A first-time guide to Serifos, Greece

13.06.2024 - 07:35 / lonelyplanet.com

Jun 12, 2024 • 7 min read

If you're planning a Greek island holiday and wish to avoid the crowds, have you considered Serifos?

Located in the Cyclades, just northwest of Paros and Sifnos, it's one of the least-visited Greek islands and has a raw, rugged beauty, with rippled brown mountains plunging to broad ultramarine bays.

Relatively deserted outside of the main port Livadi and the quaint hilltop capital of Hora (sometimes called Chora), the island feels wonderfully wild. Its wide-open expanses are punctuated by occasional remnants of past mining enterprises (rusting tracks, cranes), perfect little beaches and the whoosh of the wind (which can be fierce).

Change, however, is also in the air, with flash holiday homes appearing along the hillsides near the bays. Old Hora even now has a trendy bar or two. In the hills above Platys Gialos beach, Chrysoloras Winery (which offers vineyard tastings) is making some good, organic whites.

Meanwhile, before word of Serifos' delights reaches the masses, get out and explore this still-timeless island.

Summer is ideal, when the weather is warm and sunny and you can take full advantage of some of Serifos' best assets: its beautiful beaches. It's also relatively easy to arrange day trips to other islands from Serifos in summer when the ferries are operating from regular schedules. Hotels are open, and the family-run tavernas that dot the hilltops and coastal resorts are welcoming visitors for unhurried lunches and dinners. Summer is festival season, particularly August, with live music concerts and folklore celebrations.

Greek Orthodox Easter, which typically happens in April, is another fantastic time to enjoy Serifos as festivities, big and small, take place across the island. Late spring and early autumn are also pleasant times to visit, as you can pick up great offers on accommodation and enjoy relatively cooler temperatures and hiking activities. However, the island mainly shuts down between October and May and some ferry services are paused.

Serifos is a small island, but you'd still need at least three to four days to get to know it. That will give you enough time to enjoy long, lazy beach days and explore the hinterland. Life isn't rushed here; it moves at a laid-back pace, particularly in July and August when temperatures soar, so make like the locals do and take your time.

There are no airports on Serifos but the island is easily accessible from the port of Piraeus in Athens. Book your ferry tickets in advance, as they tend to get snapped up quickly in summer. Serifos has reasonable summer connections on the Piraeus to the Western Cyclades ferry route.

High-season services include:

The island's main road is a convenient loop, which makes touring easy. Generally, a