Serifos
According to myth, it was on this small rocky island that a fisherman named Dictys pulled ashore a wooden chest that had been cast...
Updated 10 July 2026
Serifos
Explore
Towns in the province
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Serifos now
The story
The story of Serifos
An island between myth and mining history
Already mentioned by Homer, Serifos has an ancient history tied to the myth of Perseus, but its modern identity took shape above all around mining: starting in the late nineteenth century, the island became one of Greece's main centers for iron ore extraction, thanks to deposits worked by Franco-German capital companies. For decades the mines gave work to hundreds of laborers, transforming an island that until then had been devoted almost exclusively to sheep farming into a small industrial hub, with internal railways carrying the ore down to the loading piers. Activity continued until the 1960s-70s, when the closure of the mines caused heavy depopulation from which the island has only partly recovered.
Chora, the stone amphitheater above Livadi
The capital of Serifos is probably one of the most spectacular Chora towns in all the Cyclades: built on a steep hill above the port of Livadi, it unfolds in successive terraces up to the summit, where the ruins of the Venetian castle dominate the 360-degree view over the Aegean. The climb, once passable only on foot or by mule along a stone staircase, can now also be reached by car, but it is still the walk on foot among the white houses and blue-domed churches that remains the most evocative way to reach the top. From here the view takes in the port below, the bare hills of the interior, and, on the clearest days, the neighboring islands.
The Venetian castle and the ruins on the summit
On the summit of the Chora hill, among the oldest houses of the town, stand the remains of the Venetian kastro, a fortress built in the Middle Ages to defend the island from the pirate raids that plagued the Cyclades for centuries. Of the castle, mostly stretches of walls and foundations remain today, absorbed into the later urban fabric, together with small churches built among the ruins. Despite its fragmentary state, the site retains strong symbolic and panoramic value: it is the highest point of the settlement, and the evening walk up here, with the sunset tinting the white houses pink, remains one of the most remembered moments for visitors to the island.
The mines of Megalo Livadi
On the southwestern coast of the island, the small port of Megalo Livadi was for decades the main loading point for the iron ore extracted from the nearby mines. Today the bay, quiet and little frequented, still holds the rusted remains of the loading facilities, cranes and tracks of the mining railway that once carried the ore to the waiting ships. It was here, in August 1916, that a violent clash between miners on strike over inhuman working conditions and the police caused several deaths, an episode still remembered today as one of the harshest pages in the history of the Greek workers' movement, and to which a small commemorative monument is dedicated.
Kavos Koutsikas and the abandoned industrial landscape
Besides Megalo Livadi, other mining sites dot the island's northeastern coast, such as Kavos Koutsikas, where tunnels, suspended cable-car cabins and rusted machinery have slowly merged with the bare, rocky landscape, creating scenes of industrial archaeology that few visitors expect to find among the Cyclades. Walking among these remains, now silent and largely left to nature, offers a different and rawer image of the island than the postcards of Chora alone, and tells a century of social and economic history often overlooked by more superficial guidebooks.
Panagia, the Byzantine village of the interior
In the mountainous heart of the island, the small village of Panagia preserves one of the oldest churches on Serifos: dedicated to the Virgin, it dates back to the Byzantine period, with frescoes and a carved wooden iconostasis that testify to a religious history deeper than the small size of the settlement would suggest. The village, almost uninhabited for most of the year, comes alive during the summer patronal feast, while in the surrounding area paths open up connecting various hamlets scattered among the hills, in a dry, stony landscape broken up by rare olive groves.
The island's wild beaches
Serifos has kept a largely undeveloped coastline, with beaches that alternate fine sand with pebbles and particularly clear waters. Psili Ammos, among the most loved, offers a wide sandy shore reachable by car or with a short walk from Livadi; Ganema is smaller and more sheltered, while Livadakia, just steps from the main port, is the most convenient choice for those who don't want to travel far. Numerous other coves, accessible only on foot or by boat, remain almost deserted even at the height of summer, confirming Serifos's reputation as one of the wildest and least tamed of the Cycladic islands for mass tourism.
Local traditions and flavors
The island's pastoral economy, never entirely replaced by tourism, is reflected in a simple cuisine tied to dairy products: the local potatoes, grown on the terraces of the interior, are considered among the best in the Cyclades, while goat cheeses, fresh or aged, accompany almost every meal. There is no shortage of mountain honey, produced in small quantities by local beekeepers, and almond-based sweets common during the patronal feasts. The sobriety of Serifos's cuisine mirrors the character of the island: outwardly unspectacular, but authentic and tied to a land that has lived more from work than from holidaymaking.
When to go and how to experience the island
Being less touristy than other Cyclades, Serifos can be visited comfortably even at the height of summer without suffering too much from the crowds, although June and September are advisable for those seeking even more tranquility and milder temperatures for walks to the mining sites. A stay of three or four days allows time to devote to Chora and the castle, to an excursion to Megalo Livadi for the mining history, and to at least one day at the sea among the less crowded beaches of the coast.
- Climb on foot up to the Venetian castle of Chora at sunset
- Explore the industrial remains of the mining port of Megalo Livadi
- Swim at the sandy beach of Psili Ammos
- Visit the small Byzantine church of Panagia in the interior
- Walk among the old tunnels and tracks of Kavos Koutsikas
- Taste the local potatoes and goat cheeses at a tavern in Livadi
FAQ
Come si arriva a Serifos?
Qual è il periodo migliore per visitarla?
Cosa vedere in un solo giorno?
Dove parcheggiare a Chora?
Serifos è adatta a chi ama la storia industriale?
Quanti giorni servono per visitarla bene?
Getting there
- Nessun aeroporto sull'isola; si arriva in traghetto al porto di Livadi dal Pireo, diretto o via Kythnos e Serifos-Sifnos; spostamenti interni in auto a noleggio, autobus locale tra Livadi e Chora o a piedi lungo la scalinata storica
- La strada verso Megalo Livadi e i siti minerari è tortuosa ma percorribile in auto normale: prevedere tempo extra per le soste panoramiche
Perfect for
L'isola di Perseo e Medusa offre ai visitatori un legame diretto con uno dei miti più noti della Grecia classica.
Le miniere abbandonate di Megalo Livadi e Kavos Kutsikas raccontano un capitolo di storia sociale unico tra le Cicladi.
Le spiagge poco sviluppate di Serifos sono ideali per chi cerca un'alternativa più tranquilla alle isole più turistiche.
Chora, con la sua struttura ad anfiteatro e il castello in vetta, è tra le viste più spettacolari delle Cicladi.
To see
What to see in Serifos
Routes · Trovido Route
