Serifos is pretty spectacular. With its many mountains and the old Chóra on the hill behind the port of Livádi, it is a sight you won’t forget.

Beware that the waterfront and surroundings are supposedly plagued by mosquitoes. On my stay I did not notice any, but my room (at the newly refurbished Captain George’s, comes with my recommendation) was equipped with all sorts of remedies. Obviously for a reason. Be sure you also have this in place.

The island has several good walks and one breathtaking kalderími that must not be missed (See walk 4 below). The most impressive one in the entire Aegean? Many footpaths are also signposted and marked now.

Selected walks: For walks on Serifos take a look in Trekking in Greece by Marc Dubin, Walking the Aegean Islands by Dieter Graf (referred to below as “/Graf/“) or his newer Santorini, Sifnos and the Western & Southern Cyclades, which should be more up-to-date. On the web visit Walking, hiking and trekking on SERIFOS by Raymond Verdoolaege (referred to below as “/RV/“) and Travel, Holiday and Visitor Guide for the Greek Island of Serifos, Aegean Greece by Foxy’s Island Walks. Good Road Editions (1:25000) and Anavasi (1:20000) maps exist (see above).

2005 Updates: I have received updates for the walks on Raymond’s site and in /Graf/ from a keen walker, see Walks on Serifos.pdf and Notes on Walking in the Aegean Islands by Dieter Graf (2000) Serefos & Sifnos.pdf.

•1 LIVÁDI – CHÓRA (duration about 50 mins one way): Even if you do not do it as part of some longer walk, you should not miss this. Just follow the donkey steps up to town. A more detailed description of the walk can be found in /RV/. Walk or take the bus back. There are frequent buses between the Chóra and the port.

•2 LIVÁDI – KARÁVI (my total time 0h18, even includes stop for a couple of photographs; +-47m, 0 laps): A short stroll west from the port will take you to the formerly very quiet nudist beach at Karávi. From the port take the stair street over the first headland, then stroll past Livadáki beach, then continue over the next headland on the dusty track. Today the beach is backed by a dozen new holiday homes, and more are on the way… The idyll is destroyed and its days as a nude beach must surely be numbered. I have had this small stroll on this page for years, but I will now keep it more as a warning than a recommendation. The first beach at Livadáki are much more tempting now, and there is a very nice taverna behind it where you can eat in a beautiful garden.

•3 LIVÁDI – CHÓRA – PSILÍ AMMOS – LIVÁDI (my total time 4h17, includes stops for photography, drinking and a swim in the ocean; +-531m; 3 laps): This is walk 40 in /Graf/. A similar walk can be found as walk 6 in /RV/. I think the route followed in /Graf/ is a bit more interesting, this crosses no less than three bridges, instead of just one.

It is not too simple to follow the text /Graf/ at all points though, you can start suspecting that Dieter Graf is not a member of any Writers’ Association.

In spite of what the book says you must first go right and down towards the cemetery below Chóra, then take a left (straight ahead in a curve) on an overgrown track. This track/footpath will go straight to the first bridge.

After the “peppermint bushes” DO NOT take the path on the right. Just follow the main trail as it veers right.

/RV/ will tell you about the new dam that is being built across the path. This does not constitute a problem now (2007) that it is finished. Just follow the trodden path and cross on the dam wall itself.

For the return to Livádi see alternatives in /RV/.

Also take a look at the 2005 Updates mentioned above.

•4 CHÓRA – STAVRÓS – PÝRGOS – PANAGIÁ – CHÓRA (my total time 4h41, includes stops for photography and drinking; +-750m; 3 laps): The description for the entire walk can be found as walk 4 in /RV/. A very nice walk, but overgrown and a little difficult to figure out at points. And talk about grand finale!

Towards Pýrgos: “this trail continues between a wall and a metal fence”. I could not see this at all, and after a short while the track became toally overgrown. I had to cross terraces towards the village as best as I could following animal traces. Afterwards a steep footpath came in from above. I could follow this one a short while down before needing to cross over more land to continue in the direction of the well. Just before the well a path again materialized (as promised).

The upper part of the kalderími above Panagiá is being destroyed by the building of a new holiday house. Hopefully it will still be possible to pass, but you will have to go right on the access track here before reaching the main road.

The kalderími back down towards Chóra is beyond words (see picture above). It is built up several meters on one side.

• Good starting points: • Livádi – most walks can be started from here, using the bus if necessary • Chóra – most walks can be started from here, using the bus if necessary

• How to get there: • By ferry from other islands in the Cyclades West • By ferry from some islands in the Cyclades Central • By ferry from the mainland • By speedboat from some Cycladic islands

• More info: • Walking, hiking and trekking on SERIFOS by Raymond Verdoolaege • Travel, Holiday and Visitor Guide for the Greek Island of Serifos, Aegean Greece by Foxy’s Island Walks