We've just come back from Sifnos, having spent 10 days there. We stayed in Kamares, the port settlement, where we went swimming every day, but given the excellent bus service we were able to visit towns and villages up in the mountains in the evenings.
Sifnos is part of the Cyclades. It has a permanent population of 2,625, and 260 churches. I will leave it to you to do the maths....
Facing the sea, and surrounded by mountains, Kamares is a small village, with just one main street which you can see in the photograph above.
This is also the road where our hotel was situated, just at the edge of the village.
The beach, a perfectly circular bay, is sandy and one of the best on the island.
A view of Kamares from the beach.
Small alleyways
and steps,
lots of steps, lead from the main street to the settlement above
the Cycladic style of the houses is very pleasing, and bougainvillea abounds
A few ruined houses here and there.
The seafront is full of tavernas and bars. Meropi, is one of them and we ate here a few times. The food was very good as was the service.
It was always packed.
We always tried to get a table by the sea so that we could enjoy the views of the bay
and the fish that swam below
Another favourite taverna of ours was Argyris, located in Pera Panda (the 'forever beyond') which is on the opposite side to Kamares on the other side of the bay. In order to reach it we had to walk past this church
and its unusual roof.
Argyris is very popular and in order to eat here you have to book a day in advance - that is in September, it's much more difficult in July and August.
You get fantastic views of Kamares from here
as well as the church perched on the side of the mountain behind us.
There are lots of bars in the village, most by the sea. Captain's Bar is one of them and we liked sitting here, in the golden glow of the sunset, looking at the sea whilst having our ouzos
until darkness fell
and the lights came on, and we could see the light on the church that is perched high up on top of the mountain. There are two of those, sitting on top of two mountains, the chapels of the Prophet Elijah and Saint Symeon.
Another bar is two doors down from The Captain's - I can't remember what it's called. Tables and chairs on the sand, lots of tamarisk trees, beautiful views of the sea.
This tamarisk tree being propped up so that it does not collapse
Good views of the sea again
Sifnos has a long tradition of ceramic making. I am posting just one photograph of one of the many ceramics shops in the town, as there will be a separate post.
Despite the masses of tourists that are descending on the island, the inhabitants of Sifnos are trying to keep the character of the town and their traditions alive: one example is the folk dance festival that was on while we were there - post to follow.
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