The island's emblem
Chrysopigi, Sifnos
Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated August 2026
Chrysopigi is the monastery on the rocky spit at the south-east corner of Sifnos, joined to the shore by a short bridge, and the patron of the island. It is 3.2 km by road from Platis Gialos and the villa, or 1.5 km on the flat coastal path from Faros, with a sandy beach on one side and swimmable rocks on the other.
It is the picture on the postcards, and the one thing every guest asks about before they arrive. It is not a village: there is a church, two tavernas, a beach and a car park, and that is the whole of it. What surprises people is how little of a scrum it is. You can usually park, walk out along the spit, put your head into the church and be in the water within a quarter of an hour.
Chrysopigi at a glance
| What it is | A monastery on a rocky headland joined to the shore by a bridge; the patron of Sifnos, not a village |
|---|---|
| Beaches | Apokofto, sand and tamarisk shade, on the Faros side; the rocks off the headland for stronger swimmers |
| Eating | Two tavernas by the water: Chrisopigi, run by the Lebessis family, and Tsapis at the far end of the beach |
| By road | Platis Gialos 3.2 km · Kamares 13.4 km · Faros five minutes |
| Bus | No stop of its own. Take the Faros bus and walk the last 1.5 km on the flat, about half an hour |
| Walks | Faros 1.5 km on the coastal path; Platis Gialos 2.4 km the other way, both flat and easy |
| Best time | Late afternoon, when the light comes round onto the white walls and the day's swimmers have gone |
Distances are road and footpath kilometres routed over OpenStreetMap. Dates and the festival come from the sources listed on our sources page. Bus timetable and stops
Is Chrysopigi worth the trip?
Yes, and for longer than you would think from the photographs. The usual advice treats it as a five-minute stop for a picture, which is a shame, because the swimming is the point: you can be on the sand at Apokofto or off the rocks below the church in the time it takes to walk the spit. The church is normally unlocked, so you can step inside rather than photograph the door. Go in the late afternoon and you will often have the headland to yourself.
How old is it, really?
You will read 1650 almost everywhere, and it is worth knowing that the sources do not agree. The island's own tourism site dates the monastery to 1523. The church you actually walk into is dated by an inscription on its own wall to 1757, and the oldest surviving buildings on the site, the old refectory and the cells beside it, to 1675. Panagia Chrysopigi was formally made the patron of Sifnos in 1964, which is far more recent than the building. Her festival falls on the eve of Ascension, forty days after Orthodox Easter, when the icon is carried around the villages and there is an all-night vigil.
Swimming at Chrysopigi
There are two quite different swims here and they suit different people. Apokofto, on the Faros side, is a proper sandy beach with tamarisk trees for shade, shallow enough at the edge for children and the easier choice with a family. The rocks off the headland below the monastery are the local swim: deeper, clearer, and the place people jump from. Strong swimmers prefer them. If you have small children, stay on the sand.
The two tavernas
Both sit on the water and both are worth a table. Taverna Chrisopigi has been run by the Lebessis family for about twenty years, with tables under the trees looking straight at the monastery, and it is sheltered when the wind gets up. Tsapis, also signed as To Apokofto, is at the far end of the beach; the two names are similar enough that people mix them up, so it is worth knowing which one you are aiming at. Both cook Sifnian food rather than a tourist menu.
Getting there
By car it is 3.2 km from Platis Gialos, about five minutes, and 13.4 km from the port. There are two car parks, one by the monastery and one down at the beach, and in August both fill by late morning. On foot it is 1.5 km from Faros along a flat coastal path, roughly half an hour, and 2.4 km the other way from Platis Gialos. The bus does not stop at Chrysopigi: take the Faros service and walk the last stretch, which is the pleasant way to arrive anyway.
Faros: the village at the other end of the pathBus timetable and stops
From the villa
Chrysopigi is the short evening outing from the house: five minutes by car, or the coastal path from Platis Gialos if you would rather walk it off. Guests tend to go once for the photograph and then again, properly, with towels.
What it is not
It is not a village and there is nothing to browse: no shops, no square, no evening. It is also not the Chrysopigi near Chania in Crete, which is a working convent and a different place entirely; the two are confused constantly, including by search engines. And the bridge is short and low, so in a hard southerly the spray comes over it. That is a day to look from the beach.
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Can you go inside the church at Chrysopigi?
Usually, yes. It is normally unlocked and you can walk in. It is a church rather than a museum, so dress and behave as you would in one, and if a service or a wedding is on, wait outside.
Is there a beach at Chrysopigi?
Two swims, really. Apokofto is the sandy beach on the Faros side, with tamarisk shade and easy water for children. The rocks below the monastery are deeper and clearer and are where local swimmers go in.
How do you get to Chrysopigi without a car?
Take the bus to Faros and walk the last 1.5 km along the coastal path, which is flat and takes about half an hour. From Platis Gialos the same path runs 2.4 km the other way. No bus stops at Chrysopigi itself.
When was the Chrysopigi monastery built?
The sources disagree. The island's tourism site says 1523; the church standing today carries an inscription dating it to 1757, and the oldest buildings on the site date to 1675. It became the formal patron of Sifnos in 1964.
Is this the same as the Chrysopigi monastery in Crete?
No. There is a Chrysopigi convent near Chania in Crete which is a different foundation entirely. This one is on Sifnos, on the headland between Faros and Platis Gialos, and searches for the name routinely return both.
Is there anywhere to eat at Chrysopigi?
Two tavernas by the water. Taverna Chrisopigi, run by the Lebessis family for around twenty years, looks straight at the monastery and is sheltered from the wind. Tsapis, signed also as To Apokofto, is at the far end of the beach.
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