For a taste of Patmos classics, this family-run taverna is difficult to contend with. Generations-old recipes are the heart of the kitchen, and the menu has barely changed. Order a selection of dishes to share – grilled octopus, golden zucchini balls, and fragrant rice-stuffed dolmades – and watch the sun set over Skala. 

A vibrantly painted green-and-yellow bookstore in Chóra, Koukoumavla is the arts, crafts, and publishing emporium of Patmos. Drop by the main shop for the full range of fiction, picture books for your little ones, and homemade crafts, or visit the pop-up green kiosk in the centre of town. 

Set just beyond Chora’s central roundabout, this house from the Patmos Heritage collection takes its name from the little chapel beside it. Two independent buildings frame a pebble-stone courtyard, while the rooftop terrace opens onto sweeping views of the sea, the Monastery and Patmos’ iconic windmills. Sleeping two to five guests, it works equally well for a couple or small family. The Konstantinidis family, who have restored and cared for these historic mansions since the 1960s, have kept the antique furnishings and traditional layout remarkably intact, preserving the character of the house rather than over-restoring it.

Three 1799 buildings have been cleverly joined into one 500-square-metre Chora house by designer Leda Athanasopoulou, who brought the ruins back to life. Inside, Greek pottery becomes lamps and antique copper trays turn into basins. Three master bedrooms, two twins and two studies sleep six to eight guests, while 83 square metres of terrace look out towards the island’s windmills.