Overview
A seven day, self-guided Greek adventure walking on Sifnos, one of the Cyclades Islands, just three hours from Athens. This tour includes the ferry to and from Sifnos, where your journey starts in Artemonas, one of the prettiest whitewashed villages on the island. Walk through terraced hills, alongside mountain streams and to remote beaches, with the highest point, Profitis Ilias, 680m overlooking you, and an Azurean bliss all around. Sacred sites are gorgeously Greek too, such as the Panagia Vrissis and Panagia Chrysopigi monasteries, all just adding to the sublime nature of this holiday.
- Apollonia
- Fykiada beach
- Holy Monastery of Panagia Vrissis
- Profitis Ilias Apsilou
- Panagia Chrysopigi Monastery
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Athens
From Athens Airport, a transfer brings you to the hotel in Athens, where you are given your ferry tickets for the tour. Depending on arrival time, spend the afternoon wandering around the Greek capital, visiting some of the city’s sights.
Arrival directly to Sifnos is also possible, and we can arrange an additional night in Sifnos instead of Athens if this is the case. Depending on arrival time, this option offers the possibility to complete a short circular walk from Apollonia.
- Accommodation: Hotel Arion in Athens or Hotel Smaragdi in Artemonas.
Day 2: Athens – Artemonas | 1.5-4km
Begin the morning with a transfer to Piraeus to take a ferry or high-speed Seajet to Sifnos. Depending on arrival time, set off on one of two circular walks from Apollonia. The shorter walk follows an old donkey track that was once the primary connection between Apollonia and Kamares Port, before returning via the Church of Agios Antipas, which was used to house the first school on Sifnos. The longer option begins by ascending through rural countryside to reach Artemonas before descending towards the Church of Panagia Poulati, built in 1870. From here, the route then heads towards Kastro, the former capital of Sifnos until 1836, before ascending back towards Apollonia along a donkey trail.
- Walking for the day: 1.5h, 4km, ↑125m, ↓125m or 4h, 9.7km, ↑350m, ↓350m
- Accommodation: Hotel Smaragdi in Artemonas
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 3: Circular route from Artemonas | 15.4km
Follow paved paths and dirt roads along the south-east of Sifnos to reach the Holy Monastery of Panagia Vrissis, which now houses the Ecclesiastical Art Museum, containing historic religious relics. The route then begins a gradual descent towards Apokofto Beach and Panagia Chrysopigi Monastery, offering panoramic views over the Aegean Sea. Once at the church, it is possible to cut the walk short and return via the same route or, alternatively, continue towards Faros, which was the island’s main port until 1883. From here, a paved path leads to Kastro before beginning the ascent back towards Apollonia.
- Walking for the day: 5h, 15.4km, ↑500m, ↓500m
- Accommodation: Hotel Smaragdi in Artemonas
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 4: Platys Gialos – Vathi | 9.5km
Catch the local bus to Platys Gialos to begin a walk along a trail lined with junipers as you ascend towards the Monastery of Profitis Ilias Kondou. You get some superb views here across the Aegean as you descend towards Fykiada beach. After a swim or a rest, begin a steep ascent through the hinterlands before descending towards Vathi, which provides another opportunity for a swim or a well-deserved cool drink before taking a local bus back to Artemonas.
- Walking for the day: 3.5h, 9.5km, ↑310m, ↓310m
- Accommodation: Hotel Smaragdi in Artemonas
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 5: Apollonia – Kamares | 13.5-14.5km
Start the day with a gradual ascent towards the summit of Profitis Ilias Apsilou, passing numerous monasteries, chapels, olive groves and abandoned huts. Pause at the Church of Panagia Toso Nero for a quick rest before continuing along remote paths towards the highest point of the tour, which on a clear day offers views of Mount Taygetus, the highest mountain in the Peloponnese. The last section follows a steep downhill path towards Kamares, however, an alternative, more gradually descending route is also available.
The summit of Profitis Ilias Apsilou can be avoided today with an alternate route.
- Walking for the day: 5h, 13.5km, ↑610m, ↓790m or 5.5h, 14.5km, ↑810m, ↓990m
- Accommodation: Aeolos Apartments in Kamares
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 6: Circular route from Kamares | 11.4km
Today can either be spent relaxing on the beach or completing a final circular route from Kamares. The route follows the old donkey trail that connected Kamares with Apollonia, passing an old nunnery and several chapels to reach a high pass which sits 420m above Kamares. From here, begin a steep descent all the way back to Kamares, where you can enjoy a well-deserved drink and some dinner.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 11.4km, ↑424m, ↓425m
- Accommodation: Aeolos Apartments in Kamares
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 7: Departure
Departure back to Piraeus after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that in April, May and October alternative hotels will be booked as our standard hotels are not open yet. Aeolos Apartments opens from June until the end of September.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Arion in Athens
- Hotel Smaragdi in Artemonas
- Aeolos Apartments in Kamares
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can be bought from local shops. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate and is suitable for experienced walkers with a good level of fitness, with most days offering 3-6h of walking. The routes cover a variety of terrain, including unsurfaced tracks and footpaths and some days involving a couple of steep ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This tour is available from April-October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season.
For more information on travelling to Greece, see our blog on the Best time to go to Greece.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By train or bus
Complimentary transfers from Athens Airport to the hotel in Athens and from here to Piraeus Port are included in this tour. It is also possible to arrive from other islands in Greece, with Sifnos offering ferry connections to many other islands. For ferry timetables and further information, visit Openseas or Direct Ferries.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms
- 6 breakfasts
- Airport transfer to Athens
- Transfer from Athens to Piraeus
- Ferry tickets Piraeus-Sifnos
- Transfer from Sifnos port to Apollonia
- Luggage transfer from Apollonia to Kamares
- Digital holiday information pack, including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, maps and GPS tracks. (Please note, that the information pack for this tour is digital only and will be emailed to you prior to departure. Physical documents are not able to be mailed or provided on-site)
- 24/7 phone support by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and ferry tickets not listed as included
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Other ferry tickets
