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Patmos, nicknamed Greece’s “holy island,” has been a beloved port of call for stylish crowds since the 1960s. A small but significant island in the Dodecanese, Patmos centers around its famous monastery, where Saint John is believed to have penned the Book of Revelation. For decades, artists and intellectuals have been drawn to the spiritual quality that continues to persist here, due in large part to its history. “One feels the past everywhere and the fact that building is restricted preserves the Byzantine architecture,” explains Greek-born Maria Lemos, the co-owner of Pagostas, a three-bedroom B&B which she opened with her husband Gregoris in 2022. “But more than that, the faith is still very much intact in the Patmian people and that’s what makes it feel different than other islands.”
Beyond the pebbled coves, wild landscapes, and simple beachside taverns, Patmos has maintained a spiritual and cultural appeal that has made it an oasis for the design aficionados and eclectic art types that frequent each season. Many foreigners fall so deeply under its spell they’ve planted their own roots, like Montreal native Will Sapp and his partner from New York, Tess Gruenberg, whose admiration for the island resulted in their purchasing of 2.5 acres of degraded land which they transformed into éla, a farm-to-table restaurant and natural wine bar in the north of the island. “Patmos is a rustic island with a high-end pulse. It’s low-key and high-key at the same time,” answers Tess, when asked how the pair landed on Patmos. “It’s difficult to get to, the ferries never line up. There’s no airport, and good luck trying to get a cabin back to Athens…. That tension is the lifeblood of creativity, and at the end of the day, the enduring spell of love,” she explains. “I wish we had a more straightforward answer but after spending seven long months on this arid rock, that’s what I’ve got today.”
Here, find Vogue’s guide to where to eat, stay, shop, and relax in Patmos.
Where to Stay
Construction on Patmos is limited by strict building regulations and restrictions. The island’s historic center, Chora, is a protected UNESCO site, while other areas in the south have become Natura preservation zones, where strict conservation rules apply—making it difficult for hotel developers to set their sights on this small, historic island. The largest and most traditional hotel on Patmos is Patmos Aktis, with 56 rooms and all the basic amenities of a luxury resort and spa, but it remains the only one of its kind here. Travelers coming to Patmos are more likely to find soulful, design-forward stays, like historic home rental properties and small B&Bs scattered around the island.
In 2022, Rainbowwave and Mouki Mou founder Maria Lemos and her husband Gregoris Kambouroglou began welcoming guests to the freshly renovated Pagostas, a three-bedroom guesthouse built in 1597 situated in the heart of Chora. Having discovered Patmos in 2008, when Mykonos changed from the bohemian island they once loved to a different vibe altogether, Patmos felt like a sanctuary. Having rented homes from various friends in the design world over the years, owning their own home in which they could welcome friends and strangers felt like the natural next step. The couple’s thoughtful restoration of the old building—where less is more was the guiding principle—combined with their warm Greek hospitality, insider knowledge and passion for the island makes a stay here feel both comfortable, intimate, and luxurious.
Elsewhere in Chora, Patmos 360 contains a portfolio of three historic mansions in the village carefully restored by architect Katerina Tsigarida and run today by her children. Stefania Mansion, Forno Majore, and Forno Annex were each designed in traditional Patmian style and preserving their original features, such as Forno Majore’s original 19th-century masonry oven and the original well in Stefania Mansion’s kitchen, which remains the main water supply reservoir for the estate. Patmos Heritage offers another collection of historic mansions in Chora, including the former home of Emmanuil Xanthos, one of the founders of Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends), a Greek conspiratorial organization opposing the Ottoman Empire that ultimately contributed to Greece’s independence.
For a beachfront stay, Erini Luxury Hotel Villas is built right above the idyllic and tranquil Loukakia beach, which is accessible using a dedicated stairway. Situated within three seaview stone villas, these rustic homes also feature modern amenities, such as air conditioning and private pools or jacuzzis. Located in the fishing village of Grikos by the popular Petra beach area, the beachfront-based Onar Patmos features six self-catering rooms surrounding a communal saltwater pool, where BBQ facilities are available for guests to use.
Where to Eat and Drink
At the port in Skala, Trehantiri Taverna is where the locals go to feast on seafood served in generous portions. Further down the road, you’ll find Ta Souvlakia Tou Pappou for the best gyros and souvlaki, as well as Netia for grilled meat and fries. For Patmos’s famous cheese pie or a sweet treat post-meal, pick up a slice of orange pie at the family-run bakery Christodoulos Confectionery. Moving to the historic center of Chora, Pantheon is where to go for a home-style Greek mezze, serving up classics like dolmades, keftedes, and grilled meat—and while the high-quality cocktails are what you come for at cocktail bar To Thalami, the good music, lively crowd and warm atmosphere fueled by the friendly hospitality of the bar’s gracious hosts George and Maria is why you’ll return every night.
There’s no sign to reach éla, a farm-to-table restaurant and natural wine bar helmed by Sapp and Gruenberg. The restaurant, which is situated on the terrace of a mid-century Patmian cottage overlooking a vineyard and organic farm, is located between Kampos and Lampi beaches. “Just take a left at the wine barrel and follow the flowers,” explains Tess. Here, on 2.5 acres of once-degraded land, the pair has created a lush organic farm, where pinewood tables are scattered around a 300-year-old olive tree, while dishes are prepared over an open fire in an outdoor kitchen using fresh, hand-picked ingredients from the farm. Since its opening in 2021, éla has become a community hang-out for the high-level creatives that frequent Patmos each season, also inviting renowned international chefs, like Cristian Stradaioli and Andrea Borroni, known for their Michelin-starred experience at Table by Bruno Verjus and Piazza Duomo Alba to design seasonal menus using ingredients exclusively sourced from the on-site garden alongside local seafood and meat.
Unless you’re in Sifnos, you don’t arrive at a beachside taverna on a Greek island expecting a gourmet meal; what you’ll get instead is reliable and simple food served in an idyllic setting. The taverna at Psili Ammos beach is among the most iconic on the island, if not solely for its location. It’s the familiar landmark that comes into view halfway through your 20-minute hike to the beach, at which point you’ll begin your descent down for a lively meal at one of Patmos’ most scenic sandy coves in the south of the island. The cantina at Livadi ton Kalogira beach in the north is another scenic spot elevated by its bucolic setting amongst fields of vegetation, where under the shade of a thatched roof, you’ll sit atop colorful cushions swathed over banquets where rows of potted basil line the walls that peer out to the water. Nearby, the simple and perfect Lampi Fish Tavern offering beachside dining on the pebbly Lampi beach; according to Maria Lemos, it has “the feeling of a taverna in the ’60s.” Also in the north, the restaurant above Livadi Geranou’s pebbled beach offers scenic views of the crescent-shaped cove and its crystal-clear waters.
What to See and Where to Shop
Winding through the island’s capital, the ancient hillside village of Chora is the obvious place to begin your cultural pilgrimage through Patmos. The imposing Holy Monastery of Saint John, the site where Saint John allegedly wrote the Book of Revelation, is the most important theological and cultural landmark on the island. Sitting high above the Chora, and visible from nearly every vantage point on the island, the monastery is accessible through a labyrinth of stone pathways leading to the gate that opens to the courtyard revealing stone archways, towers, and ramparts reflective of the Byzantine architectural style. The Cave of the Apocalypse and the Nunnery of Zoodohos Pigi are additional must-visit stops emblematic of Patmos’ religious history.
Arxontiko Simantiri, or the Mansion of Simantiris, is the oldest grand home in Patmos; built in 1625, it’s now an exhibition space that has belonged to the same family throughout 14 generations. Today, the mansion’s exhibition space is managed by Stefanos Sidiropoulos who lives in the house year-round. On the second floor, the exhibition space exclusively showcases the Simantiris family’s collection of family heirlooms, featuring art and decor that spans the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. Resident artist Andreas Kalatzis works out of his workshop and gallery space in Chora where he showcases his own contemporary works, as well as the works of other Greek artists. Andrea’s warmth is not only reflected in the colorful art that lines his walls, but also through his warm approach encouraging kids to come and create as they please at a designated workshop station he created for them.
While the island’s spiritual quality certainly revolves around the Chora, the more modern village of Skala located at the main port is host to a few shops in which to find covetable souvenirs to take a piece of the island home with you. At Selene, you’ll find a beautiful assortment of handicrafts made by Greek artists across Patmos and its neighboring islands in the Dodecanese, as well as blown glass from Crete, and jewelry store Midas carries centuries-old Byzantine jewels and custom-made pieces by the shop owner Elias.
What to Pack
Natural materials and lightweight fabrics are a must for a week spent by the sea—be sure to pack a gauzey pareo to wrap over your swimsuit for a taverna lunch post-dip. And to keep your skin nourished, Korres soothing after-sun gel is a secret weapon.
