Από τον λόφο φαίνεται όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα.

Because από means from, and here it marks the viewpoint:
From the hill, the whole city and the sea are visible.

If you said στον λόφο, that would usually mean on the hill and would suggest that something is located there.

• Από τον λόφο = from the hill / from up on the hill
• Στον λόφο = on the hill

So από is the natural choice when you mean from that position, you can see...

Because από takes the accusative case in Modern Greek.

The noun’s basic form is:

• ο λόφος = the hill

But after από, it changes to the accusative:

• από τον λόφο = from the hill

So:

• ο λόφος = nominative, used for the subject
• τον λόφο = accusative, used after από

Φαίνεται is the 3rd person singular present form of φαίνομαι.

Depending on context, φαίνομαι can mean things like:

• appear
• seem
• be visible
• be seen

In this sentence, it means something like:

• is visible
• can be seen

So φαίνεται here is not really seems; it is more like comes into view / is visible.

Greek often expresses this idea with φαίνεται rather than with an explicit you.

So instead of saying:

• You can see the whole city and the sea from the hill

Greek naturally says:

• From the hill, the whole city and the sea are visible

This is a very common difference between English and Greek:

• English often uses an active structure with you
• Greek often prefers a more impersonal or descriptive structure

So φαίνεται is a very natural Greek way to express what English might translate as you can see.

This is a very common learner question.

You might expect the plural:

• φαίνονται = are visible

And yes, φαίνονται would also be very natural here.

But Greek can sometimes use a singular verb when:

• the verb comes before a compound subject
• the speaker is presenting the whole scene as one visual impression

So:

• Από τον λόφο φαίνεται όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα.

can sound like:

• From the hill, the whole city and the sea come into view

That said, many speakers would also say:

• Από τον λόφο φαίνονται όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα.

So the short answer is:

• singular is possible and natural in this kind of structure
• plural is also possible, and many learners may find it more expected

Όλη means whole / entire.

It agrees with η πόλη, which is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective must also be:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

That gives:

• όλη η πόλη = the whole city

Compare:

• όλος ο κόσμος = the whole world / everybody
• όλο το σπίτι = the whole house
• όλη η πόλη = the whole city

In Modern Greek, όλος very commonly comes before the article and noun in this pattern:

• όλος + article + noun

So:

• όλη η πόλη
• όλο το βιβλίο
• όλος ο χρόνος

This is the normal way to say the whole city, the whole book, all the time, etc.

Other word orders can exist in special contexts, but for ordinary Greek, όλη η πόλη is the standard phrase.

Because in Greek, when two definite nouns are joined by και, each noun normally keeps its own article.

So Greek says:

• η πόλη και η θάλασσα = the city and the sea

This is more natural than leaving the second article out.

English can say:

• the city and sea

But Greek usually prefers:

• η πόλη και η θάλασσα

especially when both are clearly definite.

Yes. Greek word order is fairly flexible.

The original sentence:

• Από τον λόφο φαίνεται όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα.

puts emphasis first on the viewpoint:

• From the hill...

You could also say:

• Όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα φαίνονται από τον λόφο.

This sounds a bit more straightforward and neutral to many learners, especially because the verb is plural here.

So the word order can change depending on what you want to emphasize:

• Από τον λόφο... = emphasis on where the view is from
• Όλη η πόλη και η θάλασσα... = emphasis on what is visible

The dictionary form is φαίνομαι.

This is the form you would look up in a dictionary.

Some useful forms are:

• φαίνομαι = I appear / I seem / I am visible
• φαίνεται = he/she/it appears; is visible
• φαίνονται = they appear; are visible

So when you see φαίνεται, think:

• dictionary form: φαίνομαι

Yes — that is actually a very close and natural translation.

Depending on style, you could translate it as:

• From the hill, the whole city and the sea are visible.
• The whole city and the sea can be seen from the hill.
• From the hill you can see the whole city and the sea.

All of these capture the Greek sentence well.

The Greek structure is closer to are visible / can be seen than to a direct active you see, even though English often prefers the active version.