| Sifanto | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | Greece |
|---|---|
| Region | Southern Aegean |
| Surface | 74 km² |
| Inhabitants | 2.442 (2001) |
| Institutional website | |
Sifanto (Sifnos) it's an island Greek of the archipelago of Cyclades.
To know
An island considered "refined" since various professionals Athenians they have chosen it as their place of holidays, building there villas with a very sober appearance and in the purest Cycladic tradition that fit very well into its landscape.
As in the others Cyclades, white is the predominant color of the houses of Sifanto, interrupted only by old stone mills and by the blue of the domes of its many churches.
Many new hotels have sprung up in recent years as well as entertainment venues with well-kept furnishings but always respecting the traditional local style and the strict rules imposed by the local town planning office.
The tourist program of those who visit Sifanto includes bathing in one of the many out-of-the-way beaches (Poulàti, Faro, Fasolòs and Troulàkidi) while the lazy ones will stay among the rocks of Chrysopiyì. The afternoon walks take place in the Kastro area while the evening will be reserved for a detour to the nightclubs of Kamares or Apollonia.
Geographical notes
Sifanto belongs to Cyclades westerners. The closest islands are Serifos to the north and Milo to the south at a distance of 12 and 10 nautical miles respectively.
Sifanto is a largely hilly island and its maximum height is represented by the top of the mountain "Profitis Ilias" of 680 m. It has an area of 75 km² and has about 2000 permanently resident inhabitants. Its coast is quite indented, carved by bays that host the most popular beaches.
Background
According to mythology, Sifanto was named after the son of Sounios, a hero of Attica. The island was also known as "Akìs" (Ακίς in Greek) with probable reference to its acute form and "Meropi", from the mythological name of a daughter of Ariadne.
In the absence of documented sources, it is conjectured that the Carii were among the first colonizers of the island and that the Phoenicians had commercial relations with ancient Sifnos.
In historical times Sifanto was part of the Delian-Attic league and during the wars peloponnesian argued Athens versus Sparta. It then passed under Macedonian domination and at the time of the diadochi (successors of Alexander the Great) under the aegis of the Ptolemies, dynasts of Egypt. The Romans used it as a place of exile. It then became part of the Eastern Roman Empire, which became a Byzantine Empire at the time of Heraclius. In the Ottoman era it underwent uninterrupted pirate raids which determined its decline, a fate common to all the Aegean islands.
Territories and tourist destinations
Sifanto: full screen map.Urban centers
- Apollonia - Also known as Stavri, it is the small capital in the hinterland, arranged as an amphitheater on 3 hills. There are all the essential services (banks, police stations, restaurants).
- Artemonas - Just over 1 km away from the capital, Artemonas is a village with some neoclassical houses that offers beautiful views of the island and the Aegean sea.
- Kamares - The port of Sifanto where ferries and hydrofoils arrive from Piraeus and from islands neighbors. It is located in a bay on the west coast and alongside it there is a long beach very popular with families visiting Sifanto.
- Kastro - Ancient capital of Sifanto, Kastro is today a tiny village whose houses are grouped around a fortification from the Venetian built as a lookout on the top of a promontory overlooking the sea. Kastro is located on the east coast less than 4 km from Artemona and is the most picturesque village in Sifanto.
Other destinations
The most beautiful beaches of Sifanto are hosted in the numerous bays that affect its coast, especially those in its southern stretch. Among these should be remembered:
- Faros Bay - A little further east of Platys Gialòs, there is this bay that served as a stopover on the island before Kamares and in its western section the ruins of the port facilities are still visible. The silver extracted from the mines of the island was transported to Faros where the ships that would transport it to Laurium.
- Herronisos (Χερρόνησος) - A quiet bay at the northern end of the island near the village of the same name, once famous for its potters' shops.
- Platì Yalò (Πλατύς Γιαλός in Greek; literally: The big beach) - One of the most popular coasts of Sifanto with all the resulting drawbacks. It is located in a bay on the south coast with the privately owned islet of Kytriani offshore. The Sifanto campsite is located in Platì Yalò.
- Vathy - Considered the most beautiful beach in Sifanto, Vathy is a golden beach in the bay of the same name that opens up along the south-western coast. The waters are crystal clear but the seabed is full of often sharp and sharp submerged rocks so you have to be careful when swimming.
How to get
Kamares is the port of Sifanto. There dock ships and hydrofoils from Piraeus and from other islands of the Aegean included Crete. Be careful when buying your ticket because the return route often does not coincide with the outbound one, skipping one or more stopovers.
Below is a list of the shipping companies whose ships call at Kamares (year 2008) including the round trip routes. Ferries and hydrofoils leave from Piraeus very early in the morning (at 07:25) after which they thin out somewhat. In the high season, however, the afternoon and evening routes are intensified with the addition of new ships so that the risk of overnight stays in Piraeus or ad Athens it should be averted.
- Aegean Speed Lines - Fast hydrofoil service with cars in tow. They operate on the route Piraeus - Sifanto - Polycander (Folegandros) - Sifanto - Serifos - Piraeus
- Hellenic Seaway - Fast hydrofoil service mostly without a car in tow (Valid until 29 September 2008). Route followed (including the return) : Piraeus - Serifos - Sifanto - Milo - Sifanto - Serifos - Piraeus.
- Sea Jets Consortium - Route followed by hydrofoils (Valid until September 14, 2008) : Heraklion (Heraklion, Crete) - Santorini - Sifanto - Piraeus - Sifanto - Santorini - Heraklion.
- Ventouris Sea Lines - Very frequent ferries that follow the route Piraeus - Citno - Serifos - Sifanto - Milo - Sifanto - Serifos - Kythnos - Piraeus.
How to get around
What see
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Nikos Tselementès (Νίκος Τσελεμεντές) was born in Sifanto, an expert in culinary art who, at the beginning of the twentieth century, wrote a recipe book that still appears in the kitchen of every Greek housewife today and is famous in Greece as much as Pellegrino Artusi is with us. At least in consideration of this one should not eat badly in Sifanto.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- [link not working]Filoxenia (Platys Gialos), ☎ 30 22840 71221, fax: 30 22840 71222. Hotel with 9 rooms classified in "D". 20 m from the beach
- Artemon, Artemona village, ☎ 30 22840 33159, fax: 30 22840 32385. 23 rooms classified in "C". Open all the year. It is 5 km from the nearest beach.
- Fassolou, Faros beach, ☎ 30 22840 71490, 30 6936 627 271 (Mobile phone), 30 210 984 3270 (winter months). 10 studios 2 apartments classified in "C". Open from May to September.
- Aphrodites, Kamares (Agia Marina beach), ☎ 30 22840 31704, fax: 30 22840 31622. 19 dances classified in "C". 50 m from the beach. Open from Apr to Oct.
- Benakis hotels, Platys Gyalos, ☎ 30 22840 71334, 30 22840 71368. 34 rooms classified in "C". At 30 m. from the beach.
- Sofia hotels, Apollonia, ☎ 30 22840 33151, 30 22840 31145, fax: 30 22840 32190. 8 double, 1 single and 2 triple rooms. Classified in "C". 10 km from the nearest beach. Open all the year.
- Anthoussa hotels (Apollonia), ☎ 30 22840 31431, fax: 30 22840 31431. 7 rooms of cat "C". 4 km from the sea. Open all the year
- Stavros hotels, Kamares, ☎ 30 22840 33383, 30 22840 31641, fax: 30 22840 31709. 14 rooms and two apartments at 10 m. from the beach. Open all the year.
Average prices
- Lighthouse (Faros beach), ☎ 30 22840 32125, 30 22840 71519, 30 210 9536388 (winter months), 30 694 3073772 (Mobile phone for English speakers). 13 apartments and studios in independent houses on the top of a hill in a panoramic position overlooking the sea. The complex is classified in "C". Two pools, A / C.
- Myrto hotels, Kamares, ☎ 30 22840 32055, 30 22840 32386, 30 6932 942300 (winter months), 30 210 671 5202 (winter months). Hotel with 17 rooms classified in "C". Nearest beach 120 m. Open from March to October.
High prices
- Niriedes hotels, Platys Gialos, ☎ 30 22840 71530, 30 210 994 1226 (winter months), fax: 30 22840 71532. Hotel with 12 rooms classified in "A". Open from Apr to Oct.
- Elies Resorts, Vathy Bay, ☎ 30 22840 34000, 30 210 9698218 (winter months), fax: 30 22840 34070.
- [link not working]Blue Horizon, Faros (Fasolo beach), ☎ 30 22840 71442, fax: 30 22840 71441.
