Patmos

Patmos (Πάτμος) is a small island in the northern Dodecanese and one of the holiest places of Orthodox Christianity. According to tradition, Saint John received here the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation. In the 11th century the monk Christodoulos founded a fortified monastery in his honour. Together with the Cave of the Apocalypse and the historic Chora it forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian crowns the island like a castle. Its treasury holds Byzantine icons and manuscripts. Around its walls spreads the Chora, with whitewashed mansions, quiet lanes and windmills. The Cave of the Apocalypse lies on the path between the Chora and Skala, the port town where ferries arrive. The coast is cut into many bays, such as Grikos Bay. Psili Ammos is a sandy beach reached on foot or by boat. Lambi is known for its colourful pebbles and Petra for the Kalikatsou rock. Show more

Religious life shapes the calendar, especially at Easter, when old rituals draw pilgrims. Hiking trails and boat tours suit the calm pace. Patmos has no airport and is reached by ferry from Piraeus or by catamaran from neighbouring islands.