The official MySpace of Sikinos island, the last undiscovered island of Kuklades islands, central Aegean sea, Greece (Hellas).
GENERAL INFO:
Between Ios and Folegandros lies the small island of Sikinos. The island was named after the son of Thoandas, who according to the ledgend was the King of Limnos. Through the times, Sikinos has retained its tradition, colors and all the other characteristics that compose a typical Cycladitic island. The main villages in the island are the port, Alopronia, Episkopi with ancient findings and Hora or Kastro. Everyone must pay a vist to the monastery of "Zoodochos Pigi", built at the edge of a cliff, admire the stalagmites at the caves of "Mavri Spilia" and "Drakontospilo" and have a swim at the crystal clear waters of Dialaskari, Agio Georgio and Agio Panteleimona. If you are looking for simple, relaxing vacation away from the crowd Sikinos is the place.
VILLAGES:
ALOPRONIA
Alopronia lies 3.5 km south of Hora. It is a picturesque seaside settlement which attracts many holiday makers in the summer months. Its summer inhabitants are mainly fishermen (you hardly find anyone there in the winter) and its tavernas serve a great variety of sea-food titbits. Caique services link Alopronia to the neigbouring islands of Folegandros and Ios.
SIKINOS OR HORA
Sikinos, or Chora, is the island's capital. It is a lovely town of typical Cycladic colour with its old mansions, gleaming white houses, arched windows, stone staircases, and quaint narrow alleyways. It consists of two settlements: Kastro (Castle), the oldest, middle ages era, and more picturesque, and the more "modern" Sikinos of the 19th century, Chorio (Village). The weird fact is that Kastro is inhabited in the winter and Khorio remains with a very few people. At the centre of the town are the church of Pantanassa and its lovely main square with the picturesque coffee shops and tavernas. From Sikinos, one can visit the monastery of Zoodohos Pigi or Chrissopigi, and the ancient site of Episkopi, which has ruins of an ancient settlement and temple.
HOW TO GET THERE:
There are regular services from Piraeus to Alopronia, port of Sikinos. The distance is 113 nautical miles and the trip takes around 9 hours and 30 minutes.There are alternative routes, such as getting to Ios first in just 4 hours and take a link boat which takes one further hour to Alopronia. Boats timetable is different every year.
PEOPLE AND THE ISLAND:
Sikinos lies between Folegandros and Ios and is 39 sq km in area. It is 120 nautical miles from Piraeus. It is a mountainous island with Troulos (600 metres) as its highest peak. It also has small but not particularly fertile valleys. Its climate is dry and very healthy but the aridity, which prevails in most Cycladic islands, does not favour cultivation. The 240 inhabitants of Sikinos are mainly engaged in stock-breeding and fishing and much less in agriculture and tourism, which is growing very slowly on the island. The locals are simple, warm-hearted and hospitable people. They like tourists and take great pains for their comfortable stay on Sikinos.
HISTORY:
According to mythology, Thoas, king of Limnos, took refuge in Sikinos, which was then called Oinoe, persecuted by the Limnian women who had killed all the men on the island. There, he married the nymph Nyis and their son Sikinos gave his name to the island. The first settlers of Sikinos were the Ionians, who were followed by the Dorians. The island, following the fate of the rest of the Cyclades, joined the Athenian League and then passed into the possesion of Macedonians, Ptolemies, Romans who used it as a place of exile and Byzantines who kept the islands untill 1204 when they fell into Vetetian and other Latin cities' known Families' hands. Sikinos stayed in Latin rule untill 1614 when it was subjugated by the Turks, after it had been attacked by Barbarossa. 1774 was a tragic year for Sikinos. The island suffered one of the biggest pirate raids, which caused terrible havoc. It was finally united with the rest of the Greek state in 1821 and officialy in 1830.
TRADITION:
Sikinos is one of the prettiest Kykladian islands although it does not have as many tourists. Its Hora with the beautiful stone mansions, snow white houses, arched windows and paved alleyways which creates an irresistible picture. The islanders keep their manners and customs alive. Sikinians love their festivals, which allow them to revel to the sound of the bagpipes, the violin, and the lute. Every festive occasion turns to be a big local feast. In Alopronia, from August to Christmas, everyone fishes for squid every night with "kaftero", a special kind of bait. The whole procedure is like a big festival and all the islanders gladly take part.
SIGHTS:
CHURCH OF AG. ANARGIRI
The church of Agii Anargiri, west of Chora, is of typical Cycladic architecture. A narrow quaint cobbled road leads to the church's precinct, north-west of Hora. On the outside, it impresses visitors with its gleaming white colour and double bell-tower and inside with the simplicity of its decoration.
MONASTERY OF ZOODOCHOS PIGI OR CHRISSOPIGI
The monastery of Zoodochos Pigi, or Chrissopigi, stands west of Chora. It is an imposing castle-style edifice built on top of a steep rock with an astonishing view. The locals rightfully call it "Kastro" (Castle) since it is surrounded by a strong fortification wall with embrasures. The islanders took refuge in its inside from the pirate raids. It has been abandoned since 1834 with the church of Zoodohos Pigi as the only reminder of its glorious past.
BEACHES:Alopronia Beach, in the port and busy yet clean and sandy! Also, Dialiskari, east of Alopronia, with a new, non-asphalt road, party sandy, ideal for couples and nudists. Agios Georgios lies further east and is reacheable only by boat ("Anemos" does the link from Alopronia, frequently) and it's covered with pebble outside and pebble/sand inside water, an incredibly crystal clear water! Further north-east you can swim to the small pebbled Malta beach.
SPORTS:
Sikinos is famous for the wealth of its sea's bottom, as well as for the plenitude of its fish. This is the reason why the island's quiet shores attract the fans of amateur fishing and sea-diving. Particularly at Kavos, Palaiokastro, Alopronia and Alikes one will find lobsters, red snappers and flatfish.
NIGHTLIFE:
The island of Sikinos is suitable to those who long for quiet holidays. In the few bars, one can have a drink, while listening to good music and admiring the landscape's beauty.Visit "The Rock" at the port, exactly at the rock above the harbour, for rock & pizza! All the rest of the bars are in Kastro and an "after" dance club is at the main road from Chora to Alopronia if you bare modern Greek dancing music and club hits.
This MySpace profile is devoted to my late father, Dimitris, born and live in Sikinos in the late 30s and during the war and a true lover of the island. RIP Dimitris Platis, 1935-2006
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
