Coming to Sifnos from Australia
Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated June 2026
8 min readFrom Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane it is around 24 hours to Athens, then a ferry to Sifnos. That is a long way for a beach. Worth it if you give the island a week or more, and here is how we would plan the trip.
Villa Olivia Clara is our house above the beach at Platis Gialos, and we host it ourselves. We have had Australian families here from all three of those cities. This is what we would have sent them before they booked.
Is it worth it?
Yes. People come here after they have done Santorini and Mykonos. Long lunches, paths between the monasteries, pottery that is still made here and used in the kitchens, evenings where nobody is selling you anything. National Geographic calls it Greece's gourmet island. Vogue named it the number one place to travel in 2024, and Broadsheet, in Australia, put it on their list of places to go in 2026. But give it a week or more. A few days here after 24 hours of flying is not enough.
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The journey
There is no airport on Sifnos and no direct flight from Australia to Greece. You fly to Athens with at least one stop, around 24 hours of travel. Then the ferry. It leaves from Piraeus, and metro line 3 runs there from the airport in about 55 to 60 minutes. The fast boat takes about 2½ hours, the conventional one about 5, and both land at Kamares, the island's port. We are 20 to 30 minutes from Kamares by car. There is also Hoper, a scheduled helicopter from Athens airport to Sifnos, 35 to 40 minutes. Spend the first night in Athens. We have watched a lot of jet-lagged arrivals, and the ones who slept in Athens first were fine. Take a morning ferry and you are on the island with the afternoon ahead of you.
How to get to Sifnos, the full ferry guideHow long to stay
A week or more on Sifnos, inside two or three weeks in Greece. After a few days you stop counting. For a group, one house beats a string of hotels, because you unpack once and the kitchen is yours and the pool is outside the door.
How many days to spend in SifnosWhen to come
The island season runs roughly May to October, so your winter is our summer. Two windows fit an Australian calendar. The mid-year school holidays, late June and July, which is peak summer here. And September into early October, when the island is quieter and prices ease. Come in September if you can choose, because the August crowds have gone by then and the sea is still warm.
Best time to visit Sifnos, season by seasonAdd a second island
Sifnos is in the western Cyclades, and Milos, Serifos, Kimolos and Folegandros are all short ferries from here. Milos is 40 to 50 minutes on the fast boat. Over two or three weeks, order the islands so you keep moving in one direction and never go back through Piraeus between them. Our island-pairing guide has the routes that work.
Which islands to combine with SifnosIf it is a celebration
Most of our Australian guests come for an occasion. A big birthday, an anniversary, a family that is finally in one place. From the other side of the world the logistics are the hard part, because people fly in from three cities and land on different days. The house sleeps eight and is always yours alone, guest house included, so the whole party is under one roof. Anything bigger than a family dinner is case by case, so ask Elena before you book. And ask her about ferry timing for whoever lands last.
Talk to Elena about a celebrationHow we would do it
A night in Athens to land. A morning ferry to Sifnos. A week or more here in Platis Gialos, and one more island on the way back if you have the time. Book with us directly and you deal with Elena from the first email to the day you arrive. She will tell you which ferry to take, and she will hold your dates for two or three days while you sort out the flights.
What Australian guests say
“Elena has maintained a beautiful property on Sifnos. It was perfect for our family vacation and has the best equipped kitchen we’ve seen which we very much enjoyed for cooking some family dinners. Elena is a lovely person who was extremely helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will be back here when next in Sifnos.”
“Amazing place to stay! We stayed for 6 nights. Perfect for 2 families. Walkable to everything including beaches, cafes, and tavernas. The kitchen was well equipped. Lots of space for kids to run around.”
Common questions
How long is the flight from Australia to Sifnos?
There are no direct flights from Australia to Greece. From Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane you fly to Athens with one stop, typically 23 to 27 hours of travel in total. Then a ferry from Piraeus to Sifnos, since the island has no airport. Most Australians stay a night in Athens and take a morning ferry.
Is Sifnos worth visiting from Australia?
Yes. The food, the walking trails between the monasteries, the pottery, and how quiet it is. It is nothing like Santorini or Mykonos. Plan at least a week here inside a two or three week trip to Greece.
When is the best time to visit Greece from Australia?
The Greek island season runs roughly May to October, the opposite of the Australian one. Two windows suit Australians. The mid-year school holidays (late June and July, in peak Greek summer), and September into early October, when the sea is still warm, the island is quieter and prices ease. Of the two, September, for the water and the quiet.
How many days should I spend in Greece coming from Australia?
Two to three weeks. A night or two in Athens, a week or more on one island (Sifnos, in our case), and one or two other islands added without going back through Piraeus. A long weekend is too short for 24 hours of flying each way.
How do you get to Sifnos from Athens?
By ferry from Piraeus. About 2½ hours on the fast boat, or about 5 hours on the conventional ferry, and it arrives at Kamares. From Kamares to Platis Gialos is 20 to 30 minutes by car. There is no airport on Sifnos. Ferries run daily in summer, and for July and August book the ferry ahead.
Which islands pair well with Sifnos for a longer trip?
Milos, Serifos, Kimolos and Folegandros are all short ferries from Sifnos, which is in the western Cyclades. Milos is 40 to 50 minutes on the fast boat. Paros and Santorini are reachable too. Our island-pairing guide has the routes that avoid going back through Piraeus.
Planning it from the other side of the world?
Villa Olivia Clara is our house above Platis Gialos, a 7 to 10 minute walk from the beach, and it sleeps eight. Check the dates, then write to Elena directly about the ferry timing and anything else on your mind.
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