From the moment the ferry is entering Serifos port and you see Chora village on a hill overlooking it you get the feeling there is something special about this island. Serifos is a small and serene island that belongs to Cyclades group of islands in the Aegean sea, Greece. It is not a famous one but people visiting it want to come back and visit again. One of the first beautiful pictures welcoming you to Serifos is this tiny church in the port, Livadi.

Most of the restaurants and bars, as well as hotels of the island are in Livadi. The closest beach to the port is Livadakia, where you can also find many accommodation solutions, hotels, rooms to let as well as a camping. Fuchsia bougainvilleas are decorating many neighbourhoods of the island.

The capital of the island, Chora is visible from the port and easily accessible with the local bus from Livadi. It is the most picturesque village on the island, you won’t get enough of white houses with colourful windows, narrow streets, beautiful churches as well as traditional foods and sweets in the main square.

The main square of Chora is the meeting place for the locals that will welcome you warmly. This spot is the absolute Greek island summer scenery, blue wooden chairs, white houses, a church with a blue cupola, the cute yellow town hall building and the sun welcoming you for a traditional sweet or local delicacies and meze platters accompanied with a glass of ouzo. It is such a scenic place that you feel like you are taking part in a movie. This is my favourite spot on Serifos, I could literally spend hours there enjoying some seafood with ouzo or a greek coffee and talking with the locals.

After a short or long visit to the main square do take the uphill streets taking you to the highest spot of the village, Agios Konstantinos church to enjoy some breathtaking views of the island and the Aegean sea, better visit this place in the late afternoon when the sun is not so strong.

When the sky is very clear you can see Sifnos and Antiparos, two other Cycladic islands. The view from Agios Konstantinos is one of the most amazing views you will get to see in the Greek islands.

Last but not least, the beaches of Serifos will for no reason let you down. Most of them are not organized so make sure you have everything with you when visiting one. The prettiest and also a bit remote beach on the island is Ganema. The beach is long, sandy on one side and pebbly on the other, with a lot of trees that you can use or some shadow. The waters are crystal blue and it will never be crowded so you will have the chance to enjoy the serenity, in my opinion, this is the paradise of Serifos. It is easily accessible with the local bus operating during the summer season.

Livadakia beach is just a 15minutes walk from the port, there are a couple of tavernas and bars that that may also be renting sunbeds and umbrellas or you can just use the shadows of the trees. It is a very long sandy beach with crystal clear waters, but also the most crowded beach, definitely worth a visit.

Another beautiful beach is Psili Ammos, its name mean soft fine sand and this is exactly how this beach is. Is has been voted as the most beautiful beach in Europe according to Sunday times. There is a small taverna on its left side where you can enjoy some seafood and it may not be a good idea to visit on a windy day as it is exposed to the winds. It is not a crowded beach in general and is also accessible by the local bus. Other beautiful beaches on the island but not so easily accessible are Agios Sostis and Vagia.

 

 

Generally Serifos is the right place to enjoy the serenity during the Greek summer and have a chance to see the relaxing way of life the locals follow. The are not so many big hotels but mostly rooms to let. I would suggest you renting a room in Livadakia beach as you will be just a 2-minute walk from a great beach and at the same time in walking distance from Livadi, the port, where most f the tavernas and bars are located and just a short drive away from Chora where you can also find some lovely bars and tavernas. I would strongly recommend renting a room at Medousa Apartments will is very close to the beach and Livadi and will offer you a great view, too.

If you are looking for something different Serifos has a hidden secret, the old mines, close to Megalo Livadi village. The mines were closed in 1919 after a big strike of the workers due to the awful working conditions. You can visit the remains of the mines that give a wild touch to the beautiful scenery.

Unfortunately, there is no airport on Serifos so you can only get the ferry from Piraeus to get there. The trip with the fast one takes 2 hours and approximately 5 hours with the slower one.

You not have heard of this tiny gem of Cyclades but you should give it a try and there are big chances that it will charm you with its simplicity and unpretended beauty.

Have you ever been to Serifos? Which location did you enjoy the most on the island?