The mansions
Artemonas, Sifnos
Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated August 2026
Artemonas is the village of neoclassical mansions on the ridge just north of Apollonia, 1.3 km up the lane from the capital, and the quieter of the two. Theodorou, the old family sweet shop, is here, and the island's bus routes begin here each morning. It is 7.7 km from the port and 11.2 km from Platis Gialos and our house. No beach.
You come up for the amygdalota at Theodorou and for the lanes at dusk, then walk back down to Apollonia for dinner. Stay here if you want quiet with the capital close. No beach. The sandy ones are all a drive or a bus away, though you can walk down to the rocks at Panagia Poulati in about half an hour.
Artemonas at a glance
| What it is | Apollonia's quieter neighbour on the ridge. Neoclassical mansions, and the amygdalota at Theodorou |
|---|---|
| Beach | None. Kamares 7.7 km, Platis Gialos 11.2 km, both a drive or a bus. Rocks at Panagia Poulati about half an hour on foot |
| Eating | Theodorou for amygdalota, Mosaico for meze. 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. Panagia Poulati and the rocks below it, about half an hour. The signed path toward Agios Symeon above Kamares |
| Best time | Late afternoon for the lanes and the light. The morning you leave for the sweet shop |
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. Walk up the lane from Apollonia and you are among the mansions and their courtyards and gardens, in lanes that stay quiet even in August. Theodorou alone is reason enough to come up. Staying here works if you want calm and the capital close, and you do not mind that dinner means the lane down to Apollonia and a slower walk back up afterwards. No beach.
The mansions and the lanes
Shipping families built the big houses along the main lane in the nineteenth century, and so did islanders who made their money abroad and came home. Go in the late afternoon. The light catches the plasterwork and the bougainvillea then, and if you keep going past the square to the edge of the village the view opens over the terraces toward the coast. Panagia ta Kochi, the parish church, is on the main lane, and there are churches at the corners all through the village, as there are everywhere on Sifnos. Look in at the Sifnos Pottery Museum too, in the old Dragatsis school. It opens daily from June to September, and the potters' association shows its members' work there over the summer.
Where to eat in Artemonas
Artemonas is known for its amygdalota, the almond sweets. Dense, moist rounds of almond paste dusted with sugar. Theodorou makes them properly, the old family sweet shop down a lane off the square. Buy them the morning you leave, they travel well. Mosaico, next to the church of Panagia ta Kochi, does meze and small plates in its courtyard. For a real choice of restaurants, walk the 1.3 km down to the Steno in Apollonia. And if you are here in September, the Tselementes gastronomy festival is in the square for three days, 17 to 19 September in 2026. For dinner there is Perivoli, a garden taverna that makes its own pasta, and O Aggeles, a butcher's taverna for the grilled meats.
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. Panagia Poulati, the monastery on the coast between here and Kastro, is about half an hour downhill on a marked path, and you can swim off the rocks below it. From Kastro it is about 25 minutes. A signed path also climbs from Artemonas toward Agios Symeon, the 1667 chapel on the hill above Kamares. The sunset from up there is the best on the island. The walk up Profitis Ilias, the top of the island at 682 m, starts from Firogia on the official trail (6b), about 1h50 one way. Our 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 first bus of the day leaves at 07:00 toward Kamares. Buses to Platis Gialos and Vathi start at 09:00, Faros at 09:30, and the last ones back up from Apollonia run 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. Park on the road at the edge of the village and walk in from there, the lanes are for walking.
Artemonas and the villa
Villa Olivia Clara is above Platis Gialos, 11.2 km from Artemonas by road, about 20 minutes. We tell guests to do Artemonas and Apollonia in one evening. Leave the car at the edge of Artemonas, see the mansions in the late afternoon, stop at Theodorou, then walk the lane down to Apollonia for dinner on the Steno. The walk back up to the car is 20 minutes.
What we tell guests before they come
No beach. The sandy ones are a drive or a bus away, and every bus passes through Apollonia first. Fewer rooms here than in the capital, and they go early. By nine in the evening the village is quiet, and if you want a night out it is down the hill in Apollonia. Theodorou sells out of amygdalota on busy mornings. 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, the old family sweet shop, 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 it is 7.7 km from Kamares and 11.2 km from Platis Gialos.
Is there a beach in Artemonas?
No. The sandy beaches are a drive or a bus away. Kamares is 7.7 km by road and Platis Gialos 11.2 km, and the bus to both starts from the village. You can walk down to the rocks at Panagia Poulati in about half an hour.
Where should I eat in Artemonas?
Theodorou for amygdalota and pastries. Mosaico for meze in a courtyard. For the full choice of restaurants, walk down to the Steno in Apollonia.
Do buses run from Artemonas?
They start here. The first bus of the day leaves Artemonas at 07:00 toward Kamares. Buses to Platis Gialos and Vathi start at 09:00, Faros at 09:30. Fares are €2.20 to the port and €2.20 to Platis Gialos.
Is Artemonas a good place to stay?
If you want calm and the capital close, yes. You walk down to Apollonia for dinner and back up after, and the sandy beaches are a drive or a bus away. Not many rooms, so book early.
What food is Sifnos famous for?
Revithada, chickpeas baked overnight in a clay pot, and the clay pots themselves, which the island has made for some three thousand years. And the almond sweets of Artemonas, the amygdalota. Our 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 the quiet, Apollonia for village evenings and the bus to everywhere. Platis Gialos for a holiday built around the beach, with or without a car. Faros or Vathi for quieter beach days. Our where-to-stay guide compares all eight, with the distances and the bus times.
Artemonas from the villa
Villa Olivia Clara is our house above Platis Gialos, about 20 minutes from Artemonas by car. Write to Elena with your dates, and ask her about the villages as well as the beaches.