Also in the Dodecanese and known worldwide as a sacred island with names like ‘Island of the Apocalypse’ and ‘Jerusalem of the Aegean’, Patmos is very popular with Christian pilgrims, as it was the place that St John, one of Jesus’ disciples, wrote the ‘Book of Revelations’ in a cave. The island is designated as ‘Holy Island’ by the Greek Paliament in 1981 and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. According to history, St John fled to Patmos to seek refuge from Emperor Domitian in 1st century AD, and heard God’s voice in the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse in 95 AD.

The cave became a place of worship in 11th century and is open to devout Christians. A Holy Monastery of the Apocalypse was also built in 1088 by Christodoulos Latrinó, the same monk who converted the cave. Every Easter, there is a Holy Week celebration where thousands of pilgrims journey here to partake.In the town of Hóra where the Monastery stood, houses of all sizes vied for a foothold in the historic narrow streets to the port Skála. The town is filled with restaurants, cafes, shops and traditional bakeries selling cheese pies, local dairy products and reticule-shaped dough with honey and nuts. Skála is also the largest settlement and the capital of Patmos with accommodation and fresh-fish tavernas.