Serifos is a Cycladic island in the Aegean Sea. It is a remote destination, yet to be discovered by mass visitors, so it is perfect for laid-back holidays in Greece. Τhe capital of the island is built at an altitude of 200 meters. Αccording to mythology it was the island where Perseus grew up. Chora, the capital town, and the island’s villages have been built according to the traditional Cycladic architecture, thus expect to see whitewashed houses, paved streets and traditional windmills galore. Serifos boasts a big selection of beaches, Livadi and Livadakia are the most popular ones. Sightseeing and hikingare the best activities. Island hopping to the nearby islands of Sifnos, Kythnos, and Milos is also a must, as an ideal opportunity to visit more than one Cycladic island during your holidays in Greece.

The Chora of Serifos is one of the most spectacular in the Cyclades, perched on the side of a mountain, overlooking the large harbor. The trip is about 20 minutes of hairpin turns, going back and forth across the face of the mountain until you come to a spot where the bus is able to turn around and leave you at the entrance to the lower square of the village. We followed the signs to the Kastro and came upon the main square, in front of the Dimarcheo building, a carbon copy of the Schiller-designed town-hall in Ioulida, Kea. In fact the Chora of Serifos was very similar to Ioulida, another Cycladic village built ampitheatrical on top of a mountain to deter pirates. The square, called Pano Piatsa which means upper square, was as cozy as a platia can be, with tables from several small ouzeries and a taverna called Zorba’s occupying a good portion of it. There was also the 17th Century church of Agios Athanasios.

A climb of about 10 more minutes brought us to the peak of the village and the Church of Agios Konstantinos and the amazing view of all below it. We returned to the lower Piatsa and a small Ouzerie called Karavoumbas which specialized in tsipuro-raki, an anise-less cousin of ouzo, and traditional mezedes, ouzo snacks and a large menu of traditional Serifos dishes and other Mediterranean fare. Tastefully decorated in traditional ouzerie fashion with tables outside and a restaurant-bar inside, Karavoumbas was the kind of place any Philhellene wishes someone would open in their home town so they would not have to fly to Greece for their fix of ouzo, food and tradition. The kind of place I would open and just invite my friends to every weekend. We caught the next bus down after a couple tsipuros.

Livadi is an interesting port and takes up a very small part of the large bay of the same name. When you get off the ferry you walk past restaurants with their signs in English, advertising fresh fish or whatever their specialties or what they think people want (mousaka, pastitsio etc). There are cafes, a couple tourist shops, ferry ticket offices, a bakery, and even a small mini-mall of tourist and art shops. If you continue walking the road becomes dirt and turns into a long beach before going up and around the bay where there are some small coves with beaches. In fact the whole bay of Livadi has a number of coves, including Livadakia, a tree-shaded beach with an excellent campground.

Where to head next?

Keep exploring the best of Greece! After Serifos, the top destinations to visit are Sifnos, Kythnos, and Paros.