Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Hora (Patmos)Χώρα(Πάτμος)
Visit hilltop Hora and its centrepiece monastery of St John, and you cannot help but pick
up its rarefied vibe. By night it's ghostly, sanctified and creaking in the wind. Revela-
tions, that curiously frightening book, was written in a cave nearby and some of its Bos-
chian spectres seem to scuttle invisibly behind as you wander the 17th-century maze of
streets.
The immense
Monastery of St John the Theologian
(admission €4 incl museum en-
trance; 8am-1.30pm daily & 4-6pm Tue, Thu, Wed & Sat)
crowns the island of Patmos. At-
tending a service here, with plumes of incense, religious chants and devoted worshippers,
is unforgettable. To reach it, many people walk up the Byzantine path which starts from a
signposted spot along the Skala-Hora road.
Some 200m along this path, a dirt trail to the left leads through pine trees to the
Monastery of the Apocalypse
(treasury €2; 8am-1.30pm daily, plus 4-6pm Tue, Thu &
Sun)
, built around the cave where St John received his revelation. You can see the rock
the saint used as a pillow and the triple fissure in the roof from where the voice of God
issued. Grab a pew and try not to think of
The Omen
!
A five-minute walk west of St John's Monastery, the
Holy Monastery of Zoodohos
Pigi
( 8am-noon & 5-7pm Sun-Fri)
is a women's convent with incredibly impress-
ive frescoes. On Good Friday, a beautiful candle-lit ceremony takes place here.
Just east of St John's Monastery, Andreas Kalatzis is a Byzantine icon artist who lives
and works in a 1740s traditional home. Inside, you'll find an interesting mix of pottery,
jewellery and paintings by local artists. Seek out
Patmos Gallery
(run by Kalatzis) for an
eclectic range of abstract and figurative paintings, jewellery and illuminated sculptures.
Archontariki
( 22470 29368;
www.archontariki-patmos.gr
;
ste incl breakfast
€220-400; )
is a 400-year-old building with four gorgeous suites equipped with
every convenience, traditional furnishings and plush touches. Relaxing under the fruit
trees in the cool and quiet garden, you'll wonder why the hotel isn't named Paradise.
Up in the seat of the gods, looking down on the white-cube cluster of Skala, mint-fresh
Pantheon
(mains €6-12)
dishes up grilled octopus, meatballs, fried cheese, juices and
homemade yoghurt. A few metres further up,
Jimmy's Balcony
(Hora; mains €6-9;
10am-11pm; )
has regal views and a terrace to enjoy their delicious salads, breakfast,
mousakas
or one of their veggie options. It's also the only spot to pick up clear wi-fi.
