Sailing to Patmos, Greece--"The Island of Revelation"


Dear Traveler,

After a night of unusually strong winds, our Star Clipper ship gracefully sailed into the port of Skala at the island of Patmos. Not typically frequented by major cruise lines, the main draw to the tiny rocky island, located right off the west coast of Turkey, is its close association with the Bible. One can see the main town, in greek Chora, perched on the highest point of the Patmos from the sea level with the fortified Monastery of St. John -- the Theologian. To reach the Chora, a narrow windy road passes the Cave of the Apocalypse and its sacred grotto, believed to mark the spot where St. John, during his exile in Patmos, received visions from Christ and wrote the Book of Revelation at the end of 1st Century A.D. Over the following centuries, Patmos became a significant Christian pilgrimage site, and the holy area is now on the UNESCO list.

Key Historical Note #1:  The New Testament Gospel According to John is generally thought to include the Book of Revelation (“apocalypse” in Greek), referred to here. However, John of Patmos is no longer considered to be the same as John (“the Apostle”), who composed the rest of the gospel.
Key Historical Note #2:  Also please note that John the Baptist is generally thought to be, again, another different figure.

Map of Patmos
Patmos is one of the smallest islands in the Aegean (7.5 miles long & 6 miles wide), and you can easily explore it if you rent a scooter for around 25 Euro. Unfortunately, as we soon found out, unless you are actually experienced riding one, the rental store might not rent it to you. There are taxi stands, conveniently located right by the port where you can get a round trip taxi from the Skala port to Monastery of St. John & the Cave of Revelation for approximately 45 Euro for two people.

Chora & Monastery of St. John the Theologian in the distance

Travel Tip:
If you are physically fit and used to longer walks, the Cave can be reached on foot uphill from the Skala port

After a day spent at sea, my husband and I were eager to explore the island on foot as much as possible. A quick Google Maps update gave us less than 30 min walk from the port to the Cave. Overwhelmed by excitement, we started following the signs to the Cave of the Apocalypse. We quickly found stairs nestled between local whitewashed houses and started our ascent eventually merging into the main windy road leading to Chora. As expected, in less than half an hour we reached our destination.

Bell Tower by the Cave of the Apocalypse
At the humble entrance, we paid the ticket fee ( 2 Euro). Descending stairs lead to the cave itself. The wooden door was adorned with intricate mosaics, depicting the visions of St. John. Inside, the small grotto was converted to a church. The limited light was facilitated by candles, and in the back one can see the nightly resting place of St. John’s head, fenced off and outlined with beaten silver.
Minutes after we entered, a Greek priest appeared by the altar and started chanting Byzantine hymns. Witnessing the centuries-old mass in this holy place was such a spiritual experience!

Entrance to the Cave of the Apocalypse
Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Chora. It was one of the hottest days in August and after a bit of challenging climb, we were already dreaming to go for a swim. Back at the Skala Port around noon, the little town was quiet and sleepy. After a quick ice frape stop at a local cafe, we felt recharged and started making our way to the beach. There was a small basking area right in the port which we passed by, but our goal was Lampi Beach, one of the better options, located on the opposite side of the island.

                                                                                     Skala port
After half an hour walk uphill and downhill dirt road and passing farmlands and grazing sheep, we found Lapmi Beach. The small pebbled beach curious rock formations and is blessed with shallow, clear water. Its laid-back vibe is perfect for a relaxing afternoon. An added bonus as we soon found out was its excellent snorkeling!

Grazing Sheep

Lampi beach, pic credit Greka.com
Ready to explore the Greek Islands yourself?


Comments

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