I don’t want to tell you about Sifnos. I want to keep it all to myself. My personal secret paradise. The thing is the secret is already getting out. Sifnos Greece is known as the foodie island, but is much more than that. It is a special place with fabulous chefs, lovely beaches, breathtaking vistas and kindhearted residents.
When we first arrived in Sifnos via the ferry, we stepped off with only eight other passengers. The rest on their way to probably Mykonos and Santorini – islands they’ve heard of. We easily met our taxi driver and so began my love affair with this island. The drive to our hotel was the most stunning drive that I didn’t want to end. We arrived as the sun set and displayed hazy, pale blues and pinks along the horizon in every direction. We sped past goat pastures, blue domed churches and whitewashed houses. It is hard for me to accurately describe the magical feeling of this island. Sure hope pictures will do justice.
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Getting to Sifnos Greece
One of my favorite things about this cycladic island is the lack of air transfer so you must come via ferry from Athens. The residents welcome visitors, but want to maintain the beauty of their island in the sun. Therefore, limited transportation methods help preserve the pristine nature here. To reach the island, a two hour high speed ferry from Piraeus (Athens) will drop you off in paradise in no time.
Do you Need a Car in Sifnos?
I do recommend having a vehicle to get around in Sifnos. I suggest renting an ATV to drive while at Sifnos Island. It’s super easy to maneuver around the winding roads, park at the beaches, and is nice to have the wind in your hair!
With an ATV, the hotel can arrange to have one waiting for you on arrival and picked up when you leave. They’ll also setup a taxi to/from the resort so you don’t have to worry about a thing!
Best Sifnos Hotels
All about where we stayed in Sifnos!
Verina Astra Sifnos
I still dream about staying at the Verina Astra Hotel. The truly incredible staff (that I still think about often) made this place so special for us. Prior to arrival they were great at coordinating transportation from the ferry port and arranging an ATV. When we arrived, they grabbed our luggage and escorted us right to our villa – no check in process necessary. It felt like we were welcomed to a friend’s house.
Accommodations
The villas are all named after constellations which I adore. We stayed in Delphinus, which means dolphin and is named for a small constellation in the Northern Hemisphere. And don’t forget to look up at night, the stars here are incredibly stunning against the dark sea.
We entered our spacious villa through the private patio lined with plush lounge seating and a rustic wood dining table. We spent a lot of time drinking wine, reading, and eating breakfast here. One side of the villa is a living and sitting area with a full bathroom and the other a king sized bedroom with a larger bathroom and additional entry onto the patio. The style is what you would expect in Greece: minimalistic, tranquil decor with beautiful stonework and natural palettes. Once you drop your bags, pop the bottle of wine in your fridge and enjoy the views over the vast Aegean Sea.
Amenities
The hotel rooms and views are breathtaking, but the restaurant and infinity pool help complete the package. The pool was steps from our suite and often empty. We spent time here during the day, but also loved lounging here at night to view the stars along with a little (okay, a lot of) crisp white wine.
The restaurant at the hotel is quite impressive for breakfast and dinner. We dined here the first night and had one of the best meals followed by room service the next morning. I guess that is why Sifnos is called the foodie island!
Overall, I highly HIGHLY recommend Verina Astra as the best hotel in Sifnos. It is worth the trip to for the hotel alone.
Best Things to Do in Sifnos Greece
Kick back and relax as Sifnos is made for a slow-paced, Greek island lifestyle. Take in the scenery, chat with the locals, and enjoy consuming the freshest ingredients at every meal.
Beach Hopping in Sifnos
Beach Hopping is a pretty popular theme in the Greek Isles or maybe it’s me. The island itself is so vast, stunning, and uninhabited in large portions. ATVing from beach to beach is the best way to take it all in with the wind in your hair. You’ll want to visit the following sandy spots while in Sifnos:
- Platis Gialos – most popular beach with fabulous restaurants along the sand and great for swimming.
- Vathi – another organized beach with hotel, restaurants, and shop.
- Cheronissos – an old fishing village on the far end of the island with a great lunch spot.
- Poulati – located way below the Astra Verina hotel is this rock quarry great for swimming on a calm day. The hotel staff told us about this secret spot and it did not disappoint. It was a beautiful stroll (and by stroll, I mean hike) down the pathways and past the Panagia Poulati Monastery. Get your cardio in on the walk back up.
Sunrise in Sifnos
Catch sunrise – I promise it is worth it to wake up for this sunrise since you can sleep again after it’s up. It rises on this side of the island at Astra Verina. You won’t see sunset from here, but the sunrise is even better.
Apollonia Sifnos
Stroll the pedestrian street in the main town, Apollonia. This little stone street is filled with shops, restaurants, and locals.
Sifnos Stoneware
Make a drive to Sifnos Stoneware in Artemonas. They have a small shop on the pedestrian street in Apollonia, but it’s worth a drive to the main location. We came home with a few unique souvenirs of our time in Sifnos and a few years later, actually purchased from here instead of registering for traditional wedding china.
Kastro Church of the Seven Martyrs
Enjoy the walk down to Kastro Church of the Seven Martyrs. Wear tennis shoes because it is quite a few steps up and down, but so worth the trip down. Stroll through Kastro afterwards.
Take in the Scenery of Sifnos Greece
Admire the windmills and over 100 churches. Sifnos has more churches than any other island and they come in all shapes and sizes.
Where to Eat in Sifnos Greece
Sifnos is known as the foodie island and the reputation is 100 percent accurate. Some of the best meals I have ever had – local fish and fresh ingredients grown right on the island, prepared in a way that is simple yet sophisticated. It is amazing this island is so undiscovered. Check out where we dined:
Omega 3 Sifnos
Omega 3 is frequented by the likes of Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansen. This is the perfect beach front spot featuring fresh catch plated on Sifnos Stoneware. We had the greek island tacos, marinated octopus, fresh sea bass, ceviche and lots of rosé! I may not look like much more than a tiny beach shack, but don’t be fooled.
Maiolica
Maiolica is my favorite restaurant in Sifnos hands down due to the amazing cuisine and being steps from the sandy beach. We enjoyed swimming on the beach and then strolling up to this beachside spot. The place is open air with a roof covered in grapevines. We had spring rolls, a large plate of homemade hummus with grilled vegetables (amazing), and sea bass with zucchini.
Canova Sifnos
Canova is located in Apollonia along the main road through town. Since it is set high on a cliff, there is a spectacular view over the island. We ordered the scallops in black rice risotto (they were raw), black olive gnocchi, and the Lamb leg fillet with roasted eggplant purée and sun-dried cherry tomatoes chutney. (no longer opened right now)
Verina Astra Hotel Sifnos
Verina Astra Hotel – I told you our hotel had an impressive dining experience and I am not kidding. My favorite dish was the mussels – tossed in a light lime and ginger flavored sauce. We also had fresh baked bread with olive oil, lamb, and chocolate trunk cake. Oh, and CINNAMON ice cream. The cinnamon ice cream here changed the game for me since we always mix it in our ice cream at home now!
Cheronissos Fish Taverna
Cheronissos Fish Taverna is a fishing village so the catch could not get much fresher than this. Order some fish, a large plate of marinated cucumbers for an appetizer, and a couple Mythos beers.
Kafeneio Drakakis
Kafeneio Drakakis – this felt like a locals secret along the pedestrian street in Apollonia, which makes sense as it was recommended by the hotel staff. We shared several small plates and my favorites were the fried zucchini balls and the mushroom saganaki – mushrooms layered with cheese.
Bola Vathi
Bola Vathi is the best option if you are visiting this beach for a day because it is your typical beach bar vibe with good drinks and decent food options.
Check out my full guide to dining on Sifnos!
What to Wear in Sifnos Greece – Packing List
Sifnos is warm during the summer like here in the US, with the warmest months being July, August and September topping out with average temperatures in the 80s. The coldest and rainiest months are winter – January, February, March. We visited Greece in September and it was perfect weather in my opinion and also less crowded! Make sure you pack:
- Sundresses
- Sandals
- Swimsuits
- SPF
- Hats
- Coverups
- Long sleeve shirts with SPF (I love free fly)
- Comfortable shoes for heading to Kastro and Poulati
Best Sifnos Greece Travel Tips
- First, ask the hotel in advance to rent an ATV for you so that it will be waiting on your arrival and picked up when you depart. They charge per day and it’s the best way to explore the island. There are very few cars here!
- Secondly, the hotel will schedule a taxi for your arrival and departure making everything seamless. The driver will be super easy to find at the small port. You may want to grab some Euros in Athens to pay taxi drivers.
- Drink the wine in your fridge at Verina Astra because it is local to Greece and so delightfully refreshing.
- Stargaze from the hotel pool chairs at night. I’m a huge nerd and love to download a constellation app when I travel so that I can see what is up there.
- Finally, check the ferry schedule first if you’re island hopping since you’ll want to make sure the day/times work before confirming hotel reservations!
What do you think? Will you visit Sifnos on your next Greek Island Adventure? Let me know in the comments below!
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