{"id":1342,"date":"2012-02-23T19:11:59","date_gmt":"2012-02-23T18:11:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.islandwalking.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=1342"},"modified":"2026-02-27T16:25:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T15:25:42","slug":"serifos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.islandwalking.com\/wordpress\/greek-islands\/serifos\/","title":{"rendered":"Serifos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u03a3\u03ad\u03c1\u03b9\u03c6\u03bf\u03c2 – Cyclades<\/h1>\n
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S<\/span>erifos is pretty spectacular. With its many mountains and the old Ch\u00f3ra on the hill behind the port of\u00a0Liv\u00e1di, it is a sight you won’t forget.<\/p>\n

B<\/span>eware that the waterfront and surroundings are supposedly plagued by mosquitoes. On my stay I did not notice\u00a0any, 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.<\/p>\n

T<\/span>he island has several good walks and one breathtaking kalder\u00edmi 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.<\/p>\n

Selected walks:<\/b> For walks on Serifos take a look in “Trekking in Greece” by Marc Dubin (out of print), “Walking the Aegean Islands” by Dieter Graf (referred to below as “\/Graf\/<\/span><\/span>“) 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<\/a> by Raymond Verdoolaege (referred to below as “\/RV\/<\/span>“). Good Road Editions (1:25000) and Anavasi (1:20000) maps exist.<\/p>\n

\u20221\u00a0<\/span>LIV\u00c1DI – CH\u00d3RA (duration about 50 mins one way): Even if you do not do it as part of some longer walk, you should not miss\u00a0this. Just follow the donkey steps up to town. A more detailed description of the walk can be found in \/RV\/<\/span>. Walk or take the bus back. There are frequent buses between the Ch\u00f3ra and the port.<\/p>\n

\u20222\u00a0<\/span>LIV\u00c1DI – KAR\u00c1VI (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 Kar\u00e1vi. From the port take the stair street over the first headland, then stroll past Livad\u00e1ki 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 Livad\u00e1ki are much more tempting now, and there is a very nice taverna behind it where you can eat in a beautiful garden.<\/p>\n

\u20223\u00a0<\/span>LIV\u00c1DI – CH\u00d3RA – PSIL\u00cd AMMOS –\u00a0LIV\u00c1DI (my total time 4h17, includes stops for photography, drinking and a swim in the ocean; +-531m; 3 laps): This is walk 40 in \/Graf\/<\/span>. A similar walk can be found as walk 6 in \/RV\/<\/span>. I think the route followed in \/Graf\/<\/span> is a bit more interesting, this crosses no less than three bridges, instead of just one.<\/p>\n

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

In spite of what the book says you must first go right and down towards the cemetery below Ch\u00f3ra, then take a left (straight ahead in a curve) on an overgrown track. This track\/footpath will go straight to the first bridge.<\/p>\n

After the “peppermint bushes” DO NOT take the path on the right. Just follow the main trail as it veers right.<\/p>\n

\/RV\/<\/span> 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.<\/p>\n

For the return to Liv\u00e1di see alternatives in \/RV\/<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Also take a look at the 2005 Updates mentioned above.<\/p>\n

\u20224\u00a0<\/span>CH\u00d3RA – STAVR\u00d3S – P\u00ddRGOS – PANAGI\u00c1 – CH\u00d3RA (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\/<\/span>. A very nice walk, but overgrown and a little difficult to figure out at points. And talk about grand finale!<\/p>\n

Towards P\u00fdrgos: “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).<\/p>\n

The upper part of the kalder\u00edmi above Panagi\u00e1 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.<\/p>\n

The kalder\u00edmi back down towards Ch\u00f3ra is beyond words (see picture above). It is built up several meters on one side.<\/p>\n

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\u2022\u00a0Good starting points:\u00a0\u2022 Liv\u00e1di – most walks can be started from here, using the bus if necessary \u2022 Ch\u00f3ra – most walks can be started from here, using the bus if necessary<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0How to get there:\u00a0\u2022 By ferry from other islands in the Cyclades West\u00a0\u2022 By ferry from some islands in the Cyclades Central\u00a0\u2022 By ferry from the mainland\u00a0\u2022 By\u00a0speedboat from some Cycladic islands<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0More info:\u00a0\u2022 Walking, hiking and trekking on SERIFOS<\/a> by Raymond Verdoolaege<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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T<\/span>his page was last modified at February 27, 2026.<\/p>\n

\u00a91997-2026