Patmos island, Greece
Patmos is one of the many islands of Greece that mark history and sacredness. A small holy island, in the Aegean Sea, is the location where the Book of Revelation (the last book of the Christian Bible) was written. The Greek island of Patmos is not very far from the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. It is among northernmost islands of the Dodecanese complex. Well, it is further west than its nearby neighboring other islands like Naxos.
The history behind holy island:
Patmos has a strong spiritual character as it serves the accomplishment for St. John’s apocalyptic insight of the end of the world. At the end of the first century A.D., St. John, the Divine was exiled by the Roman emperor and he starting living in a cave. According to the tradition, he was inspired to turn that cave into a writing room and inscribed the last chapter of the bible known as ‘Book of Revelation’.He was inspired to write the last chapter of bible inside a cave which is now called Cave of the Apocalypse, one of the island’s main attractions.
A religious destination:
The beautiful island with the spiritual character is a very famous pious destination with thousands of pilgrims and Christian devotees coming to visit the two religious’ monuments; Monastery of Saint John and the Cave of Apocalypse.
Attractions in Patmos:
Due to its spiritual character, multiple Christian devotees have visited it every year. The most important two attractions are:
- Monastery of Saint John
The most obvious reminder, a large monastery dedicated to Saint John known as Orthodox Monastery of St. John. It is a church constructed on top of the hill on the site of an ancient temple.
- Cave of Apocalypse
It is very close to the monastery, actually, the Orthodox is built around this cave that is visited for religious purposes.
Besides holy monuments, Patmos has all those great qualities on any other Greek island like Agathonisi island, a tiny island that is not yet developed completely for tourists but perfect for some relaxation and sunbath.
- Beaches to go
There are numerous beaches, crystal-clear seas and beautiful views everywhere around.
Skala beach (the most popular beach among all) is just 4 km away from Chora.
Other beaches are:
- Grikos beach
- Petra beach
- Geranou beach
- Kambos beach
- Loukakia beach
Things to do in Patmos:
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Relax at the beach. Take a sunbath.
- Have a drink in a cafe lounge under the stars.
- Scuba diving.
How to get to Patmos:
There is no airport on the island, so the only way to travel to Patmos is by ferry which takes around 7 hours each way.The only commercial port on the island is Chora and Skala that are the main communities and centre of activity of Patmos.Island is actually hidden behind the whitewashed walls of the Chora. Even hotels are found in Chora, the capital.
When to visit the island of Patmos
Greek islands are the destinations to visit during the months of June and September. August is a peak month in which prices rise and tourist numbers are at the absolute peak as well.
Athens at a Glance 