PATMOS, GREECE

One of the most beautiful and distinctive of the Dodecanese Islands, Patmos is best known as the place where St. John received his visions and wrote the Book of Revelation.

A small island with a population of about 3,000, Patmos has managed to remain one of the least touristy of the Greek islands, despite its many visitors and firm presence on the cruise circuit. It remains delightfully unspoiled, yet it has still developed a good tourist infrastructure, with a number of excellent restaurants, hotels and beaches.

Patmos is located in the South Aegean Sea near the island of Kos and not far from Turkey. There are two main "cities" on Patmos: Skala, the harbor area and where most of the residents live; and Hora (or Chora), the hilltop area dominated by the Monastery of St. John. The monastery and the nearby Cave of the Apocalypse, where the revelations took place, are major pilgrimage destinations and popular tourist sights as well. Many package tours and cruises stop in Patmos, and there are frequent ferry and hydrofoil services.