By Nicolas Bard

Although it belongs to the Dodecanese, the island of Patmos is more referring to Cycladic island with whitewashed houses, picturesque cobbled streets and low vegetation. Indeed, in recent years it has evolved into one of Greece’s largest religious and pilgrimage destinations, with many cruise ships approaching its port, thanks to the monastery of St. John the Theologian who has worldwide radiation and is an emblem of the island. However, Patmos remains a quiet and alternative tourist destination, with mild growth, without altering its identity in the slightest. If you are on the island for a vacation, then you should definitely see the five cited attractions.

1. Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian

The Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian is an Orthodox monastery founded in 1088 in the country of Patmos. In 1999 he was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was built at the point where it was believed by both the Catholic and the Orthodox Church that the Apostle John wrote the Gospel and the revelation, near the cave, where he had the Divine Visions. The imposing walls rising around the monastery, the unique frescoes it preserves inside, the museum with rare manuscripts, arches and iconic bell tower create a rare and beautiful monastery complex, which is flooded with a large number of faithful and visitors.

2. Country of Patmos

The country of Patmos, with its gorgeous mansions, picturesque cobbled streets with galleries, windmills and Kastromonastos as a crown at its top, is perhaps one of the most beautiful and recognizable images in the Aegean. The country develops around the fortress (11th century), which for many years has protected both the monks and the inhabitants of the island from raids and looting. Most of the mansions you will see there are built in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the island was particularly acne, and in many places you will have a seamless and panoramic view of the staircase and the rest of the island. Small churches, picturesque shops and traditional taverns come to complement a highly cinematic setting that exudes authentic Greek charm.

3. Revelation cave

The island of Patmos has been inextricably linked to Christianity for centuries, which you will feel from the very first moment you get there. The beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, Ioannis, was banished in 95 AD. In Patmos by Emperor Domitian and found refuge in the cave, located in the middle of the hill between staircase and Chora. There, with the help of the disciple of the precursor, John wrote in the dictation of God the divine book of Revelation, and perhaps the 4th of John the Gospel. The cave was renovated by Saint Christodoulos when he came to Patmos. Today the pilgrim can see the point where the revelation was written, the place of St. John, the huge rock that was torn in the three, when his god dictated the revelation, the point where the evangelist touched his head to rest and a lid on the rock. The majesty of the cave and the mysticism of the atmosphere are awe.

4. Windmills

The picturesque windmills of the Holy Monastery of Patmos are lined up on the top of the hill of Chora, which has been included, along with the Monastery and the Cave of Revelation, in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Two of them were built in 1588, while the third in 1863. When flour production in the 1950s stopped, windmills were abandoned and fell into decline. In 2010, however, they were restored following the initiative and funding of banker and seafarers Charles Pictet, Swiss friends of Patmos, the Niarchos Foundation and others. The restoration of the Patmos Mill was awarded in 2012 in Lisbon by the European Organization of Europa Nostra.

5. Kalikatsos stone

Passing the beach of Griko, you will see a large and spooky stone. This is the famous Kalikatsu. This rock seems to emerge from the sea, and causes awe with its volume. Kalikatsu chose to live many ascetics and managed to turn this seemingly uninhabited rock into a comfortable space, carving on it steps, cistern, charcoal and candles. This stone is covered by mystery and many popular doctrines. The most widespread myth states that in the Monastery of St. John the Theologian there is a hidden door, a crypt, which leads to a tunnel. This tunnel, according to tradition, crosses the entire south side of the country and ends at Petra. It is even said that it was created for the monks to carry the cart of the Apostle Thomas, and all the important relics and treasures that the monastery had.