St. John's Patmos
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Port
Patmos, Greece
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$80
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 2½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
A short scenic drive from the port town of Skala takes you to Patmos and the Grotto of St John. This small cave, now converted into a beautiful chapel, is where the saint lived, saw amazing visions and wrote the book of Revelation. Inside this splendidly adorned little church you will see the stone that St John is said to have used as a pillow.
Continue on to the main town to visit the Monastery of St John. The tithes of Byzantine emperors and countless private contributors have made this monastery the richest in the Dodecanese. The Theological School of Patmos was established here in 1713 and still attracts students from all over the world. The monastery's dark façade, with its huge buttressed walls provides an impressive contrast to the light, frescoed interior. Walk under graceful archways and through corridors paved with small black pebbles to visit the monastery's five chapels. One of these contains the relics of its founder. Beautiful frescoes covering the chapel walls depict The Voyages & Miracles of St John the Theologian.
Visit the old Treasury, now a marvelous museum housing collections of rare icons, jewelry, chalices, crowns, vestments, and delicate silver sailing ships inlaid with gemstones. There are also 13,000 old manuscripts and volumes dating from 1073, which record the monastery's 900-year history. Among these treasures are 33 leaves of the Gospel of St Mark, written in the 6th century in silver lettering on purple vellum. Enjoy unrivaled views of the lovely Bay of Patmos and the scattering of islands in the archipelago beyond as you enjoy some free time in town. Finally, continue back to Skala.
Please note: Guests who wish to stay in town to shop or explore on their own are welcome to do so, but must return to the ship on their own. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Tour requires considerable walking uphill, up and down steps and over cobblestone streets. Not advisable for guests with mobility limitations. Modest attire is required; knees, shoulders and midriffs must be covered. Shorts are not allowed.