I stayed in this house for a full month in January-February 2017 while I was doing a sabbatical/personal retreat. Obviously my experience on Patmos is different than most tourists because I came in the winter, and alone, but I had a wonderful time and I highly recommend this island and specifically this house! It’s located in Grikos, which is a little bay within walking distance (if you’re a walker like me) of both Chora--the little village at the top of the hill where the Monastery of St John and the Cave of the Apocalypse are located—and Skala, the port city with the stores and most cafes. Grikos had one pizzeria open in the winter (just down the beach from the house), but I understand that in the summer this is also a lively place, with plenty of food, sailing, and great swimming. Patmos has a system of walking/hiking trails, and several of them start very close to the house, so I really enjoyed exploring the scenery. If you like to hike, stay in Grikos—the south end of the island is largely uninhabited and offers beautiful views. There’s even a rocky path to another private sandy beach from here. At night, you can hear faint little bells as herds of goats graze on the crags nearby. The house is located right on the beach, and its front porch faces the sunset so I sat out at the table with my glass of wine and watched gorgeous sunsets reflecting off the water every night. The house is also right in front one of the main docks of Grikos where local fisherman work, so I got to know some of them during the time I was here. I also enjoyed paddling around the bay on one of Andreas and Vanda’s windsurfer boards on sunny days! There’s a large rock called Petra jutting out into the bay on a big sand bar that’s within easy walking or paddling distance from the house. It has little caves in it where ascetic hermits used to live—you can see steps and a well carved into the rock. I enjoyed climbing around on that. Sometimes the little dogs from the beach (which pretend to be fierce at first but they’re actually very loving if you stop and greet them) would accompany me on my walks. The house itself is charming. It has one main room with the kitchen/bar, dining, and sitting areas. It’s decorated very tastefully and minimally, and it’s sunny with windows all around. In the back there’s a bathroom, closet and a generous-sized loft which was amazingly comfortable (firm, quiet, dark) for sleeping. It’s all arranged efficiently and aesthetically (lots of Ikea and clever shelves making storage space out of every nook and cranny… you can tell they have Swedish influence in their family)! Everything about the house was perfect for one person (and it would be perfect for two as well, or maybe three). The kitchen is adequate—I did a lot of cooking and baking...