Where to Stay in Serifos

Serifos is one of the quieter islands in the western Cyclades, rugged and rocky, with a dramatic hilltop capital and a scattering of sandy beaches around its coast. The choice of where to stay is simpler than on the bigger islands. Most visitors base themselves at the port, either in Livadi itself or in the neighbouring beach village of Livadakia, which together form the island’s main hub for accommodation, tavernas and boats. The whitewashed hilltop Chora, one of the most striking capitals in the Cyclades, is a quieter and more atmospheric base for those who want views and character over convenience. For most first-time visitors, the port area is the easiest choice, and the Chora is the more beautiful one.

Best areas to stay in Serifos at a glance

• Best for first-timers: Livadi, the port with the most tavernas, rooms and connections
• Best for a beach base: Livadakia, the sandy beach village just around the bay from the port
• Best for atmosphere and views: Chora, the dramatic hilltop capital
• Best for couples: Chora for the views, or Livadakia for a quiet beach
• Best for families: Livadakia, sandy and calm, close to the port
• Best without a car: Livadi, the port with the best bus connection to the Chora
• Best for quiet and getting away from it all: the west coast around Megalo Livadi

The best areas to stay in Serifos

Livadi

Livadi is the best base for most visitors to Serifos, particularly those arriving for the first time. It is the island’s only port, set in a sheltered bay on the south east coast, and the village around the harbour has the widest range of accommodation, the most tavernas and cafes, and the best transport links on the island. The ferries dock here, the buses to the hilltop Chora leave from here, and the whole island opens up from this point.

Livadi is a working harbour rather than a resort, which gives it a genuine, unpolished feel that suits the character of Serifos. The waterfront has a pleasant evening scene of tavernas without being loud or crowded, and there is a beach at the edge of the village, with the better sandy beach at neighbouring Livadakia a short walk around the bay.

Above the port, the whitewashed Chora climbs its steep cone of rock, and one of the pleasures of staying in Livadi is watching the lights of the hilltop town come on in the evening. The bus up to the Chora runs through the day, so you can be based in the port and easily visit the capital.

Best for: first-time visitors, ferry convenience, those without a car, travellers who want the widest choice of tavernas and rooms, anyone who wants the most practical base.

Not ideal for: those who want the most atmospheric and beautiful base, or travellers whose priority is a beach directly outside their accommodation rather than a short walk away.

Livadakia

Livadakia is the best beach base on Serifos, and a good choice for families. It sits just around the bay from the port at Livadi, a short walk away, and it has a sandy beach with calm, shallow water and a relaxed atmosphere. Staying here gives you the beach on your doorstep while remaining within walking distance of the port’s tavernas, shops and ferry connections.

The atmosphere at Livadakia is quieter and more relaxed than the working harbour of Livadi, which suits families and couples who want a calm beach base. The accommodation here tends toward studios, small hotels and rooms rather than anything large, in keeping with the low-key feel of the whole island.

Because it is so close to Livadi, Livadakia has all the practical advantages of the port area with the added benefit of a proper beach. It is the sweet spot for many visitors: beach access, walkable to the port, and quieter than the harbour itself.

Best for: families, beach lovers, couples who want a calm beach base, those who want the port within walking distance without being in the working harbour.

Not ideal for: those who want the atmosphere and views of the hilltop Chora, or travellers who want the liveliest evening scene.

Chora

Chora is the most beautiful place to stay on Serifos and one of the most dramatic hilltop capitals in the Cyclades. The whitewashed town spills down a steep cone of rock high above the port, crowned by a ruined Venetian castle, and the views from its lanes and squares over the sea and the surrounding island are exceptional. It is a genuinely special place, and for those who want atmosphere and beauty over beach convenience, it is the base to choose.

The Chora has a small number of tavernas and cafes, a quiet and traditional atmosphere, and a sense of being somewhere real rather than somewhere built for tourists. The climb up to the castle at the top of the town rewards you with one of the best views in the western Cyclades, and the Serifos photography guide covers the best spots around the town in detail.

As a base, the main consideration is that the Chora is up the hill, away from the beaches and the port. The bus connects it to Livadi through the day, so it is possible without a car, but a car or scooter gives you more freedom to reach the beaches. The steep, stepped lanes of the town are part of its charm but can be difficult with heavy luggage.

Best for: couples, those who want the most atmospheric and beautiful base, repeat visitors, photographers, anyone who values views and character over beach access.

Not ideal for: families with young children who want a flat beach base, those without a car who need frequent beach access, or anyone who finds steps and steep lanes difficult.

The west coast: Megalo Livadi and beyond

For genuine quiet and a sense of the island’s history, the west coast around Megalo Livadi offers something different. This former mining village, where a famous miners’ strike in the early 20th century helped win the eight-hour working day in Greece, sits on a quiet bay on the far side of the island with its old industrial buildings and a peaceful beach. Accommodation here is very limited, and it is more of a day-trip destination than a base for most visitors, but for those who want the quietest possible stay and have a car, it is worth knowing about.

Best for: those who want complete quiet, history lovers, repeat visitors with a car.
Not ideal for: first-timers, those without transport, anyone who wants facilities and restaurant choice nearby.

Best area in Serifos for…

Families

Livadakia is the best family base, with its sandy beach, calm shallow water and easy walking access to the port at Livadi for tavernas and supplies. It gives families the beach on the doorstep with the practicality of the port area close by. Check the Serifos weather page before travelling, as the island can be exposed to the summer wind.

Couples

Chora is the most romantic base, with its dramatic hilltop setting, the Venetian castle and the views over the island at sunset. For couples who prefer a quiet beach base, Livadakia offers calm and relaxation close to the port.

First-time visitors

Livadi is the easiest first-visit base, as the port with the most services, the best connections and the bus up to the Chora. From here you can explore the whole island and always be close to the ferry. The neighbouring Livadakia is an equally good first choice for those who want a beach.

Without a car

Livadi is the best no-car base, with the bus connecting the port to the hilltop Chora through the day, and the beach at Livadakia within walking distance. For the beaches further around the coast, a car or scooter helps, as the bus does not reach all of them. See the Serifos bus timetable for what the bus covers.

Atmosphere and views

Chora is the only base with the dramatic hilltop views and the atmospheric lanes and castle. For anyone who wants the beauty of Serifos as the centre of their stay, this is the choice.

Getting around Serifos

Serifos is a rugged island and its beaches and villages are spread around the coast, so transport is worth thinking about. A bus links the port at Livadi with the hilltop Chora through the day, which is the journey most visitors make, but it does not reach all the beaches. A car or scooter gives you the freedom to explore the quieter beaches and the west coast around Megalo Livadi. See getting around Serifos and the Serifos bus timetable for full details. For your arrival, see how to get to Serifos.

When to visit and booking tips

June and September are the best months for most visitors to Serifos. The island is quiet compared to the famous Cyclades even in peak season, which is a large part of its appeal, but July and August are still the busiest months and accommodation in Livadi and Livadakia fills up, particularly at weekends when Athenians visit. Book ahead for peak summer. Check the Serifos weather page for the seasonal breakdown.

Serifos has a low-key accommodation scene of studios, rooms and small hotels rather than large resorts, which is part of what keeps the island feeling the way it does. The best places in the port area and the Chora go early for July and August, so book as far ahead as you can if you want a specific area.

Explore more of Serifos

Now that you know where to base yourself, read the full Serifos guide for the villages, beaches and things to do. Browse the Serifos villages guide and use the Serifos map to see how the island fits together. Plan your arrival on the ferry page and see how Serifos connects to the rest of the Cyclades on the Greek islands map.