We have absolutely fallen in love with the country of Greece! Two years ago we visited Athens and the islands of Santorini and Mykonos. This time around we knew we wanted to visit smaller and quieter islands and we honestly could not have picked better ones! We went to the islands of Sifnos and Milos and enjoyed both so much. In this post we’re going over 10 reasons you should visit Sifnos and Milos in Greece!
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1. Sifnos is So Quiet!
One of the things we loved the most about Sifnos was how quiet it is! There were no crowds, no waiting in lines and it was so peaceful. We went to the beach and saw only a handful of other people. The loudest part of the day were the few minutes when a large ferry came in but other than that it was so nice. There were a few restaurants and a small grocery store on the main road in the charming port town of Kamares. It was honestly exactly what we were looking for!
If you’re looking for a quiet and relaxing place to spend a few days (we easily could have spent more) then Sifnos is the island for you!
2. Kamares Beach in Sifnos is Beautiful!
You might be thinking a port beach can’t be that nice and that was our initial thought too. But we loved the Kamares port beach for a few reasons. For starters, it was no more than 100 meters from the front door of our villa to our toes in the sand. Less than a 5 minute walk to the beach is amazing. If you’ve ever stayed somewhere that is that close to the beach then you’ll understand. If we forgot something we could just go back and get it because it was that close.
It also had insanely clear water especially for being the main port for the island. Over the few days we were there we saw people snorkeling each day. Plus it was completely free for us to throw our microfiber towels down and enjoy some sun. No people came over to us to sell us anything. There wasn’t loud music blasting or people yelling. It was just so enjoyable! It’s obviously not the only beach on the island of Sifnos but it’s definitely worth spending a few hours!
3. Gyros are only 3 Euros and Delicious!
If you’re in Greece you need to try a gyro because you will forever be obsessed. It’s slow cooked meat (either pork, lamb or chicken) with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and French fries in a fluffy pita pocket. They are absolutely delicious and basically the only thing we ate while in Greece.
In the main town area of Kilmares we went to Aplemonas which is a small restaurant. You can eat outside opposite the restaurant at tables on the beach or you can opt to get it to take away. It’s really small and looks like nothing out of the ordinary but the gyros are delicious! A pork gyro cost 3 Euros which makes for such a cheap meal! We liked it so much we got food from there every night we were in Sifnos.
In the town of Adamas on Milos we loved Gyros of Milos restaurant. This one was larger than the one on Sifnos. They have a large outdoor seating area as well as the option to take it away. The gyros are delicious and cost 3 Euros each. Another must try in Greece is of course a Greek salad which will cost around 6 Euros. Beware it won’t have lettuce like some Greek salads you find in the US but instead tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, kalamata olives and sometimes green peppers.
Read More: Travel Guide to Santorini
4. Sifnos and Milos are a Short Ferry Ride Away From Each Other!
When picking what islands to visit in Greece it’s important to take into account the travel time between islands. With over 200 inhabited islands in Greece you have so many to choose from. With a week or two no one wants to spend days on ferries getting from one location to the other. Once you have identified one island you want to visit it’s a good idea to make sure your second island is reasonably close.
Sifnos and Milos are both located in the Cyclades island group. It’s important to note though that just because they’re in the same island group does not necessarily mean they will be close to each other. It took about 2 hours to get from Kamares, Sifnos to Adamas, Milos on Blue Star Ferries. Keep in mind that it was a slow ferry. A high speed ferry takes significantly less time, however, the ticket prices tend to be more expensive, sometimes two or three times as much.
Read our Tips for Planning a Trip to Greece Post for more tips about ferries!
5. Sarakiniko Beach on Milos is like another planet!
Sarakiniko Beach on the northern edge of Milos is a place that is truly like another planet. It is definitely not just like every other beach! White volcanic rocks cover the whole area and make it one of the most interesting looking places. The contrast between the white rocks and the turquoise water make it so beautiful!
We walked from Adamas to Sarakiniko in about 45 minutes. It was not hard and really not too long if you don’t have a car! You can also rent a four-wheeler or scooter in Adamas at quite a few different places and drive there.
It’s completely free to enjoy which is so refreshing to see compared to the high end resort beaches on other islands! We spent some time simply climbing around the rocks and then went back and forth between our towels and the water for a few hours. We would highly recommend visiting Sarakiniko on the island of Milos!
6. Both Sifnos and Milos are really Affordable!
Another big reason you should visit Sifnos and Milos is they are both really affordable! Of course you can find luxurious places everywhere but we found the cost of accommodations as well as food to be very reasonable on both islands. We spent significantly less on accommodations on Sifnos and Milos than we did on the islands of Santorini and Mykonos. Some of that price difference is just due to the demand on more well known islands. As well the time of year also plays a role in the cost of things in Greece.
Greece is one of our favorite places but it doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive and out of your budget! On both Sifnos and Milos we were able to spend under $60 USD a night on our own villas with a kitchen, dining area, modern bathroom and private balcony. We averaged $25 a day on all our food, mainly due to #3 on this list!
Read More: Travel Guide to Mykonos
7. Both Sifnos and Milos have Amazing Sunsets!
The sunsets on both Sifnos and Milos were some of the best sunsets we have ever seen! The sky turned the prettiest pink and orange color every night and lasted for so long. Every night we made sure to be on our patio or by the water to watch the incredible sunsets!
We know this isn’t just Sifnos and Milos. We saw some incredible sunsets in Santorini as well so it’s safe to say Greece in general is an incredible sunset destination. Honestly these sunset pictures are reason enough to plan your trip to this amazing country!
8. They Aren’t as Crowded as More Popular Islands!
One thing we so appreciated about Sifnos and Milos was how not crowded they were! We loved that the town of Kamares on Sifnos had only a few other groups staying there. In Adamas on Milos, which is slightly larger than Kamares, we still did not run into many crowds. Even at Sarakiniko which is a major spot on the island, there was plenty of space and it wasn’t too packed at all!
If you’re looking for islands to escape the crowds and have a relaxing Greek getaway then you will really enjoy Sifnos and Milos!
9. The People are Really Friendly!
This is not to say that people are only friendly on Sifnos and Milos but our experience on both islands was that the people were all so friendly and welcoming!
We loved the small town feel in Kamares. No one seemed like they were in a rush and we loved that! The owner of our villa in Milos was so friendly she even called the ferry company and airlines to help us when we weren’t sure if our ferry was going to leave.
Read More: How Long Should I spend in Athens, Greece?
10. Neither Sifnos nor Milos is too far from Athens!
Neither Sifnos nor Milos is too far from Athens. That means you don’t have to worry about spending full days getting to and from mainland Greece. It took us 2 hours on a high speed ferry from Pireaus Port in Athens to Kamares, Sifnos. Then from Adamas, Milos it took us 3 hours to get back to Athens also on a high speed ferry.
We really liked that we didn’t have to spend hours and hours sitting on ferries getting to and from the islands. A few years ago we spent about 7 hours getting back from Santorini to Athens (on a slow ferry) and honestly it was really long. It meant that whole last day was a travel day. So it’s a big positive that Sifnos and Milos can be reached from Athens in just a few hours!
