Kamares Practical Information Summation
Check with Aegean Thesaurus Travel. It is best to book with an agency if you are planning to go to other islands or need help with other aspects of travel like ferries, transfers etc because most hotels will be unable to help you. If you are planning to stay at the Hotel Stavros or the Eleonas Villas you can contact them directly and they are very helpful if you have other travel needs. There are also Villas available through Sarah at the Stavros Hotel or www.villasofgreece.com See also the hotel page.
Bars:
The Old Captain My hang-out of choice. Classical music at sunset with a nice view of the bay. Can get wild late at night when people lose their inhibitions. Featured in the Legend of the Sifnos Monster and Sifnos Basketball. Owned by my pals Tony and Lefteris and run by Kelly from Oklahoma.
Collage: Across from Old Captain and up the steps. Great place to watch the night-ferry come in while sipping ouzo and listening to Uriah Heep. He will play something more in tune with sunset watching if you request it, or sometimes he does anyway.
Folie: On the far side of the bay. Sort of a multi-purpose snackbar, restaurant, bar.
Mobilize Disco is the only disco in Kamares, on the road to Apollonia. Be sure to stop in and ask them to play my record which is a big favorite there.
Restaurants:
Kambourakis: Traditional Greek-fare. The Kambourakis family are fishermen and farmers and grow or catch almost everything they serve. It's my favorite place for ouzo and mezedes. Good homemade retsina. Also known as "Meropi".
Boulis: On the square a few meters up from the waterfront. Excellent food and wine. Delicious fresh meat and fish cooked on the grill. Real Taverna atmosphere with wine barrels and plenty of happy people. All the food comes from their farm.
Avra: Another nice spot for ouzo and octopus.
Captain Andreas: On the beach. Very nice atmosphere and delicious food. Best place for lunch. They have their own fishing boat and make a delicious fish soup as well as grilled meats and fish.
Simos: Great island cooking. Delicious lamb mastela an island specialty cooked in traditional clay pot.
Claudios: Great Italian restaurant. Run by Claudio and Paulo. Fantastic Pizzas. Imported and domestic wine. Nice anti-pastos. Nice place for a romantic evening. Long menu of pastas and sauces, seafood, meat and fish. If you have tired of Greek food come here.
Ouzerie Kamari is the only real ouzeri in Kamares. You can sit on the waterfront and choose from a large assortment of snacks to help dilute the effects of your ouzo. We had the pikelia, which is an assortment of fried squid, shrimp, cheeses, sadziki, tarama and a few other things. In fact we kept going back for it night after night. They serve ouzo Mini from Lesvos, one of my favorites and also Tsipuro from Volos. Tsipuro is like ouzo only stronger and without the licorice taste. You could compare it to moonshine in taste and potency, not to mention its effects. The restaurant is owned by Margaretta and her husband Nick, an amazing cook who once worked for the US Military. He is probably the best cook on the island. Her two beautiful daughters work their as waitresses and at night it can get pretty festive. Excellent spicy cheese called kafterotiri. You are not limited to mezedes either since it is a full restaurant as well. It is on the waterfront right next to the Boutique Marie.
There are three more restaurants on the far side of the bay, all very good, one owned by Nikos and the other by Argiris who used to be one of the village policemen, and the third in the house of Markos the old potter. There is also a restaurant in the Delfini Hotel.
There are three supermarkets where you can buy almost anything including pampers, babyfood, batteries, liquor, canned fish, toothpaste etc. Two are on the waterfront and Simos' is behind Boulis Cafe. My favorite is run by Apostolis and his wife Moscha, underneath the Stavros Hotel. There is so much interesting stuff crammed into this little store it is like going to a museum. Imagine taking your local American or European supermarket and then cramming everything into a store the size of a two car garage. Pampers and baby food are available.
Boutique Maria has the latest styles from Paris, Rome, New York, London and Thessaloniki and is run by Maria, a very nice and engaging woman.
Cafes:
Stavros Cafe: Breakfast, yogurt with fruit and nuts, coffee and espresso, ice-cream, ouzo and liquors, beer and sandwiches. (This is where I start every day).
Boulis: This is the only true zacharoplastion which means literally 'sugarshop'. They have many different kinds of cakes, cookies and pastries, all made in their bakery next door. They also have delicious spanakopita (spinach-pie) and tiropita (cheese-pie). They sereve coffee and espresso drinks, liquors, ouzo, soft-drinks and beer.
The Old Captain: A hotbed of nightime activity it's also a great place to come for coffee, breakfast and snacks. Right on the beach too.
Kima: This has been everyones favorite cafe for years. Run by Kyria Eleni and her two absolutely beautiful daughters it's the kind of place you could spend the entire day, playing back-gammon, drinking frappes and taking an occasional swim in the sea just a few meters away. If you are a parent this is not a bad spot to be while the kids play in the sea.
 NEW! Dodoni Cafe next to the church of Kamares is located in a cute old building with a small balcony by the doorway
and tables across the street next to the waterfront. The building has been masterly refurbished to match tradition
with modernity. Dodoni is well known Greek brand of top quality ice cream and pastries, all made of fresh ingredients
and based on traditional recipes. The owners, Dimitri and Niko, joined by their passion for Sifnos had this original
idea: to create a very special outlet that will satisfy any quality - minded visitor with products difficult to
find elswhere: unique blends of coffee, exclusive coffee or chocolate - based drinks, organic juices and snacks,
musli, yoghurt and the famous Dodoni ice cream. The final result is a cafe that makes everybody happy: people with
a sweet tooth, dedicated coffee-drinkers, fresh juice - lovers, people who just look for a good excuse to sit by
the sea and enjoy an island atmosphere will all feel comfortable at Dodoni. Special tip: Ask for a "coffeshake"
and listen to the music - it's a great sensation! |
Bakery
There are 3 bakeries, only one of which sells bread. That's the one on the back street behind Boulis Zacharoplastion. The small shop that sells tiropita's and bougatsas(like apple turnovers without the apples), is next to the small platia (square). The best bakery is Boulis next to the zacaroplastion. It specializes in local cakes, cookies and pastries like the amegtholota. My personal favorites, made entirely from almonds and sugar.
Newspapers and magazines are available at Kostas, across from the platia. There is a small bookstore that sells paperbacks in many languages, on the main street and also foreign newspapers like the International Herald Tribune and the USA Today (If you follow baseball get this one).
Swimming: You can go on the long beach. The water is very shallow and great for kids. You can also swim off the rocks on either side of the bay. There is a small dock in the area known as Spilia (caves).
For Car and Motorbike Rentals try George Podotas. George is onn the secondary road behind the port and kind of tough to find these days.. Stavros rents cars from the lobby of the Hotel Stavros.
Travel Information about ferry schedules and accomodations on other islands use Aegean Thesaurus.
Camping at Makis Campground in Kamares. Many facilities including showers, cafe, shop and plenty of shade. Great place to stay if you are on a budget or backpacking.
Pottery Shops: Adonis Kalogirou, the world famous potter and Kamaki is certainly the most visable of them but don't forget to go into Podotas Shop just behind the church. There are several others on the main street and one or two in the back streets. You can't leave Sifnos without a piece of pottery. Don't worry. There are smaller pieces available then the one Adonis is painting. See also Sifnos Pottery
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