Island guides · The Islands
Sifnos: the gourmet island
The back story
About Sifnos: the gourmet island
Sifnos is the gourmet island of the Cyclades, birthplace of the famous cook Nikolaos Tselementes, and its clay-pot dishes, pottery and footpaths make it a favourite of Greek travellers.
Gold, silver and clay
In antiquity Sifnos grew rich from gold and silver mines, rich enough to build a treasury at Delphi. Later, its clay made it an island of potters, and workshops still produce the pots used for revithada and mastelo.
The villages
Apollonia and Artemonas share a ridge in the centre; Kastro, a medieval village on a rock, faces the sea. Chapels, dovecotes and monasteries such as Chrysopigi are linked by marked paths.
On Sifnos, Sunday lunch is cooked overnight in a clay pot.
Food
Sifnos is synonymous with good food in Greece: chickpea revithada, lamb or goat mastelo, capers and the island’s cheeses, with excellent restaurants at Kastro, Platis Gialos and Vathi.
Our advice: come in May, June or September to walk; book the best restaurants ahead; buy a clay pot from a workshop; and arrive by ferry from Piraeus, Milos or Serifos.
Why it's on our list
- Read before you go
- Who the island suits
- Our honest advice
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sifnos: the gourmet island before you go.