Patmos Island is a very distinctive Dodecanese Island in the Aegean with its small size and astonishing beauty. It deserves to be called a pearl of the Aegean Sea. It is a mountainous island with rocky soil and a number of small coves. Patmos has quite a high religious importance. It is here that Saint John the Divine had his revelation and wrote the Apocalypse, so it is a site of pilgrimage for Christians.
Troves of tourists visit the island to rejuvenate their souls and to enthrall their hearts with the beauty of the island.
The green hills are full of fruits and olives, and the wonderful natural beauty of the area invites you to take long walks. Patmos Island lies between the Islands of Leros and the Ikaria Islands.
A Little Bit of History
A typical street in Patmos
Mythology states that Patmos was gifted by God Zeus to Artemis, his daughter and goddess of hunting and young women.
During ancient times, people worshiped her and it is at the historical location of her temple that St. John’s Monastery is built.
The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It was under Athens during the 5th century and the Macedonians captured it in the following century.
The 2nd century was the period under the Romans who used the island to send people on exile. St. John was sent here in 95 A.D.
During the Byzantine period, the island was nearly deserted and it was gifted to a monk named Christodoulos in 1088. Italian forces invaded the island in 1912, but was liberated in 1948.
The view of Patmos and its surrounding islands
Easter is celebrated with great hustle and bustle, and ends with the procession of the icons in the monastery at Chora.
Various feasts are celebrated in Patmos and the most notable among them are: Feasts of Agios Christodoulos, Agios Ioannis Theologos, Panagia Eleimonitra, Agios Pandes, etc.
Jewelry making has been a tradition on Patmos. Locals used to buy gold and precious stones from pirates, and handcrafted beautiful jewelry that were exported all over Europe.
Where is Patmos?
- 117.4 miles/ 189 km from Santorini, Greece
- 146.6 miles/ 236 km from Rhodes, Greece
- 202.5 miles/ 326 km from Athens, Greece
- 100.6 miles/ 162 km from Chios, Greece
- 86.3 miles/ 139 km from Bodrum, Turkey
- 141 miles/ 227 km from Izmir, Turkey
- 225.5 miles/ 363 km from Athens International Airport, Greece
Things to See
- The Apocalypse Cave
- Church of Agios Ioannis Theologos
- St. John’s Monastery
- Monastery of Panagia Koumana
- Patmian School
- Skala
- Kambos
- Chora
- Ecclesiastical Museum
- The Folklore Museum
Beaches
- Kambos Beach
- Grikos Beach
- Agrio Livadi
- Petra Beach
The other popular beaches of Patmos are Meloi, Psili Ammos, Livadi Geranou, Lambi, Vagia and Patelia Beach.
Excursions
- Arki and Marathi
Patmos attracts sun lovers who wish to dive in its clear, turquoise waters.
The island has managed to remain unspoiled, though it has a number of excellent hotels, bars and restaurants to cater to its visitors.
We wish you a fantastic Mediterranean cruise!
