How many days in Patmos? 3 days, the monastery in the morning and a cove every afternoon
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Patmos is a small Dodecanese island where, by Christian tradition, St John wrote the Book of Revelation in a cave on the hillside. Above it, the fortified Monastery of St John the Theologian, founded in 1088, crowns Chora, a village of white mansions now protected by UNESCO. Below lies the port of Skala, and around it a jagged coastline of quiet bays. Give it three days: the monastery and Chora, then two days of beaches and boats. There is no airport, which keeps the island calm, except when cruise ships call.
Short answer
Two days covers the cave, the monastery, Chora and one beach. Three days adds Lambi and the boat to Arki and Marathi, two tiny islands with a handful of residents.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The Cave of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of St John
Morning. Walk up the old stone path from Skala to Chora (about 40 minutes), stopping halfway at the Cave of the Apocalypse, where St John is said to have heard the voice that dictated Revelation; a small entry fee is charged, and the cave is inside a chapel. Continue to the Monastery of St John, with its battlements, frescoes and a treasury museum of icons, manuscripts and vestments (a few euros).
Afternoon. Walk the lanes of Chora, with stone mansions built by merchants in the 16th-18th centuries, and the convent of Zoodochos Pigi. Climb to the restored windmills at the edge of the village for views across the island.
Evening. Watch sunset from the square in Chora, then dinner in the village or back down in Skala, €20-30 per person.
Opening hours for the monastery and cave are limited and change on cruise days; mornings are most reliable. Cover shoulders and knees; men wear long trousers.
Day 2: The northern bays: Lambi, Kambos and Agriolivado
Morning. Take the bus or drive to Kambos, a sandy, sheltered bay with water sports and tavernas, good for families. Then continue to Lambi, a beach of coloured pebbles in red, green and purple, on the north coast. The road from Skala takes about 15-20 minutes by scooter; the last stretch is a short descent to the sea.
Afternoon. Swim at Vagia or Livadi Geranou, quieter bays nearby, then return south via Agriolivado, a sandy bay 3 km north of Skala.
Evening. Dinner at a fish taverna in Lambi or back in Skala. Order fresh fish, octopus and Patmian cheese pie, made with local soft cheese.
Do not take pebbles from Lambi; it is forbidden, and the beach is losing its colour from souvenir collecting.
Day 3: Grikos, Psili Ammos and the islands
Morning. Take a day boat from Skala to Arki and Marathi, two small islands to the east, about 40-60 minutes away (around €30-45 per person, mostly in summer). Swim in clear water and have lunch at a taverna by the water. Arki has a few dozen residents and one small harbour; Marathi has a sandy beach and two family tavernas, where the boats usually stop for 2-3 hours.
Afternoon. If you stay on Patmos, drive 4 km to Grikos bay, with the strange rock of Kalikatsou and tavernas on the shore. Then take a boat from Skala, or walk 25-40 minutes from the road at Diakofti, to Psili Ammos, the only large sandy beach in the south, with tamarisk trees.
Evening. Last evening in Skala. Buy local honey, sweets and icons in the shops of Chora and Skala.
Easter in Patmos is famous: on Holy Thursday the Nipteras, the washing of feet, is re-enacted in the square of Chora. Book months ahead.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do the cave, the monastery and Chora on Day 1, and Lambi or Psili Ammos on Day 2. You lose the boat trip to Arki and Marathi.
Got extra days?
Extra days can go to Lipsi, a small island 30-40 minutes by boat, to Leros with its Italian architecture, or to Samos (about 2 hours) on the Dodecanese line.
Where to stay in Patmos
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Skala | The port: rooms, tavernas, buses and boats. | €50-90 |
| Mid-range | Chora | Quiet stone houses below the monastery, with views. | €100-200 |
| Mid-range | Grikos / Kambos | Beach bays with sheltered water and tavernas. | €90-170 |
| Comfort | Boutique hotels in Chora or Grikos | Restored mansions and sea-view suites; book early. | €200-450 |
Getting around
Patmos is small, about 12 km from north to south. Buses link Skala with Chora, Grikos and Kambos several times a day (about €2). Taxis wait at the port. A scooter or small car (€25-50 a day) helps for the beaches. Boats leave from Skala to Psili Ammos and the nearby islands. There is no airport: the nearest are Leros, Kos and Samos. Ferries from Piraeus take about 7-9 hours; fast boats link Patmos with Rhodes, Kos, Leros, Lipsi and Samos. Check current timetables.
What to eat in Patmos
Patmian cooking is Dodecanese island food. Look for the local cheese pie, fresh fish and octopus, kakavia (fish soup), and tomato fritters. Lobster spaghetti (astakomakaronada) is a summer splurge at seaside tavernas, often €80-120 a kilo for the lobster. A taverna meal costs €20-30 per person, more in Chora. Try the island's sweets with honey and almonds in Skala's pastry shops. Chora's tavernas are best for a long dinner with a view; in Skala, the places along the quay serve grilled fish from the morning boats, and a souvlaki or gyros costs about €4. Book in August, when Athenian families fill the island.
Best time to visit
May, June and September are best: highs of 25-29°C, warm sea and few crowds. July and August are busier but still calm compared to the Cyclades, and the meltemi wind can make boat trips to Arki rough in the afternoons. On days when cruise ships call, visit the monastery early or late. Easter is a major event, with pilgrims from all over Greece. Many hotels close from November to April.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €35 | €75 | €160 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €25 | €50 |
| Local transport | €5 | €15 | €35 |
| Total per person, per day | about €75 | about €160 | about €325 |
Approximate 2026 prices; tickets include the monastery, the cave and the boat trips. Greece charges a per-room, per-night climate resilience fee, higher from April to October.
Before you go
Common questions
How do I get to Patmos?
By ferry: from Piraeus about 7-9 hours, or by fast boat from Rhodes, Kos, Leros or Samos. There is no airport; the nearest are Leros, Kos and Samos, with flights from Athens, then a boat. Check current timetables, as routes change each season.
What should I wear to the monastery?
Cover shoulders and knees. Women may be asked to wear a skirt, and men long trousers; wraps are sometimes lent at the entrance. The monastery and the cave are working religious sites, so photos may be restricted inside.
Do I need a car in Patmos?
Not necessarily. Buses link Skala, Chora, Grikos and Kambos, and boats reach the beaches. A scooter or small car gives more freedom for Lambi and the northern bays. The roads are short and easy.
Which beaches are best in Patmos?
Psili Ammos in the south for sand, Lambi for coloured pebbles, Kambos for families and water sports, Grikos for calm water near Chora, and Agriolivado for sand close to Skala. Most beaches are small and quiet.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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