Evaluation: This is a small hike to get to know Chóra ... Our rating: **.
[Updated by Raymond on September 18, 2017.]

Estimated time: In theory you can finish this hike of 2,61 km in one hour (AWT). However, if you want to go all the way to the highest church in Chóra, if you want to enjoy the view and if you also want to relax for a while on one of the beautiful outdoor cafes on the platía, you should definitely devote half a day to this walk.
[Update by Raymond on September the 18th, 2017.]

Route description: The route you will take to Chóra now is a route you might cover a couple of times during your stay on Sérifos – it is worth the trip, though, because every time again the views are surprising.

(0h00) When walking alongside the port of Livádi with its cafes and restaurants, you have to take the road off the left immediately past the little bed of a river crossed by a bridge, and just before the former restaurant Perseús.

The hiking sign to Chóra.

This road follows the bed of a river, in between high fringes of reeds. After some 5 minutes you get to a bridge and you take a right, on the main road to Chóra. On the left you see the power station of this island. About 200 metres further, where the road slightly bends to the left, you see the beginning of the beautiful ancient staircase to Chóra off the right – you have now left the port some 10 minutes ago. Once in a while these steps cross the main, but they always clearly go straight and upwards – and there are everywhere little red hiking signs…,
You can count the steps in between these crossings: first 79 steps, then 87, then 37, then 38... At this point you have to follow the main road to the left for a while and then take a sloping concrete path of about 20 metres. In this way you will again reach the ancient staircase, which has been broken off by some road constructions. After 30 steps you get to a small school.

The staircase from Livádi to Chóra.

(0h31) At the sign to the museum you continue further up and after another 25 steps you arrive at the folk museum, the secondary school and the war monument.
You go further up on the broad staircase, on 61 steps that zigzag left and right – at a bifurcation, you keep to the left.
You reach in this way a little square and a church with a blue dome.
Near the sign [1a] you go left for a moment and then you take the stairs up to the right: after 12 steps, you go left [1a] and later on up to the right [1a] – and so you get to the bend of the asphalt road in Káto Chóra.

(0h40) Here, you take a sharp right on the stairs (sign “Kástro”) and in this way you go always up in zigzags until you reach the three chapels on the top.

 

The chapels high above Chóra...

Panoramic view from the highest chapel of Chóra to the bay of Livádi, with in the background the island of Sífnos.

(0h52) Afterwards it is fairly easy to descend to the platía (= the main square). You start on the left side of the lower chapel and follow while keeping to the left a long staircase; after the steps and a flat stretch, you should take the staircase on the right in order to reach the platía with the dimarchío (town hall).

This is a good opportunity to relax for a while and drink or eat something at an outdoor cafe.

The dimarchío.

Afterwards you go down at the far end of the square, to the left of a palm tree, and so you descend the steps towards the road and the bus square.

[Here, you can take the bus or you can return on foot to Livádi by following the same itinerary.]

The café I Míli (The mills) on the bus square in Chóra.