Sifnos offers different activities for a variety of moods and temperaments.  Please keep visiting this site as we will be adding to this section, but for now the following are a few highlights.

Swimming and sunbathing -  The beaches at Xrisopigi, Faros, Vathi and Kamares provide the kind of perfect setting for family vacations that combine gentle calm beach swimming, warm sand and lots of amenities like restaurants, snack bars, shops for last minute sun screen, ice cream and post cards.  They are all quick and easy to get to. Kastro has some of the best swimming on the island but it is not for waders.  Kastro's port of Seralia, below the village, has a pebble beach and there are a few small cafes where you can sit, have a salad and watch your children play in the water.  But on the outside of the bay, next to Seven Martyrs church, is where the best swimming and snorkling is.  The rocks offer diving platforms from 1 foot to 20 feet.  There are caves and underwater passageways to explore, the water is clear and brilliant and there are countless cozy spots amongst the rocks to sun yourself and soak up the atmosphere.

Exploring - There are many beautiful out of the way places all around the island.  Take short walks along the shore from Kastro and you will find idylic bays and swiming spots, beautiful groves, and maybe an unoccupied villa. Your first exploration should be  to Poulati where there is some of the most spectacular swimming and snorkling on the island over beautiful reefs teeming with fish.  The path to Poulati takes you past a tiny monastery that was occupied and self sufficient as recently as the 1950s, through olive groves and past one or two old and lovely villas.  Several tasteful new houses have been built amongst the olive terraces near the big church and monastery.  From there, take the stone steps down through the bamboo grove to the little bay.  It's a jewel.

Historic sites - A network of literally ancient stone pathways covers the island. Some are marble. Maps that clearly show the sites of ancient landmarks can be easily found in shops in Appolonia.  Besides the remarkable circular towers (see "Why Sifnos"),  there remains one or two foundations of ancient cities.  Discover.


Katro Bars and Restaurants - Kastro has just a very few, charming places to eat and drink, the oldest and most authentic being  The Astir, run by Maria, situated between the peripheral lane on the island side of the village and her small shop just along the main street from our house.  Also along the main street before the Astir is

Remezzo, the first and only bar inside the village.  Started as a makeshift souflaki take-out in about 1979 by a local likely lad, it has evolved to become a surprisingly cool hang-out, playing always great music from modern Greek to classical and jazz, to folk and mellow, trancey club mixes.

The Sunset Bar - If you're really lucky the Sunset Bar will be open, situated overlooking Seralia from the old Kastro school house.  Owned and run - occasionally - by the spectacularly eccentric Kosta, the Sunset is a real expression of outsider design and style.  Quirky, rustic, folky and utterly genuine with Kosta's own family's heirlooms and other strange bric a brac.  Tell him  Neville sent you.