Blog - Read More About Your Favourite Islands

Patmos is most well known for being the place where the vision came to, and the Book of Revelations was written by St John the Divine. This means it is popular with Christian tourists but we’re here to make the case for it to be on more people’s radar. Throughout this article we’re going to show you what Patmos has to offer and more information about it to help you see why you should visit. 

​Chora is the most immediately recognisable place on the island. High on a hill overlooking Skala, the Monastery of St John dominates the rest of Chora and draws all eyes to it. Looking more like a fortress than a monastery, the interior does look more religious. It is built on the site of an ancient temple. This is the most visited site on the island. Sticking with the religious sites, the Cave of Apocalypse, also in Chora is the site where St John the Divine penned the Book of Revelations. A monastery has been built around it. 

​Outside of the religious sites, Chora is an excellently preserved medieval town, looking more Cycladic in style with whitewashed houses and narrow streets. Within these streets you’ll find some wonderful restaurants, flower filled courtyards and shops. It is a lovely place to walk around and, due to its elevated position will offer excellent views of the whole island. 

​Symi is an island in the Dodecanese just 24 miles from Rhodes. This makes it a popular destination for day trippers from the island, but Symi has a lot more to offer for those wanting the stay longer as well and can be a good addition to an island hopping itinerary. We’re also seeing an increase in enquiries for those looking to do the majority of their stay on the island. This is because before and after the day trippers leave, and if you venture further from Symi Town the island takes on a whole new personality. In this blog we’ll take you through why Symi is much more than a day trip island. 

Explore the town
Symi Town is not only the capital and largest settlement on the island, but is also the port of the island. As you are brought in and taken back from Symi Town, many day trippers only visit the town (mostly the Yialos) and depending on how long you are there, you would have to rush to see all of it in one day. The capital has two distinctive sections to it – Chorio (at the top) and Yialos (the bottom). They are linked by 400 steps called Kali Strata. They each have their own tavernas, shops and cafes as well as their own atmosphere. When you enter on the ferry you are immediately taken aback by the beauty of the port area, it looks like something only possible in your imagination. The many beautiful houses and buildings lining the port hint at the islands past as a commercial centre. Another reminder of its past is the Venetian castle which sits overlooking the town. The history of the island can be learned about in the Nautical and Archaeological museums in Symi Town. 

Located just off the coast of Turkey, Kalymnos is an island in the Dodecanese Island group. Like Samos our Destination of the Week last week, Kalymnos used to be an island visited by many UK tourists on package holidays back in the 80s and 90s. Since this has dried up, Kalymnos has reinvented itself as a hub for activity holidays in Greece, especially rock climbing. In this article we’ll highlight what Kalymnos has to offer those looking to get active on their holiday.

How to get to Kalymnos
Kalymnos has a small domestic airport which connects to Athens, Kos, Leros, Rhodes and Astypalaia. These flights are limited however and therefore we recommend when coming from the UK you fly into Kos and then catch a ferry across to Kalymnos. You can get ferries to Kalymnos from Kos Town and Mastichari. We can advise which is best for you at time of enquiry. 

Rock Climbing
Kalymnos has naturally very rocky and mountainous terrain due mostly to it being the site of an ancient volcano, this rocky landscape makes it perfect for rock climbing. Kalymnos became known for rock climbing back in the 1990s when many scenic paths of varying degrees of difficulty began to be discovered. Since then, it has become the premier place for rock climbing in Greece and throughout the world. The limestone rocks make Kalymnos a great place if you’re just starting out or are wanting to improve on an established skillset. For more information on climbing on Kalymnos visit https://climbkalymnos.com/

A long, thin island with beautiful contrasts in scenery, Karpathos is one of the largest islands in Greece yet is still only recently becoming more popular with tourists. The north of the island is mountainous whereas the south is lower lying and greener. In this article we’ll take you through the best villages to visit whilst on the island, so that we can help you see why you should add Karpathos to your list of places to visit.

How to get there
Karpathos has a small domestic airport in the south of the island which links with Athens, Rhodes and Kasos. We recommend flying into either Athens or Rhodes and then catching a connecting flight. If you don’t want to fly you can catch a ferry which runs five days a week in the summer months. We’ll help you work out where best to catch it from.  

Pigadia
Pigadia is a seaside town which is the capital of Karpathos. Contrary to the title of this article, Pigadia is a town but as a settlement with a lot to do we thought we’d include it. Pigadia is also the main port of the island, so if you arrive by ferry this is where you’ll come in. The town has a great traditional feel and as you walk around, you’ll be greeted by beautiful architecture and cafes and restaurants lining the glistening waterfront. Coming in on the ferry you’ll see Vouno Hill on which sits the acropolis of the ancient settlement of Potideon sometimes called Poseidio, named after the god of the sea. In keeping with the theme of Poseidon, take a visit to the Cave of Poseidon, a natural cave just outside the town. There’s one beach in the town and a few nearby, where you can relax and catch some sun. Pigadia has all the amenities you could need from a town and there is much accommodation here. 

Located in the Dodecanese just off the coast of Rhodes, Halki (sometimes spelt Chalki) has been largely untouched by mass tourism. This makes it a great place if you’re looking for a flavour of life on a traditional Greek island. Because of its size, it is also sparsely populated, which makes it the perfect place to relax whether be a short trip from Rhodes or for an extended stay. In this article we’ll tell you why this is a great place to relax and experience the quiet island life of traditional Greece.
​
Halki is way too small to have its own airport and therefore you have to get a ferry, in the past these ferries were infrequent which is perhaps why it remains untouched by mass tourism, but as they improve this may change. This is all the more reason to go experience it now while you can. Getting the ferry does add to the experience and as you come into harbour you’ll see the picturesque orange tiled buildings stretching up the hillside like a theatre. This stunning entrance is the first impression you get of the islands port and largest town Nimporio.  

Rhodes is an island that offers lots of different aspects of Greece all in one place. Rhodes Old Town holds a lot of history and is made of winding cobbled streets and alleyways which lead into open squares full of markets, churches, restaurants and cafes. Pefkos is a beautiful resort with a gently shelving beach and crystal-clear waters. Perfect for family holidays, there are also a number of good tavernas where you can sample traditional Greek dishes. Lindos is a combination of Rhodes Old Town and Pefkos with a wonderful sandy beach and a town awash with historical buildings, the highlight of which is the acropolis which features the site of an ancient temple and a 14th century castle. In this article we’ll take you through our Island of the Week discovering why it is somewhere you absolutely have to visit.

How to get there
As one of the most popular islands in the Dodecanese and Greece itself, Rhodes has a large airport which you can fly into from many UK airports. You can fly direct into Rhodes from Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast, the main four London airports and many more. As a centre for the Dodecanese you can also get a ferry from either Rhodes Town or Kamiros Skala if you want to explore nearby islands such as Kos, Symi and Kalymnos.