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  5. The best beaches in Sifnos

The best beaches in Sifnos

Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated August 2026

Nineteen beaches, from Platis Gialos below our house to coves you reach on foot or by boat

The coast of Sifnos faces every direction, so there is nearly always a beach out of the wind. That matters from July, when the meltemi starts blowing from the north and the north-facing beaches turn rough. This guide covers nineteen beaches. The long organised one at Platis Gialos, below our house. The port beach at Kamares. Vathi, where we send families with small children. And the coves with no road in, which you reach on foot or by boat.

We have lived on Sifnos for years. For each beach we say what is underfoot, sand or pebble, how deep the water gets and how calm it stays, how you get there and what is there when you arrive. For a lot of them there is nothing there at all.

Chrysopigi monastery and Apokofto beach on the south coast of Sifnos

Where they are

Pins for the beaches you can reach by road, and the villages you would set out from. The small coves have no pin. OpenStreetMap does not name them and we will not put one where we are guessing.

View from the pool bar

Villa Olivia Clara

A base for the south of the island

Our house sits above Platis Gialos with a private pool and parking for five cars, so a group can spend the day on different beaches and still eat together.

  • 8 guests
  • Parking for 5 cars
  • 7–10 min walk to the beach
Check availabilitySee the villa

The nineteen beaches

Platis Gialos beach in Sifnos

Platis Gialos

Southern Sifnos · Village guide Platis Gialos

About 700 metres of sand, one of the longest beaches on the island, and the one below our house. The water is calm and clear. The sand slopes in without any sudden drop, but it is not a shallow beach, and for small children we point people to Vathi or Kamares. The bay faces south, so from July, when the meltemi blows from the north and the other side of the island turns choppy, Platis Gialos stays swimmable. It holds the Blue Flag. August is busy. The restaurants on the sand hire out their sunbeds, first come first served, Lost Bay is the beach bar, Bloomarine hires paddleboards and kayaks, and the three car parks fill by late morning. Before and after the peak weeks it is quiet. From our house it is 7 to 10 minutes' walk down.

Highlights

  • Blue Flag
  • Faces south, sheltered from the summer meltemi
  • White Tower (ancient beacon) on the hillside above
  • You look out at Kitriani islet and its small church

Facilities

Sunbeds & umbrellas
Restaurants
Water sports
Beach bars
Shops
Pottery studios
Access

The bus from Apollonia stops by the beach. Three car parks around the bay, full by late morning most days in August

Shelter

Good. The bay faces south, so the meltemi passes over it

Good for
Families
Swimming
Lunch on the sand
No car needed
“A gorgeous view, with the ability to walk to the beach for restaurants and bars in about 10 minutes.”
Tyler | September 2024
Kamares beach in Sifnos

Kamares

Western Sifnos (Port) · Village guide Kamares

The ferry port, where everyone lands. About 5 km from Apollonia, 20 to 30 minutes by car from Platis Gialos. The beach curves round the bay beside the port. Wide, sandy and shallow, so good for children, and organised, with sunbeds and tavernas along the front. It faces west, and it is where we send guests for the sunset. Every ferry comes in here, so there are more hotels, tavernas, cafes, bakeries and services than anywhere else on the island, and the port is right there while you swim. Two signed trails start here, to the Mavri Spilia (the Black Cave) and to the church of the Nymfon.

Highlights

  • The ferry port, where you arrive
  • Shallow water, good for children, and the sunset beach
  • Hiking trail to Mavri Spilia (Black Cave)
  • NATURA protected land on the hillside above

Facilities

Sunbeds & umbrellas
Restaurants
Beach bars
Shops
Natural shade
Port authority
Municipal information office
Grocery stores
Bakeries
Access

Every ferry docks here. The bus from Apollonia runs every 30 to 60 minutes in summer, and the beach is a walk from any room in the port

Shelter

Good. A sheltered western bay

Good for
Small children
Sunset
First or last night
Walks from the port
Vathi beach in Sifnos

Vathi

Southwest Sifnos · Village guide Vathi

The most sheltered beach on the island. It is a deep bay facing south-west and it hardly ever gets choppy, whichever way the wind is blowing. Wide sand, a gentle slope in, and water that is shallow and calm, so for small children it is the first beach we name. A handful of tavernas and rooms stand behind it. By car it is 15 to 20 minutes from Apollonia. Vathi was a potters' village until the Second World War and one of the island's oldest surviving kilns is here. The church of the Taxiarches stands at the edge of the beach, and in late summer rare sand lilies flower along the dune edge.

Highlights

  • The most sheltered beach on Sifnos, in any wind
  • Wide sand, shallow water, good for small children
  • Rare sand lilies bloom here in late summer
  • Church of Taxiarches at the edge of the beach
  • Prehistoric archaeological site at the north end of the bay

Facilities

Sunbeds & umbrellas
Restaurants
Beach bars
Natural shade
Pottery studios
Access

Bus from Apollonia, fewer a day than to the south coast, so check the timetable. By car 15 to 20 minutes from Apollonia, with parking

Shelter

Excellent. One of the calmest beaches on the island in any wind

Good for
Families
Young children
Swimming
Quiet stays
Apokofto (below Chrysopigi) beach in Sifnos

Apokofto (below Chrysopigi)

Southeastern Sifnos

The sandy beach directly below the Chrysopigi monastery. Two car parks, one up by the monastery with a short path down and one at beach level. The sand is soft and golden and some of it has set hard as stone, so you choose your spot to walk in. The monastery on its rock, with the short bridge across to it, is behind you the whole time. Everyone photographs it. Tamarisks give shade along the back of the beach. Changing rooms and showers, no sunbeds, so it stays quiet.

Highlights

  • Direct view of the Chrysopigi monastery bridge
  • Soft golden sand, some of it set hard as stone
  • Tamarisk shade along the back of the beach
  • Clear water and no sunbeds

Facilities

Changing rooms
Showers
Tamarisk shade
Cafe behind the beach
Access

Drive from Apollonia, about 15 minutes, or take the bus to the monastery and walk down. On foot from Faros it is about 20 minutes, and boats come in too

Shelter

Good. Faces south, one of the sheltered south-coast bays

Good for
Photography
Families
Snorkelling
Chrysopigi beach in Sifnos

Chrysopigi

Southeastern Sifnos (between Faros and Platis Gialos) · Village guide Chrysopigi

The monastery of Panagia Chrysopigi stands on a small rock joined to the shore by a short bridge, and that is the picture on every Sifnos postcard. It was built around 1650. The Panagia is the island's patron saint and the monastery is the most visited monument on Sifnos. Apokofto beach is below it to the south, the smaller Saoures just to the west, and the water round the rock is clear and good for snorkelling. On Ascension Day the whole island comes for the festival. Two car parks, one up by the monastery and one down by the beach.

Highlights

  • Monastery of Panagia Chrysopigi (17th century), patron saint of Sifnos
  • The rock and its bridge, the picture on every postcard
  • Annual festival on Ascension Day (movable, May or June)
  • Snorkelling round the base of the rock

Facilities

Cafe and mini-market nearby
Two car parks, by the monastery and by the beach
Monastery (open to visitors)
Access

Bus to the monastery, or drive to one of the two car parks, up by the monastery or down by the beach

Shelter

Good. Faces south, out of the meltemi

Good for
Photography
Snorkelling
Cultural interest
Families
Faros beach in Sifnos

Faros

Southeastern Sifnos · Village guide Faros

Faros is a fishing village with three beaches a short walk apart. The village beach is small and sandy with the fishing boats on it, Fasolou is to the east and Glyfo to the west. The village is named after an ancient lighthouse. Several tavernas sit right on the waterfront, and the seabed is rocky and the water very clear, so people say it is some of the best snorkelling on the island.

Highlights

  • Three beaches in one village
  • Some of the best snorkelling on the island, over a rocky seabed
  • Fishing boats and tavernas on the waterfront
  • A coastal path links all three beaches

Facilities

Sunbeds & umbrellas
Restaurants
Natural shade
Lit path to the other two beaches
Access

Bus from Apollonia, roughly hourly in summer. By car there is a municipal car park in the village, a short walk from the beach

Shelter

Good. A sheltered bay facing south-east

Good for
Snorkelling
Quiet days
Dinner on the waterfront
Coastal walks
Seralia (below Kastro) beach in Sifnos

Seralia (below Kastro)

East coast, below Kastro village

A small pebble beach directly below Kastro, the old capital. You come down a stepped path from the village, about 10 minutes. The swim is short. The setting is the reason to come, sheer rock on both sides and the Kastro walls above you. The seabed is rocky and the water gets deep quickly, so it is for confident swimmers. Cantina is the restaurant in the cove, a high-end one, and Obama and Tom Hanks ate there in June 2023. The Kastro cafes are 10 minutes back up the steps.

Highlights

  • Kastro directly above
  • Cliffs on both sides
  • Very clear water over a rocky bottom
  • The stepped path down from Kastro square

Facilities

Cantina restaurant in the cove
Kastro cafes and taverna a 10-minute climb back up
Access

On foot, 10 minutes down the stepped path from Kastro. No car access

Shelter

Moderate. Open to the east and north-east

Good for
Confident swimmers
Photography
Snorkelling
After a walk round Kastro
Fykiada beach in Sifnos

Fykiada

Southwest Sifnos (between Vathi and Platis Gialos)

A small sandy beach with no road to it. You walk in on the signed trails, about an hour and three-quarters from Vathi or about an hour and a half from Platis Gialos, or you come by boat. The chapel of Agios Georgios stands near the beach and one of the oldest olive trees on the island is on the path above. Nothing there, so carry water and food. With no cars it stays quiet even in August.

Highlights

  • No road. On foot or by boat
  • One of the island's oldest olive trees on the path above
  • Chapel of Agios Georgios
  • Sandy, and quiet even in August

Facilities

None. Bring everything you need
Access

On foot, about 1h45 from Vathi or 1h30 from Platis Gialos on the marked trails, or by small boat

Shelter

Moderate. Open to the south and south-west

Good for
Walkers
Having it to yourself
Boat trips
Vroulidia beach in Sifnos

Vroulidia

Northwest Sifnos (near Cheronissos)

A pebble beach on the north-west coast, about 1 km before Cheronissos. From Apollonia it is 12–14 km, about 25 minutes. A dirt track leads to a parking area, then a short walk down. The water is exceptionally clear over a pebble bottom. The hills round the cove give it more shelter than most of the north coast, and a small bar-taverna puts out sunbeds in summer.

Highlights

  • Exceptionally clear water over pebbles
  • Sheltered by the hills around the cove
  • A small bar-taverna with sunbeds in season
  • Quiet, because of the track in

Facilities

Seasonal bar-taverna
Sunbeds & umbrellas (seasonal)
Toilets
Access

A dirt track off the Cheronissos road to a parking area, then a short walk down

Shelter

Moderate. The hills round the cove do the sheltering

Good for
Snorkelling
Clear water
Quiet
Herronisos (Cheronissos) beach in Sifnos

Herronisos (Cheronissos)

Northern Sifnos · Village guide Cheronissos

The northernmost village on the island, 15 km from Apollonia on a narrow winding road. Allow 25 minutes. The bay is small, roughly 100 m of sand in a sheltered cove, with a few fishing boats at the little jetty. Two or three tavernas open in summer. Potters have worked here for generations. The drive across the north of the island is half the reason to go. It is open to the north, and when the meltemi blows the swimming gets rough.

Highlights

  • The northernmost village on the island
  • A fishing village with a working pottery
  • A handful of tavernas right on the water
  • The drive across the north of the island

Facilities

Small tavernas
A pottery workshop
Access

By car on the narrow road from Apollonia, allow 25 minutes. The bus is limited in summer, so check the timetable

Shelter

Moderate. Some shelter from the cove, but a strong meltemi makes swimming uncomfortable

Good for
Quiet
Pottery
The end of the road
Poulati beach in Sifnos

Poulati

Northeast Sifnos

A pebble and rock beach on the north-east coast, under the monastery of Panagia Poulati on the cliff above. Most people drive up for the monastery (its festival is in August) and find the beach afterwards. The road ends near the church. A track takes you down to the shore in about 10 minutes, and the water is deep and very clear. Open to the north and north-east. When the meltemi is strong it gets rough.

Highlights

  • Monastery of Panagia Poulati on the cliff above
  • Deep, very clear water
  • A short walk down from the church car park
  • Open to the sea, with views across to the mainland

Facilities

None. Bring water and shade
Access

Drive to the monastery car park, then about 10 minutes down the track to the shore

Shelter

Poor. Open to the north and north-east meltemi, and often choppy on summer afternoons

Good for
Strong swimmers
Coming by boat
With the monastery
Lazarou beach in Sifnos

Lazarou

Southern Sifnos (next to Platis Gialos)

A small pebble cove a few minutes along the road from the southern end of Platis Gialos, and much quieter. Flat rocks to swim off, and the seabed turns sandy a short way out. The one place on it, Lazarou Beach, works mainly as a private wedding and events venue now, so ring before you plan a lunch there.

Highlights

  • Pebble shore with rock swimming platforms
  • Lazarou Beach, the venue on the water, mostly private events now
  • Sandy seabed a short way out
  • A few minutes from Platis Gialos and far quieter

Facilities

Lazarou Beach venue (ring ahead)
Sunbeds & umbrellas
Swimming platform
Access

A short walk or drive from the southern end of Platis Gialos. The turn off the road is signed

Shelter

Good. Faces south, out of the meltemi

Good for
A change from Platis Gialos
Swimming
Fewer people
Fasolou beach in Sifnos

Fasolou

Southeastern Sifnos (below Faros)

A small, mostly sandy cove just east of Faros, about 5 minutes along the coastal path. The Monastery of Stavros stands on the headland above the southern end of the bay, and that is what people photograph here. Changing rooms, showers, toilets and a beach restaurant, and it is quieter than the Faros village beach.

Highlights

  • Monastery of Stavros on the headland at the southern end of the bay
  • A 5-minute walk from Faros on the coastal path
  • Rocky seabed good for snorkelling
  • Quieter than the Faros main beach

Facilities

Changing rooms
Showers
Toilets
Beach restaurant
Access

Walk from Faros along the lit coastal path. Car access is limited

Shelter

Good. The Faros headland shelters it

Good for
Snorkelling
Photography
Quiet swimming
Saoures beach in Sifnos

Saoures

Southeastern Sifnos (west of Chrysopigi)

Walk down the dirt path from Chrysopigi, about 150 metres, and you are on a small cove just west of the monastery with fewer people on it than Apokofto on the other side. Pebbles mixed with golden sand, clear water, and some people arrive by boat. Faces south, so it stays calm and out of the meltemi until midday. Nothing on the beach, and the cafes at Apokofto and the mini-market at Chrysopigi are a few minutes back.

Highlights

  • A 150 m path down from Chrysopigi
  • More private than Apokofto next door
  • Pebbles and golden sand, clear calm water
  • Faces south, out of the meltemi until midday

Facilities

None on the beach
Cafes at Apokofto and a mini-market at Chrysopigi nearby
Access

A dirt path of about 150 m down from Chrysopigi, or by boat

Shelter

Good until midday. Faces south, out of the meltemi

Good for
Seclusion
Snorkelling
Quiet swimming
Glyfo beach in Sifnos

Glyfo

Southeastern Sifnos (west of Faros)

The westernmost of the three Faros beaches, about 10 minutes from the village on the coastal path. It is longer than the village beach and usually has fewer people on it. Sand and flat rock underfoot. The water stays shallow a good way out, so it works with children. Nothing on the beach. The Faros tavernas are 10 minutes back along the path.

Highlights

  • Quieter than the main Faros beach
  • Shallow water good for children
  • On the signed coastal path from Faros
  • Rocks at either end for snorkelling

Facilities

None on the beach
Faros tavernas a 10-minute walk away
Access

On foot from Faros along the coastal path. No road to the beach

Shelter

Good. Faces south-east like Faros

Good for
Families
Snorkelling
Quiet swimming
Tsopos beach in Sifnos

Tsopos

Southwest Sifnos (Vathi bay)

Golden sand on the left of Vathi bay, on the paved road about 15 minutes from Apollonia, and a pottery workshop still working right beside the beach. It slopes gently into the water. Some seaweed along the shoreline. Showers, changing rooms and toilets, no sunbeds, so it stays calm, and the Vathi tavernas are a short way round the bay.

Highlights

  • Golden sand on the quiet side of Vathi bay
  • A working pottery beside the beach
  • Showers and changing rooms, no sunbeds
  • Gentle entry, and the sun sets over the bay

Facilities

Showers
Changing rooms
Toilets
Vathi tavernas nearby
Access

Paved road to Vathi bay, about 15 minutes from Apollonia, then a short walk to the shore

Shelter

Good. Inside the sheltered Vathi bay

Good for
Quiet
Pottery
Families
Hohlaki beach in Sifnos

Hohlaki

Western Sifnos (beyond Vathi bay)

Emerald water over pebbles and sand, a little beyond Vathi bay on the west coast. No road, no path. You can only get there by boat, and that keeps it empty even in August. (The better-known Hohlaki is on Nisyros, a different island.)

Highlights

  • Emerald water over pebbles and sand
  • By boat only, so empty even in August
  • Reached on the boat trips from Platis Gialos
  • West of Vathi bay

Facilities

None. Boat only
Access

By boat only. No road and no footpath

Shelter

Moderate. An open west-coast cove

Good for
Boat trips
Having it to yourself
Snorkelling
Spilia (the Cave) beach in Sifnos

Spilia (the Cave)

Western Sifnos (beside Kamares)

A tiny pebble beach beside Kamares, behind the pier on the left as you face the sea. Barely ten metres of shore. A small sea cave, a concrete platform people dive off, and the seabed turns sandy further out. No sunbeds. The cafes and tavernas on the Kamares waterfront are a short walk back, and people come here to snorkel and dive. It stays quiet even with the port next door.

Highlights

  • A sea cave and a diving platform
  • A few minutes on foot from Kamares port
  • Sandy seabed further out, good for snorkelling
  • Quiet, with the harbour next door

Facilities

None on the beach
Kamares cafes and tavernas a short walk away
Access

A short walk from Kamares port, behind the pier. Boats come in too

Shelter

Moderate. Faces west, calmer in the morning

Good for
Snorkelling
Diving
A swim off the ferry
Toso Nero beach in Sifnos

Toso Nero

Western Sifnos (before Kamares)

A green cove on the west coast before Kamares. Spring water runs here, the name means 'so much water', and green is rare on an island as dry as this one. The little chapel of Panagia tou Toso Nero stands above it. Pebbles underfoot, nothing on the beach, no road. You walk in on the trail or come by boat.

Highlights

  • Spring water and greenery, rare in the Cyclades
  • Chapel of Panagia tou Toso Nero above the cove
  • No road. Footpath or boat only
  • Quiet. Nothing built here

Facilities

None. Bring everything you need
Access

On foot along the coastal trail, or by boat. No road

Shelter

Moderate. An open west-coast cove

Good for
Walkers
Quiet
Boat trips

Beaches you reach by boat

Some of the best coves on this page have no road. A boat gets you there, and to the islands next door.

We recommend A La Mer. They are based in Platis Gialos and their day trips leave from the bay and go to Poliegos, Kimolos and Milos. Poliegos is the wild one and Kimolos has the small villages.

  • Uninhabited islands and coves with nobody on them

  • Snorkelling in the rocky inlets and sea caves

  • Coves with no road in, Hohlaki and Toso Nero among them

You can also charter a boat from A La Mer for the day, and a skipper comes with it. That is the easy way to reach the coves on this page that have no road, and the islands next door. We recommend them and you book with them directly.

See the boat trips

Swimming safely

  • Sunscreen, SPF 30 or more, and put it on again every two hours and after every swim.

  • Carry water. On the beaches with no facilities there is nowhere to buy it.

  • When the meltemi is strong, swim on the south coast. The north-facing beaches get rough.

  • Not every beach has a lifeguard. Keep children where you can see them.

Questions guests ask about the beaches

Which beaches are best for families with young children on Sifnos?

Vathi. The calmest bay on the island, shallow, sheltered in any wind, 15 to 20 minutes by car from Apollonia, and the first beach we name when guests ask. Kamares is shallow too, and organised, with tavernas along the front. If you are at the port, use that one. Platis Gialos is calm and clear but it is not shallow, so with small children we point people to the other two. Faros has three sheltered coves with shallow, calm water, by every account.

Which beaches need a hike or a boat to reach?

Fykiada has no road at all. It is about an hour and three-quarters on foot from Vathi, about an hour and a half from Platis Gialos, or a boat ride. Sandy, and quiet even in August. Toso Nero and Hohlaki on the west coast are foot or boat only as well, and Hohlaki has no path either, so boat. None of the three has anything on it, so carry water and food.

Which beaches are sheltered from the meltemi wind?

The meltemi comes from the north, so in July and August you want a beach facing south or south-west. Platis Gialos, Vathi, Lazarou, Apokofto, Faros and Glyfo all face away from it. The beaches facing north and east, Herronisos, Poulati and Seralia, are for the months either side of the meltemi, or for the morning before the wind gets up.

Where can I find traditional pottery workshops near the beach?

Herronisos has working potteries in the village above the beach, and there is a studio right beside Tsopos in Vathi bay. Kamares and Faros have workshops too. Vathi was a potters' village until the Second World War. The coastal walks between these villages pass several studios.

Can I reach Fykiada beach by car?

No. There is no road. You walk in, about an hour and three-quarters from Vathi or an hour and a half from Platis Gialos, or you come by boat. Bring food and water and something for shade, because there is nothing there.

Are there Blue Flag beaches on Sifnos?

Yes, two. Platis Gialos and Kamares, both on the 2026 list. The award covers water quality, facilities, safety and environmental management. The current year's list is on the FEE website.

Which beach is best for snorkelling?

Faros, by every account. The rocky seabed round the village, and the Fasolou and Glyfo coves either side of it, is the best snorkelling on the island. The Chrysopigi rock is very good too, and Seralia below Kastro has deep, clear water over rock. Bring your own mask, nobody hires equipment at these spots.

Do I need a car to reach the best beaches?

No, but it helps. The bus from Apollonia reaches Platis Gialos, Kamares, Faros and Vathi. Herronisos has a limited bus service and is easier by car. Fykiada, Toso Nero and Hohlaki need a walk from the road or a boat, however you get to the start of the path.

Photography: Fasolou, Apokofto & Saoures by René Boulay (CC BY-SA 3.0); Seralia by Zde (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons.

Continue exploring Sifnos

Platis GialosKamaresFarosVathiChrysopigiCheronissosMap of SifnosSifnos Island GuideFood & RestaurantsBest Time to VisitBoat ToursThe 4-Bedroom Villa in Platis GialosSifnos with Kids: A Family Guide
Villa Olivia Clara

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Villa Olivia Clara

Platis Gialos, Sifnos

Cyclades, Greece

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