My week on Sifnos seems long ago by now, but it was such a lovely island that I think about going back again. Or at least recommend it to friends and family. You cannot go wrong with Greece, every island as well as the main land is lovely and so are its people. Coming back each year to this country doesn’t give me a special kind of insight, although I do observe changes over the years. In any case, here is what I learned on Sifnos. Yours, Pollybert
1.) The train to Piraeus goes only once an hour and that is shortly after the full hour. Waiting at the platform can be really long when you just missed the train, but it is also the cheapest option to get to the port. On the way back the train leaves at around :40 past every hour. Please check the operating times for the train since it doesn’t run 24 hours.
2.) Google is always right. If a restaurant shows up with only 3.9 average from the reviews, then there’s seriously something wrong with it. I learned this lesson the hard way and should check restaurants for their rating before sitting down.
3.) There’s no more vinegar and olive oil on the table. The salads nowadays are already dressed. so if you ask for it there’s an extra charge. Or it’s available in small sachets.
olive oil and vinegar in small sachet @Cheronissos beach
4.) There were a lot of beaches without lounger and umbrella sets for rent. But they do have many places with natural shade or stationary umbrellas (Platis Gialos).
5.) No more free dessert. Usually it was either fruit or a piece of cake cut in smaller pieces. Just once we got a small chocolate ice cream after our meal.
6.) The local cheese on Sifnos is called Mizithra and is white like regular feta, but totally creamy! If you buy for breakfast, you need to finish it quickly. It has a rather pungent smell after two days.
7.) When there is a wind going the green stuff in your drink isn’t a herb.
8.) The cats on Sifnos looked well fed and cared for.
our two daily guests at breakfast @Katerina Studios
9.) The best ouzo brand is Mini. It burns the least and has a very smooth taste.
10.) Nothing beats a dinner while looking out onto the sea.
ouzo, unfortunately not the good stuff, before dinner @Vathi
11.) Sifnos has an exceptional lot of French and American tourists. No idea why this island is so popular for these two nations.
12.) We took a low cost carrier to Athens and were both ways delayed. That was not the problem, because nowadays every airline is delayed. The problem was that in Athens the low cost carriers fly out of a satellite hub, about 15 minutes on foot from the main departure area. Not only does the satellite hub have only one small restaurant, there are also not enough seats for when multiple planes are delayed. We sat for two hours on a small carpeted area and were lucky to have found that little ‘piece of heaven’ in a sea of stressed travelers.
leaving late at night @Athens
