Sifnos island

Sifnos, tha small traditional Cycladic island, is one of the most preferred travel destinations for Greeks and attracts travelers all year round. Having its own distinct authentic character, Sifnos has managed to attract visitors from all over the world as well. Tourists will find quite a few hotels in Sifnos but the majority of accommodation units of the island are rooms to let.

This small yet highly touristic island is among the few traditional areas in the Aegean. The fishermen in their small caiques still bring their catch every day. The locals still build the dry stone field walls to separate their properties. The houses still retain their bright white colour. The farmers still cultivate their land. Although Sifnos has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in Greece, it still maintains its authenticity.

The cobbled alleys, the traditional architecture, the lovely beaches, the great food and the excellent nightlife are only few of Sifnos' attraction points.

The island was famous in ancient times for the wealth which came from its gold and silver mines and the quarries of Sifnos stone. It enjoyed great prosperity in Classical times, as can be seen from its Treasury, dedicated to Apollo at Delphi.

The rocky landscape is broken up by the white chapels and houses and a few trees scattered here and there. This is the first impression as the ferry approaches the harbour. But the beauties of this Aegean jewel are yet to be revealed.

From the port of Kamares, a vivid and modern town with pottery workshops, an attractive drive brings us to Apollonia, the island's capital. Standing on three hillsides, with its typical Cycladic style of architecture, it is breathtakingly beautiful. It has an interesting folklore museum, while the churches of the greatest interest are those of Our Lady 'Ouranofora' and St. Sozon.

Like that of the villages round about (Artemonas, Exambela, Kato Petali), the architecture of Apolonia is an odd assemblage in which walls, terraces, courtyards and alleyways form large cubes in a continuous complex, in total harmony with the natural environment.

The sole exception to this is the old capital of Kastro, which remains an example of medieval town planning. A collection of Archaic and Hellenistic sculpture and of ceramics from the Geometric to the Byzantine period is on display in its Archaeological Museum.

Picturesque windmills surrender their sails to the vagaries of the wind, while no fewer than 365 churches and chapels sprout all over the island like white mushrooms from the gray carpet of the island's terrain. The monasteries of Sifnos, such as that of St. Symeon, of Ai-Lias, the Vrissi monastery with an interesting little Byzantine museum and that of Our Lady 'Hryssopigi', the patron saint of the island, are held in high esteem.

The strong local color of the mountainous island with its strips of coastal plain is further heightened by its picturesque fairs and festivals. There are clean and attractive beaches at Kamares, Faros and Platis Gialos, as well as quieter and lesser-known ones, such as those at Hersonissos, Vroulidia and Fikiada Fassolou.

Tourist facilities on Sifnos are of a good standard and it is possible for the visitor to combine a lively night life with a peaceful island existence close to nature.