Greece - Korina Miller [361]
Yacht Club Serifos ( 22810 51888; breakfast €3.30-10.50, snacks & sandwiches €3.50-5.80; 7am-3am) Popular and always with a happy buzz, this waterfront cafe-bar plays lounge music by day and mainstream, rock, disco and funk late into the night.
Anemos Café ( 22810 51783; dishes €4-6) Views of the distant Hora from a sunny balcony overlooking the harbour make for a relaxed stop at this cafe at the inner end of the ferry dock. It’s open early until late and does breakfast for about €7.
There are numerous tavernas along the waterfront.
Some recommended options:
Passaggio ( 22810 52212; mains €5.50-16) Traditional cuisine with international touches.
Stamatis ( 22810 51309; mains €5-11) A long-established taverna with decent food and good helpings.
Entertainment
Metalleio ( 22810 51755; 9pm-late) Tucked away on the road beyond the waterfront, Metalleio doubles as a decent restaurant and a very cool music venue featuring an eclectic array of sounds from around the world, including jazz, funk, Afro, Asian groove and Latin. The restaurant features mainly poultry and meat dishes (mains €5 to €12.50).
There are several music bars in the central waterfront area such as Shark and Edem that play mainly Greek sounds.
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HORA ΧΩΡΑ
The hora of Serifos spills across the summit of a rocky hill above Livadi and is one of the most striking of the Cycladic capitals. Ancient steps lead up from Livadi, though they are fragmented by the snaking road that links the two. You can walk up, but in the heat of summer, going up by bus and then walking back down is wiser. There’s a post office just up from the bus turnaround.
Just up from Hora’s bus terminus, steps climb into the maze of Hora proper and lead to the charming main square, watched over by the imposing neoclassical town hall. From the square, narrow alleys and more steps lead ever upwards to the remnants of the ruined 15th-century Venetian kastro. Low walls enclose the highest part of the kastro, from where the views are spectacular. A small church occupies part of the summit.
Hora has a small archaeological museum ( 22810 51138; admission free; 8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun) displaying fragments of mainly Hellenic and Roman sculpture excavated from the kastro. Exhibits are sparse and the museum tiny, but it is a pleasure to visit. Panels in Greek and English spell out fascinating details, including the legend of Perseus.
There is a pleasant walk on a fine cobbled pathway that starts just above the archaeological museum and leads up the mountain to the little church of Agios Georgios. The views are superb.
Sleeping & Eating
I Apanemia ( 22810 51517, 6971891106; s/d €40/50; ) You’ll find excellent value at this good-natured, family-run place. The decent, well-equipped rooms (tea- and coffee-making facilities included) have front balcony views down towards the distant sea and side views towards Hora.
Karavomylos ( 22810 51261; dishes €4.50-14) Near the bus terminus, this is a local favourite offering mezedhes and local dishes. It does breakfast also (€3 to €9) and there’s music in the bar and occasional live sessions of Greek traditional music, including rembetika. The famous rakomelo, a raki and honey drink, adds to the pleasure.
Stou Stratou ( 22810 52566; plates €5-18) The tradition of the mezedhopoleio is alive and well at this cafe-bar in the pretty main square. There are tasty mezedhes (€3 to €5) and choices such as a vegetarian plate or a mixed plate of Cretan smoked pork, ham, cheese, salami, stuffed vine leaves, feta, potato, tomatoes and egg, which will keep two people more than happy. Also available are breakfasts, ice creams, home-made cakes and cocktails. The menu is more like a little book and features the work of famous artists as well as excerpts from a number of writers.
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AROUND SERIFOS
About 1.5 kilometres north of Livadi along a surfaced road is Psili Ammos Beach. A path from