With its arid mountains, rocky coves and "cobalt-blue" seas, Patmos is "magnificent". It is also among the most "serene" of the Greek islands, said John Gimlette in The Guardian, thanks in part to its extraordinary history.
According to Christian tradition, Saint John wrote the Book of Revelation here, after he was exiled to the island by the Romans in AD95, and in the 11th century, a Byzantine emperor bequeathed the island to monks. Their influence is still felt today. The main town, Chora, has dozens of chapels, but no corner-shops, no airport and little in the way of nightlife.
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