Every June, just before the main summer holidays, I try to go to Greece for week. This time we booked a trip to Sifnos, a small Cycladic island without an airport. Getting there is easy, you fly into Athens, take the train to Piraeus, and from there the ferry.
ferry to Sifnos @Piraeus
The advantage of taking a ferry to your destination is obvious. No airport means less tourists and more for yourself. Also going through Piraeus meant in our case an extra evening to enjoy Greek hospitality. We spent the night at the Piraeus Acropole hotel, just around the corner from the Seajets Port Gate 9, and even closer to the restaurant Paloi Roli. The food was so good that we came back on our return to Piraeus and the live music was perfect on our arrival. Just how you wish a holiday to start
live music @Palio Roloi Piraeus
So why Sifnos you might ask yourself? Besides a wholehearted ‘Why not?’, Sifnos is as beautiful as any other Cycladic island. Each one is different, so they are all worth exploring. This one has the added advantage that there is nothing to see, so resign yourself to a week of beach vacation.
Sifnos in Greek means empty or so my guide book explained. Apparently in the eon of time the locals cheated Apollo out of his yearly golden egg, so in his wrath he flooded the gold mines on the island and left the inhabitants with nothing. Hence the name. I am not sure though if Sifnos can be deemed empty with all its beaches and the beautiful village of Appolonia. We stayed here during our week on Sifnos at Katerina studios, which I really want to recommend. The apartments had everything we could wish for, including fresh lemon juice!
very quiet in the morning @Appolonia
We stayed up in Apollonia for a reason. This time we wouldn’t rent a car, but rather take the bus to all the beaches. The main bus stations are in Appolonia and you can go directly to every beach there is on the island. Also the choice of shops, restaurants, and nightlife is by far the best up here. Okay, about the nightlife I actually don’t know anything. But the beaches are best done from here if you do not want to rent a car.
Platis Gialos beach @Sifnos
If you really find yourself in the mood for sightseeing, there is the village of Kastro. It is the oldest settlement on the island, dating back to the early Bronze Age. We spent a morning here, wandering through the old village and checking out the small museum.
exhibition @Kastro museum
There are also a couple of remote churches dotted around the island. It was enough for me to glance at them from a distance, I never got near one during my stay.
small church @Kastro
What I enjoyed the most on Sifnos was the relaxed vibe of the island, the friendly locals, the many beaches, and really good food. Yours, Pollybert
