Sifnos has flown under the radar, but it’s not going to stay secret for long – especially not since Margot Robbie was spotted pulling her own suitcase (gasp) off the ferry there last summer at the height of the Barbie frenzy. The actress was on to something. The island has hundreds of blue and white churches and, unlike the one in Oia in Santorini, they’re unlikely to have a queue for a snap.
Sifnos also has a long culinary tradition, since it was the birthplace of the cherished Greek cook Nikolaos Tselementes, whose contribution to the nation’s cuisine was so great that for a time the word for cookbook was simply ‘tselementes’. Each year a food festival is held in Artemonas – I somehow ended up at last year’s edition with the mayor of a trio of Cycladic isles, the entrepreneur behind the Sigma Residences hotel and a fellow British travel writer. We tried the wares of each stall representing a different island, watched the traditional dances and cooking demonstrations, and chatted to some islanders. Random, yes, but a heartwarming insight into Greek island life.
As with many places that are harder to reach (there’s no airport on the island, so the only way to arrive is by sea), it’s all the better for it, attracting travellers in search of a deeper connection and slower journey. Its towns and villages are beautiful, from Artemonas, with its historic houses, ceramics workshops and confectionery shops (don’t miss the amygdalota almond cookies and the chalvadopita vanilla halva), to the former capital Kastro. The latter is the perfect place for an evening stroll; stop for a drink at the Loggia wine bar before having dinner at Cantina in Seralia, the beach below the village.
Swim off the rocks near the monastery in Chrisopigi, where the water is said to have healing powers, and don’t miss sunset at an outdoor table at Troulaki in Cheronissos, a pretty cove in the north of the island.
Where to stay Sifnos’ original boutique hotel was Verina Astra, which is a peaceful, authentic base for exploring the island, from its position on the coast near Artemonas. It’s home to the acclaimed Bostani restaurant and a spa where you can enjoy Elemis treatments with a view of the Aegean for added serenity.
New to the scene last year was Nos, which imports a little Mykonos glamour to the island, along with a restaurant by the star chef Athinagoras Kostakos, who is also busy in kitchens all over the world, including at Bacchanalia in London. And if you want an apartment-style suite with an incredible view at the edge of a valley overlooking Kastro, it has to be Sigma Residences.
