Sifnos: the island of Greek gastronomy

I was born and raised in Greece, a country with a rich history, and a healthy and delicious cuisine. As a child, I would often hear the word ‘tselementes’ being used to refer to any cookbook. So, I naturally assumed that it meant ‘cookbook’. Not quite so. I later learned that Nikolaos Tselementes was a Greek chef and cookery writer born on the island of Sifnos in the late 19^th century. 130 years later, this small Cycladic island is considered the capital of Greek gastronomy.

Sifnos is located in the western Cyclades, northeast of Milos and south of Serifos, which I also visited last summer. Despite the island’s close proximity to the laid-back Serifos, Sifnos has a very different vibe. Not only a gourmet island, it is also a very chic one. Does this sound like Mykonos? Trust me, it is neither as pretentious nor as hedonistic as the famous neighbor.

With a small population of just under 3,000, Sifnos has plenty of villages worth visiting: Apollonia (the capital), Ano Petali, Artemonas, the cliff-top Kastro, and Kamares (the port). Then it has a decent number of (more than decent) beaches (guess this is what most people sign up for): Herronisos, Hrysopigi, Platys Gialos to mention just a few. And then it has a very large number of Greek orthodox churches and chapels: more than 360 scattered all around the island. Church spotting aside, here are my top tips:

Top 7 tips by an (almost) local:

Tip 1: Savor the local cuisine

Fish and seafood play a protagonist role in the Cycladic cuisine; however, Sifnos is famous for a dish called ‘mastelo’: goat or lamb marinated in red wine and oven-cooked in ceramic pots made on the island.

Other local specialties include ‘revithada’ (a chickpea soup or stew), ‘revithokeftedes’ (chickpeas croquettes or fritters) and ‘kaparosalata’ (caper salad). Don’t forget to try the island’s cheese ‘manoura’, made from sheep and goat milk.

While Serifos is famous for ‘pastraki’, in Sifnos you’ll come across ‘melopita’ (honey pie) and ‘amygdalota’ (marzipan-based sweets).

A proper foodie island, Sifnos is not short of excellent restaurants and taverns. Just continue reading this article for specific recommendations.

Or, if you love cooking, you could join a cooking course and make these delicious dishes from scratch using the freshest ingredients – locally sourced of course.

If you visit Sifnos in early September, you’ll come across the Cycladic Gastronomy Festival ‘Nikolaos Tselementes’. Taking place in Artemonas, it offers a unique opportunity to savor not only the local cuisine, but also dishes from the other Cycladic islands. The festival is now in its 13^th year and is free to attend.

Tip 2: Start and finish up your day in Apollonia

The capital of Sifnos is an inland village in the middle of the island, a few minutes drive from the port of Kamares. Steno (which means ‘narrow’ in Greek) is the name of the main (pedestrianized) street, lined with a great number of restaurants and café-bars. It is a wonderful place to kick off your day; however, it is later in the evening when it transforms into a catwalk and really comes alive.

With Sifnos being the island of Greek gastronomy, its capital, Apollonia, is by no means short of restaurants. ‘Kafeneio Drakakis’ and ‘Tou Apostoli To Koutouki’ are traditional taverns with excellent Cycladic dishes, whereas ‘Cayenne Restaurant Art Gallery’ lies on the more modern end of the spectrum. Both the food and the location are gorgeous. ‘Tou Apostoli To Koutouki’ has a roof terrace offering wonderful views of the Church of Taxiarhes opposite; ‘Kafeneio Drakakis’, on the other hand, has tables off the street perfectly located for sitting back and people watching. As its name suggests, ‘Cayenne Restaurant Art Gallery’ combines gastronomy with art.

After dinner, stop at the patisserie ‘3 Xanthoi Aggeloi’ for loukoumades (traditional Greek doughnuts, usually served with honey, cinnamon and ice-cream on the side).

Then, it’s time for cocktails. ‘Botzi’, ‘Mandolou’, and ‘Doloma’ are intimate all day café-bars, whereas ‘Argo’ and ‘Cosi’ have terraces with beautiful views.

Alternatively, head to ‘Rambagas’, a beautiful tree-shaded terrace, home to several all day café -bar-restaurants. There’s also an open-air cinema there – perfect place to watch a film under the moonlight.

Or, stroll to the villages of Ano Petali and Artemonas, a short walk from Apollonia. In Artemonas, the village that takes its name from the goddess Artemis and is often considered the prettiest on Sifnos, you’ll find ‘Chrysso’ and ‘Mosaiko’, two lovely places for coffee, food and drinks.

Tip 3: Watch the sunrise and stroll around Kastro

Kastro is another traditional village (dating back to 3000 BC) and the old capital of Sifnos. Sat on top of a hill, it is located 3 km east of Apollonia. Wander around the narrow alleyways and the whitewashed houses (most of them date back to the Venetian times), but make sure you find your way to the Church of the Seven Martyrs, probably the most Instagrammable spot on the island. Sat on a rock, it reminded me of the Church of Agios Ioannis Kastri, on the island of Skopelos, where Meryl Streep got married to Pierce Brosnan in Mamma Mia! Walk around the small church for breath-taking views of the Aegean, before heading back to Kastro to enjoy a meal at ‘Nea Lontzia’ or a mojito at ‘Cavo Sunriso’, an island institution. Then continue to ‘Dolci’ for a late-night cocktail at the bougainvillea-shaded terrace.

Alternatively, visit the Church of the Seven Martyrs early in the morning in time for the sunrise, then head to ‘Dolci’ or ‘Konaki’ for coffee and breakfast, before going for a swim to Seralia, the secluded beach underneath, or to the nearby beach of Poulati. Then visit the church of Panagia Poulati overlooking the Aegean.

Tip 4: Watch the sunset at the port of Kamares

Located on the west coast of the island, Kamares is the port of Sifnos. Despite the ferries, it is a great swimming spot (awarded the Blue Flag) and home to several beach bars; my favorite are the ones further away from the port: ‘Folie’ and ‘Isalos’. I remember early evenings patiently waiting for the sun to dive into the sea, before I did the same myself. All the while, I was downing cocktails listening to Demis Roussos, Brigitte Bardot, and Dean Martin, and secretly wishing I could just be there for the rest of my life…

Tip 5: Go to the beach

The fishing village of Herronisos (also spelt Cherronisos) on the far north end of the island is not only a fantastic swimming spot, but also home to the waterside fish-tavern of the same name. The winding road from Apollonia offers spectacular views of the northeast coast of the island. From the church of Agios Giorgios on the top of a nearby hill, you can see the island of Serifos; it’s also a beautiful place to watch the sunset from.

Not far from Herronisos, you’ll find Vroulidia, another beautiful beach, as well as the church of Agios Filippos. They both face west, so you can add them to your list of places to watch the sunset from.

On the opposite side of the island, there’s the monastery of Hrysopigi (also spelt Chrysopigi), one of the top attractions of Sifnos (it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why). Built on a tiny islet just off the southeast coast of the island, it is one of the most Instagrammable places on the island. There are several (not organized) beaches on either side of the monastery; the one on the left (Apokofto) is home to the tavern ‘Lempesis’, whereas Saoures on the right is a bit more secluded. Whichever you choose, the beautiful monastery will stand tall in the background. Further to the east, there are several beaches worth visiting (Faros, Fasolou and Glyfo), whereas to the west, there’s Platys Gialos.

This is a large and organized beach (albeit not to the same extent as in Halkidiki) on the south coast of Sifnos. It is home to several beach bars (‘Notos’ was the one I chose and I would recommend), and also to ‘Omega 3’. This is a modern seaside bar-restaurant, amongst the most famous on the island. Fish and seafood may be the stars on the menu here, but items such as sushi and ceviche hint at a departure from traditional Cycladic cuisine. Due to the popularity and the small size of the venue, make sure you reserve a table (or a stool).

From Platys Gialos, you can drive to the beach of Vathy on the west coast. You can also get there directly from Apollonia.

In addition to the taverns and restaurants already mentioned, I would also recommend the seaside fish taverns – present on most beaches of the island.

Tip 6: Follow the trails

A relatively small island, Sifnos has more than 100km of hiking trails to get you off the beaten track and immerse yourself into the island. Spring and autumn is probably the best time for hiking, as summer can be too hot, especially at midday. There are ten designated trails; six are considered easy, the remaining four moderate. With the exception of the trail ‘Wuthering North’ (around Herronisos), all the trails are longer than 5km each. The starting point for most of them is near Apollonia (‘Wuthering North’ is once again an exception). They then spread towards the main settlements and beaches of the island. Three trails are coastal:

1. ‘The Eternal Capitals’: a trail that takes you from the village of Artemonas to the church of Panagia Poulati, then to Kastro and to the Holy Monastery of Vrysi before finishing at the archaeological site of Agios Andreas (open from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 to 15.00).
2. ‘Towards the Miraculous Saint’: a 6km long trail connecting Kastro with the monastery of Hrysopigi.
3. ‘Cedars, Olive Trees and the Sea’: a loop trail connecting the beaches of Platys Gialos and Vathy. This trail of moderate difficulty takes you to the chapel of Profitis Ilias Kondou and right by a small islet, where the chapel of Kitriani, the oldest on the island, is located.

Other trails are:

1. ‘The Agricultural Road’: starting from Apollonia, this trail takes you south either to Platys Gialos or the monastery of Hrysopigi. Either way, you will pass by the church of Staopodi and the Holy Monastery of Vrysi.
2. ‘The Hidden Sides of Sifnos’: a fairly long trail connecting Apollonia with Vathy on the west coast of the island.
3. ‘Sifnos Insiders’: setting off from Apollonia, this is the longest trail and possibly the most interesting. You can hike all the way to Kamares, or back to Apollonia. Meanwhile, you’ll probably lose count of the number of churches and monasteries you’ll come across.
4. ‘The Pilgrimage Route’: starting from either Apollonia or Artemonas, you will end up at the inland chapel of Agios Symeon.
5. ‘The Route of the Mines’: setting off from Artemonas, you’ll hike north along the east coast of Sifnos until you reach the church of Agios Sostis. Meanwhile, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Aegean on your right.
6. ‘The Cursed Trail’: another trail connecting Apollonia with the port of Kamares. It used to be an old donkey route!

If you’re not very keen on walking, you could explore the island trails on a horse.

A different way to explore Sifnos would be by boat; you can rent one and access the coastal villages, beaches and coves by sea.

Tip 7: Discover the art of pottery

Take a walk around Sifnos and you won’t fail to notice the elaborate ceramics; I was particularly struck by the urns. The art of pottery dates back to the antiquity. Findings from those times are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum, located in Kastro (open daily from 9.00 to 16.00). Exhibits date from the Geometric to the Hellenistic period (8th-2nd century BC). In modern times, pottery remains very much alive; there are numerous workshops and shops all around the island. Locals still use ceramics (such as cooking pots) in their everyday lives, but also to decorate their houses (urns and plates). Get your hands dirty and learn this traditional craft by taking a pottery class.

How to get there

Sifnos has no airport. There are daily ferries from Piraeus (the port of Athens) to Kamares; Seajets is the fastest at two hours and 20 minutes (approx. 50 euros). There are also ferries from other Cycladic islands, such as the neighbouring Serifos, as well as Folegandros and Santorini, which has an airport. Check out the ferries timetable here.

Renting a car is recommended; in peak season, do this well in advance. In case you’ve decided not to rent a car, there are regular bus services from Kamares to Apollonia and also to the beaches.

When and how long to visit Sifnos

For me, the best time to visit Sifnos (and the Greek islands in general) is the summer; this is when the ferries are at their most frequent, the weather at its warmest and the atmosphere at its best. If you’re planning an island-hopping holiday, July and August are the best months. Or, visit at the beginning of September when the Cycladic Gastronomy Festival ‘Nikolaos Tselementes’ takes place. I would recommend staying there for at least four days.

Accommodation

Apollonia is the most convenient place to stay; you could rent a room or a house/apartment there.

Further reading

To better prepare for my trip, I used the Lonely Planet Greek Islands Travel Guide

Sifnos in close proximity to a large number of charming islands. Read my 2-week itinerary around the Cyclades here.

You can easily combine Sifnos with the neighbor island of Serifos; check out my tips here.

For further information on the hiking trails on Sifnos, check out this excellent website.

The island of Amorgos is also renowned for its hiking trails; check out my tips here.

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Have a great journey!

Alex

(the Traveling Psychiatrist)