Tour by car around Serifos
- Drive 1: Livadi – Kentarhos – Galani - Chora
- Drive 2: Chora – Megalo Livadi – Koutalas - Ganema
- Drive 3: Livadi - Chora
Also see:
Drives by 4X4 and by motorcycle in Serifos
Walking tour around the paths of Serifos
Drive 1: Livadi - Kentarhos Galani - Chora
The starting point of this drive is the east side of Livadi (Avlomonas), where from you must take the road that leads to the north part of the island. After about 4 klm. you shall get to an area called Steno, and on your left there is the dam with the artificial lake. Then, you shall see the wonderful beaches of Psili Ammos and of Agios Ioannis, where you can get by following a small road that starts a bit further down. From here, after about 8 klm. of driving through the mountainous landscape with a beautiful view, you shall get to Kentarho or Kallitso, mounted on a verdurous slope with many dovecotes. It is one of the most beautiful settlements of the island and it is worth visiting. A path starts here, constructed with steps made of stone, which crosses the gully and ends after a 20 minutes’ walk at the beautiful homonymous beach with the deep blue waters.
If you continue your drive through the mountainous landscape towards the north, in a little while you shall see the small church of Panagia Scopiani and a bit further down on your right, a concrete road starts, which has a big incline and dirt on its last part of the road, which leads to the two beaches of Platys Gialos.
In about 1 klm. from the crossroads there is the Monastery of Taxiarhes, one of the most important sight and ecclesiastic monuments of Serifos, where from if you follow the road you shall get to the settlement Galani, which took its name from the ancient galena mines which are located in this area. Here starts a path that ends at the beautiful bay of Sycamia with the homonymous beach.
Two kilometres after Galani you shall get to the settlement Pirgos, which is now abandoned and if you keep going you shall get to the settlement Panagia, with the church of Panagia, after which it is named. The church is called Xylopanagia, a name which came from a custom of the island that used to take place at its festival. After driving for 6 more klm., you shall get to Chora, the beautiful view of which shall recompense you for all the trouble getting here.
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Drive 2: Chora – Megalo Livadi – Koutalas – Ganema
This drive is approximately 15,5 klm. long and it starts from Chora, leading to the north. After the first 3 klm. you shall get to a crossroads to Megalo Livadi and to Koutalas, and turn left. After 4,5klm., a dirt road starts on your right which leads to the churches of Prodromos and Agia Thekla as well as to the settlement Liomandra with the homonymous church.
If you keep driving on the central road, after approximately 6 klm., you shall find a dirt road on your right, which leads to the settlement and to the beach of Avesalos. If you keep driving, after approximately 0,5klm, a bit before the crossroads to Megalo Livadi, on your left you shall see the ruins of the White Tower or Aspropyrgos, a building which probably dates from the Hellenistic Era. From here you can admire the view to the bay of Koutalas and see opposite to it the small church of Agia Triada, painted in intense colours. The small church next to the White Tower is dedicated to Agios Haralambos.
On the road to Megalo Livadi on your left you shall see the ruins of Megalo or Mia Horio and in 2,2 klm., you get to Megalo Livadi. The settlement has known a great development during the time when the mines used to operate and you can admire the ruins of that period, which are an important part of the island’s history. Today, in the settlement there are a few houses which are inhabited mainly during the summer, as well as taverns, rooms to let and a wonderful beach with sand and tamarisks which offer generously their shadow.
When you leave from Megalo Livadi at the crossroads you turn right to Koutalas, a coastal settlement at the southwestern side of Serifos, which has been developed during the time when the island’s mines were operating and which was the mining center of the island. Along the beach there are still some houses built in stone, where the mine workers used to crowd. Some of them have been restored and they have become summer houses. In the area there are still some ruins of the times when the mines used to operate (loading ladder, mine-waggons and other machinery) as well as countless galleries on the slopes around, which are painted the color of slag.
Around this area there are some of the most important sights of the island, the Cyclops’ Throne or Psaropyrgos, Lefkos Pirgos (White Tower) and the Old Woman’s Castle, while the settlement has an homonymous beach, with sand and pebbles and countless tamarisks, which offer generously their shadow as well as a traditional tavern.
If you keep going, the concrete road ends after 2 more klm. in Ganema, a beautiful beach with sand and pebbles where you shall also find a tavern.
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Drive 3: Livadi - Chora
It is a very short drive, however it is worth following it, because it offers a beautiful view of Livadi and of Chora, as you go up the hill. A bit before you get to Chora, at the big hairpin turn of the road, after the big building of the Coummunity Clinic stop your car and look down on your left to see the white building of the old aquaduct. You can get to the Old Aquaduct if you follow on foot the short path for five minutes. Two minutes later, you get to Chora where you can walk in the wonderful narrow streets and admire its Cycladic architecture.
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