Upon arrival in Serifos by ferry, the first view is of the beautiful bay of Livadi and the small village that develops around it. On the promontory in the background you can already see Chora, the picturesque capital of the island, characterized by the typical white houses that look like many small lumps of white sugar, collected up to the top of the hill. Overall it is a fairly barren island, suitable for a quiet holiday, with very beautiful beaches and with some points of interest to visit.
Main sights
The unmissable place, both day and night, is the beautiful Chora, divided into two parts: Pano (high) and Kato (low). The lower part is worth a walk even if it does not offer much, it is a purely residential area with a beautiful church with intense colors.
Life focuses instead in Pano Chora. Two uphill roads that create a ring allow you to reach the remains of the Venetian Kastro and some splendid churches. The climb will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the city center and also the beautiful bay of Livadi. It is worth visiting in the early morning for your shots, when you will find it quiet enough and without too many tourists.
In the evening, however, it fills with life, the bars are very crowded and you will find it hard to get a table to have a drink, maybe a delicious hot rakomelo like we did. The peculiarity of Chora is undoubtedly the square where the small colorful neoclassical town hall overlooks, which stands out surrounded by the white houses and the numerous colored chairs that crowd the square. There aren't many small shops, but several bars and an inviting historic bakery.
Livadi is the main town and the port of the island. Here you will have the opportunity to dine with your feet in the sand, take the classic walk along the main street or like us take off your shoes and walk in the evening along the promenade over a kilometer long, listening to the sound of the waves.
The island has a past linked to mining, in several points to the southwest in the Megalo Livadi area, you will find some equipment of the past such as cranes and rusty tracks, which have now become an integral part of the local landscape.
Finally, a curiosity for those of you who are passionate about Greek mythology: the island is the place where Perseus grew up and where the Cyclops lived. If you are willing to do a few kilometers of dirt road, you can reach the throne of the Cyclops and access to the cave of Polyphemus.
As you walk around the island, you will notice several monasteries and churches. The most particular is undoubtedly the Taxiarches monastery, which unfortunately we found closed.
Beaches
The island offers 72 beaches: it is therefore impossible to see them all and you need to make choices. The north coast is subject to winds, so it's best to visit it on calm days. The beach that most impressed us for its crystal clear waters is Sikamia.
In the south-eastern area of the island we enjoyed Psili Ammos, with its golden sand and gently sloping water and what for us turned out to be the most beautiful beach: Agios Sostis: two small bays (better the one on the right) separated by a promontory on which stands a beautiful church with a classic blue dome. The bay on the right is mainly sandy, while the one on the left is gravel. Here the water here degrades quickly and is truly transparent. You will also find some useful tamarisk trees with which to shelter from the sun.
On the south-west coast we went to Ganema, a long beach of golden sand and the smaller but more characteristic Vagia.
In all these beaches the situation is quiet in the morning, very few people and great tranquility, while around lunchtime they start to get crowded and then fill up in the afternoon.
Before your trip
- How to reach the island? It can be reached by ferry from different islands, we arrived there from Syros with a slow ferry about 3h, but on other days faster options are available
- How many days? We have dedicated four days to it and we find them enough to discover the island
- How to move around the island? To get around the island, we recommend a rental vehicle, a scooter or a small car. The roads are all paved, but the distances are not very short if you want to discover the beauty that the island has to offer freely and maybe get to the beaches in the north of the island. We have hired from Coralli Rentals, direclty at the port of Livadi. Very helpful, they supported us to find a solution for our entire stay. If you intend to go there in the high season, you will have to book in advance to avoid the risk of running out of transport
- Where to stay? We have found a place in the studios of the kind and always available Katerina: Kyma Studios, very close to the beautiful bay of Livadi. There are different types of studios, all with a small veranda where you can have breakfast. The room is modest and rather small, but functional and equipped with everything you need to have breakfast. Flawless cleanliness and service
- Where to eat? Serifos has several possibilities to choose from:
- Aloni with an unrivaled view over the bay of Livadi, is a traditional tavern also popular with locals. They don't accept reservations, but they have many tables and the queue runs fast. Hearty and tasty dishes
- directly on the beach of Livadi, you can dine with your feet in the sand from Kalis, excellent fish dishes, some with a modern twist
- with an unrivaled view of the Chora Plakes offers typical Greek dishes cooked well and generous portions
- for a lunch a short stroll from the beach of Platis Gialos Nikoulias offers good fish dishes. The service goes a bit slow, so only recommended if you are not in a hurry ... even if, in Greece you can never be in too much of a hurry ...
- for a quick snack or lunch with gyros pita or souvlaki we suggest Serifaki at the beginning of the staircase leading to the main square of the Chora
- Aloni with an unrivaled view over the bay of Livadi, is a traditional tavern also popular with locals. They don't accept reservations, but they have many tables and the queue runs fast. Hearty and tasty dishes
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