You shall be picked up from the Patmos Scala Cruise Port and your Patmos guide will hold up a sign with your name on it so you can easily find your allocated tour guide and transfer service for the day. This Patmos tour will take about 4 hours and after the tour, we will drive you back to Patmos Scala Cruise Port.
Convent of The Spring of Life, Monastery of St. John, Monastery’s museum, Icon Restoration workshop
This tour takes us right to the heart of spiritual art giving us a deeper understanding of the icons' beauty, harmony, and symbolism. Our tour departs by coach from the port of Skala taking us to the old village of Chora, the capital of the island, which stands high on the hilltop with a panoramic view over the island. Firstly we visit the tiny Convent of Zoodoho Pigi (The Spring of Life) built in 1607. On one side of the cobbled courtyard is the chapel where we discover an array of recently restored 17th-century frescoes along with a beautiful carved icon wall. On the other is a small gi shop where one can purchase handicrafts made by the nuns. From the convent, we walk through the winding cobbled sets of Chora to the 11th-century monastery of St. John the Theologian. The main church is steeped with icons and frescoes dating as far back as the 12th century, along with an impressive gilded Icon wall. What sets this tour apart is the rare opportunity to visit the Monastery’s Icon Restoration Workshop, where we see meticulous ski d work in progress and learn about restoration techniques.
We then visit the monastery’s museum which contains endless Byzantine treasures including documents dating from as early as the early 6th century and a wonderful collection of icons by many famous painters including an early El Greco. Before leaving Chora we will take refreshments in a beautiful environment with a spectacular view then the coach will return to the Port of Skala where we conclude our tour with a visit to a workshop on icons and traditional painting, where we have the opportunity to meet the artist and see many of the techniques involved in this skilled spiritual art form. Our tour finishes at the port of Skala.
PS: The Patmos tours we provide are private tours which means they include a driver and a separate tour guide who speaks English - French - German - Swedish - Spanish - Italian - and Greek and they will accompany you throughout the tour and will be able to answer any questions or queries during your tour. Those who book in advance avoid the rush and tight squeezes of traveling with all of the crowds.
No extra hidden cost..!
What's Not Included
No extra hidden cost!
