A Day on Patmos – The Island of Revelation and a Very Good Lunch.

Sometimes the best travel days are the ones you never planned.
Our visit to Patmos, Greece, was one of those.

We ended up visiting Patmos completely by chance when our Best of the Mediterranean Cruise ship was diverted there from its scheduled stop. If we’d had a choice, we probably would have stayed with visiting Santorini — as you do — but in the end, Patmos turned out to be a beautiful surprise. A calm, sun-soaked island that delivered a relaxed, authentic slice of Greek life and one very memorable lunch.

First impressions of Patmos

Patmos is part of Greece’s Dodecanese Islands, sitting about 60 kilometres off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea.
It’s best known as the island where Saint John the Theologian is said to have received the visions that inspired the Book of Revelation — giving the island its nickname, The Island of the Apocalypse.
Our ship anchored just offshore, and we were tendered to the main port town of Skala — a pretty seaside village with whitewashed houses, fishing boats, and the gentle buzz of scooters and chatter from cafés. It’s the kind of place where time feels slower and the air seems permanently scented with grilled octopus and salt spray. First impressions – we could easily spend a week here. Or a year.

Up to the Monastery on the Hill

From Skala we caught the public bus up to Chora (less than €2 each), the tiny old town perched high above the harbour. The ride winds up narrow roads with views that keep getting better the higher you go — a patchwork of blue sea and rocky hills. Ever present, the backdrop of our cruise ship anchored in the harbour.

At the top sits the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, founded in the 11th century. The monastery dominates the skyline like a fortress and looks every bit its age — a grand, stone complex filled with colourful and carefully preserved ornate Orthodox iconography, candlelit chapels, and courtyards. Close your eyes and you can almost here the echoes of the centuries of monks, nuns and pilgrims that have journeyed here to worship.

We climbed many, many steps that morning, but the views from the top — and the feeling of standing in such a historic, spiritual place — made every one of them worth it.

The return journey – and a cab conundrum

Once we were ready to return to Skala, we learned the public bus schedule wasn’t exactly frequent. Especially around the mid-day when we assumed the bus driver was taking a long lunch complete with siesta. We’d just missed one, and the next wasn’t due for almost two hours. No problem, we thought — we’ll just take a taxi.
Enter what we will come to thinks of as ‘the Patmos cab scam’….
Whilst we noticed quite a few cabs down in the town of Skala, with many hanging around waiting for fares, up at Chora there was only ever one at a time. And the price was always €50 (compared to the public bus fare of less than €2). No amount of haggling would reduce this. And as soon as one cab left with reluctant passengers, another would miraculously arrive within a minute. Clearly, there was some form of agreement going on here. Rather than play along, we decided to spend our over-inflated cab fare on a meal whilst we waited for the next bus.

Instead, a most magnificent lunch

With time to kill, we wandered a few streets away and found Giagko’s Pantheon, a small, family-run taverna with a terrace overlooking the street and little windows that looked out over the island and sea below. What followed was one of those travel experiences that instantly justifies every missed connection or diverted itinerary — a leisurely Greek lunch in beautiful surroundings, with warm hospitality and delicious food that tasted straight from Yaya’s kitchen. We had the Tarama dip with bread, grilled green peppers, meat balls, calamari – and it was an absolutely amazing feed!

By the time we’d finished lunch it was time to take the public bus and watch the monastery fade behind us as we wound back down to Skala.

Back in Skala and other things to see in Patmos

Skala itself is a charming little port town — part fishing village, part boutique shopping strip. We spent a while wandering the lanes, browsing jewellery stores, linen boutiques, and souvenir shops. The waterfront is lined with cafés, perfect for people-watching or that one last coffee before heading back to the ship.
If you visit Patmos and have more time, don’t miss the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, halfway between Skala and Chora. It’s said to be the spot where John received the visions described in the Book of Revelation. The cave has been converted into a small chapel, and even for non-religious visitors, it’s supposedly a moving, atmospheric stop. It’s only open for a few hours a day – we missed our window – so plan ahead.

According to tripadvisor the Windmills of Chora are an iconic landmark worth visiting and there’s a couple of lovely little beaches that are worth a look;

Agrio Livadi Beach: A popular beach area with tavernas.
Psili Amos Beach: A scenic sandy beach, accessible by hiking or by boat.
Kampos Beach: Another great option for relaxing by the sea.
Petra Beach: Known for its rocky formations and a unique viewpoint called the Rock of Kalikatsou.

Final thoughts

Patmos might not have the instant name recognition of Santorini or Mykonos, but that’s part of its charm.
It’s quieter, more authentic, and full of history. And in our case, what started as an unexpected stop turned into one of the most memorable days of our cruise — complete with monasteries, magnificent views, a taxi scam to laugh about later, and one of the best lunches we’ve had in Greece.

Mr Wanderer
September 2025