Monastery of Saint John the Theologian
Exploring Patmos Sailing Holidays area
The first thing you notice on Patmos is the Monastery of St John the Divine or the Evangelist. It crowns the hill of Hora. It looks like a Byzantine castle and was built like a fortress. It was founded in 1088 by Ossios Christodoulos following a grant by the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos. The main chapel is dedicated to Holy Christodoulos where you can admire the skull of St Thomas, pieces of the Holy Cross and other religious relics. Since the Orthodox Church does not allow more than one ceremony per alter, per day, 10 chapels were built inside the monastery fortess: Saint Apostles, Saint George, Saint Fanourios, Holy Christodoulos, St Nicholas, St John the Baptist, St Basil, The Holy Cross, All Saints and the chapel of the Virgin Mary.
Navigational Aids
Skala is a fairly safe harbor during the meltemi (the Etesians) (the Etesians) season despite the strong gusts and cross-winds. However, it is open to the SE and during the winter months it can become untenable.
Kambos Bay is further NE of Agriolivadho it is protected form the meltemi but there are strong gusts. Exposed to the S and SE.
Cafenion (traditional cafe) is located in Skala, Patmos. It is 180 years old and the current owners are trying to keep the style and the traditional environment of Houston.
Loukakia is a small beach just behind the bay of Sapsila. Located a couple of km from Chora and 4 km from the port of Skala, the capital of Patmos, Loukakia has pebbled shore and crystal water.
Grikos is a picturesque fishing village with a big sandy beach and many smaller sandy beaches next to it. It owes its cosmopolitan flair to the sailing boats that moor in its port.
Meloi is an easily accessible beach and hosts 2 taverns and the unique organized camping of the island. It is very rarely windy and has shallow waters that are ideal for children.
Didymes Paralies (twin beaches) is a set of two almost identical beaches located at the eastern part of the island, close to the island's port, Skala. Both beaches are sandy, non organized and belong to identically shaped bays.
Vagia is a pebbled beach in the northeastern part of Patmos, a few minutes’ drive from Kampos, the island's most cosmopolitan beach. Vagia is a tranquil beach, with ice cold waters and trees that provide dew and shade during the hot Greek summer.
Kampos is the island's most popular and cosmopolitan beach. It has crystal cold, transparent waters and offers all facilities of an organized beach, including a beach bar and water sports.
About 200 meters from the port is the beginning of the beach Agios Theologos (Saint Theologian). It is a sandy beach which is very popular on weekdays with the locals because they can take a quick dive, refresh themselves and go on with the ir daily duties.
Psili Ammos is a secluded sandy beach with turquoise waters, accessible only by boat (a 45 minutes boat trip from Skala) or by bus to Diakofti and then walking for about 20-30 minutes through a path that leads to the beach. There is a tavern that separates the beach in two parts, one of them being used by nudists.
Petra is an organized beach with large white pebbles. At one end of the beach there is a huge rock, "Petra" (that means stone in Greek), a true challenge for visitors that choose to climb on.