Sifnos
The clear sun and the endless blue of the Aegean Sea during the day and the mysterious Apollonian light at night reveal unique aspects of Sifnos.
Ancient Sifnos was well known for its gold and silver mines, which brought great wealth to its inhabitants. In fact, around 525 BC, the Siphnians created one of the most impressive buildings of the sanctuary, the Treasury of Siphnia, at Delphi, using one tenth of the income from their gold mines. They decorated the sanctuary lavishly in order to impress the rest of the Greeks. Later, either due to depletion of deposits or due to the flooding of the tunnels by sea, it declined economically.
Other names under which it is found were "Meropia" and "Akis" according to Pliny and "Merope" according to Stephanos. Her present name was taken from Sifnos, son of the mythical Attic hero Sounios. On the hill of Agios Andreas there are double walls of a pre-Hellenic Acropolis, proving the existence of a city from that time, but of unknown name. The outer wall resembles that of Troy and the Mycenaean era. Many vases and tombs of the same historical period were found at the same spot. In classical times there was an important city on the island, which Herodotus calls Asty, located in the present-day Seralia or Kastro (in the east). In this city there was a Prytaneion, a White Phryx Agora, built of Parian white marble, a great temple and the theatre of Dionysus. Water, clay and sun are the three ingredients of the famous Sifnean pottery. As early as the 19th century, the inhabitants exported their products all over the country. Today the tradition continues. Visitors to the island cannot leave without a small ceramic work of art for their home, even if it is a "simple" flare.
With its purity of lines and simplicity of construction, Sifnos is the authentic representative of Cycladic architecture. A tour of the settlement of Kastro, the medieval architecture, the connection of the courtyards of the houses and the whole layout of the town, arouse the interest of the visitor, who books early ferry tickets to Sifnos.
Those seeking a unique gastronomic experience should definitely visit Sifnos, by booking the Sifnos ferries online in time. The birthplace of our national cook Nikos Tselementes, still delivers cooking classes and offers local products and pure raw materials combined in dishes - an ode to the cooking process.
The most appropriate way to explore the island, to experience the hospitality of the locals, to admire the wild landscape with the magnificent view of the deep blue Aegean waters is to follow the well-marked paths of the island. In fact, going from beach to beach following the hiking trails is a common practice for many foreign tourists who book Sifnos ferries months before their holidays.
The unique chapels, the white monasteries, which combine the wild beauty of the rocky landscape embraced by the deep blue sea, have become an attraction for the island and for the development of another kind of tourism. Many, Greeks and foreigners alike, choose to unite their lives in front of relatives and friends with the authentic Cycladic element as a backdrop.
The rocks of Chrysopigi, Cherronissos, Platis Gialos, Glyfo, Faros, Fasolou, Kastro - Seraglia, Kamares, Apokofto, Vathi and Fikiada
