The old, stone-paved Aporthianós Dromos runs between Skála and Chóra; the port town and the island capital also provide two distinct points of reference for Patmos. An annual religious music festival adds a seasonal consideration. When planning your accommodation, you can first decide whether a particular place or time of year will shape your stay.
Skála: Port and island orientation
Skála is Patmos’s only port and also the island’s tourist centre. It serves as an arrival point and a base for excursions to Patmos’s beaches and sights, as well as to the islets of Arkioi and Marathi. This dual role makes Skála particularly relevant if you are planning your trip around arrival and excursion destinations. The port explains its role as an arrival point; the tourist centre is the relevant reference for exploring the rest of the island.
Chóra as the capital
Chóra lies in the south-central part of Patmos, 4 km from the port of Skála. It is the island’s capital; a census recorded 541 permanent residents there, making Chóra the second-largest settlement on Patmos. The town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. The roles of the two places are therefore distinct: Skála is the port and tourist centre, while Chóra is the capital and a World Heritage Site. The stated distance of 4 km makes its connection to the port concrete, while Chóra’s status as capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site identifies it as a place in its own right.
A route between Chóra and Skála
The Aporthianós Dromos, also known as Aporthianí Stráta, is an old, 2.4 km-long stone-paved route connecting Chóra and Skála. The municipality describes it as restored for visitors. Both names refer to the same route and can help you recognize it when planning. For travellers who want to consider not only individual place names but also the connection between them, the route provides a concrete point of reference.
A seasonal cultural event
The Festival of Religious Music is an established event on Patmos. It takes place annually from late August to early September and has a worldwide reach. Its timing makes the travel period a different consideration from the locations of Skála and Chóra. If you would like to plan your stay around the event, check the specific dates for the relevant year. The festival period and Chóra’s status, in place since 1999, thus serve different roles: a recurring timeframe and a lasting reference point tied to a place.
Search for hotels by location and travel dates
Skála and Chóra have different roles as places; the festival offers a recurring annual timeframe. If you are planning a trip around the festival, check the specific dates for the relevant year, then compare the location of a particular accommodation with your chosen focus.
Discover more destinations: Kálymnos, Partheni, Emporios, Agathonisi, Pserimos, Leros, Alinda, Kampos
Go to the main travel overview: Kalimnos.
