Walking, hiking and trekking on SIKINOS

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GENERAL INFORMATION

LINKS SIKINOS

BOATS SIKINOS
   - Adamantios Koraïs
   - Artemis

MAPS

WALKS

(last update on the 28th of January 2021)

*** = very beautiful

**** = exceptional

+ Gpx = with Gpx-file


NNN = new in 2017

1. Aloprónia - Agios Pandeleímonas - Stamatiní - Chorió ***

2. Chorió - Agios Dimítrios - Kátergo - Agios Pandeleïmonas - Aloprónia - Chorió ***  + Gpx  NNN

3. Chorió - Stamatiní - Episkopí - Agia Marína and back ****  + Gpx

4. Chorió - Stamatiní - Episkopí and back ****

5. Chorió - Stamatiní - Episkopí - Pigádi Manáli - Agios Pandeleímonas - Aloprónia ***  + Gpx

6. Episkopí - Pigádi Manáli - Agios Ioánnis and back ***

7. Kástro - Aloprónia and back ***  + Gpx

8. Kástro - Zoödochos Pigí - Profítis Ilías - Agia Triáda - Profítis Ilías - Kástro ***  + Gpx

Síkinos is a fairly small island (41 km²), situated between Folégandros and Ios, in the southern Cyclades. The island is still very quiet and not really affected by the tourist invasion to the Cycladic isles. Santorini is the southern neighbour of Sikinos, but the difference between the two islands could not have been bigger. There are only about 200 people living at Síkinos and the mountainous interior only has a few roads: from the little harbour of Aloprónia to the double main town, consisting of Chóra or Kástro and Páno Chorió, and (fairly recently) from Chóra to Episkopí.

The boat line from the Piraeus to Kýthnos, Sérifos, Sífnos and Mílos (with the Adamantios Koraïs) continues three times a week to Folégandros, Síkinos, Ios  and Santoríni.
In this way, the harbour of Aloprónia on Síkinos can be reached after 9-10 hours.
There is also the Aqua jewel, that twice a week makes the connection Sýros - Páros - Náxos - Folégandros - Síkinos - Ios - Thirasiá - Santoríni – Anáfi, on Tuesday and Saturday, with return on Wednesday and Sunday.
Finally, there is also the Artemis, that on Friday connects Sýros, Páros, Náxos, Ios, Síkinos, Folégandros, Kímolos and Mílos – with return on Saturday...

At first sight, Síkinos has not a lot to offer – in some travel guides this island is not mentioned at all. But for people who like peace and quiet, hiking and friendly people, Síkinos is really a very pleasant island.

The interior is very dry and barren, but the beautiful valley between Aloprónia and Chorió looks really attractive.

Chorió itself is a very peaceful but authentic little village; it is situated at an altitude of 280 metres, and besides some pleasant little streets it also possesses a nice kástro and a kind of walled in square with in the middle the church of Pantánassa. The town is dominated by the large monastery of Zoödóchos Pigí, built around 1700 and it was protected against the pirates by heavy walls.

At 4 km from the main town you can find Episkopí, a temple in honour of Apollo, dating from the 3^rd century BC. Later on, in the 5^th century, this temple was converted into a church – a very nice example of the reuse of walls and pillars.

The beach of the harbour of Aloprónia is really nice, ideal for children; there are umbrellas and benches. The remote beaches of Agios Geórgios and Málta can only be reached on foot, in summer also by means of small boats.

But it is mainly with regard to hiking that Síkinos is very interesting. The ancient network of trails is very well preserved and offers the opportunity to get to all of the far-off places and remote valleys of the island.

Síkinos is part of the important project "Paths of Culture" of ELLINIKI  ETAIRIA - Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, an organization that deals with the conservation of the natural environment and the cultural heritage of Greece - see http://www.monopatiapolitismou.gr/?p=562&lang=en

This project has for the moment carried out 7 hikes: there are on various sites large information panels, and there is also, here and there, some sign posting that, however, is still insufficient.
These 7 hikes are:
 
 1 Chorio – Episkopi – Pigadi Manali – Agios Panteleimonas – Alopronia
 2 Chorio – Episkopi – Agios Panteleimonas – Agios Dimitrios – Chorio
 3 Kastro – Agios Vlasios – Bounama spring – Pyrgari – Alopronia
 4 Kastro – Monastery – Profitis Ilias – Agia Triada – Malta beach
 5 Kastro – Deutera Parousia – Agia Fotini – Agios Ioannis – Kastro
 6 Episkopi – Agia Marina
 7 Chorio – Agios Dimitrios – Katergo – Alopronia

There are also detailed maps of the series of Anávasi and Terrain Maps, with on the reverse side additional information on the walks that cover the whole island.

To be recommended are the trip from Kástro to Aloprónia and back, the trip to Episkopí, the marvellous trajectory between Episkopí and the Pigádi Manáli, the very lonely valley between Agios Pandeleímonas and Stamatiní with at the highest point a truly magnificent view, and the trail to the Profítis Ilías and the heights of Kafkáres.
As operating base for the hikes you can take either Aloprónia or Chorió, but most of the B&B’s and the only hotel are to be found in Aloprónia – over there, the beautiful beach is also an advantage.

Since January the 1st  2004

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