The Greek island of Sifnos is in the Cyclades island group, which also includes Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, and about 200 other islands in the central Aegean. Visit Sifnos for its laid-back atmosphere, exceptional food, local pottery, and accessibility. This is an island for exploring and a good bus system and extensive network of trails make it easy to see a lot. Getting to Sifnos is also easy, with regular ferries from Athens and neighboring islands.
About 3km east of the island’s capital Apollonia, Kastro village is easy to reach on foot, by bus or by car.
The site has been inhabited since prehistory and there’s a lot of excavation in the area. The capital of Sifnos for more than 2,000 years until 1836, the current village retains the form of a medieval, Venetian fortified village, with evidence of much older settlements scattered about.
The village wraps around the crown of a large rock, overlooking the sea. Motorized vehicles are not allowed inside the walls. Enter through one of the original tunnel-gates (loggia) in the fortress wall. Inside is a labyrinth of paved, narrow alleys and whitewashed buildings with painted doors, shutters and balconies, punctuated by Roman columns recycled from the remains of previous residents.
Outside the village, on a smaller rock in the sea, the tiny Church of the Seven Martyrs seems to float at the end of a long, undulated staircase. The church keeps irregular hours, but the views along the way are worth the walk, even if the church is closed.
For even more views, walk the path that circles the village.
The small archaeological museum in Kastro displays artefacts of the area’s rich history.
Seralia is the small, ancient port, where you’ll find clear, sheltered water, a rocky beach and a few tavernas serving fresh fish and seafood.
Add Sifnos and Kastro to any of our published Greece tours or work with us to create a custom program from scratch.
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