Dainty, dazzling and delicious, Sifnos is a soulful delight with a hint of posh.
In its compact size, it’s also especially convenient for family holidays.
🏖️ 👨🌾 🏛️
If Greece is home to great gastronomy, Sifnos is said to be its paragon. A semi-secret hideaway of the cognoscenti and French grecophiles, it’s also known for its unique village charm.
But the island is a thumb-smudge of a mere 75 square kilometers. Was it going to be boring? What exactly does it mean to be a gastronomic gem? And as for the all-important summer beach scene – is it really as impressive as some reviews suggest?
As we check into our Airbnb, our hosts tell us it’s busy for June (the best time to visit, we think). We quickly discover that a busy June still allows you to slip into a languid rhythm even on buzzier Platis Gialos. Yet, Sifnos is far from boring. With graphic mountain villages, striking churches set on daring rock outcrops, scenic hiking paths, sizzling dining, fine barefoot wining, and troves of exquisite pottery to discover, seven days on the island was just enough.
The only slightly bland thing for us was its coast. Cloaked in brownish-grey sand, the island’s beaches don’t boast the dreamy spectrum of colours of Greece’s best. Still in love with Sifnos, we found there’s more to the island than just a pretty shoreline.
WHERE TO STAY WITH KIDS
Platis Gialos is superbly located. Equipped with every convenience, including the island’s best beach, don’t let the “beach resort” reference put you off. Its vibe is more of a quaint seaside village dotted with guesthouses, pottery shops, traditional taverns and stylish cafe-bars (Lost Bay shakes up great cocktails). There’s also a modest playground by the sea at its center (by NUS taverna, run by Narlis Farms, which organises farm tours and pottery classes for kids 8 years and older).
We stayed at Miles Away, the beach just steps from our patio. Perfectly appointed and in a prime location, a few meters to the left were some of the island’s best wining and dining venues. Every morning, a bleary-eyed saunter to Palmira would get the day started with a wake-up brew. A few doors down at To Steki, we might break for a hearty lunch exemplary of traditional Sifnian perfection. And at Omega3 another few doors away, a modern kind of mouth-watering experience that arrives with a drizzle of chili, brightly coloured globules, or pink foam.
The mini market next to Omega3 catered to most of our practical needs – fresh baked bread for breakfast (supplied by the bakery behind), fruit, and legumes and vegetables (frozen and fresh) for tossing up simple meals in our Airbnb.
So here, in this idyllic stretch, we found the sum total of our family’s requirements and more. Where all is easy, I can’t think of a more perfect spot for a family with children under two.
Kamares is the other sizable seaside village to consider. But the feel here is distinctly less tranquil and free . Bounded by towering mountains on each side, a portside buzz reverberates from the main road running through. It’s also less central than Platis Gialos if you plan on exploring the island’s southeastern beaches and attractions (e.g. Kastro and Chrisopigi).
THE BEACH SCENE
Sifnos is not reputed for its beaches. Compared with the champagne shores and aquamarine waters of Koufonisia and Naxos, the islands’ muddy sand is more akin to potter’s clay. Still pristine, its waters sparkle radiantly in the light of the flattering Greek sun. Simplifying the search for parents, there isn’t a confusing array of swimmable bays to choose from. Most are also shallow, calm, and tot-friendly. Here are our favourites.
VILLAGES
Without stunning shores to boast of, one of Sifnos’ central charm is its villages. While small, they are soulful. Boho-chic ladies toting two thousand dollar straw bags amble down the alleyways of quiet Artemonas and its neoclassical manors. Elderly men savour cigars with sweaters slung over shoulders and knotted in front, while their younger counterparts promenade with fitted shirts and cropped pants.
As with most Greek mountain villages with innumerable steps to battle with, forget the stroller. Early mornings and evenings are the best time to visit to avoid the heat. Like the shops and cafes that close for a 2pm to 5pm siesta, it’s a good idea to follow suit with a delayed nap so the kids can keep up with village children dashing around playgrounds and squares on late Mediterranean nights.
— APOLLONIA —
Apollonia is the Chora (main town) and capital. Small, but with enough bars and restaurants for some stirring nightlife. Drop a Google map pin on Vergeraki bakery and head up the path to its right to find the main alleyways of interest.
— KASTRO —
Cliff-top Kastro, the island’s ancient capital inhabited since prehistoric times, is a sight to behold. Within its sleepy medieval walls, an Alice in Wonderland like walk awaits with unsuspecting delights: a loukoumades (Greek doughnut) bolthole in a bright pop of red, a Cuban-inspired cocktail bar wrapped around a scenic corner, and at its foot on Seralia beach below, an unlikely experimental culinary outpost called Cantina, co-owned by the former Head Chef of Omega3. The highlight? As you emerge into the seaside pathway, the solitary blue-domed Church of The Seven Martyrs sits commandingly on an islet. Tiny, commanding, and infectiously serene.
DINING WITH KIDS
Delicious Sifnos. Home to Greece’s first celebrity chef, there are modern dining options that rival experienced counterparts in Santorini within its terraced and smartly cultivated mountainous terrain. But beyond deconstructed meals, an embellished reputation, and romantic accounts of sage and thyme scented air, truth be told, we found that Sifnos had the same share of mediocre and very good restaurants we experienced on most other Greek islands.
So where can you go for a satisfying meal where you don’t have to wrestle for space in tight alleyways, or worry about tots falling off stools in haute-hip hotspots?
— TO STEKI (PLATIS GIALOS) —
Initiating us into the island’s revered recipes of chickpea stew (revitha) and slowcooked lamb (mastelo), every spoonful at family-run To Steki was soul-warming, Sifnian heaven. Perched a step up from the beach, a play area of sandy shores lies below.
— CHRISOPIGI TAVERNA (APOFTOKO) —
Set along a series of uphill steps, great views of the picturesque bay can be enjoyed from most vantage points in the taverna. They, too, serve a beautiful lamb mastelo and veal stamna.
— KAFENEIO DRAKAKIS (APOLLONIA) —
Space is always tight between Greek village walls. And the eateries nestled within are not always conducive for families with chairs spilling into walkways. In spite of its overblown popularity and sleepy service, Drakakis‘ position by a small square is a big plus for parents who enjoy eating as they watch over their kids scamper around.
WHEN TO VISIT
Tourists to Greece are increasingly discovering the many benefits of travelling in spring and autumn over its searing summers. Both the heat and crowds are more bearable than in the peak months of July and August. Yet, on small islands like Sifnos, a little too early in Spring might mean many businesses have yet to open, or too late in Autumn and they have already shut for the season. The first 2 weeks of June and the first 2 weeks of September are our favourite times to visit.
GETTING THERE
Sifnos is a nap of a two-and-a-half hour journey by fast-ferry from Athens’ Pireaus port. First stopping at Serifos, after Sifnos the boat continues onto Milos. While the island has no airport, you can also fly into Milos (a 40-minute ride away on a high-speed ferry) for a perfect island pairing. More island hopping itineraries according to ferry links available can be viewed here.
FIND A FERRY TO SIFNOS
Input your planned travel dates to find ferry schedules and pricing from Pireaus port.
