Greece
Patmos
Patmos: The Island of the Book of Revelation
- Port traffic
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Good to know
Where Ships Call
Ships call at Skala, the island's only commercial port and its largest village; your cruise line will tell you whether yours ties up or anchors and sends passengers ashore by tender. The road from Skala winds up to Chora and the monastery, about 4 km away, with the Cave of the Apocalypse halfway up.
- Patmos is one of the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese, with 3,283 people in 2021 and an area of about 34 square km.
- Greece uses the euro.
- Always carry your passport, because police may ask for identification and may not accept a copy.
- Wildfire risk is high from April to October. Leave no litter, especially glass, and never light a fire.
Patmos on Your Own
A simple Patmos day climbs from the harbor to the monastery and comes back down by way of the cave. Go up by bus or taxi and walk down if the heat allows, because the island is steep.
- Up to Chora: A bus runs between Skala and Chora roughly every hour, and the timetable is posted at the stop. Taxis are available in Skala.
- The monastery: The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian stands at the top of Chora behind fortress walls, with towers and battlements. Inside are the main church, frescoes and a small museum.
- Chora: The town around the monastery has narrow, steep lanes, merchants' houses from the 16th and 17th centuries and many small churches.
- The cave on the way down: A footpath runs from Chora down toward Skala and passes the Cave of the Apocalypse halfway. It is a place of pilgrimage and worship.
- Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. If your ship is at anchor, allow for the tender queue as well.
- Watch the clock: All-aboard is given in ship's time, which may not match the local clocks or your phone. From late October to late March, Greek clocks are an hour behind Turkey's, which matters if you came from a Turkish port.
Tipping in Greece
Tipping in restaurants was not traditionally a Greek custom, but that has changed in tourist areas. Many customers now simply leave a euro or two on the table.
- Restaurants: A small amount left on the table, usually €1 to €2, is the common gesture.
- Taxis: Tipping the driver is uncommon.
Culture and Local Life
Patmos is a place of Greek Orthodox pilgrimage, and religious life still shapes the island. Few places in the world still practice ceremonies from early Christian times unchanged, and Patmos is one of them.
- A working monastery: Since 1088 the Monastery of Saint John has been a center of pilgrimage and of Orthodox learning. Its library holds at least 330 manuscripts, 82 of them New Testament texts.
- The cave: Pilgrims touch the three narrow openings in the rock through which, by tradition, John heard the voice that told him to write down his visions.
- A school for priests: The island is also home to the Patmian School, a well-known Greek seminary.
- Sacred music: In most Septembers a festival of religious music is held at an open-air theater near the cave, with free concerts at night.
- An older story: In Greek myth, the island lay under the sea until the moon goddess Selene urged Artemis to raise it. Artemis asked her brother Apollo to win over Zeus, the island rose, and settlers named it Letois in her honor.
History
Patmos was a small, rarely mentioned island until John's exile made it holy to Christians. Its later history turns on the monastery, which governed island life for centuries and kept trading privileges even under Ottoman rule.
- The 3rd century BC: The settlement was walled and fortified as an acropolis with towers.
- About AD 95: By tradition, John, exiled to the island under Roman rule, received and recorded the visions of the Book of Revelation.
- About 300 to 350: A large basilica in honor of Saint John was built where the monastery now stands. It was destroyed during raids between the 7th and 9th centuries.
- 1088: Emperor Alexios I Komnenos gave the island to the monk Christodoulos, who founded the monastery. He fortified it heavily against pirates and the Seljuk Turks.
- The 15th and 17th centuries: Refugees from Constantinople after 1453 and from Crete after 1669 settled in Chora, adding new quarters to the town.
- Ottoman rule: Under the Ottomans the monastery held tax-free trading privileges, and Patmos prospered as a trading center.
- 1912 to 1948: Italy occupied the island in 1912, Germany took over in 1943, and in 1948 Patmos joined Greece with the rest of the Dodecanese.
- 1999: Chora, the monastery and the Cave of the Apocalypse were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
- To learn more ashore: The monastery's own small museum, inside the walls of the Monastery of Saint John in Chora, is the place to see its treasures.
Patmos with Children
Patmos is quiet and safe, but steep and hot in summer, so plan short walks and a swim. Pair one sight with time at a beach.
- Younger children: Ride the bus up to Chora and back, and spend the rest of the day at a relaxed beach such as Agrio Livadi.
- School age: At the Cave of the Apocalypse, look for the three narrow openings in the rock, then visit the monastery and its fortress walls.
- Teenagers: Walk down the footpath from Chora to Skala by way of the cave, which is a good hike in cooler weather. Or take a small boat to Psili Ammos, a sandy beach.
Beaches
Patmos has many small beaches and coves, some with cafés and sunbeds and some with nothing at all. The best known need a boat ride or a walk.
- Psili Ammos: A sandy beach with dunes and a small seasonal taverna, reached by boat from Skala or on foot.
- Agrio Livadi: A relaxed beach with views of the islets offshore.
- Lambi: This beach is known for its colored stones. Please leave the stones where they are.
- Boat trips: Small boats run day trips from Skala to Psili Ammos and to nearby islands for swimming and lunch.
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