The village of Kastro ~ ancient capital of Sifnos
The village of Kastro was the capital of the island during ancient times until 1836. It is built on top of a high cliff on the island’s east side, and today has extensive medieval remains and is home to the Archaeological Museum of Sifnos, housing a wonderful collection of Archaic and Hellenistic sculptures. The magnificent village of Kastro is perched on a steep hill on the east side of Sifnos, offering stunning panoramic views of the Aegean Sea. The Panagia Poulati Monastery is prized for its beauty, as well as the landscape it surrounds....
Read MoreAthens, Greece
Home to the most important ancient monument in the Western world, Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, with a recorded history spanning around 3,400 years. Athens is considered to be the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. Join me in this lively and vivacious city as we explore our past, all the while relishing a culinary journey every step of the way. Our friends in Sifnos recommended our hotel in Athens, their preferred choice when in town. Centrally located in the heart of the Old City of Plaka and the Acropolis, the modern hotel has been...
Read MoreCulinary Journey to Greece
It is said that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest in the world. In the Mediterranean, the people say that the Greeks have the healthiest diet. It surely has something to do with olives, fish, vegetables and herbs… Join me on an exciting culinary journey to Greece, where authentic dishes such as these await your palate … With our culinary guide we’ll track down the best souvlaki in Athens Photo courtesy of Culinary Backstreets Each time you order a Greek salad, they will ask if you want feta (from Crete) or the local island cheese. This is a Greek salad with...
Read MoreSantorini island, Greece
No doubt the most visually stunning and dramatic Greek island, Santorini is at both elegant and charming. Voted as the world’s best island for 2011 by the readers of Travel & Leisure, this Cycladic Island offers one of the Aegean’s most unusual landscapes. The island’s official name is Thira, although the medieval name – a corruption of “St. Irene”, left behind by the Italians – is most commonly used today. With its unique blend of sulphur, salt and water, 120 miles southwest of mainland Greece, Santorini is the world’s largest inhabited caldera (a...
Read MoreGreek island of Sifnos
Welcome to the quiet island of Sifnos. A small, hilly island popular with walkers and known for its pottery, poets, and chefs, Sifnos offers charming villages to explore, and terraced countryside dotted with ancient towers to roam. In ancient times, Sifnos was renowned for its gold mines. The islanders paid yearly homage to the Delphic sanctuary of Apollo with a solid gold egg. One year they sent a gilded rock instead, incurring Apollo’s curse. The gold mines were flooded, and the island became ruined; and from then on was known as sifnos, meaning “empty.” Villages of...
Read MoreThe search for the perfect Greek isle
I am prospecting in Greece for a future tour – an adventure considering that I don’t speak the language. After much research, found the ideal island tucked away in the Cyclades, far less obvious than the three most visited (Mykonos, Santorini, Ios), but every bit the paradise. There are literally thousands of islands to choose from, but since I was searching for an island with the typical white-washed villages, I chose among the Cyclades. The island of Sifnos offers picturesque white villages of varying sorts – a quaint harbor, charming perched village above the sea,...
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