Five hours on a ferry or two and a half hours on a hydrofoil is a small price to pay as your vessel glides into the port of Livadi and you catch your first glimpse of the towering hills of Serifos flecked with the white, sugar-cubed houses of Hora. The sight deserves to adorn the front cover of any Greek Island guide book and will act as a magnet to any half serious photographer.
The beaches on Serifos are excellent. The main swath of sand and shingle in Livadi bay itself seems the most impressive from the sea but is in fact put to shame by the magnificent beach of Psilli Ammos, about 2kms to the east of Livadi. Here, the softest, whitest sand beckons and 2 tavernas complete what is idyllic location.
The attraction of Livadi lies in its compactness and its unpretentiousness. Simple tavernas offer extremely tasty fare and everything is no more than 10 minutes’ walk from everything else. We consider Serifos to be the perfect place to relax and unwind.
History: Serifos is the third island of the Cyclades and lies between Kithnos and Sifnos about 7.5 miles away from each. Its shape is almost circular and it has a diameter of 6 miles. The ground is barren and mountainous. Its shores are clean and are surrounded by deep sea. Hora, its capital, lies on top of a steep hill above the port. Other villages and settlements are Megalo Livadi, Koutalas, and Megalo Horio. Legend reports that the mighty Perseus grew in Serifos along with his mother Danae, after reaching the island by being put inside a box that was thrown to the sea by Danae’s father when he learned that Perseus, the offspring of her relationship with Zeus, was born.
The king of Serifos Polydeukes fell in love with Danae but she denied to reciprocate the king’s love, having the Perseus’s support by her side in this. According to the saga of Perseus, Polydeukes sent Perseus to kill the Medusa of Serifos hoping that this would be the last he would see or hear from him. Yet, by the aid of gods, Perseus managed to kill the Medusa and bring the beast’s head to Polydeukes who was petrified by the sight of it, along with everything most beautiful is the island.
Thus this beauty has still remained and will remain forever. Since the 6th century BC, the island begins to flourish economically mainly due to the exploitation of its mineral wealth. Serifos became a member of the Athenian alliance and fought the Persians in the side of Athens. Its inhabitants took part in the naval battle of Salamis. The island was conquered successively by the Macedonians, the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Romans. During the Byzantine years the island declines, while it is conquered by the Venetians in 1207. In 1537 Haeredin Barbarossa takes Serifos, while the Russian occupation followed for 3 years. ln 1774 the Turks conquered the island until 1821 when the Greek revolution started and the inhabitants of the island were present and gained their freedom along with the rest of the inhabitants of the Cyclades.
Sightseeing’s: Hora with its marvelous view. The Castle of Gria on Koutalas. The Taxiarch monastery.
Beaches for swimming: The Livadi beach which is 2 km long and sandy, Karavi, Kalo Ampeli, Agios loannis, Agios Sostis, Psili Ammos KOUTALAS Ganema, Vagia, SYKAMIA MEGALO LIVADI, MONASTIRI, TAXIARHON. NUDISM: LIVADAKIA, KOUTALAS
