Travel Mini — Athens & Sifnos

The first time I passed through Athens I was 17 backpacking with some girlfriends and was dropped at a budget hotel by a taxi driver who warned us not to go out after dark. It was 2012, the height of the economic crisis, and from then on, I bypassed the city entirely, heading straight to the islands. Until recently when curiosity sparked after seeing a rise in inventive new restaurants, beautifully restrained, character filled interior spaces, and a creative energy I couldn’t ignore.

After an idyllic week in Sifnos, eating fresh peaches, swimming off the rocks in crystal clear water and tasting every Greek dish under the sun, Vanessa and I, with our husbands in tow, headed to Athens for a long weekend, armed with an ambitious list of pins covering antique stores, fabric houses, wine bars, tavernas and galleries. And wow has it changed! Athens is a foodie and vintage lover’s heaven! It's safe to say I will be adding extended Athens stopovers to all future Greece itineraries from now on!!

Below, we have compiled our favourite discoveries for both Athens and Sifnos, along with our Google Maps pins and interior inspirations from a sun drenched fortnight spent between the city and the sea.

Enjoy!

Stay.
Mona Athens
Mona was our base for exploring Athens and it was perfect! A renovated 1950s textiles factory converted into a thoughtful hotel in the centre of Athens. The decor is simple yet warm with sheer draped curtains, concrete floors, a decorative iron staircase, an exceptional art collection and hidden gardens. The rooftop with a view of the Acropolis is the perfect place to start and end your day.

Eat.
After this trip, I am more obsessed with Greek food than ever. Yes, the €2 gyros are amazing, and when travelling with our husband’s a daily necessity, but it is the simplicity of flavours and fresh ingredients you find in the small bolt holes and quaint tavernas, the dishes where you can taste summer in every bite.

Tip — A lot of the shops and restaurants close or shut early on a Sunday so plan accordingly.

Isandsia
A new age taverna with a modern take on traditional Greek cuisine. Don’t miss Linou Soumpasis, their small boutique at the back of the restaurant selling local beeswax taper candles, we purchased quite the stack between us to take home as souvenirs.

Taverna Oikonomou 1930
Located in a quiet residential part of the city, Taverna Oikonomou serves heartful Greek home cooking within art-covered, sunshine yellow walls. A highlight was the stuffed cabbage leaves and handmade dolmas.

Diporto
130 year old taverna, claimed our best meal of the trip, and even year! Located near the meat markets of Athens in what looks like an abandoned building, a staircase takes you to an underground taverna with a simple setting and the smallest kitchen imaginable – just a concrete bench with a couple of burners and a grill. You are seated wherever there is a free chair and there is no menu and no plates. A tin carafe of house made wine and small glass tumblers are thrown onto your table shortly after, followed by a loaf of bread and dishes of the day – cooked fava beans, vegetable stews, grilled sardines and chickpea soup. Incredibly simple, no fuss! Only the happiest memories and deep gratitude that places like this still exist.

Lefteris O Politis
Authentic, delicious and simple gyros. Opens early if you are in search of a hangover cure.

So many more places we didn’t get the chance to visit are in our Google Maps list at the end of this Substack, but honourable mentions we’ve flagged for our next visit below.

Ouzeri Lesvos
Feyrouz and their newly opened sister restaurant Mirlo Kebabs
Kosta Souvlaki, an institution in Athens!
Taverna Ton Filon
Aswtos

Drink.
Wine is Fine
A busy wine bar with delicious natural wines and seasonal plates. A great spot for some people watching and a vino, although we went for dinner and the food was insanely good too! Both indoor and street side dining, but on a balmy night you can't beat the atmosphere on the street.

Kennedy Vins
A curated wine list by the glass or bottle and simple, seasonal snacks. We shared a plate of bread, butter, ham & pickles. They also have a beautiful apartment you can stay here.

Mona Rooftop
Visit at sunset for the best view of the Acropolis and an insane grapefruit negroni. Open to the public Thursday to Sunday in summer.

Shop.
Lexikopoleio bookstore
Two story book store with a large collection of Greek and international titles. A wonderful collection of vintage books too.

Antikes Egra Texnis on Ioannou Fokianou
We happened upon this gem walking from our morning coffee to Lexikopoleio. The store has two store fronts filled with well priced vintage and antique collectables, art and objects. We purchased some of the best quality pieces of the trip here.

Adad Books
A short walk from Taverna Oikonomou 1930, and if you are going for lunch (which I highly recommend you do) make sure you stop off at Adad for a coffee and peruse their excellent collection of books.

It’s A Shirt
A perfect, simple store selling handmade shirts from local and deadstock fabrics. The chicest summer staple and souvenir to take home.

1 Hour Stamp Shop on Lekka
We couldn’t pass this chic stamp shop we stumbled upon on our travels. While it doesn’t come up on Google Maps, this pin takes you close by.

Visit.
Flea Market on Sunday in Abyssinia Square
While there are permanent store fronts open daily, on Sunday the square is filled with stalls and specialist merchants selling a range of vintage and antique collectables. Open until 2pm – don't be afraid to barter here.

Alekos Fassianos Muesum
This museum has been on our wishlist for years! Due to poor programming on our behalf we missed it. Rest assured we will be back to visit next summer!

Walk to Mount Lycabettus
For the best 360 views of Athens, it is here you really begin to understand the scale and history of the city. Walk early as the sun rises before it gets too hot.

Stay.
Before heading to Sifnos, we spoke with good friends and family who had previously visited to get a feel for where to stay. Kastro was top of everyone’s recommendation, but after falling in love with a traditional home on Airbnb we opted for Apollonia. The cobbled streets of the small town were lively and filled with sweet little stores, quaint bars, delicious old school tavernas and specialty food stores and bakeries. It is close enough to walk into Artemonas for dinner, a short 5-minute drive into Kastro, and the perfect base to explore the island’s beaches. We couldn’t have been happier with our choice.

Our Airbnb, a traditional Sifnian house that has been in the same family for more than 60 years. The kitchen is filled with traditional ceramics all handmade on the island, the terrace fills with golden sunlight each morning and afternoon, and the rooms are decorated simply with family heirlooms. For vintage lovers like us, this place was a dream.

Eat.
The food scene in Sifnos is on another level and by far the best food I've experienced on any of the Greek islands. Being a foodie, I’m always trying to seek the most authentic culinary experiences and I now crown Sifnos my new favourite Greek island! There are so many we didn't get to, listed on our google maps pins, but below is a list of those we did (and loved).

Mosaico
A gem located in Artemonas serving up Greek meze. We love to eat this way, ordering an array of plates and sharing to experience all the flavours.

Tip — Order the traditional Cretan pasta!

Cantina
One of our favourite dining experiences to date. We visited for lunch on our first day in Sifnos (although dinner at sunset would have also been a vibe), and it was the perfect way to ease into a week of reading, swimming, eating and sunning. The menu is local, seasonal and fresh, from the food to the wine list, and the playlist sets the vibe. Make sure you book in advance as bookings are limited.

Chrisopigi Taverna
Located on the far corner, nestled in the rocks, right on the beach. A simple and delicious place for 3pm lunch after a day spent swimming off the rocks. The freshest Greek salad and the Sifnian chickpea stew was perfection.

Kafeneio Drakakis
Crowned the best Greek salad and dolmas of the trip. There is often a line up for this place, but it didn't take long to get a table. Originally a coffee shop, Drakakis is one of the oldest tavernas on the island, with old photographs gracing the walls and the traditional warm Greek hospitality still alive, they told us to take a seat inside while we waited for a table and served us a beer on the house.

Vegeraki
A small bakery in Apollonia – we would visit every morning to pick up a zucchini pie to add to our homemade breakfast spread on the terrace.

το Σταυρί
A specialty food store and butcher in the town of Apollonia. Our go-to every few days to stock up on fresh oranges for juicing, perfectly ripe peaches, farm fresh eggs, cherry jam and bergamot liqueur. Also don’t sleep on the Greek goat’s milk butter, it is on another level!

Kokonis Seafood
Fresh fish store with a selection of daily catches from the island and surrounds. We love to shop for fresh local produce and cook while on holiday so naturally we had to source some fresh fish whilst on the island. The owner is very helpful and will gut the fish for you if you ask 😊

Drink.
Loggia Wine Bar
Set on the cliffs of Kastro, the most idyllic setting for an afternoon vino. You can also purchase takeaway bottles from the menu, which we did to enjoy at home on the terrace with a home cooked meal.

Botzi 93
Our much-loved local in Apollonia, with a rooftop terrace that catches the last sun of the day.

Visit.

Beaches.
Church of the Seven Martyrs
We were so lucky with the weather and had hardly any wind so we could swim pretty much anywhere. We loved sunbathing and swimming off the rocks near this little church.

Chrisopigi Monastery
On the other side of the monastery is an uncrowded rock cliff beach which was a favourite swimming spot of the trip. We took a small esky with beer and peaches which kept us happy swimming and reading on the rocks all day. We also loved swimming off the platform at the bottom of the monastery at sunset.

Cheronissos Beach
A beautiful beach with both sand and rock platforms. We had our own little jetty where we set up for the day and stayed until sunset, taking the most special memories with us. There are two restaurants on the beach for top ups of cold water and beer.

Paralia Vroulidia
We usually skip the beaches with sun lounges, but Vroulidia is low-key and secluded, with crystal-clear water and glittering sand — a serene place to set up under an umbrella for the day. There are two options to choose from and we opted for Katerina, a small taverna run by a beautiful Greek family who welcomed us, fed us a delicious home-cooked lunch and let us lounge until sundown.

Tip — Access to the beach is by foot unless you have a 4WD. The walk down is breathtakingly scenic, though the climb back could be a little steep in the summer heat with kids.

Ceramic Studios & Shops.
Atsonios Ceramics
Studio located on Cheronissos Beach.

Mpairamis Ceramics
Studio located near Cheronissos Beach.

Alexandros Lemonis
Both a studio on the island and a small shop located in Apollonia.

Lembesis Pottery
Studio located in Artemonas.

Sifnos Tips.

• We like to spend more time in one place rather than jumping between islands too frequently. We spent a week in Sifnos (although we could have easily stayed another!) and it was the perfect amount of time to settle in, relax and explore the beaches, ceramic studios and tavernas scattered across the island. The ferries can also get busy and expensive during peak summer.

• Rent a car! It's an island where a car is essential to explore as the mountains are vast and steep. A scooter or quad just wouldn't cut it. We hired a car on arrival at the port, but in peak summer you may want to secure a car ahead of time.

• Sifnos can get windy, so we preferred a warm sunny rock beach over a sandy beach. When you explore a little, you can find some amazing and secluded places to swim.

• Early summer is my favourite time to travel in Europe, and June is the sweet spot for Greece. With warm days for sunbathing and hiking, magical clear water, minimal crowds, and the sunny disposition that only the start of summer can bring.

  

Interior Inspirations.
Greece has always been a place of inspiration for me. In every aspect, the culture and history of the city is upheld with character and charm. Sun-kissed memories of summers spent eating sweet peaches in the blazing sun and cooling off in the salty Mediterranean sea. The simplicity of the food, the classical interiors rich in tradition – weathered with time and even more beautiful with age, the serene calmness of homes wrapped by a body of water. This trip sparked a new path for us, feeling more inspired than ever. From a design perspective, here’s what caught our eye.

Lace and crochet — From curtains, tablecloths and cushions to intricate details wrapped into paintings and furniture. The delicate nature brings so much romanticism into an interior.

Greek Orthodox monasteries — We visited every monastery we could, in awe and admiration of the beauty in these historic buildings. The quiet crackling of the beeswax candles, the greeting of frankincense as you enter, freshly picked stems of homegrown roses, draped and layered lace, ancient hand painted ceilings and decorative timber furniture.

Beeswax candles — Found in monasteries, tavernas and homes, styled simply in handmade bowls and trays filled with sand. A daily offering and prayer ritual.

Collections and heirlooms — The styling of our home in Sifnos was simple, filled with only cherished items gathered over generations. Collections of shells, pebbles, postcards, pottery and carved artefacts decorated each room.

Woven & embroidered tapestries — We loved the combination of this framed family photo.

Accent paint — The Greek are masters of brightly painted wainscoting and bold use of colour in just the right placement, tone and combination. A simple way of giving each home and taverna their own identity.

For further summer dreaming and planning, our guides to Morocco and Paris and my Euro packing list below. Plus a Greece playlist inspired by songs we heard while swimming and sipping wine in the sun.

Happy Euro summer!

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And finally, a link to our 94 Google Maps pins for Athens & Sifnos below for our paid subscribers. Thank you for being here <3