Introduction

Serifos is an island renowned for its excellent food and relaxed atmo-sphere. It is a popular summer resorts amongst the Greeks, but has not been too commercialised since the mass tourism hasn't reached this little pearl just yet.

The locals have lived off iron and copper mining since ancient years, together with fishing and some farming, mainly figs and olives. They are very friendly, and if you are lucky, you might be able to see some of their traditional celebrations of marriage, saints and other happy occasions.

History

According to mythology, this is where Danae and her son with Zeus, Perseus, landed after they had been locked into a box and thrown into the sea by Danae's upset father. Here, Perseus grew up to a fine young man, but the happiness was clouded when the king of the island fell in love with Danae, who did not return his feelings. The king sent Perseus away on a mission to kill Medusa, hoping he would never come back so that he could be alone with Danae. With help of the gods, Perseus, succeeded in killing the Gorgon, and when he came back, he turned the king into stone by showing him Medusa's head.

Serifos has a system of democracy as early as in the 7th century BC. It was to be a vassal state to Athens, and after that it belonged to the Macedonians, the Romans, the Byzantine Empire, the Venetians and the Turks. During all that time, it was also constantly attacked by pirates.

Serifos was finally freed in the 19th century, after fighting side by side with the rest of Greece against the Turks from 1821 onwards.

What to See

The capital, Chora, has an an ancient citadel, which has been used through history to protect the locals from pirates and foreign invaders. Here, there is also an archaeological museum and a church from the 18th century.

The monastery Taxiarchon is not open for the public, but is quite impressive even from outside. It dates back to the 16th century.

What to Do

This is an island for relaxing by the sea, so the best thing to do is to bring good literature and just chill out.

Beaches

The beach Livadaki is great for families for children, and there are also a couple of taverns there. Another favourite is Psili Ammos, but there are also other beaches - the locals are usually willing to recommend a few.

Nightlife

You don't go to Serifos for its nightlife. In stead, you can stay until late on one of its little taverns by the sea and enjoy the atmosphere.

Food

Serifos is well known for its good food. A major reason is that most holidaymakers here are Greeks, and they know what they want. Most taverns are by the sea in Chora.

Shopping

There are a couple of souvenir shops in Chora, but don't expect too much.

Getting Around

There is a local bus connecting Chora with some of the beaches. You can also rent a car or a bike, or take a boat to a couple of beaches.

Getting There

The nearest airports are on Milos and in Athens. Get the ferryboat from there, or the hydrofoil during high season.