KASTRO - SIFNOS

The toponym Kastro means Castle. At the east of the island, on an abrupt rock with excellent panoramic view to the ocean, there is the historic village Kastro, one of the most picturesque regions of Sifnos. The life there goes on in an autonomous way since the prehistoric times, and besides the ages that pass, Kastro always manages to keep something from its old glamour and nobility. A sloping carriageway leads to Kastro; it is 3,5 kilometers long, it starts from Apollonia and takes your breath away, when after a sudden turn the visitor faces the settlement.  The residential installation at the village exists since the prehistoric times, according to the findings of the excavations. The settlement of nowadays, which is built over the ancient capital of Sifnos, the "asty" of Herodotus, still maintains the characteristics of the Venetian fortress that has been built by the dynasty of Da Corogna, in 1635.

It is up to this day one of the most important settlements of medieval urban planning structure. For safety reasons, the main characteristics of the settlement are: narrowness, lack of spaces of public use, small courtyards, narrow streets with rare shapeless widening spaces and the unique square which is formed in front of the church of Agios Ioannis Theologos.  The visitor still enters into Kastro from its old entrances - arcades, the "lozies", which used to seal in the past for the protection of the settlement like war towers. At the internal arrangement of the settlement, the planning is quite free and many of the streets are passing over the houses’ rooms. The arrangement of the streets’ levels is such that in many cases passing is possible by small bridges. The houses of Kastro are divided in two categories, the houses with narrow front sides, and the mansions. The houses with the narrow front sides mainly of the external ring are built the one next to the other and they form the external part of the settlement.

Kastro has been the capital of Sifnos during the ancient, the medieval and the modern times, up to 1836, as well as the seat of the Archbishopric of Sifnos (1646-1797) and of the Bishopric of Sifnos and Milos (1797-1852). At the entrance of the village, where today you shall find the cemetery of Kastro and the temples of Agios Stefanos and Agios Ioannis (1629), was once the famous School of Agios Tafos (1687-1835), also known as the "Educational Institution of the Archipelago". At the south foot of Kastro’s hill there is Seralia, the ancient port of Sifnos.

Wandering around the narrow back streets of Kastro offers moments of unique pleasure! One could say that in this place time has stopped, while the atmosphere captures the visitor transmitting the glamour of the old times. The narrow paved streets with the low stone benches, the dark arcades, the old houses with the wooden balconies, the blazons at the entrances, the ancient pillars that were later used as architectural parts, the marble Roman urns that one meets spread all over the village with the relief jewels, the embrasures and the narrow courtyards of the houses, the picturesque little church of the "Eftamartyros", which seems to have climbed on a rock rising of the sea, compose a unique experience that everyone must have! 

In Kastro there is an Archaeological Museum, which includes marvelous collections of Archaic and Hellenistic sculptures.

 Here you shall find rooms and apartments to let, traditional little taverns and fish-houses, patisseries, shops, gift-shops and coffee-bars.

sponsors

	Leonidas Traditional Tavern, Kastro - Sifnos At the entrance of the village Kastro, next to the old mills, you shall find Mrs. Maria’s traditional tavern.  Sit on the back yard which is literally hung over the sea and enjoy your food with a unique view!   more...
	Aegean eye, Kastro - Sifnos AEGEAN EYE is situated in the area of picturesque and historic Kastro. Our rooms are amphitheatrically built about 90 meters abovea rocky gulf and the rooms have limitless view towards the open Aegean horizon. more...
	To Maro, Kastro - Sifnos On the way to Kastro, one and a half kilometer away from Apollonia, built at the edge of the road, on a crag with  a view to the east and to the islands north and east of Sifnos, you shall find the 9 spacious rooms to let "Maro’s" more...

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