Exploring the raw beauty and mining legacy of a Cycladic island in five unforgettable days
Serifos isn’t a loud island. It doesn’t demand attention like Mykonos or Santorini. But give it five days, and you’ll feel its pulse — quiet, rugged, and rooted deep in stone, sea, and labor.
Day 1: Livadi — A Slow Arrival
The journey begins in Livadi, the island’s main port. As ferries pull in, life stirs gently along the waterfront. Cafés and tavernas line the bay, fishermen mend nets, and the scent of grilled octopus drifts across the marina. It’s tempting to linger here — with Livadakia beach a short walk away — but Livadi is more than a beach town. It’s the island’s heart, beating slow and steady.
Spend your afternoon swimming or sipping iced coffee by the water. In the evening, try the local revithada (chickpea stew) or freshly caught squid, and watch the sky turn purple behind anchored boats.
Day 2: Chora — Cycladic Dreams in Stone
Early the next morning, set out for Chora, perched above Livadi like a white crown on the hill. You can take the winding road by car or hike the old footpath used by miners and donkeys for generations. Chora is one of the most beautiful hilltop towns in the Cyclades — a maze of white houses, blue shutters, and hidden courtyards.
Wander through narrow alleys until you reach the ruins of the Venetian castle. From here, the whole Aegean spreads out before you. Nearby, the small church of Agios Konstantinos offers one of the best sunset views on the island. As darkness falls, locals gather at piatsa squares, and the tavernas hum with soft laughter and wine glasses clinking.
Day 3: Ganema and Agios Sostis — The Island’s Quiet Soul
Leave the hilltop behind and head south to Ganema beach, a long, peaceful stretch of sand and pebbles framed by low hills. Tamarisk trees offer shade, and the sea is clear and cool. It’s a place to read, nap, and do absolutely nothing.
Later, make your way to Agios Sostis, a double beach with a whitewashed chapel perched on the ridge above. One side is calm and protected; the other wilder, open to the wind. You might find only a handful of people here — or none at all. It’s the kind of place that stays with you long after the sand has been washed off.
Day 4: Megalo Livadi — Iron and Fire
No visit to Serifos is complete without facing its industrial past. In Megalo Livadi, rusted tracks lead to the sea, and skeletal loading cranes stand like monuments to the workers who once toiled here. Serifos was rich in iron, copper, and magnetite — and its people paid the price.
In 1916, a violent strike shook the island. After decades of dangerous labor, unpaid hours, and brutal conditions, miners rose up against the Grohmann mining company. Four police officers and several workers were killed. But the strike made history: the miners won the right to an eight-hour workday — a first for Greece.
You can still visit the Mining Museum here, or walk the old paths between abandoned shafts and stone buildings. The wind whistles through rusted carts and stone arches, echoing the island’s forgotten labor chants.
Day 5: Trails and Churches
For your final day, lace up your shoes and take one of the old miner trails — from Panagia to Sykamia, or from Kallitsos to Galani. These paths wind through dry valleys, past dovecotes and chapels, revealing a wilder side of Serifos.
Stop at the 16th-century Monastery of Taxiarches, a fortified refuge with thick white walls and a peaceful courtyard. It feels as if time has stopped here. You’ll likely be alone with the silence, the wind, and maybe a stray cat curled under a fig tree.
Serifos is not curated. It’s not polished.
It’s raw and elemental — carved from stone and shaped by stories. It’s in the mines and footpaths, the sea-polished beaches, and the white towns perched in the sky. For those who seek quiet and truth, Serifos doesn’t just offer a holiday. It offers memory.
