The Church of Agios Symeon: The Best Sunset Spot on Sifnos
This destination guide covers my visit to the mountaintop church of Agios Symeon, one of the best sunset spots on the Greek island of Sifnos.
Exploring Sifnos by car
After a beautiful crossing on the ferry from Piraeus to Sifnos, I arrived in Kamares, the island’s rugged yet relaxed harbour town.
Kamares would be my home base from where I would explore the sights and beaches of Sifnos over the next few days.
After an afternoon spent primarily relaxing on the beach in Kamares with a couple of drinks, a great dinner, and a good night’s sleep, I woke up early the next morning to begin my tour of the island in earnest.
From my apartment, it was a short walk to Suntrail, where I picked up my rental car — a Peugeot 108 — which I would drive all across the island.
Drive from Kamares to Agios Symeon
I planned to drive around the island of Sifnos in a clockwise direction, staying as close to the coast as possible and visiting all the noteworthy sights and beaches along the way over the next few days.
The first sight I had identified during my research was the Church of Agios Symeon, perched atop a rugged mountain high above Kamares, which seemed like a worthy destination, if only for the views alone.
You can reach the Church of Agios Symeon by taking the winding mountain road from Kamares to Troulaki and Cherronisos.
As you drive onto this road out of Kamares and the satellite village of Agia Marina, you’ll enjoy lovely views down the coastal valley, which appears quite green in contrast to the rugged mountains surrounding it.
Mountain road
A number of hairpin turns take you high up into the mountains of northern Sifnos.
The road is in good condition and easy to drive, with several points along the way offering sweeping views over the coast or the island’s interior.
When visibility is clear, you can easily spot the neighbouring island of Serifos across the sea to the north.
Drive to the church
As you drive on the mountain road from Kamares to Troulaki, you will eventually pass an unmarked junction, with the paved driveway to Agios Symeon on your left, an unpaved road leading to the right, and the main road continuing straight ahead.
It’s best to use a navigation aid, such as Google Maps and GPS on your phone, as without it’s easy to drive past this junction without noticing.
Although the path from the junction to the Church of Agios Symeon is fully paved, it is rather narrow and steep.
If you’re uncomfortable or inexperienced driving on such a narrow and steep road (and unsure how to react in the unlikely event of encountering a car coming from the other direction), you may want to park your car along the main road and hike up to the church instead.
On my first visit to Agios Symeon, I decided to walk from the junction, and it took about 15 minutes to get from the main road to the church.
When I visited a few days later to admire the sunset from the church, I chose to drive up the pathway and park right in front of the church, which has a small gravel parking lot.
Church of Agios Symeon
The Church of Agios Symeon was originally built in 1667, although it has been recently renovated.
With its whitewashed walls and deep blue dome, the Church of Agios Symeon is certainly picturesque, though I think the modern-looking concrete forecourt feels a bit out of place.
That said, it’s this forecourt why you want to come all the way to the mountaintop church, as from here you can enjoy sweeping views across the island.
The main attraction of the Church of Agios Symeon is the wonderful view over the rocky coast of Sifnos and the port of Kamares down the mountain, and the vista will likely leave you in awe for a few minutes.
Sunset at Agios Symeon: The best on Sifnos
Although it’s certainly worthwhile to admire the view during the daytime from the mountaintop church of Agios Symeon, it’s a must to return at sunset, as this spot is one of the best on the island of Sifnos for watching the sunset.
Due to its location on a mountaintop overlooking the northwestern coast of Sifnos, the Church of Agios Symeon offers fantastic sunset views of the sun dipping into the Aegean Sea.
The sunset colours not only give the sky gorgeous pastel hues, but even the whitewashed walls and deep blue dome of the church seem to glow in the warmth of the setting sun.
At the same time during sunset, a Seajets catamaran was arriving at the harbour of Kamares down the mountain, which certainly made for an interesting sight from so high up.
I lingered for a while until the sun had completely dipped behind the horizon, after which I returned down the mountain road towards my accommodation in Kamares.
Conclusion
The best sunset view on Sifnos is from the Church of Agios Symeon, as its mountaintop location overlooking the northwestern coast of the island provides the perfect vantage point to see the sun dip into the Aegean Sea behind the whitewashed walls and blue dome of the church, offering a quintessential Cycladic view.
However, even during the daytime, the Church of Agios Symeon, which dates back to 1667, is well worth a visit.
You can not only admire fine views over the harbour town of Kamares below the mountain, but also the entire island interior of northern Sifnos, and on a clear day, as far as the neighbouring island of Serifos to the north.
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘Wonderful Greek Island Escape: My Trip to the Cyclades‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. A Misty Morning Walk Around the Old Port of Hamburg
2. Review: EuroCity Train ‘Berliner’ Hamburg to Berlin and Prague
3. Back to Germany: From Prague to Frankfurt by Train
4. From Frankfurt to Athens: A Flight Into the Greek Sun
5. Greek Ferry Guide: How to Reach the Western Cyclades
6. Review: Speedrunner Ferry Piraeus to Serifos and Sifnos
7. Sifnos Travel Guide: Explore the Best Sights and Beaches
8. Kamares: The Rugged and Relaxed Port Town of Sifnos
9. The Church of Agios Symeon: The Best Sunset Spot on Sifnos (current chapter)
** rest of the chapters to follow soon **
