Daily Patmos Tour from Bodrum – St John Monastery & Cave of the Apocalypse

Patmos Day Trip from Bodrum – The Holy Island of the Aegean

Our daily Patmos tour from Bodrum takes you across the sea to the small Greek island that pilgrims have long described as the Holy Island, even the Jerusalem of the Aegean. This guided day tour combines a ferry crossing, the lively harbour of Skala, the hilltop village of Chora and two of the most revered Christian sites in the Mediterranean, all in one well-paced daily excursion.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Bodrum

Arriving in Bodrum on a cruise ship? The Patmos Tour is one of the shore excursions we regularly arrange for cruise guests calling at the port of Bodrum. Because it runs as a private tour, we plan the timing around your ship: your guide and driver meet you at the cruise terminal, and the programme is adjusted to your all-aboard time. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Send us your ship name and the date of your call in Bodrum and we will confirm availability.

Day Trip to Bodrum from the Greek Islands (Kos, Kalymnos and Leros)

Holidaying on Kos, Kalymnos or Leros? The Patmos Tour is an easy day trip from the Greek islands: take the morning ferry to Bodrum, join the tour, and sail back in the evening (from Kos the ferry takes 30 minutes; from Kalymnos the ferry takes about 1 hour; from Leros the ferry takes about 2 hours). We meet you at the Bodrum ferry port with your private guide and vehicle and time the programme to the ferry schedule. For longer itineraries we check the ferry timetable first and confirm that the full programme fits your day. Please bring your passport and check the Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before travelling.

• Skala – the island's harbour and liveliest quarter, with a small bazaar, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants
• Grikos Bay – a calm seaside settlement roughly 5 km from Skala
• Chora – a historic village set 3 km above the port
• Monastery of Saint John the Theologian – founded in 1088 and still active after more than nine centuries
• Cave of the Apocalypse – the grotto linked to the writing of the Book of Revelation
• Return ferry crossing and guidance in English throughout

Patmos ranks among the most important Christian pilgrimage destinations in the region, alongside the House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus. Skala, whose name simply means port in Greek, is where the ferries dock and where you will find the island's beaches, hotels and a relaxed holiday atmosphere. From here the road climbs to Chora, a whitewashed village crowned by the fortress-like Monastery of Saint John. Built in 1088, it has served as an Orthodox monastery without interruption ever since and is famous for its Easter celebrations.

Roughly halfway down the slope between Chora and Skala lies the Cave of the Apocalypse, a dim and atmospheric space where, according to tradition, Saint John received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation around AD 95. This is the reason the island became a centre of pilgrimage, and the site keeps a quiet, contemplative mood.

This daily tour to Patmos from Bodrum includes hotel pickup and drop-off, return ferry tickets and the entrance fees listed in the programme. Lunch is not included, so you are free to choose a taverna in Skala. As the island belongs to Greece, please carry valid travel documents for the crossing.