When the boat approaches the idyllic port of Livadi you will somehow get the feeling that this will be a different kind of vacation. This island is different. It has a different atmosphere. Sweet, yet wild. Simple, yet so complex. Serifos has everything you never thought you’d find in such a small island. Old legends, rich history, 72 stunning beaches, the most beautiful Hora in Cyclades, old churches, good food, amazing, warm people.

Livadi (port) is where all the action takes place. This is where the majority of bars, clubs, taverns, grocery stores, car rental agencies and hotels are located. The beach of Livadi (Avlomonas) is very long, sandy and crystal clear. During the summer, tons of sailing boats and yachts are nesting in the calm waters of this naturally protected bay.

Hora is considered as one of the nicest of Cyclades. It lies upon a hill, which overlooks the port. There is a main square, with two cafes, the Town Hall and the elementary school of the island. It follows the typical Cycladic architecture, with the white boxy, little houses, the picturesque front yards, the narrow streets and the old churches scattered all around. On the very top of the hill, there are remnants of the old Venetian castle. There is also a small archeological and folklore museum.

The area of Koutalas and Megalo Livadi are of great interest. Koutalas used to be the island’s mining center. Visitors should check out the entrances of the old mines, the loading ladders, the wagons and other machinery, as well as rails that still hang above the steep cliffs. Megalo Livadi is a historical place. This is where the headquarters of the Spiliaeza were hosted in a beautiful neoclassical building (of Schiller’s school), which is considered as one of the most impressive ones in Cyclades. Near the building there is a monument dedicated to the workers who lost their lives in the 1916 strike.

The monks’ Castle-Monastery of Taxiarhes is located in Galani and it was built in 1572. This monastery -during the Venetian sovereignty- was very powerful and possessed a great deal of wealth. This explains the construction of the high surrounding walls and the fortress-like architecture. It’s dedicated to Archangels Michail and Gabriel, who are also Serifo’s patron saints. The monastery boasts an amazing wooden and golden temple, invaluable manuscripts and the Sacred Code, dated back to 1754.

Last but not least, the historical settlement of Panagia is definitely worth visiting. The homonymous Byzantine church was built around 950-1000 AC. It’s a cruciform basilica with stunning frescoes and an imposing wooden temple. During the Greek Revolution of 1821 the cells of this church were used as hideaways for the refugees from Peloponnesus and the nearby islands of Sifnos, Amorgos, Kythnos, Folegandros etc. If you happen to be in the island around the 15th of August, you should definitely visit the church since its celebration is one of the most widely known in Serifos.