The mansions
Artemonas, Sifnos
Written by Elena Philippou,Updated August 2026
Artemonas is the village of neoclassical mansions on the ridge just north of Apollonia, a 1.3 km lane uphill from the capital and a different register: quiet streets, the island's best-known bakery, and the place where the island's bus routes begin each morning. It is 7.7 km from the port and 11.2 km from Platis Gialos and the villa, and it has no beach.
Nineteenth-century shipping families and émigrés who came home built the mansions, and the village has kept their calm. You come up for the amygdalota at Theodorou, for meze at Mosaiko, for the lanes at dusk, and for the walk back down to Apollonia for dinner. It suits travellers who want character and quiet while staying close to the capital. The honest downside: every swim is a drive or a bus away.
Artemonas at a glance
| What it is | Apollonia's quieter neighbour on the ridge, set apart by its neoclassical mansions and its bakeries |
|---|---|
| Beach | None. Kamares 7.7 km, Platis Gialos 11.2 km; every swim is a drive or a bus |
| Eating | Theodorou for amygdalota, Mosaiko for meze and village atmosphere; the full choice is 1.3 km down in Apollonia |
| By road | Kamares 7.7 km · Platis Gialos 11.2 km · Apollonia 1.3 km on foot |
| Bus | The island's routes start here: first bus 07:00 toward Kamares, Platis Gialos and Vathi from 09:00, Faros from 09:30; €2.20 to the port, €2.20 to Platis Gialos, €2.20 to Vathi, €2.20 to Faros, €2.20 to Kastro |
| Walks | Apollonia 1.3 km down the lane; Poulati monastery on the coast toward Kastro; the signed path toward Agios Symeon above Kamares |
| Best time | Late afternoon for the lanes and the light; the morning you leave for the bakery |
Distances are road and footpath kilometres routed over OpenStreetMap; bus times and fares are the municipality's summer 2026 timetable. Bus timetable and stops
Is Artemonas worth visiting?
Yes, and it is the easiest half-hour on Sifnos: ten minutes uphill from Apollonia and you are among mansions with their courtyards and gardens, lanes that stay quiet even in August, and a bakery that is reason enough for the walk. As a base it suits people who want calm and character near the capital and do not mind that dinner usually means the lane down to Apollonia and a slower stroll back up. There is no beach, and that is the honest downside: every swim is a drive or a bus away.
The mansions and the lanes
The neoclassical houses along the main lane are the legacy of nineteenth-century prosperity, built by well-to-do shipping families and islanders who made their money abroad and came home. Walk them in the late afternoon, when the light catches the plasterwork and the bougainvillea, and keep going past the square to the edge of the village, where the view opens over the terraces toward the coast. Churches stand at the corners, as everywhere on Sifnos.
Theodorou and the bakeries
Artemonas is known across the island for its almond sweets, the amygdalota: dense, moist almond-paste rounds dusted with sugar, the island's signature sweet. Theodorou, the long-standing family confectionery tucked down a lane off the square, does them properly; buy them the morning you leave, they travel well. Mosaiko serves meze and small plates with real village atmosphere. For the full choice of restaurants, walk the 1.3 km down to the Steno in Apollonia.
Walks from Artemonas
The lane down to Apollonia is 1.3 km, about 15 minutes down and 20 back up; most evenings end with it. The monastery of Panagia Poulati sits on the coast between Artemonas and Kastro, best reached on foot from Kastro in about 25 minutes, with a pebble beach below it. From Artemonas a signed path also climbs toward Agios Symeon, the 1667 chapel on the hill above Kamares with the finest sunset on the island; the walking guide has the routes and the times.
Getting there and the bus
Artemonas is 7.7 km by road from Kamares and 11.2 km from Platis Gialos. The island's bus routes begin here: the day's first bus, at 07:00 toward Kamares, leaves from Artemonas, with Platis Gialos and Vathi served from 09:00 and Faros from 09:30, and the last buses back up from Apollonia around midnight in summer. Singles are €2.20 to the port, €2.20 to Platis Gialos, €2.20 to Vathi, €2.20 to Faros and €2.20 to Kastro. Parking is on the road at the edge of the village; the lanes are on foot.
Artemonas and the villa
Villa Olivia Clara sits above Platis Gialos, 11.2 km from Artemonas by road, about 20 minutes. Pair it with Apollonia: the mansions and the bakery in the late afternoon, the lane down, dinner on the Steno, and the drive home.
A few honest notes
No beach, and every bus to one passes through Apollonia first. Rooms are fewer than in the capital and go early. The village is quiet by nine in the evening; the night is down the hill. Theodorou sells out of amygdalota on busy mornings, so go early. Most places keep island hours, late May to early October.
Artemonas, Sifnos: common questions
What is Artemonas known for?
Its neoclassical mansions, built by nineteenth-century shipping families, and its almond sweets: the amygdalota at Theodorou bakery are the island's signature sweet.
How far is Artemonas from Apollonia?
1.3 km along the lane, about 15 minutes down and 20 back up. By road, 7.7 km from Kamares and 11.2 km from Platis Gialos.
Is there a beach in Artemonas?
No. Kamares is 7.7 km by road and Platis Gialos 11.2 km; the bus to both starts from the village.
Where should I eat in Artemonas?
Theodorou for amygdalota and pastries, Mosaiko for meze with village atmosphere. For the full choice of restaurants, walk down to the Steno in Apollonia.
Do buses run from Artemonas?
They start here. The day's first bus leaves Artemonas at 07:00 toward Kamares; Platis Gialos and Vathi are served from 09:00 and Faros from 09:30. Fares are €2.20 to the port and €2.20 to Platis Gialos.
Is Artemonas a good place to stay?
For calm and character near the capital, yes. You walk down to Apollonia for dinner and back up after; every swim is a drive or a bus. Rooms are few, so book early.
What food is Sifnos famous for?
Revithada, chickpeas baked overnight in a clay pot; the clay cooking pots themselves, made on the island for some three thousand years; and the almond sweets of Artemonas, the amygdalota. The food guide covers the dishes and where to eat them.
Which part of Sifnos is best to stay in?
Artemonas or Kastro for the architecture and quiet; Apollonia for village evenings and the bus to everywhere; Platis Gialos for a beach-first stay with or without a car; Faros or Vathi for quieter beach days. The where-to-stay guide compares all eight.
Mansions in the afternoon, dinner in the capital
Villa Olivia Clara sits above Platis Gialos, about 20 minutes from Artemonas by car. Tell Elena your dates and she'll help you plan the villages as well as the beaches.