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Settlements
Chora
The
capital of the island.
A medieval settlement with an architecture forming white mansions, as
well as houses in the Aegean Sea style, tightly embracing the
Monastery, being one of the attraction points for the visitors from
all around the world. Chora is independent with regards to shops,
restaurants, taverns, and atmospheric bars.
Chora connects with the rest of the island by bus and
taxi or via the old, picturesque path that is a 20-minute walk. The
establishment of the Chora settlement started 50 years after the
institution of the Holy Monastery, in order to protect it from the
invasions of the Normans, Saracens and all kinds of pirates. About 100
Byzantine families took refuge in Chora, after 1453, and built the
second quarter west of the Monastery, an area called “Alotina”
(Bygones). The coincidental, harmonious relations with the Turks,
combined with the glory surrounding the Monastery, provided the
appropriate place to live in, even to another crowd from
Constantinople and other areas. The “inner castle”, the five-gated
fortification zone surrounding the Byzantine settlement, is considered
by experts an excellent sign of the architectural craftsmanship at the
time. The relations between the decent and the monks got to be
ambidextrous with regards to the social and financial structures, and
it should be mentioned that many monks took advantage of them and, on
the other hand there were abbots who came from the decent upper social
class persons. Patmos, in the 15th century was generally a
communicant of the renaissance promoting the architecture, the
hagiography and temple construction, announcing in advance the high
aesthetics and the thriving of 16th century.
Skala
Skala is the port and the largest town of Patmos. It
is alive day and night. There are restaurants, coffee shops, a
shopping area, bars and clubs, which give a different dimension to the
nightlife of the island.
From Skala you can go to other places of the island
by bus or taxi and even by small speedboats or fishing boats. Skala is
the set off point for trips to secluded beaches and the small islands
nearby.
Kampos
Kampos is divided into the Upper Kampos, where there
is the square of the village and the school, the church and some small
taverns with traditional cuisine and the lower Kampos which is the
biggest and trendiest beach of the island. Fully organized, only
5.5
km away from Skala, it is the best meeting point for locals
and tourists.
There are trees offering shade and deck chairs, as
well as water sports facilities for all of those who wish to play with
the water and exercise too.There is a bus from Skala to Kampos but one
can also use taxis or the small boats. It is an ideal beach for
children and young people. Bars, coffee bars and snack bars are open
day and night.
Grikos
Grikos is the village that combines all. Relaxation
and tension, natural life with hectic life. It offers an organized,
yet original beach and many small taverns for good, traditional food.
It is built in a magical bay, overlooking the Kalikatsou. According to
the tradition this is where the hermits live. Grikos is
5 km away
from Skala. One can enjoy everything here. To start with, the waters
of the beach of Grikos with deck chairs and umbrellas, as well as the
quiet beaches with trees for shade, those are around it. There are
buses connecting Grikos with the rest of the island, there are taxis
and old paths leading to Chora and Skala.
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