Sifnos belongs to the Cyclades group of islands in the Aegean Sea and it is neighbour to Serifos on the northeast side, Antiparos to the west and Kimolos plus Poliegos to south east side. Compared to those islands and especialy to the northern islands like Antiparos, Sifnos is prettier tidier and more cultivated with some fine architecture. Sifnos has a strong tradition of pottery since the third century and the distinctive cuisine of the island is worth it. Basket weaving is another occupation that Sifnos is known about.

The churches and fortified monasteries are not missing from Sifnos and they are contributing in this beautiful scenery around Vathy in the far southwest. The island’s port is called Kamares and there the visitor can enjoy swimming in its pleasant beach which is tucked away in a long, steep-sided valley that cuts into the cliffs of the island’s western side.

Sifnos has an exquisite dreamlike quality. A string of three whitewashed villages, anchored by the capital Apollonia, sit like pearls along the crest of the island. The changing light kisses the landscape and as you explore the flanking slopes of the central mountains you’ll discover abundant terraced olive groves, almond trees, oleander and aromatic herbs. Each of the island’s bays harbours a spectrum of aqua waters, and offers breathtaking vistas. Unspoiled footpaths link villages, such as the one encircling tiny hilltop Kastro. In addition, Sifnos’s beaches along the southern coast offer long stretches of fine amber sand, several smaller rocky coves are also excellent for swimming.

Sifnos’s top attractions: the ancient acropolis at Ayios Andreas, the town of Kastro and its tiny but excellent archaeological museum, the southern beaches, the once isolated beaches at Vathi and Cheronisso and, for the ambitious, the walled Monastery of Profitis Elias on the summit of the island’s highest mountain.