View from above of a large beach with a few houses and a port with a small settlement. White church in the foreground.

Serifos

NOW 21 °C

Next 5 days

FRI 20 °C
SAT 18 °C
SUN 12 °C
MON 14 °C
TUES 16 °C

Source: National Observatory of Athens /meteo.gr

An island of raw beauty

Serifos is an island with rugged mining sites, a glorious history, and a special style of its own. Once you are there, you will be impressed by the serenity of the landscape, as your senses get attuned to its beauty. The land is made of iron and granite, making Serifos the rockiest island in the Cyclades. It may be an arid place, but it boasts some of the most beautiful beaches found on the Aegean Sea islands.

Serifos’ rugged terrain is the reason for its large variety of beaches. Rocky and pebbly or gold-coloured sands are all washed by crystal-clear deep blue waters. You can access most of them by car, while other locations you can reach through paths or by boat. The island’s pride is Psili Ammos, which has received an award as the top beach among the twenty best beaches in Europe.

The island villages have been built the traditional way, following the local architectural style; you’ll see white-washed little houses with blue-coloured frames on their windows that add to the beauty of the natural surroundings. Serifos is not far from Athens - only two and a half hours by high-speed ferry and about four by conventional ferry. It’s a popular destination for many people and it has fans who visit it every year, either for the weekend or for a longer stay. Serifos is often the choice for those who want a laid-back holiday, but there are also plenty of outdoor activities for you to try here; hiking (along sign-posted paths), climbing, mountain biking, and scuba-diving.

2 small white churches with bell tower and harbor view

According to the myth, Perseus arrived at the shores of Serifos with his mother, Danae, locked in a chest. To punish Polydectes, King of Serifos, he killed the Gorgon Medusa [a mythical creature] and showed him her severed head: upon seeing it, Polydectes turned to stone.

Touring the Island

Beautiful Chora

Chora’s houses cover the rocky hillside facing the cove and Livadi; until the end of pirate raids in the late 17th century, the view from that location offered the locals precious time to prepare for the attack. It is a very elegant town and its beautiful image wins the visitor over from aboard the ship before docking at the harbour. It is the most picturesque town of the island, with small white-washed houses arranged around the hilltop - a truly charming view. There are two neighbourhoods Pano Chora and Kato Chora, with flights of stairs connecting them. The entire town arrangement oozes harmony and elegant simplicity.

The few shops, bars, cafés, and tavernas are scattered along the narrow backstreets, built in the local style. Walk from Chora up to the Castle, it’s a 10-minute stroll. The edifice was constructed by the Venetians during the 15th century. When you reach the top, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the immense blue skies and the like-coloured sea below! Visit Christ Church and Agia Sofia chapel.Take your pics by the renovated windmills, which you’ll see as soon as you arrive at the car park by the road.
Head to Piatsa, the picturesque marble-paved square in the heart of Chora, where the beautiful neoclassical building of the Town Hall (1907) is located. Exit the square to the right, walk along Perseos St. and follow the sign to the castle; you’ll reach the steps that lead down to the path towards Livadi. Continue straight ahead and within a few metres further down you will see Lotzia i.e. the west gate of the old fortified town.
Visit the Archaeological Collection and see exhibits dating to the Late Hellenistic and Roman Periods at Mylon Square, Chora, as well as the Folk Art Museum in Kato Chora.
Make sure you also visit the remarkable post Byzantine churches of Agios Athanasios (the main island church - metropolis), Evangelismos, Agios Eleftherios and Agios Konstantinos.

Livadi, a picturesque harbour
Livadi is the only port on Serifos Island, and the pretty and well-tended seaside area is a nice place to go for a walk. You’ll find cafés, fish tavernas, and confectioner’s shops by the seashore, only a few metres away from the wharf. The Livadi area boasts one of the island’s prettiest sheltered beaches with fine sand. Visit also the nearby Avlomonas and Livadakia beautiful beaches.

Panagia
This is a mountain village with white-washed houses and an amazing view over the inland. The houses have been built around the age-old Byzantine church of Panagia, which dates to 950 - 1000; see also the 14th century murals inside it. The nearby Agios Stefanos Church, and its murals date back to the Byzantine period, too.

Taxiarchon Monastery
This is Serifos’ most important historic building. The fortified Monastery was founded in 1449 and it has experienced many pirate raids in the past. See the church’s impressive icon screen, the wood-carved Bishop’s throne and the Epitafios [a wooden bier where the embroidered cloth icon of the dead body of Christ is laid for the Good Friday service]. Please contact the Abbot before visiting.

Megalo Livadi
It has a picturesque little harbour and a beautiful beach. Today the village has few residents, but in the 19th century, it was the island’s busiest port where ore and metal exports took place. Mining on Serifos is an ancient activity, as there were rich deposits of gold and iron on the island. Visit the remarkable post Byzantine churches in the area, such as Agios Nikolaos and Agios Ioannis Prodromos Churches; their 17th century murals are impressive.

Koutalas
This is a seaside village built in an area with beautiful natural surroundings and beaches. Visit Kastro tis Grias (Old Lady’s Castle) on the hill, overlooking Koutalas; the Cave where you’ll see stalactites and stalagmites in funny shapes; and Aspro Pyrgo (White Tower), a round marble building dating to the Late Classical Period of Greek Antiquity.