Sifnos

My seat on the bus is enveloped by traditional Greek songs blaring from a tinny radio in the front. The wrinkled-faced tanned gray-haired bus driver is singing along and surprisingly so is the young ticket collector who could be his grand daughter. Her coin dispensing purse is something I have not seen since forever.

I have been exploring Sifnos (Island number 3) by public transport which meant a lot of short but steep bus rides at odd intervals with plenty of time-killing Freddo Cappuccinos interspersed. Over-caffeination became a bit of a problem. 

I stayed in Kamares, the port town (my preference on this trip), this one buzzing with people and motorcycles along the narrow port road.  But the town also featured a sweet little circular sandy beach I swam at on the morning of my departure. Coming from sleepy Folegandros I was initially overstimulated. But liveliness is also good. Vibrant.

This island is full of terraced stone stacked low walls giving it a nice geometrical soothing visual. It seemed greener and less rugged somehow. Up up up from the port lay two villages connected by a scenic footpath: Artemonas and Apollonia. Both were still asleep when I started my day excursion, even the churches were locked. Sifnos is considered the foodie island but I think you’d have be experiencing dinners there to really get it. However, I can vouch for having eaten some of the most delicious pastries there.

One village stood out for its unique architecture and long history: Kastro. Perched high on yet another cliff (I know I know, they all seem to be) the village is elliptical in shape with two pathways circling inside the perimeter. The more important people got to live on the very protected inside. The two alleys are connected by archways. A chapel sits alone in the sea on a rock connected to the town. A wedding was happening and I thought I might have stumbled upon a movie set. Who gets to marry out there? How important would one need to be? The ancient small harbor at the bottom still has ruins of important dwellings nearby. 

The fact is that I did not give Sifnos enough time and should probably just shut up about it.

Artemonia / Apollina

A big fat Greek Wedding

Kastro: This is the ancient ‘city’ referred to by Herodotus, which flourished in the 6th century BC, with a temple and a theatre dedicated to Dionysus, and grand marble public buildings. It has been continuously inhabited from prehistoric times (first settlements on the hill were in the 3rd millennium BC) to the present day.

Fresh grilled sardines