Sifnos was the 8th island of my Greece trip through the Cyclades. I absolutely fell in love with the island due to its sheer natural beauty, ultra-picturesque towns, delicious food, and fantastic views. Sifnos is a quintessential Cycladic island that maintains its laid back and unpretentious vibe. If you’re looking for the “authentic” Greece but still want a solid selection of bars, nightlife and activity, then Sifnos is the spot for you. In fact, I’d say that Sifnos, along with Folegandros and Amorgos were my favorite islands in the Cyclades.
Sifnos is home to 300+ churches which is even high by Cycladic standards where there is literally a church on every street it seems. It’s the only island where I found so many churches in the highest and most dramatic of places. The views from the mountains are absolutely stunning which is also why Sifnos leads the Cyclades as one of the top hiking destinations. While I didn’t do that much hiking, I could easily see why it gets this reputation.
Sadly, I broke my camera in Naxos, the previous island I was in so these photos are all taken by my smartphone. Trust me, it saddens me more than you but please accept my apologies for subpar photos and enjoy what I have to offer with my Galaxy phone!
Update 2024: I came back to Sifnos for a second visit and my goodness is it still absolutely breathtaking. It might actually be even more amazing the second time around which is rare for places I’ve visited. I’ve updated the post with new photos, restaurants, bars, and general recommendations!
How to get to Sifnos
Sifnos is not the easiest island to reach. It is less popular (which is good) and does not have a big population. Nevertheless, in the summer months, there are still ample ferries servicing the island. Usually, you’ll take a ferry that passes through Naxos with Seajets and Blue Star ferries both having daily boats to the island. There are a few ferries from Athens to Sifnos as well.
There are no airports on Sifnos but there is a helipad so if you are very much a high roller, you probably are not reading this blog but if you are, there is a helipad.
For a comprehensive guided on Greek ferries and navigating your way around the Aegean, make sure to read my Greek ferry guide.
Visit The Different Towns of Sifnos
Sifnos is chalk full of beautiful villages for you to visit. If you’re looking for the quintessential Cycladic setting with the white houses, colorful doors, and cobblestone streets, you’ll find fewer places in the Cyclades that do it better than in Sifnos.
There are three main towns in Sifnos that offer this: Apollonia, Artemonas, and Kastro. Apollonia and Artemonas are the main towns located in the center of the island only a few minutes from each other. Kastro is the old town located on the east coast of the island and is one of my favorite places in the Cyclades.
Apollonia Town
Apollonia is the main town of Sifnos. It would be considered the “Chora” of Sifnos but Sifnos is one of those islands that has their Chora as a name that’s not the name of the island (similar to Milos’ Plaka town).
Apollonia is located high up in the mountains roughly 7km from the port town of Kamares. There is a main road that connects the two towns as well as semi-regular bus service. The medieval civilizations preferred to build their towns inland away from the ports and out of sight because it helped deter marauding pirates.
Apollonia town is a quintessential Cycladic town with so many beautiful little houses, iconic stairs filled with shops and cafes. There is one main street with that you can walk through that has all the restaurants and bars the town has to offer. It’s similar to the Chora in Amorgos but it can’t compare to it in beauty!
Nowadays, Apollonia is actually a collection of different villages of which Apollonia is one of them (confused yet?), Artemonas, Ano Petali, Kato Petali, and Exambala. I mainly focused my time around Apollonia and Artemonas which are the two largest and most beautiful towns in the island.
Artemonas Town
About 1km away up the hill from Apollonia you’ll find the even more beautiful town of Artemonas. You can easily walk to Artemonas from Apollonia but be prepared for a bit of an incline. In the theme of the Cyclades, the higher you go, the more wealthy you are and Artemonas is definitely where the wealthier Greeks go to build their houses.
Artemonas is without a doubt one of the cutest Cycladic towns I saw during my entire trip through the Cyclades. It’s absolutely beautiful yet unpretentious with its perfectly manicured white houses, cobblestone steps, and flawless bougainvillea trees.
As the town is built on a hill, there are some serious stairs that you can use to ascend the town with churches, houses, and panoramic views all along the way. I’m very sad I didn’t have my DSLR with me as the photo possibilities here would be endless.
Nevertheless, you can’t walk too far without wanting to take photos, especially along the steps near to the church.
As you walk up Artemonas, at the top of the village are the famous windmills which sit near the top of the island. Nowadays, these windmills are actual Airbnbs that you can stay at!
Kamares Port Town
Kamares may be the port of Sifnos but it is also one of the nicest places to stay due to its long beach, fertile valley, great restaurants and cafes and the fact that the ferries generally are not in long enough to make Kamares seem like a ‘port’. Once the ferries leave you are in a quiet (but not too quiet), fishing town that has a taste of tourism but not enough to make you feel like you are in Mykonos or San Tropez
I actually quite liked the beach in the town as it offered a long sandy stretch with areas that had sunbeds and areas without. The water was calm and beautiful here with crowds that never seemed overwhelming. There are a ton of cafes and restaurants to the side of the beach which made for having great breakfast coffees on the beach (literally).
I stayed in Kamares because that was where the cheapest accommodation was in the August high season. Even during times of Coronavirus, Appolonia and Artemonas were completely full or had only expensive properties left. Nevertheless, I found very good accommodation for €60 a night and could walk to the apartment from the ferry.
From Kamares town, you can rent a scooter, ATV, or car to explore the island from the numerous shops, or you can take the bus which connects to all the points of interest on the island.
Kamares town is built along the edges of the beach. One side is mostly residential and the other side which you will see as soon as departing the ferry includes many restaurants, bars, and houses.
Visit Kastro Town
Next up is the old town of Kastro and my oh my does it just keep getting better. Sifnos is just so blessed with the most picturesque villages in the Cyclades. Kastro continues this trend. Located roughly 3km east of Appolonia and Artemonas, Kastro as the medieval capital of the island located on a hilltop overlooking the sea. You can easily reach Kastro by vehicle, bus from Kamares/Apollonia, or walk the 3km filled with beautiful views!
When you enter the town you go through tunnels and passageways into a labrynth of tiny streets wide enough for only two or three people to walk through. Once I made it through the tunnels, my jaws simply dropped at the sheer beauty of the houses so perfectly built next to each other.
You can tell these houses have been in Kastro for centuries but yet it’s still been preserved so perfectly throughout time. There are still people that live here as I was berated by a local grandma for sitting there like a robot taking photos.
The Kastro is in much better conditions than other places I’ve seen like in Antiparos and I could spend endless time here taking pictures. It really reminded me of the Kastro in Folegandros but perhaps 5x the size.
Visit the famous churches of Sifnos
Sifnos is known for its collection of amazing churches. There are hundreds of churches on this island and you won’t be able to drive very far without seeing them.
Church of the Seven Martyrs
On the sea side of the Kastro village are two small beautiful churches. The Church of the Seven Martyrs on the left sits above one of the finest spots for snorkeling on the island. Many people think this is the church from the wedding scene in Mamma Mia. It might as well have been. From the tiny church of Saint Nicholas you can see the surrounding islands of Folegandros, Sikinos, Antiparos and Paros.
This is the ultimate place to have breakfast in my opinion and there’s a perfect bench that faces East to watch the sunrise over the ocean. Since I stayed in Kamares town, there was no way I was going to make it to this sunrise at 6am in the morning.
Visit Chrisopigi Monastery
Chrisopigi Monastery is located on the south east side of the island just north of Gialos town. The Monastery of Panagia Chrissopigi in Sifnos, Greece: Perched atop a rock and surrounded by the sea, the Monastery of Panagia Chrissopigi is one of Sifnos’ most renowned landmarks and the island’s patron saint.
Founded in the 16th century on the site of an older church, it houses the icon of Panagia, discovered by fishermen floating in the sea. This icon is believed to be miraculous, with locals attributing it to the protection of the island from numerous dangers.
Sunset hike at Prophet Elias Church
For one of my all time favorite sunsets in the Cyclades, it has to be at the Prophet Elias Church near the port town of Kamares.
Upon checking into my guesthouse in Kamares, I was greeted with beautiful views of the bay and the towering mountains that surround the town. I immediately noticed that there were two white churches at the very top of these mountains that seemed like they would have epic views.
After renting my scooter, I asked the guys if those churches are possible to visit. Turns out they are! You simply need to drive up a very windy and steep road up to the top of the mountain that overlooks Kamares until you get to the starting point for the Prophet Elias Church, which is the one closest to the ocean.
Then there was a 20 minute hike from the main road to the top of the mountain which had this beautiful church perfectly placed.
The sun set directly in front of this church into the sea with perfect panoramic views of Sifnos and the surrounding islands. I made sure to bring a Mythos beer up to the church to enjoy the sunset. It was absolutely magical and one of my best sunsets in all the Cyclades. I even flew my drone here which I was expecting epic photos. Sadly, the wind was so strong that my drone stood no chance at promptly got taken away and into the abyss.
Nevertheless, this is one of those sunsets that will go into the memory bank but definitely one I can recommend to future travelers!
Stargazing at night
Sifnos is known for its hiking so you can expect a lot of mountainous terrain. Having just watched the sunset at Prophet Elias and following it up with dinner at Troulaki, I had to drive my scooter back through the mountains to the town of Kamares.
There is absolutely nothing on the road. No houses, no street lights, no traffic or anything. I stopped on the side of the road, turned my scooter lights off, and simply looked up. It was incredible.
Where to stay in Sifnos?
Sifnos has no shortage of amazing places to stay in all different budgets. I’ve been in Sifnos twice staying once in Kamares town and once outside of Artemonas. I can definitely recommend staying in the main towns over the port. Anywhere in the Apollonia, Artemonas, or Kastro areas are the best in my opinion.
There are also many accommodation options in the beach towns of Gialos or Vathi, but I prefer to stay closer to the main town where all the action is.
I stayed at the Skaloto Studios which was an amazing little guesthouse with incredible views over the Aegean. Waking up to these views every day was something special and something I never could get used to. I can highly recommend staying here although you’ll need a car/scooter/ATV to get around.
Budget Accommodation – <€150
Mid Level Accommodations – €150 – €350
Luxury Accommodations – €350+
Where to eat on Sifnos Island?
Sifnians are renowned in Greece to be some of the best chefs. It’s not hard to see why as Sifnos has some of the best foods the islands have to offer. After coming to Sifnos twice, I’ve been to many of the best restaurants on the island and can absolutely see why Sifnos gets the reputation it does. Here is a list of all my favorite restaurants and bars on the island.
Dinner at Sunset in Troulaki
After spending the sunset at the Prophet Elias Church, there is a taverna with beautiful views of the sunset and ocean down the road.
The sunset here is absolutely stunning and the taverna is about as quintessential Greek islands as it gets. Located facing due west, this taverna has a perfect view of the sunset over the Aegean. Paired with a glass of local rose, I don’t know what else could be better!
The food here is also top notch as it’s a family run taverna serving local charcoal grilled food. I had the lamb chops, pork tomahawk steak, Greek salad and chickpea balls. The food was incredible and I can definitely recommend it.
The owners were very friendly and even gave me alcohol afterwards.
Kafeneio Drakakis
I had dinner one night in Apollonia along the main strip one night and settled on this really well rated meze style restaurant called Kafeneio.
I immediately knew I came to the right place just from the sheer demand of people looking to eat there. I had a bunch of different mezes including the lamb souvlaki which was amazing.
Perivoli
In Artemonas, I had dinner one night at a more upscale place. This restaurant was more “modern” but still stayed true to the local flavors. It had a beautiful open air garden that was perfect for a one person dinner.
Make sure to try the local style Sifnos lamb dish called Mastelo which is fall off the bone tenderness.
Cafe Mosaic
Cafe Mosaic is my favorite place to eat in Artemonas. This local style taverna serves delicious Greek delicacies in a tapas style format. Small dishes here are meant to be shared and each is done with amazing quality and precision.
The cafe is located right in front of a beautiful church which just adds to the beauty of it. The place fills up later in the night so make sure to get here early to enjoy the crowds.
Bostani
Bostani is part of an upscale hotel and has a beautiful view over the cliffs in East Sifnos. While this doesn’t have a sunset view, it has a beautiful view over Kastro which lights up beautifully when the sun sets.
Bostani is one of many elevated modern Greek restaurants on Sifnos that is serving up incredible food. While the prices are higher, it is worthwhile for the experience, views, and food. While the menu changes all the time, the few dishes I had here were absolutely delicious.
Lempesis
This taverna was recommended to me by my guesthouse as well as some French people I met that lived on the island. It’s not as much on the main strip in Artemonas town but my goodness was it delicious. The food is farm-to-table and you can really taste the freshness of the delicious ingredients. Service was a delight and the prices are very reasonable.
Astro Restaurant
One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Sifnos has to be the Astro restaurant in the Kastro. This very quaint local taverna in the ultra quaint Kastro town is the perfect place to have a lunch in the old town. With views of the terraced fields of Sifnos, this restaurant is picture perfect.
For the food, this restaurant had all the local Greek delicacies. Being only two people, we could only eat so much. The feta cheese in filo dough with honey and sesame is an absolute must. The lamb chops were the best I had in Sifnos (and I had many) and is a must try. The shrimp saganaki, while it can’t match that of the one I had in Astypalaia, was still delicious and a perfect pairing with the bread.
Chrysopigi Taverna
Located next to the famous Chrysopigi monastery, this taverna provides the ultimate in beautiful Instagrammable views (as if other restaurants in Greece didn’t already provide this). Located on the beach adjacent to the monastery, this taverna is located right on the beach with beautiful turquoise waters in front while looking straight at the monastery.
You couldn’t paint a better picture than this.
The restaurant itself is also fantastic serving all the Greek classics. They specialize in seafood so make sure to order whatever seafood is fresh on the menu.
Loggia Wine Bar
If there’s one F&B place you need to visit in Sifnos, it might have to be Loggia Wine Bar. Located in the Kastro on its beautiful white steps is a wine bar that overlooks the bay and Aegean. This wine bar opens from 7pm and quickly becomes packed as all the fashionable people of Sifnos flock here for the sunset views.
They place numerous tables along the edge of the walking trail with incredible views of Sifnos. For those that don’t want tables, you can sit on the picturesque stairs leading into the Kastro center while overlooking the wine bar.
Omega3
Located in the beach town of Platis Gialos in the south, this place came highly recommended. It’s an amazing fish restaurant where a lot of dishes come with a Peruvian flair. Raw fish, crab, shrimps, scallops all are combined to form excellent dishes.
The restaurant serves shared plates so you can taste a lot of different ones. The place is also excellent since you are dining by the sea. Prices aren’t cheap but it is well worth it in my opinion. It’s apparently one of Tom Hanks favorite hang out spots and he will come by his yacht from his Antiparos home.
Visit the beaches in Sifnos
Sifnos, as Cycladic islands do, offer a ton of beautiful beaches. The beaches in Sifnos are not the best in the Cyclades, that honor would go to Ios in my opinion, but there is a solid selection.
Kamares Beach
This will be the first beach anyone sees in Sifnos. As you approach by ferry, you will see the port town of Kamares which is home to a beautiful long beach filled with sunbeds and the works.
Beaches by the Church of the Seven Martyrs in the Kastro
There are a bunch of flat rocks near the Church of the Seven Martyrs in the Kastro district where I saw many people sunbathing and jumping into the sea. I’m not a huge fan of rocky beaches but I suspect if I had more time in Sifnos or if I were staying in Kastro, I would definitely pay a visit to this place.
Platis Gialos Beach
Located in the very south, Platis Gialos is a beachside town with lots of nice resorts, restaurants, and bars built up. The beach itself is also quite nice although very busy in the peak months.
Vathi Beach
Located about 20 minutes west of Gialos is Vathi Beach. Vathi is also another town filled with resorts, restaurants, bars and the like. The beach stretches for about a mile and though not officially a nude beach, you can get far enough away so that nobody will care.
When is the best time to visit Sifnos?
Sifnos is in the middle of the Cyclades archipelago. The climate in the cycladic islands are pretty much all the same. It enjoys a mild and pleasant climate all year round.
In the summer months, temperatures are highest around 30 degrees or so during the day and dropping to 24 or so at night. The days are normally sunny for months on end. I spent all of July and August traveling around the Cyclades and it was only cloudy or rained one day. Every day is paradise in the summer months.
The shoulder seasons from Sep to October and Apr to June are also quite pleasant but you will see some days of cloud and rain, albeit still not that bad. However, I have heard that November can be particularly bad with the rain/clouds.
The winter months or off season is usually colder but temperatures never really drop below 10 degrees. These months between Nov to Mar are the slowest months and tourism usually grinds to a halt. Ferries run a handful of times a week and almost all restaurants are closed. The population easily triples during the summer season.
When should I to visit Sifnos?
So what is the best time to visit Sifnos? For starters, the tourist season only runs from Easter (sometime between Mid April and Early May) to the end of September (maybe first week of October). It really depends on what you’re after. If you want non stop hot sun, then you will need to visit in the summer.
These are the best months to swim in the ocean as the water temperatures will be a pleasant 24 to 25 degrees. However, this is also when all of Greece and the rest of Europe also choose to visit Greece so the crowds will be at their peak.
Prices will be the highest between June and Sep (particularly July and August). I visited the Cyclades during Coronavirus times so even during the peak months it was not overwhelming but there were still a good amount of people. I can only imagine what Sifnos and other islands would be like during a typical summer.
If I were to return to the Cyclades, I would come during the shoulder months, particularly late May to late June as well as the entire month of September. These months, while not as hot as summer months, will still be very pleasant in the 25c-30c range. I’m not crazy about the beaches in the Cyclades as I don’t really find them to be that beautiful so I can deal with not swimming in the ocean.
However, the prices for accommodation will be 30% lower, and the crowds will be at least 50% lower which would be absolutely divine!
Getting around Sifnos
Sifnos, like pretty much every other island in the Cyclades is really meant for a DIY type of adventure. While there are cabs you can take, they are not cheap and not easy if you’re looking to explore multiple places. If you’re staying in the Chora and just want a cab ride to the nearest beach, then that will suffice but otherwise it’s best to have your own transportation.
In Sifnos, the best way to get around is by scooter or ATV in my opinion. Cars are also an option but I always prefer a good scooter as it’s more interesting. Sifnos is a large island so if you’re not really a fan of scootering, then I’d recommend renting a car since you’ll need to cover more distance.
Rent an ATV or Scooter
Renting an ATV can be done pretty much anywhere on the island. There are countless shops in the port town of Kamares that have scooter/ATV rentals so there’s no need to book before hand. Prices are mostly set but there is always some negotiation room but do not expect to get huge discounts because the shops work with each other to form a minimum price.
ATVs can be rented for around €30-40 depending on the motor size. Gas is not included in the price but they do not take much. Scooters can be had for around €20 for a 125cc engine.
You will need an EU Drivers license or international drivers license to rent a scooter or ATV
Greece is famously strict about adhering to the drivers license rule. If you have an American drivers license, they will not rent you anything unless you have an international license to go along with it. I did not find anyone that would skirt these rules, even with the shadiest looking of places. Thankfully, living in Europe and having the right US drivers license, I was able to convert mine into a EU license quite easily.
