Astypalea, the butterfly of the Aegean Sea, is an ideal destination for nature lovers or simply for those who want to get lost in its charming towns.
Patmos
Worldwide known as a sacred island for it is the place where Saint John wrote the Book of Revelation, Patmos is an ideal destination for nature lovers thanks to its lace-like coastline, sheer cliffs and volcanic soil.
Little white cottages dazzling in the Aegean sun stand alongside the stately two-story mansions in the village of Chora. Discover traditional restaurants, cafes, shops and bakeries as you walk through the small medieval streets from the monastery to Skala (the island's port). Enjoy cheesecakes, local dairy products, lattice dough with honey and walnuts and other delights.
Skala, the island's principal village as well as its capital and harbor, features hotels and fresh seafood taverns among installations utilized by the Italians during their Dodecanese reign (1912-1943). Take a break at the village of Grikos, 5 kilometers from Skala, and have a cool drink by the sea, or perhaps swim on the beach.
An idyllic destination
For sunbathers, Kampos beach is the most cosmopolitan, with water sports facilities and delicious seafood eateries, whilst Psili Ammos (literally "fine sand") will provide an off-the-beaten-path experience because it can only be reached by boat.
Vaya beach is undoubtedly the best option for cool and not-too-salty seas, while Sapsilas, with its warmer waves, will be the sanctuary for the less daring. Lampi beach is impressive, with colored stones that adorn it. The mostly deserted islets of Arkoi are also worth a visit, so take a boat from Skála and stop in Marathi to enjoy the crystal blue sea and tasty fresh fish.
The Apocalypse Island
Designated as “Holy Island” by the Greek Parliament in 1981 as well as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, Patmos had been used as a place of exile by the Romans on account of its steep morphology. That’s how St. John found safe refuge here in the 1st century A.D., exiled by the Emperor Domitian.
According to the prevailing theory, the Book of Revelation was written in 95 A.D. in the Holy Cave of the Apolacypse, where St. John heard the voice of God talking to him. Turned into a place of worship by the monk Christodoulos Latrinós in the 11th century the cave –on whose walls we can trace the fingerprints of St. John’s himself–, is still open to the devout Christians.
The Holy Monastery of the Apocalypse was built as a castle in 1088 by the monk Christodoulos Latrinós. Cultural and religious center since its first day of use, it took another five centuries for it to spread its activities all around the island – and not just the town of Hóra (Chora), where it is situated. Around this Monastery revolve Holy Week and Easter celebrations every year.
Our Trips
to Patmos
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in Dodecanese
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Patmos
Where Saint John wrote the Book of Revelation, Patmos is an ideal destination for nature lovers thanks to its lacy coastline and volcanic soil.
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