Panagia and Galani on Serifos

Panagia is a small village located about 10 kilometres north of Livadi and and 1 kilometres from Moni Taxiarchon monastery. The village is really small, it takes just a few minutes to walk through it. The alleys are narrow, they often end up in small squares. Panagia is one of three incredibly genuine villages on Serifos, the others are Kentarchos and Galani, which you can read about further down. Visiting these villages is like stepping out of a time machine.

One of the alleys in the genuine village of Panagia.

A tiny square in Panagia.

The silence is almost total. In the cosy village square there is a kafenión and in the beginning of the village lies a taverna. The easiest way is to get here with your own transport since the bus connections are bad.

Panagia church is the pride of the village and has given the village its name.

You must visit Panagia if you happen to be on Serifos on August 16. Especially if you are thinking of getting married. In the village square stands the church Panagia from the 10th century, which gave the village its name. Outside the church, in the middle of the square, grows a big olive tree.

Everyone dances around the olive tree at the festival on August 16, and the first couple dancing around the tree will get married in the same year according to old traditions. Apparently this posed a problem for today, the priest always dances first. Alone, of course. But if you are fast, you may be before the priest. If you are thinking of getting married, this is where you will go if you want to get married this year. :-)

The olive tree in the square that those who want to get married dance around.

Panagia in black and white.

From Panagia it is about 5 kilometres to Galani, a settlement that makes Panagia stand out as a big city. Nothing happens in Galani. An aged taverna with occasional opening hours and a beautiful view of the beautiful landscape is what Galani has to offer. You can see several dovecotes below the village. Galani is a good starting point if you like to hike.

One of many old houses and one of the pigeon houses in Galani.

Galani is like the villages looked like in Greece many years ago.

Visiting Galani is like going back in time.

WHAT YOU MUST NOT MISS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE AREA

Don't miss the Moni Taxiarchon monastery, which you can read about here »

READ MORE ABOUT SERIFOS