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Welcome to Sikinos!

Sikinos is a place for quiet holidays away from crowd and noisy places. On Sikinos’ beaches you can spend unforgettable moments of relaxation full of sun and sea. Walking through the streets of the Village your mind will travel to neighborhoods of the dream…

Sikinos resists to the massive invasion of tourism to preserve the physiognomy of the island, nature protection and human health from uncontrolled development and encouragement of alternative tourism (cultural, walker, scientific, ecotourism, etc.).

In Alopronia and Chora, hotels and apartments offer comfortable accommodation to the visitors of the island, as well as the restaurants and the bars.

Sikinos island

Sikinos (ancient Oinoi) is one of the smaller islands of the Cyclades. Located in the southern part of the complex between Ios and Folegandros. It has an area of 416 km2 and a population of 238 inhabitants. Administrative Sikinos is a municipality since 2010 and comes under Prefecture of Cyclades.
Sikinos Map

The south side is smooth while the north-west is a steep cliff 280 meters in which the town is built on. The island produces fine honey and olive oil and famous wine in the ancient years.

The ancient city is located on the hill of Agia Marina. In Roman and Byzantine times Sikinos fell into obscurity and weakened because of pirate raids. Followed Venetians (Duchy of Naxos) Russians and Turks. The reunification of the island with Greece came in 1829.

The town of Sikinos (Castle) is an excellent example of Cycladic architecture with the church Pantanassa at the center. Main attractions of the island is the castle of the Zoodochos Pigi Fountain (1690) and the Diocese of Roman funerary monument monumental facade (2nd-3rd century AD.) retrofitted into a Christian church.

At the bay resort Alopronia ther is a small fishing pier and shelter. The beaches (Agios Georgios, Agios Panteleimon, Dialiskari) and the unique Black Cave are a magnet for today’s visitor of quiet holiday.

Ferry link Sikisnos to Piraeus and the Western Cyclades.

Shightseeings

  • The Zoodohos Pigi monastery (Chryssopigi)

    Female monastery built in 1690. The first king of Greece, Otto, terminated its operation in 1834. Chryssopigi was the last resort for the inhabitants each time Sikinos was raided by the pirates: neither the heavy wooden gate nor the high walls, crypts, secret passages, battlements, ramparts, breakout exits toward the cliff averted raping, slaughtering, and annihilation of the defenseless peasants.The monastery can be visited every afternoon & evening.
  • Episkopi temple

    A temple-shaped funerary building of the 2d-3d century AD. It is the most peculiar and interesting monument of Sikinos. Located in the wilderness of the mainland, Episkopi temple is surrounded by a complex of Byzantine chapels, cells, ancient ruins, wall stones and fragments of marble sculptures.Enigmatic and silent, it was initially thought to be a temple of Pythios Apollo but the strange building with the underground vaulted crypts has been identified as belonging to the type of the roman mausoleums, burial monuments of the 2d-3d AD.Anyhow, around 17th century the building was transformed into a domed christian church. The uniqueness of Episkopi lies in the fact that it preserves the basic characteristics of both its Roman and its Post-byzantine past and is a standing monument of the site’s long history.
  • Pantanassa church

    The main temple of Sikinos was built in 1787. Inside one can see the gold-painted, wood-carved temple.
  • Byzantine collection

    The small museum is located in Hora, main square. It contains the island’s Post-byzantine icons: after the fall of Constantinople many painters fled to Crete. Until the 16th century they developed a style of icon painting called School of Crete. The icons of the Sikinos Byzantine collection belong to this school.
  • Folklore museum

    Located in Horio, at the old oil-press building.
  • Mavri Spilia (black cave)

    The largest cave of Sikinos and one of the largest in Cyclades. It is located on the northern side of the island, under the Crryssopigi monastery and can be accessed only by boat.

Walks & Excursions

Διαδρομές Σικίνου

The best part of Sikinos is reserved for the trekker: ancient relics, secluded beaches, remote caves, high cliffs and passages through gorges, byzantine temples and a flora and fauna protected by the Natura 2000 European network.The protection of the environment as well as the preservation and maintenance of the footpaths ranks high in the agenda of the Sikinos Municipality.A good way to start is by obtaining the Map of Sikinos(pub. Terrain).The network of the footpaths is spread all over Sikinos. Here are just some typical routes:Kastro – Alopronoia
take the old cobblestone footpath from Hora to Alopronia. The path starts behind the old Primary School, and ends behind «Themonies» (the night club of Sikinos). Cross the asphalt road and follow another footpath to Alopronia. Kastro – Episkopi – Agios Panteleimonas – Alopronia
a hardcore 13 km distance, around 4 hours” walk.

Kastro – Malta
go to Chryssopigi monastery, walk past the heliport until Profitis Ilias chapel and start descending towards Malta beach (6,5 km, less than 2 hours).

For a very interesting link, clik here. Walks_Sikinos

Beaches

The beaches of Sikinos are to be found in small coves, in protected bays, at the feet of rocky cliffs, at the mouths of small gorges. They are small and most of them are secluded and wild.
Alopronia, Agios Georgios and Dialiskari can be accessed by car. For the rest you either take the caique or you walk.

Marred by development? There is a tendency in Cyclades to construct useless and harmful roads leading to the most secluded and unspoiled spots, thus sacrificing both the magic of the landscape and the delicate flora and fauna of the place. This is NOT the case in Sikinos.
Visitors should help and encourage locals to protect their island by not demanding facilities that alter, and eventually destroy, the so far unspoilt natural environment of Sikinos.
Χάρτης Παραλιών

 

Map and beaches for Google Earth: KMZ

Market

SHOPPING & OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF THE ISLAND

at Chora:

  • Restaurants
  • Bars
  • Groceries
  • Βakerιes
  • Small shops selling souvenirs, newspapers, maps, etc.
  • Technical Office for topographical studies, etc
  • Estate Agency

at Alopronoia:

  • Restaurants
  • Pizza
  • Coffee Bar
  • SuperMarket

outside Settlements:

  • Fish-Tavern at St. George beach
  • Themonies Club
  • Winery on the road to Episkopi

Transportation

Ferry Route Details

Sikinos Travel Agent 22860 51168, 6936-621946
Sikinos Coast Guard 22860 51121
Piraeus Coast Gourd 210 422600         ferries from Piraeus
Ships on sea enter here

 Transportation on the island

Bus regular service Alopronia – Country – Diocese (tel. Guide: 6937 865 866)
Rental bikes Available at the gas station (tel 22860 51205, 6937-865866)
Taxi At Sikinos There is no Taxi.
other transportation Sikinos has a heliport