Sifnos, Greece

There are at least 150 Greek islands not listed in the RS Greece book, which shouldn't be considered a guidebook but rather a simplified selection of some touristy islands.

I've been going to Sifnos since the 90s. If you want to experience a still authentic Greek island, untouched by mass tourism, it's not too late.

https://www.roomsinsifnos.com/

You'll need to take a ferry, thankfully, there's no airport in Sifnos.

We enjoyed visiting Sifnos. We liked this island as we did Naxos and Crete.
We could not wait to leave Santorini, crowded, over touristed.

Sifnos is one of my favourite islands. Laid back charm, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, pretty inland and coastal villages, good prices, great tavernas and cafes, decent bus service, wonderful people etc. etc.
https://sifnos.gr/en/sifnos/

Thinking of visiting Sifnos in early to mid October. Is the island dead for tourism by then or is it worth visiting at that time? How about Naxos/Paros?

Strange as it may seem but there is life outside of RS guide book.

You should definitely take advantage of the opportunity to go to Sifnos during the first half of October. Unless you're planning on partying every night surrounded by crowds of tourists, which isn't really why people visit Sifnos anyway. We've been there in May, June, September, and even early November, and it has always suited us perfectly.

Thanks @JoLui. I am not a partying type, so Sifnos will suit me perfectly. Do you happen to know if the bus service connecting main towns on the Island (the port, the capital, Kastro etc) is decent in October, especially for day trips? Or is renting a car is the way to go? If so, any recommendations for car rental companies?

Is it worth it to go to the gastronomy festival in September? We'll be in Greece during that time, but trying to figure out if it's worth fighting for space there!

Pam, regarding the bus system on Sifnos, you can refer to this map that shows the routes (PDF file). The main hub is located in Artemonas, the village right next to the capital, Apollonia:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y4DSyC3SuoxkY1ifOOZK878KjvZ0hGwI/view?usp=sharing

Since the schedule shown in the PDF is for June, here is the schedule for the first week of October. These are from 2024, but they barely change from year to year:

https://sifnaiko-fos.gr/%cf%83%ce%b9%cf%86%ce%bd%ce%bf%cf%83-sifnos-%ce%b4%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%bc%ce%bf%ce%bb%cf%8c%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%ce%bb%ce%b5%cf%89%cf%86%ce%bf%cf%81%ce%b5%ce%af%cf%89%ce%bd-bus-timetable-up-to-6-1/

And for the second week of October:

https://sifnaiko-fos.gr/%cf%83%ce%b9%cf%86%ce%bd%ce%bf%cf%83-sifnos-%ce%b4%cf%81%ce%bf%ce%bc%ce%bf%ce%bb%cf%8c%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%ce%bb%ce%b5%cf%89%cf%86%ce%bf%cf%81%ce%b5%ce%af%cf%89%ce%bd-bus-timetable-up-to-13/

We only took the bus on Sifnos once or twice a long time ago. Because we don't want to be forced to plan our activities around bus schedules, we always rent a car or scooters no matter which island we visit. We prefer having the freedom to go wherever we want, whenever we want, even late at night.

It’s completely up to you, but I highly recommend doing the same, especially since the bus schedules in October are going to be pretty limited.

2 local rental companies among others

Suntrail: https://suntrail.gr/en/index.html

Aperent: https://aperent.gr/

Note: You don't need to pay anything in advance. You just book it online and pay when you pick up the car on Sifnos.

You can also rent e-bikes, which could be fun (we've never tried them, though):

https://sifnosbikexperience.com/

Thank you again @JoLui. Extremely helpful! I will start researching a visit Sifnos in October. I am guessing parking wouldn't be much of an issue here in October, unlike, say, Santorini?

Pam

Parking in Sifnos is a non-issue; you can completely cross it off your list of worries. Kastro is a village accessible only on foot (or by donkey), and there is a free parking lot right at the entrance. Everywhere else, there are patches of land acting as makeshift parking areas, or you can simply park on the side of the road—just do what the locals do

What are some neighborhoods to stay in Sifnos? I have these on my list: Artemonas or Apollonia...Looking at Airb'bb.
And from what I see: no Uber so that's why I see some of you are recommending renting cars or bussing.

Apollonia is the capital of Sifnos, and Artemonas is the neighboring village right next to it. There are good bases since they are roughly in the center of the island, and the Artemonas-Apollonia area is the hub of the Sifnos's bus network.

We always rent cars on the islands to have the freedom to get around. Driving on Sifnos is no problem at all, and the roads are good. You can rent a car for just part of your stay. You'll find car rental companies at the port of Kamares right as you get off the ferry, but I recommend booking in advance, especially if you're staying during the gastronomy festival.

Below is a list of car and scooter rental companies found via Google Maps:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5GJCjefekdX5VBEY7

In many cases, you pay when you pick up the car, either by credit card or cash, there's no need to pay in advance. You just fill out a request form on their website, and they'll get back to you with availability and rates. 2 examples with SunTrail and Apollo:

https://suntrail.gr/en/index.html

https://apollorental.gr/

Regarding the buses, here is an example of a bus schedule for the second half of September:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zLuMTFhKxGFI8IO1WHTRKHcU358V9F4Q/view?usp=sharing

And another one with the map of the bus routes:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y4DSyC3SuoxkY1ifOOZK878KjvZ0hGwI/view?usp=sharing

Uber drivers and similar services are banned in Greece, even if you use the Uber app, you will always get an official taxi, they are always licensed taxi drivers. There are very few taxis on the islands (10 on Sifnos). The best way to contact them is to write down their phone numbers in case you need them, though there is no guarantee they will be available. They don't use meters; instead, they charge a flat rate based on the trip.

As for accommodations, you'll easily find places similar to Airbnbs without using Airbnb (studios, apartments, or houses with full kitchens). The owners are always friendly and ready to help with anything you need. Sometimes you can enjoy things from their gardens, and some might offer breakfast.

Check out "Rooms in Sifnos," a locally managed website dedicated entirely to accommodation on the island:

https://www.roomsinsifnos.com/

Hello fellow travelers,
We have arrived in Sifnos! I had posted many questions in a previous thread and appreciate all of your responses, but due to lack of activity, that thread has been closed so I am starting a new thread.

We are happily staying at Flora Geronti’s Guest House in Ana Petali. We hope to rent a car, even though we were told that due to our age (over 75), we would not be allowed. We will try anyway, if not we will use the bus system.

A reminder: We are in our upper 70’s, fit and love to hike/walk. Also enjoy beaches and good food. We are comfortable with a range of restaurants, from low to high end (only if the experience is worth the expense, not just for the sake of saying we have been there).

My questions:
1. What do you recommend we NOT miss while on the island?
2. Favorite restaurants (last night we ate at Margarita’s in Artemonas, it was very good). All styles welcome.
3. Favorite hikes or walks

Thanks in advance for your replies, and also for your past replies, which guided us here.

Rachel aka Momorichel from California

There is no legal upper age limit for renting a car in Greece; check with rental agencies, as one of them might be able to rent you a car.

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned an e-bike rental service.

The website https://sifnostrails.com/ lists hiking trails on Sifnos, and paper maps are also available at a few shops on the island. Choosing a specific hike depends on accessibility, difficulty, and whether the route is a loop or not. The choice is yours,we did some hikes ourselves, but it was too long ago for me to remember the specific trail numbers, they were mainly in the southern and southwestern parts of Sifnos.

Interesting. This morning I contacted two rental companies who said they would not rent to those over 75, that their insurance did not allow it. Then another company said they had no age limit but also no cars available.

Thank you for the link to the e-bike rental, but we are not comfortable doing that here.

We will go to Kamares tomorrow and try to get a car. if not, we’ll stick with buses and walking.

Thanks as always, Jo-lui.

Rachel

A follow-up to the car rental: We were able to rent from Suntrail rental in Kamares. They allow rentals for folks up to 79 yrs old. They delivered the car to our guest house for a small fee.

We’ve had a great time in Sifnos. When I have better cell reception, I might do a trip report. In any case, I encourage visitors to Sifnos, a beautiful, welcoming island.

I must say it has gotten more crowded and more expensive since we were here 3 yrs ago. The beaches are still beautiful, the water calm and clear, and the food fantastic.

Happy to answer more questions for those who are interested.

Rachel