HI there! It's travelerjan, and thanks for following my suggestion to re-post your query here, since TA seems to be imploding! The latest I hear is that while their AI robot is deleting our answers as "not in line with TA standards" or whatever, it is scooping up the advice we give for reprocessing & using as its own. ... we may have to stop providing Freebies for Venture Capialists.
Anyway, I urge you to return to Sifnos ... a beautiful island that so far largely has escaped supercommercial invasion, perhaps because it has no airport and fewer ferry connections; go now, before th inevitable happens. Yes it's heaven for walkers & hikers, with many trails in flagstone with low walls (until after WW II, Sifnos had almost no drivable roads & residents travelled mainly via walking, mules and small boats along the shores). This superb webside - http://sifnos.e-sifnos.com/index.htm Gives ALL info; cllick every link! Here's a start on good walks - https://sifnos.e-sifnos.com/explore-sifnos/relaxing-walk.php and dont overlook the unsual opportunity to rent small motorboats on a beach for a half-day. So Much to do & see!
In September, I recommend staying up in hillside villages -- Artemonas- Appollonia - Ano Petali are linked along the hills like a pearl necklace, with views down the valley & out to sea. A good bus network centered up there takes you to beaches -- on my stays, ive gone to beaches every afternoon -- or you can rent a car part-time to explore further. In September the beaches are wonderful by day, but the evenings are liveliest in Appollonia, with music, dining, etc in low-key clubs, cafes & tavernas along its lanes. There are many fans of staying in port of Kamares, and it does have the most retaurants, but I find its beach too near the ferry pier, a main road runs all along it, and to me the village feels a bit closed-in, wedged btween high hills... but that's just me. It IS fun to bus down there for dinner, & taxi back if you stay late. If you decide on Sifnos I have lodging recommends on beach or in hills.
As for Syros, I made a deliberate visit because of seeng pictures of its stunning main square, featured in every website or guidebook about the isle. . . and it was indeed remarkable. The beaches, and the island terrain as a whole, not that imprssive. It's also very much for Greeks, they say 90% of visitors are Greek, and they don't seem to be that interested in others, just my impression. Maybe if going in large group, or with Greek friends one wouldn't feel so much llike an outsider, but as a solo woman of a certain age, hmm. It was for almost 2 centuries (and perhaps still is) the economic capital of Central Greek isles, refueling center for all shipping, with multiple banks, insurance companies, legal offices still filling its main streets. On all the Greek isles I visit, I like to bring away some local art work or handicraft item, so one day, i began a search for a local art or craft gallery. I walked the lanes of the capital for an hour, in vain. Also hoped to get an aerial-view photo or postcard of the Town Square -- but also no places selling postcards; finally found One rack in the portside ticket office next to the pier for day-trip boats. Makes sense, if almost all visitors to Syros are Greek, why do they need postcards. In sum, IMHO, quite interesting place to see, not my choice for extended stay. Others may disagree strongly, and I honor their more fortunate experience.
