The port
Kamares, Sifnos
Written by Elena Philippou, who hosts Villa Olivia Clara above Platis Gialos.Updated August 2026
Kamares is the port of Sifnos, the only one, so every ferry docks here. Beside the harbour a long sandy beach curves round the bay, shallow for a long way out. If you want a first or last night on the island, or a stay with no car at all, this is the easiest place to do it from. Buses leave the port roughly hourly from 07:15 to 23:15. Apollonia is 5.3 km up the hill, about 10 minutes by car. Platis Gialos and our house are 14.2 km away, 20 to 30 minutes.
The bay faces west. This is the beach we send guests to for the sunset, and you can eat at a taverna on the front while the sun goes down over the water. The beach is organised, with sunbeds and tavernas behind it, and the water is shallow enough for small children. It is a working port, though, and the village is plain. Most of our guests swim and eat here on the way in or out, and sleep on the south coast.
Kamares at a glance
| What it is | The island's only port, on the west coast, with the village and the beach wrapped round the bay |
|---|---|
| Ferries | From Piraeus, about 2.5 hours on the fast ferry or about 5 on the conventional boat. All of them dock here |
| Beach | Long and sandy, shallow for a long way out, with sunbeds and tavernas behind it. Faces west, so this is the sunset beach |
| Eating | Tavernas along the harbour front. Argyris for the sunset, O Simos on the water for fish |
| By road | Apollonia 5.3 km | Kastro 8.4 km | Faros 12.5 km | Platis Gialos 14.2 km | Vathi 14.7 km |
| Bus | Roughly hourly out of the port, 07:15 to 23:30, every journey via Apollonia. €2.20 to Artemonas, €3.50 to Platis Gialos, Vathi, Kastro or Faros |
| Best time | Late afternoon into sunset, and the day you arrive or leave |
Distances are road kilometres routed over OpenStreetMap. Bus times and fares are the municipality's summer 2026 timetable. Bus timetable and stops
Arriving at the port
Every ferry to Sifnos docks at Kamares. From Piraeus the fast ferries take about 2.5 hours and the conventional boats about 5. The harbour is small. Car-hire desks, taxis and the bus stop are all a short walk from the quay, and the cafés on the front are where everyone waits for a late boat. From the port to Platis Gialos and our house it is 14.2 km, 20 to 30 minutes by car. Tell Elena which ferry you are on and she will point you to a transfer we trust, and to car hire.
Is Kamares a good place to stay?
For a first or last night, yes. And if you are coming without a car it is one of the simplest places on Sifnos to stay. The beach and the tavernas are a flat stroll apart and the buses leave from the quay. The water is shallow, so it works with small children. If you want a quiet week, or the Cycladic lanes you see on the postcards, stay in Kastro or Artemonas instead. The ferries here start early in the morning, and it is a working harbour.
The beach
The beach curves along the bay right beside the village. Long and sandy, shallow for a long way out, and the water is calm, so small children can paddle. Sunbeds, tavernas and cafés run along the front. It faces west, so the sun goes down over the water, and you can eat dinner on the front watching the sunset. On the day you arrive or leave this is the easy swim, it is right by the quay.
Eating on the harbour front
The tavernas run along the water. For the sunset sit at Argyris, a classic Greek taverna. O Simos, right on the water, does the fish. The cafés open early for the first ferries, and in summer most places serve until the last boat has gone. Argyris opens at one in the afternoon and O Simos at noon.
Pottery on the bay road
There has been pottery on Sifnos since the Bronze Age, and the potters have worked without a break for more than three hundred years. In the nineteenth century the workshops on the coast, at Kamares, Faros, Platis Gialos and Vathi, sent tableware and cooking pots all over Greece. Several of the working studios are still on the Kamares bay road. Go in and watch the wheel. Buy a flaskí to take home, or a tsikali, the clay cooking pot.
Agios Symeon above the bay
The chapel of Agios Symeon stands high above Kamares, on one of the tallest hills on the island. Built in 1667. In the courtyard there is a ceramic map of the Cyclades, made by Sifnian potters. The feast is on the 31st of August, one of the best loved on the island. And the sunset over Kamares bay from up there is the best on Sifnos.
Getting around from the port
Buses out of the port run roughly hourly from 07:15 to 23:15 in summer, with one long gap before the 09:30. Every journey goes through Apollonia. The last bus back into Kamares leaves Apollonia just after 23:00. Fares are €2.20 to Artemonas and €3.50 to Platis Gialos, Vathi, Kastro or Faros. By road, Apollonia is 5.3 km, Kastro 8.4 km, Faros 12.5 km, Platis Gialos 14.2 km and Vathi 14.7 km. The car-hire desks are by the quay and the taxis wait for the ferries.
Kamares and the villa
Villa Olivia Clara is our house above Platis Gialos on the south coast, 14.2 km from Kamares and 20 to 30 minutes by car. A lot of our guests stop in Kamares for a swim or a meal on the way in or out. Tell Elena your ferry and she will point you to a transfer we trust and a car-hire desk.
What we tell guests before they come
Kamares is a working port. Ferries come in from early morning and the village is plain. The beach fills on arrival days. The sea stays shallow for a long way out. Good for children. For a proper swim you have to wade out a long way. Most tavernas and shops open from late May to early October. If your ferry gets in late in the evening, eat here before you drive over. The kitchens on the south coast may be closing by the time you arrive.
Kamares, Sifnos: common questions
Is Kamares the main port of Sifnos?
Yes, the only one. Every ferry from Piraeus and from the neighbouring islands docks at Kamares, and there is no airport on Sifnos.
Is Kamares beach good for families?
Very. It is long, sandy and shallow for a long way out, the water is calm, and there are sunbeds and tavernas right behind it. Vathi is the other shallow bay on the island.
How do I get from Kamares to Platis Gialos?
14.2 km by road, 20 to 30 minutes by car or taxi. Or take the bus via Apollonia for €3.50. If you would rather not drive on the day you arrive, Elena can point you to a transfer we trust.
How long is the ferry from Athens to Kamares?
From Piraeus, about 2.5 hours on the fast ferries and about 5 hours on the conventional boats, depending on the route and the season.
Is Kamares a good place to stay in Sifnos?
For a first or last night, yes, and for a stay without a car. The beach, the tavernas and the bus stop are a flat walk apart. If you want a quiet week, or the Cycladic lanes on the postcards, Kastro, Artemonas or the south coast suit you better.
Where is the sunset in Sifnos?
Kamares. The bay faces west and the sun sets over the water in front of the tavernas. The Profitis Ilias summit and the chapel of Agios Symeon above the bay are the other sunset spots. Kastro and the east coast face the sunrise.
Can I rent a car at Kamares port?
Yes. The car-hire desks are a short walk from the quay, and the island bus leaves from the port roughly hourly in summer. Book a car ahead for July and August.
Which part of Sifnos is best to stay in?
Kamares for a first or last night, and for a stay without a car. Platis Gialos if the holiday is about the beach. Apollonia for village evenings. Vathi for quieter beach days, or Faros. Artemonas or Kastro if you are there for the architecture. Our where-to-stay guide compares all eight, with the distances and bus times.
Arriving at Villa Olivia Clara
Tell Elena your ferry and your dates. She will point you to a transfer we trust and to car hire before you land.