Sifnos is a little slip of an island in the Cyclades, often overlooked in favour of its larger neighbours, Paros & Milos. The Greek island is home to 2,500 people and is sparsely populated due to the dramatic mountains that form the island. I spent three days in Sifnos, and loved exploring this stunning, under-the-radar Greek island. I’ve written this Sifnos Travel Guide to share some of my favourite finds in Sifnos, including the best villages to visit in Sifnos, where to stay in Sifnos, and the best things to do and see in Sifnos.

Sifnos’ tranquillity is infectious. I arrived in Greece with very frayed nerves, after moving to New York City a few months prior and spending the time looking for a job (and finding nothing I wanted to apply for). All of the islands were relaxing, but spending a few days in Sifnos was like pushing a full re-set button.

The rugged hills are dripping in bougainvillea, oleander and mimosa, and the air is so fresh and sweet that you could spend an hour just relishing breathing.  We woke up to the sound of goat’s gently bleating, which echoed through the hills around our apartment, and couldn’t have felt farther away from New York City if we tried.

Where to stay in Sifnos

We stayed a ten-minute walk outside of the main village, Apollonia, at Nostos Sifnos, a small complex of ten apartments built in traditional Cycladic style. Our rom had a small kitchenette, private bathroom and my favourite part: a private veranda which overlooked the countryside. I could have stayed here for a month. Unless you’re comfortable with a ten-minute walk into town every morning, it’s best to hire a car if you stay here. The walk wasn’t a problem for us, but sometimes I wished we had an easier way to get to our apartment each day. Check out my post about where to stay in Sifnos for more details on which area of Sifnos is right for you.

The best villages in Sifnos to visit

Apollonia

Apollonia is the major village in Sifnos, tucked away up in the mountains of the island. Apollonia feels remote and peaceful, but still enough restaurants, bakeries and facilities to make your stay easy and comfortable. There is a small maze of whitewashed stone streets, but nothing on the scale of the impressive villages of Paros like Parikia, Lefkes and Naousa.

Kamares

Kamares is Sifnos’ main port, and a small town has sprung up along the water as a result. While the bay is very beautiful, and you might want to stay here for a meal by the water on your way in or out of the island, I’d recommend staying at one of the more lively and better connected towns during your stay.

Artemonas

Artemonas is even smaller than Apollonia, and not far from the village. Artemonas is connected to the bus route, but I’d suggest that unless you particularly want a lot of peace and quiet, that you stay in Apollonia instead.

Platis Gialis

Platis Gialis is a popular beach resort, with a number of hotels lining the waterfront. There’s a beach club, and a handful of restaurants and bars, making it a convenient place to stay if you want to stay somewhere with beach access. It doesn’t have the traditional village feel like Apollonia, because there isn’t much of a village so to speak, but the beach access is a huge drawcard.

The Best Beaches in Sifnos

Chrissopiggi

Best known for being home to Sifnos most famous church of the same name, Chrissopiggi is also worth visiting for the spectacular beach at the base of the cliffs that lead to the church. Shallow, clear and calm waters and a small but rarely over-crowded beach make it a great spot to spend a lazy morning or afternoon.

Cheronissos

Cheronissos is my favourite beach in Sifnos, partially because of it’s remote location which is enough to deter most tourists. Catch the bus to Cheronissos, and keep an eye on the timetable as it only comes every couple of hours, even in peak season.

Faros

On my next trip to Sifnos, I would seriously consider staying in Faros. It’s much smaller than Apollonia, but if there were apartments here for rent, I’d love to spend a few days not leaving the beach, except for lunch at the taverna here.

Glyfos

Connected to Faros by a short walking path, Glyfos is an equally pretty beach, but is a little bit larger and has more shade, thanks to a string of trees lining the sand.

Platis Gialis

One of the most popular and well-serviced beaches in Sifnos, Platis Gialis is a long beach lined with several restaurants and beach resorts. If you’re looking for a beach club or somewhere you can spend the whole day, Platis Gialis is a good spot as it has everything you need. It’s a little less peaceful than the other aforementioned beaches though.

Vathy

Similar to Platis Gialis, Vathy is another popular beach resort, with several beach clubs. This beach gets really busy, and on the day we went there wasn’t a single chair available at any of the beach clubs. Unfortunately, there’s a lot less shade here so it’s not as pleasant for spending a day on the sand unsheltered, unless you’re seriously committed to your tan. There are a few tavernas along the water, down one end of the beach, which make a nice spot for lunch.

The Best Restaurants in Sifnos

Omega3, Platis Gialis

Omega3 is one of the most famous restaurants on Sifnos, and is located by the waterfront in the beach resort Platis Gialis. We didn’t reserve a table in advance, and just stayed for a glass of wine and a couple of small plates in the early afternoon, but I’d recommend booking for dinner and making a night of it.

Pipis Bakery in Kamares

I didn’t spend much time in Kamares, but I did have a perfect bakery breakfast by the water on my last morning in Sifnos. We were waiting for our ferry to Milos, and were able to have a cheap and delicious cheese pie for breakfast at Pipis Bakery.

Have you been to Sifnos? Would you like to? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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