaches and picturesque villages, Sifnos offers its visitors many tasty temptations, such as the traditional Sifnian pea-soup,a soup that is slowly boiled for hours in a ceramic pot.

 

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