Patmos, A Biblically Good Greek Island

20/6/2023

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

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.

Monastery of St John overlooking Chora

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.

Skala

The port and the largest settlement on the island, Skala curls around a thin cove on the eastern side of a thin strip of land that connects the two parts of the island. Whereas throughout history most locals used to live purely in Chora, in the last few centuries they have spread throughout the island and Skala especially. As such it has a lot to it, plenty of accommodation and restaurants that makes it the best place to stay on the island. If you’re looking for a day of shopping and leisurely strolling between cafes, tavernas and restaurants than Skala is perfect.

Skala

Nature

Another driver of tourists for Patmos is its unique natural landscape. The islands uneven and rocky landscape produces some wonderful sights and a coastline full of coves and beaches. One such feature is the Rock of Kalikatsou. This uniquely shaped rock with its octopus shape overlooks Petra Beach and inside it is said to have had a tunnel that ran all the way to the Monastery.

Rock of Kalikatsou

Beaches

As mentioned in the above paragraph, Patmos’s unique landscape creates lots of beaches which are great places to relax. Patmos has a mix of sandy and pebbled beaches most of which have very little near them. For convenience there are beaches at Skala, Kampos and Grikos so you can easily have somewhere near to where you’re staying. Grikos is pebbled whilst Skala and Kampos are sandy. Each has some facilities as it near or directly by the village

If you’re looking for somewhere more isolated check out these beaches. Psili Ammos is one of the best beaches on the island with soft golden sands and beautiful clear waters. With dotted trees for shade and a taverna it is a good spot for a day. You can reach it by car or boat trip or by the very good bus service on the island. Petra beach has amazing water for swimming and provides some great views up to the Monastery. Lefkes Beach is perfectly isolated and can only be reached by car, you can be one of only a few there.

For a day trip or a few hours, you can get a boat over to one of the nearby islands - Agathonisi, Akri or Marathi. All of these have very few inhabitants and some services but are great for beaches to relax on.

The streets of Chora

Other Villages

Outside of Chora and Skala there are a number of smaller villages on the island, the main two of these are Grikos and Kampos. The main two spots to visit in these villages are, in keeping with the rest of the island, churches. The Church of Evangelistria in Kampos and the Church of Saint John in Grikos are whitewashed churches with some lovely frescoes. Both villages have some accommodation and a few tavernas so you have more than enough to stay there if you want somewhere quieter and go into Skala or Chora for the day.

Grikos Village

We hope this has helped you see what Patmos has to offer and why you should consider it as part of a Dodecanese island hop. To find out more about the rest of Greece, take a look around our website or call us on 01157843388. If you know where you’re looking to book call us, email [email protected] or fill in our contact form with what you’re looking for. Don't forget to follow us on social media to find out the next Destination of the Week and for all your Greek Holiday needs. If you've been to Patmos, where was your favourite place? What was the best thing you did or do you think we missed anything? Let us know in the comments or on social media, just click the buttons below which take you to our social pages

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