Hiking in Sifnos
Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated June 2026
More than 100 km of waymarked paths, on 19 routes
The municipality has been waymarking the old village paths since 2015. There are 19 routes now and more than 100 km of them, hardly any of it on tarmac. They were once the only way from one village to the next, and you still walk village to village on them, or down to a cove with no road.
The trail network
The routes are numbered and signposted. The shortest is a twenty-minute stroll and the longer ones take half a day. Parts are laid stone, parts are rough ground. Wear proper shoes and carry water. The Sifnos Trails app has gone from the stores, so use Topoguide Greece or buy a printed map on the island.
Walks worth doing
We send guests on two walks out of Apollonia. Down to Kastro is 2.5 km and about 45 minutes, downhill through farmland to the medieval village and the sea. Walk it in the afternoon and take the bus back. Trail 5 to Vathi is about 9 km, 3h50 one way, and ends at a bay with tavernas and a monastery on the beach. For the top of the island, Profitis Ilias at 682 m, take Trail 6B from Firogia, about 1h50 one way, or 2 to 2.5 hours if you start in Apollonia.
When to walk
May and June, then September and October. Warm, and in May the hillsides are still green. In July and August walk early or late in the afternoon and carry plenty of water, because there is little shade on the open stretches.
Trails from the villa
The nearest one starts at Platis Gialos, the coastal path over the headland to the Chrysopigi monastery, 2.4 km and 35 to 40 minutes. It carries on to Faros. Fykiada has no road to it, about 1h30 on the trail from Platis Gialos, or 1h45 from Vathi. Ask us which walks suit your month and we will point you at a map.
Trail distances and times from the official Sifnos Trails network (sifnostrails.com) and Paths of Greece, verified June 2026.
Hiking in Sifnos: common questions
Is Sifnos good for hiking?
Yes. More than 100 km of waymarked footpaths on 19 routes, many of them old stone paths between the villages.
How long are the Sifnos hiking trails?
More than 100 km across 19 routes, from a twenty-minute stroll to a half-day crossing. Trail 5, Apollonia to Vathi, is about 9 km and 3h50.
What is the best hike in Sifnos?
Apollonia to Kastro if you have 45 minutes, downhill with the sea at the bottom, or Trail 5 to Vathi if you have half a day. Profitis Ilias for the view, 682 m, about 1h50 up from Firogia. From the beach below our house, Chrysopigi in 35 to 40 minutes.
When is the best time to hike in Sifnos?
May and June, or September and October. In July and August walk early or late and carry plenty of water, as there is little shade.
Walk Sifnos from the villa
Our house is above Platis Gialos, close to the coastal path. Write to us with your dates and we will tell you which walks are good that month.