Kamares: The Rugged and Relaxed Port Town of Sifnos

November 28, 2024November 28, 2024 Koen 0 Comments

This travel guide covers my visit to Kamares, the laid-back port town of the Cycladic island of Sifnos, set between rugged mountains in a picturesque bay.

Kamares: The main port of Sifnos

When you travel to Sifnos, you will likely arrive in the small harbour town of Kamares, as it is home to the island’s only ferry port.

I also took the ferry to Sifnos, which was a particularly pleasant crossing across the glittering waters of the Aegean Sea, passing by the neighbouring island of Serifos.

Kamares is situated at the end of an inlet, forming a natural harbour.

The deep blue waters of the sea and the rugged mountains surrounding the inlet make the approach to Kamares particularly dramatic.

At the end of the inlet lies the small port town of Kamares, which boasts the typical Cycladic look with its whitewashed houses.

After completing a full 380-degree turn, the ferry docked at the quay and lowered the gangway, with me being the first of perhaps only two dozen or so passengers to disembark in Sifnos.

ferry arrival — *Beautiful views from the deck of my ferry as we approach the island of Sifnos. ©Paliparan*

*The rugged coastline near Kamares. ©Paliparan*

kamares sifnos — *Approaching the port of Kamares. ©Paliparan*

ferry speedrunner III arrival — *Preparing to dock. ©Paliparan*

port of kamares ferry arrival sifnos western cyclades — *Arriving by ferry at the port of Kamares on Sifnos. ©Paliparan*

A walk around Kamares

Kamares was to be my home for the entire stay on Sifnos.

I didn’t have many plans for my arrival day in Sifnos, and all I really needed to do was check into my accommodation.

For the rest of the day, I simply planned to take it easy, either by relaxing on the beach or having some drinks an good food at the tavernas in town.

Only from the following morning onward had I arranged a rental car to begin exploring Sifnos in earnest.

Kamares is a typical Greek port town on a small island, coming to life only when a ferry docks in the harbour, before quickly returning to its usual, more tranquil pace once the ship departs.

That was certainly the case on this mid-October day in Kamares, with no more than a dozen or so other tourists in town, clearly marking the end of the shoulder season on Sifnos.

I didn’t mind this at all, as all I wanted from the trip was to relax and bask in some autumn sunshine — both of which were easily achievable on Sifnos.

There isn’t much to see in Kamares, and within a five-minute walk, you’ll have explored the entire town, which consists mainly of its port, a beach, and a main street lined with a few cafés, bars, and restaurants.

Kamares also has a bakery, a small supermarket, two ATMs, and several car rental agencies, making it one of the more convenient places on Sifnos to base yourself.

seaside tavern kamares — *Seaside tavern. ©Paliparan*

kamares main street — *The main street of Kamares. ©Paliparan*

kamares view — *View over Kamares from some steps up the hill. ©Paliparan*

Lunch

As I was getting quite hungry, I decided to sit down at a local restaurant for lunch before heading to my accommodation.

I ended up at a local tavern called Meropi, which turned out to be one of the better places to eat in Kamares.

From the menu, I chose the tzatziki and mastelo, a traditional Sifnos dish of braised lamb, accompanied by some red wine.

The food turned out to be excellent, and the mastelo lamb was incredibly succulent.

lamb mastelo sifnos kamares lunch — *Enjoying some tzatziki and mastelo (a traditional Sifnian dish of braised lamb) for lunch. ©Paliparan*

Simeon Rooms & Apartments

After lunch, I checked into my room at Simeon Rooms & Apartments, situated on a street just a few steps up the hill from the main road along the waterfront.

My double room, for which I paid only €40 per night, was a typical Greek holiday domatio, with a tiled floor and simple interior

The room was perfectly clean and comfortable, and I was pleased to find a modern bathroom with a shower, which isn’t always the case with cheaper Greek accommodation units, as many have open showers that quickly flood the bathroom floor.

Best of all was however my balcony, which offered fabulous views over Kamares, its beach, and the craggy mountains surrounding the inlet and town.

*Heading up some steps from the main road to one of the uphill streets where my accommodation is located. ©Paliparan*

hotel room — *My room for the next few nights on Sifnos. ©Paliparan*

kamares sifnos apartment view — *Gorgeous view from my balcony in Kamares over the rugged mountains around the bay. ©Paliparan*

balcony beach view kamares — *View over the beach of Kamares from my balcony. ©Paliparan*

Kamares Beach

Once I had checked in, I changed into my swim shorts and headed straight to the beach.

Kamares has a long, wide beach straddling its sheltered bay, with perfect views of the rugged mountains surrounding it.

Thanks to its soft, golden sand and the shallow waters of the bay, Kamares has one of Sifnos’ most family-friendly beaches.

The part of the beach closest to the town is partly organised, with sunbeds and umbrellas available for rent, but as my visit was outside the main tourist season, I could use them for free.

However, Kamares Beach is also ideal for those who prefer to lay down their own towel rather than rent a sunbed and umbrella, as there is plenty of space on the sand or in the shade beneath the trees lining the beach.

I enjoyed a quick swim in the bay, and then relaxed for an hour with a good book and a frappé coffee from the beach bar.

kamares bay beach — *From Kamares Beach, you have a lovely view over the rugged mountains around the bay. ©Paliparan*

rest relaxation kamares beach — *Some proper rest and relaxation at the beach. ©Paliparan*

frappé beach greece kamares sifnos — *A good book and some frappé to enjoy the time on the beach even more. ©Paliparan*

G&T time

As the sun slowly began to set, I left the sunbed behind and headed to one of the seats on the wooden deck of one of the bars adjoining the beach.

At the friendly beach bar, called Old Captain, I ordered a gin and tonic and relaxed for a while longer, taking in the fabulous views.

kamares beach bar restaurant — *Kamares has a few bars and taverns right on the beach. ©Paliparan*

gin tonic beach kamares sifnos — *Gin tonic with a view. ©Paliparan*

Balcony time

Having finished my gin and tonic, I returned to my accommodation.

After all, the main reason I booked a room at Simeon Rooms & Apartments was the amazing view from my balcony overlooking Kamares and the bay, so of course I also wanted to spend some time there.

On my way to my room, I bought a bottle of red wine from the local grocery store and opened it on my balcony.

While drinking a glass or two, I enjoyed the fine views over the town as the sun slowly began to set behind the mountain, just beyond my hotel.

kamares supermarket grocery store — *The small supermarket in Kamares. ©Paliparan*

sunset view balcony — *Sunset view from my balcony. ©Paliparan*

wine balcony kamares — *Enjoying a glass of wine on my balcony. ©Paliparan*

*View over Kamares while the sun is slowly setting behind the craggy mountains. ©Paliparan*

kamares sunset view — *Kamares sunset view. ©Paliparan*

Sunset walk

As I couldn’t see the sunset from my balcony, I headed out again for a walk on the beach, hoping to catch some sunset or twilight colours.

It was another relaxing walk through town and along the large swathe of sand that is Kamares Beach, made even more pleasant by the presence of some sweet community cats.

After a while, I turned around and walked to the other far end of town to take in the views at dusk from the harbour quay, which were equally lovely.

kamares cat — *Sweet cat in the streets of Kamares. ©Paliparan*

greek cat — *Another sweetie I encountered on my walk. ©Paliparan*

dusk beach kamares — *Kamares beach at dusk. ©Paliparan*

kamares sunset twilight sky — *Twilight colours in the skies above Kamares and its harbour. ©Paliparan*

greek church kamares sifnos — *Little church in Kamares. ©Paliparan*

quay port kamares sifnos — *Quay in the small port of Kamares. ©Paliparan*

view kamares sifnos night — *View over Kamares from the quay. ©Paliparan*

Dinner

For dinner, I headed to another local tavern called O Simos, which turned out to be a great little restaurant as well.

I wasn’t very hungry, so I just opted for the revithada, a chickpea soup that is another well-known Sifnos staple, traditionally eaten on Sundays after attending mass at church.

The preparation for this dish starts two days in advance, with the chickpeas soaked in water overnight, then cooked for another night in a wood-burning stove with onion, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

It’s a tasty dish, but as it was quite heavy on the stomach, I was glad I didn’t order anything else alongside it!

restaurant taverna — *Heading out to a restaurant for dinner. ©Paliparan*

revithada chick pea soup sifnos — *Revithada, a traditional chickpea soup from Sifnos ©Paliparan*

Rental car

The following morning, I woke up relatively early to collect my rental car from Suntrail in Kamares, a company I can highly recommend.

You need your own set of wheels to visit the sights and beaches of Sifnos and truly do the island justice.

Sitting behind the steering wheel of my Peugeot 108, I set off first to explore the sights closest to Kamares.

morning view balcony — *Early morning view from my balcony. ©Paliparan*

kamares valley sifnos — *View over Kamares and the valley behind the town. ©Paliparan*

suntrails rental car — *Picking up my rental car at Suntrail. ©Paliparan*

Agios Symeon

The best views over Kamares and the rugged mountains surrounding the town can be enjoyed from the Church of Agios Symeon, perched on the mountaintop on the opposite side of the bay.

While you can hike to this church from Kamares — a steep climb up the mountain that reportedly takes 2 to 3 hour — driving here by car is the best option.

I visited the church twice during my stay on Sifnos — once during the day and again on my final evening on the island at sunset.

The sunset views from the forecourt of the Church of Agios Symeon over Kamares and the bay, with the sun slowly dipping into the Aegean Sea, were truly fantastic and a highlight of my stay on Sifnos.

kamares valley — *View over Kamares and the valley from the mountain road towards Agios Symeon. ©Paliparan*

kamares bay sifnos greece — *View over Kamares from the Church of Agios Symeon. ©Paliparan*

agios simion kamares sifnos sunset — *Sunset view over Kamares from Agios Symeon. ©Paliparan*

Sifnos Agios Symeon church Kamares sunset — *The wonderful sunset as seen from Agios Symeon Church. ©Paliparan*

Exploring the island

In the following days on Sifnos, I spent little time in Kamares, as I explored nearly every nook and cranny of the island.

I’ll detail all the other towns, sights, and beaches I visited on Sifnos in their own dedicated chapters of this trip report.

Although I spent each evening on my balcony after returning from long day trips across the island, I dined out in Kamares on only one other night.

This time, I opted for something non-Greek and sat down at an Italian restaurant called Da Claudio for a good pizza.

kamares twilight sunset colours — *Twilight colours in the skies above Kamares. ©Paliparan*

kamares night view — *Nighttime view over the town. The lights on the mountain are those of Agios Symeon Church. ©Paliparan*

nighttime street — *The main street at night. ©Paliparan*

pizza da claudio — *Pizza at Da Claudio ©Paliparan*

Agia Marina

There was one sight in Kamares that I hadn’t seen yet, so I left it for my last day, shortly before the departure of my onward ferry to Milos.

After buying breakfast at the local bakery — some bougatsa, a phyllo pastry filled with semolina custard, and a freddo espresso — I set off on a short walk through town to visit this sight.

At the far end of Kamares Beach lies the neighbourhood of Agia Marina, home to more residential houses as well as a few upscale boutique hotels and villas for rent.

Agia Marina is best known for its church, and if you spent some time on Kamares Beach, you will undoubtedly have already seen it, with the whitewashed Cycladic-style church rising high above the houses on a rock.

Once you reach the far end of the beach, you will first come across another church, the Church of St. Anargyroi.

From here, you just need to cross the street and climb around 100 steps up the rock to Agia Marina Church, where you can enjoy fabulous views over Kamares, the valley, and the sea.

Although the weather on my departure day wasn’t ideal, with dark, threatening rain clouds hanging overhead, I still tremendously enjoyed the view over the rugged coastline from here.

bougatsa greece — *Enjoying some freshly made bougatsa, which I had bought from the local bakery, on my balcony. ©Paliparan*

agia marina church kamares beach — *Agia Marina Church is located at the far end of Kamares Beach. ©Paliparan*

agia marina church steps view kamares valley — *View over the valley from the steps leading up to the Church of Agia Marina. ©Paliparan*

Church of Agia Marina Kamares Sifnos — *The Church of Agia Marina offers some fine views over Kamares. ©Paliparan*

agia marina — *View from the Church of Agia Marina over the coastline. ©Paliparan*

Towards the port

From the Church of Agia Marina, I headed back down the steps, walked across the beach, and made my way through the town towards the port.

While waiting for my onward ferry to Milos, I reflected on my time in Kamares, which I had really come to enjoy.

However, that ferry crossing to Milos and my time on the island will have to wait a little longer, as there are still many more things to share about Sifnos in this trip report series!

kamares beach sifnos — *Kamares Beach. ©Paliparan*

kamares bay fishing boats — *Small fishing boats in the bay of Kamares. ©Paliparan*

*Small fishing boats, better known as *‘kaiki’ in Greek*. ©Paliparan*

ferry quay port kamares — *The Kamares ferry quay. ©Paliparan*

kamares sifnos harbour — *Some final views over Kamares on the island of Sifnos before I departed by ferry to Milos. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

Kamares is the main harbour town of Sifnos, and it’s likely to be your point of entry to the island, as all ferries arrive here.

The town of Kamares has a laid-back vibe, especially if you visit outside of peak season, with not much going on except for those moments when a ferry calls at the port.

This relaxed atmosphere is part of Kamares’ charm, as it allows you to truly rest and recuperate during your Cycladic holiday.

The laid-back vibe doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do in town, as Kamares boasts one of the best beaches on Sifnos, along with a few good bars, taverns, and restaurants.

Make sure you climb the 100 or so steps up to Agia Marina Church during your visit to Kamares for some fine views over the beach and the town.

It’s also a must to drive up to Agios Symeon Church, located high on the mountain above Kamares, as from here you can enjoy wonderful views over the bay and the rugged, absolutely stunning terrain.

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 (current chapter)

** rest of the chapters to follow soon **