General Information

White houses with traditional crockery chimneys and small churches with blue domes, built on green hills that lead to sandy beaches. This is the island of Sifnos.
In the ancient times the island was famous for the wealth which came from its gold and silver mines and quarries of stone. It enjoyed great prosperity in classical times as can be seen from its treasure dedicated to Apollo at Delphi.
Since 1836 the island capital is Appolonia also named Stavri and stands on three hillsides at the center of the island. 6 km to the west is Sifnos port Kamares. 12 km to the south of Appolonia is the bigger coastal resort, Play Gialos.
According to the prevailing version, Siphnos took its name from the first settler of the island, who was the son of hero of Attica Sounios. A second version about the origin of the name derives from the ancient surname "Siphnos", that means empty, because they believed that the island was hollow, a result of the many underground galleries that led to the mines of gold and silver.

Sights

• Kastro an example of medieval town planning
• Archaeological Museum
• The Monastery of Virgin Chrisopygi
• The Folklore Museum
• The Monastery of Virgin Vrissiani with a small Byzantine museum