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The island of Serifos is rocky and barren in general with the only exceptions being the areas where vegetables and vine are cultivated. Serifos receives a great amount of visitors each year mainly for the beautiful beaches and the peaceful life style of the residents. Serifos has good tourist facilities with many hotels and nice restaurants.According to the legend, Serifos was visited by Odysseus on his way home and there is the Cave of Cyclops Polyphemus. There are remnants of Cyclopean Walls still visible on the island overlooking the sea. The island of Serifos not only has a magnetizing beauty but literally an active magnetic field created by its metallipherous rocks. The mines of iron of Serifos have been active for centuries till the summer of 1963. The prices of minerals fall and the mines cannot compete with the international markets. What is left of the mining period seems more like objects of a huge theatrical stage.Serifos spans an area of 72,21 sq. km. with a total population of 1.414 residents. The islands closer to Serifos are Kythnos on the north and Sifnos on the south. The islets Serifopoula and Vous are not inhabited.The settlement of Hora is built according the traditional Cycladic architecture with narrow alleys forming a maze. The flight of steps going up the hill lead to the Venetian Castle ruins where now there is the church of St. Contantine offering great view to the sea.Koutalas is a coastal settlement that was established during the period of the operation of the mines. There you can still see some of the mining equipment and the houses where workers used to live. Further on there is the remnants of the White Tower which is believed to be a guarding tower built in the Hellinistic Era. In Megalo Livadi there is the building of the headquarters of the mining company and the ladder of loading minerals to the boats that still dominates the bay.Some of the traditional dishes of Serifos are: sun-dried tomatoes, chickpea soup, fava bean puree and sour skim-milk cheese.By ferry boats departing from Pireaus Port in Athens.Police: +30 22810 51300Port Authorities of Serifos: +30 22810 51470Health Care Centre: +30 22810 51202From May till September.
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Map for Serifos