Non-traditional dwellings proliferate on Sifnos

Nestled amidst holiday homes and tourist accommodations stands an architectural gem - a traditional "themonia," as the locals affectionately call it. This quaint farmhouse, crafted from whitewashed stone, stands in accordance with the materials available in the region. Its roof, supported by sturdy beams hewn from olive trees, boasts a porthole-like window that gazes out upon the Aegean Sea.

Emerging from its wooden door, Marianthi Chrysanthopoulou bears a tray adorned with five heads of Sifnos manouri cheese, destined to mature and soak up the rich aromas of wine lees. In the quiet of late February, devoid of the summer crowds, the gentle hum of bees fills the air.

"We've made no alterations to it. It's as if we've inherited it from our great-grandfather," says the 77-year-old resident of this well-preserved themonia, situated near the settlement of Faros on the...