Sifnos, Cyclades

Sifnos’s reputation for gastronomy stems from its most famous son, Nikolaos Tselementes, the celebrated chef and author of the first cookbook in Greece. His legacy lives on in the island’s dedication to gourmet dishes using homegrown ingredients, attracting gourmands from across Europe and beyond to this isle of green valleys, thyme-scented hills and sparkling seas.

Stay

Verina Astra (hotel.qantas. com.au/verinaastra) is a not-so-secret retreat on a hillside above bijou Poulatis beach. It’s a short walk from Artemonas village, which is Sifnos’s main hub along with Appollonia. The hotel’s cube-style suites – all chic and textured with sunlit terraces – cluster around an infinity pool overlooking the Aegean.

Eat and drink

Stroll to Artemonas for an aperitif and mezedes, such as spearmint meatballs and Sifniot manouri cheese pie with honey and sesame, at Mosaico (+30 2284 033562), a popular ouzeri located beside an Orthodox church. Nearby Chrysso (+30 2284 031322) is the king of grilled meats, a good place to try local favourite mastelo, lamb marinated in wine and slowcooked in ceramic pots. On fashionable Platis Gialos beach in the south-east, Omega-3 (+30 2284 072014) is a tiny fish and wine bar fashioned from driftwood and dreams where chef Giorgos Samoilis conjures superb ceviches and seafood temptations such as grilled cuttlefish with bottarga and sea urchin.

Explore

Make a pilgrimage to sacred Chrisopigi rock and monastery for uplifting outlooks and swims in the Myrtoan Sea. Kamares beach on the harbour is one of the Cyclades’ cleanest; Platis Gialos is one of its longest. Visit a potter’s studio for classic Sifniot casserole dishes and the beautifully preserved capital of Kastro for ancient laneways.