Arrival (CF-1)
Arrival at Athens airport and transfer to hotel in Athens per private taxi. Your driver will hand over your envelope with the ferry tickets to Sifnos.
Note: If you arrive at Sifnos from another island, we tailor your trip and provide the ferry ticket you need and book an additional night in Sifnos instead of Athens. You are then able to do a short circular walk from Artemonas today, via Panagia Platanissa and Kalabelas.
Travel to Sifnos and circular walk from Artemonas (GR00358 or GR00359)
You will be transferred to Piraeus and take the ferry or high speed to Sifnos. Depending on the arrival time, you will have time for a shorter or a longer circular walk from Artemonas.
The shorter walk follows the old donkey route that was once the only main connection between Artemonas and the port of Kamares. The paved trail is great and the views are terrific! On your way back you walk past the church of Agios Antypas that once was in use as a primary school.
For the longer option you first ascend through rural countryside and make a loop to get back to Artemonas. Here starts your descent to the picturesque church of Panagia Poulati. Whilst enjoying great sea views you reach Kastro, the capital of Sifnos until 1836. Your ascent back to Artemonas is along a green valley. You cross the creek and via a beautifully constructed donkey trail you reach Artemonas.
(The elevation profile is from the longer walk.)
walking time/distance: 1h30’ / 4,0km or 4h / 9,7km
ascent/descent: 125m or 350m
start/finish: Sifnos Artemonas
Circular walk via Chrysopigi, Faros and Kastro (GR00360)
Today’s walk leads you via paved paths and dirt roads along the south-eastern highlights of Sifnos. Via well-kept cultivated terraces you reach the Holy Monastery of Vryssi, that now also hosts a museum of Ecclesiastic Art.
Then follows a gradual descent to the beach of Apokofto and the Church of Chrysopigi. This section offers beautiful views to the Aegean sea. There is a possibility to cut the walk short at this point. But it is worth to continue! Next stop is Faros port, the main port of Sifnos till 1883. A great paved path leads you to Kastro, that was the capital of Sifnos until 1836. From the Kastro you go uphill and back to Apollonia.
NOTE: On day 3 or 4, or if you have booked additional nights in Apollonia/Artemonas, you can alternatively walk back and forth from to the summit of the Profitis Ilias with its church; same way back. This church is situated at the highest point of Sifnos (657m).
walking time/distance: 5h / 15,4km
ascent/descent: 500m
start/finish: Sifnos Artemonas
Walk from Platys Gialos to Vathy (GR00363)
You take a local bus to Platys Gialos. From Platys Gialos you walk along a slope full of junipers and ascend to the chapel of Profitis Ilias Kondou. Your efforts to climb up here are rewarded with panoramic views! This is an absolute highlight walk on Sifnos.
The descent towards the remote bay Fykiada is one of the best parts of the week! Leaving Fykiada Bay behind, you face a steep ascent and walk through the hinterlands until the Megalogianni cave. From there you descend to the beautiful bay of Vathy and take a local bus back to Artemonas.
walking time/distance: 3h30’ / 9,5km
ascent/descent: 310 m
overnight stay: Sifnos Artemonas
Walk from Artemonas to Kamares (GR00361)
For today’s linear walk, you ascend gradually in a south-westerly direction. Soon you have the option make a detour to the Prof. Ilias summit, or you skip the summit.
Via monasteries and chapels you pass through old fields, olive groves and abandoned huts. The views are spectacular! You reach the remote church of Panagia Toso Nero, an ideal place to rest. Through even wilder and harsher surroundings you get to the highest point of today from where you may see even the Taygetos mountain on the Peloponnese!
The last section is a steep downhill to the port of Kamares. There is an alternative provided in our road book.
walking time/distance: 5h / 13,5km (with Prof. Ilias: 5h30’ / 14,5km)
ascent/descent: 610m / 790m (with Prof. Ilias: 810m / 990m)
overnight stay: Sifnos Kamares
Circular walk from Kamares (GR00364)
You can choose today to relax on the beach, but it is also fabulous to make a last terrific round walk on Sifnos. The route follows the old donkey route that connected Kamares with Apollonia.
The trail itself and the views of the gorge are great. Just before reaching Apollonia, the route bends south and ascends along an old nunnery and several chapels until the high pass at 420 m above Kamares is reached. From there a steep descent until you reach the port of Kamares.
walking time/distance: 4h / 11,4km
ascent/descent: 425m
overnight stay: Sifnos Kamares
Departure from Sifnos (CF-7)
After breakfast and maybe a stroll on the beach you depart per ferry or high speed to Piraeus or one of the other Cyclades. Sifnos has connections with Piraeus, Naxos, Santorini and Amorgos (Katapola). In the peak season there may be even more connections.
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