Sifnos: The Cyclades at their best!

  Every year at the end of spring, all of us plan the desired summer holidays. All of us are in search of the ideal travel destination , which will meet our needs for relaxation, entertainment and outdoor activities, which we couldn’t pursue before due to our limited free time.  On the basis of the criteria above, I chose to spend my vacation on the cosmopolitan island of Sifnos.

  Being an aficionado of the minimal beauty of Cyclades, Sifnos was a one- way choice for my vacations. A warm morning of July 2011 I disembarked at Kamares, the port of Sifnos. I was initially impressed by the picturesque setting of the white houses with the blue doors and windows- typical sample of the Cycladic architecture. My friends and I, took the bus and headed to Apollonia, the main settlement of the island- one of the few that are situated in the interior, not in the port.

  This was the place that we would stay. We settled down to the hotel we previously booked, we had a talk with the owners of the hotel, enjoying the view of Apollonia that we had from our yard. Losing no time, we visited Apollonia for our first contact. We realized that apart from the the natural elegance of the houses and shops, the locals of Sifnos are truly hospitable and polite to tourists, making you feel like “ their fellow”, something that pleased us a lot.

  We rented a car for our transport and started our way to the beach of Platis Yalos. During our way to the beach we spotted many churches and little chapels on the island, built on the most remote locations, while afterwards we learnt that the island “ hosts” 372 churches- the greatest number of churches in comparison to any other Cycladic island. Swimming, coffee, games and sports on the beach lasted till the late afternoon. We came back to Apollonia for food, where we tasted Revithokeftedes and other local dishes- truly delicious!!!

  We headed back to our lodges for some rest, chatting and preparation for our night going-out.  The nightlife of Sifnos mainly at the Street of… Madness- after a while I understood the reason of the name- offers a variety of choices to the visitors: taverns with live local traditional music, rock bars, chic restaurants, bars and clubs with elegant decoration and innovative suggestions for cocktails- we formed a personal opinion of them….

  The schedule of the rest of the days was similar to the one of the first day. The visit to the Castle of Sifnos and the descent towards the chapel of the Seven Martyrs- literally in the sea- were worth mentioning. That was a bit tiresome but unique experience, granted that the view is breathtaking both from the Castle and the Chapel.

  Another highlight of our vacation was the beach and the settlement of Faros, as well as the tracked path from Faros to the beach and the Monastery of Chryssopigi- the most photographed church in the Cyclades!!!!!!

  Our short stay at the island was immemorable. Sifnos is considered to be an emerging destination in the Aegean during the recent years, providing qualitative proposals and choices for all financial levels and for all the types of services. You wouldn’t feel that the services selected by you are inequivalent to the quality they offer. Undoubtedly, Sifnos is an ideal destination choice for those who wish to combine relaxation, clean beaches, alternative activities with good food, classy restaurants and bars.

George Kakoutis