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ARCHIVES: EUROPE
FOLLOWING MONET’S IMPRESSIONS OF ÉTRETAT: Normandy
I had always dreamed of seeing the scenes Claude Monet portrayed on the canvases with my own eyes. The natural beauty itself is one reason. But the yearning to see through the master’s secrets of colors, brush strokes and representation was even stronger. Normandy was one of the ideal areas to pursue my impressionistic dream.
A SHORT TUSCAN ADVENTURE:Italy
The scent of citrus was in the air. It was mid October and while the Tuscan sun was low in the western sky it still felt warm on my face. I was sure that if I closed my eyes I would be a witness to the sounds and the sights of medieval farmers returning from the rolling hills to the safety of this walled city. Since the 13th century the walls of San Gimignano have served as the safe haven from marauding hordes.
A VISIT TO THE VENETIAN CASTLES OF THE PELOPONNESE: Greece
Hidden on the slopes of a great rock known as the Gibraltar of Greece, Monemvasia is one of those rare treasures that tourists usually by-pass. It's a magical experience visiting this little medieval site. The entire town is walled and invisible from the shore. The steep rock, crowned with its Venetian fortress, is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway.
RHODES LESS TRAVELED: Rhodes Island, Greece
Despite its size, Rhodes is an Island of understated charms. Ask sometone to name a famous Acropolis and the answer will doubtless be Athens. Enquire of a Greek party island and they are likely to respond with Mykonos. Yet unbeknown to many, Rhodes has its own ancient ruins to rival the mainland capital, as well as its own dusk-till-dawn party town.
WHEN IN ROME: Rome, Italy
We had arrived in Rome yesterday, and in a spasm of enthusiasm Leah and I signed up for a personal guided tour of the city. As I lie stiffly in the cramped hotel bed, basting in perspiration, I dimly recall signing up for an eight o’clock walking tour. It’s now seven. I am disoriented, and the elephant tap-dancing on my head suggests a mammoth hangover.
ROMAN POMPEII - SUSPENDED IN TIME: Italy
August 23,79 AD was just a regular day in flourishing Pompeii. Toga-robed citizens traded their goods, discussed politics, exchanged gossip and visited places of worship. Just three days later everything suddenly changed when she vanished completely! Entombed for 1500 years by the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii is now one of Europe’s best-preserved archaeological sites.
PILGRIMAGE TO DELPHI: Greece
I set off from Athens on a morning when Zeus was tossing about his thunder bolts and a torrential rain filled the gutters with gushing streams ankle deep. I didn’t let that deter me and boarded the bus for Delphi, a three hour trip north into the mountains.
THE BLUE EYED MUMMIES OF AMASYA: Turkey
I saw the picture first and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the image of a baby boy mummy staring at me with wide open blue eyes. It was part of a brochure about the archaeology museum in the fabulous mountain town of Amasya, located about 100 miles south inland from the Turkish Black Sea coast.
FEAST OF ST. RUPERT: Salzburg, Austria
My congested breath puffs out in visible clouds as I lumber down the trail from my hostel. In my hazy, fever-induced state, it takes me a while to clue in that large groups of people are headed in the same direction, toward Salzburg’s Altstadt (Old Town). I Underneath the looming hilltop fortress, the town is quaint, baroque, and lit up like Vegas.
GETTING INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: Nuremberg, Germany
This city of half a million people might really overwhelm you the first time you venture into it. But because many of the city’s major attractions are within its old city walls and because of its very user-friendly and extensive public transport system, Nuremberg soon becomes small town manageable.
INSIGHTS FROM TUSCANY - THE ART OF SIMPLICITY: Prato, Italy
It strikes me that aside from the bicycle horn, the only sound I hear on this small street in Tuscany is the foreign chatter of a content population. It is as if the harsh industrial world of machinery, pollution, and environmental distress has been left at the town border.
BAROQUE BEAUTY, MODERN MARVEL: Valletta, Malta
Valletta, a city “Built by Gentlemen for Gentleman”, has received the ultimate accolade. It has the distinction of being known by the Maltese, as Il-Belt. Where else in the world does one find a UNESCO World Heritage Site, christened Superbissima by the rest of Europe immediately it was built, being referred to as ‘The City’ in so laid-back a manner?
EXPLORING BAKU: Azerbaijan
I lived in Baku, Azerbaijan for over 20 years. But I rediscovered the city for myself once again when I was guiding a guest from Switzerland around. As I showed him the landmarks and told him the related history, explaining their meaning, I fell in love all over again with my city.
ITALY - ENCHANTING LUCCA: Tuscany, Italy
Being an opera lover, I decide to visit Lucca in 2008 to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Maestro Puccini in his home town. Little did I know that my day in Lucca would turn out to be a chain of dramatic and emotional events just like scenes from an Italian opera.
DRESDEN CHURCHES, SURVIVORS OF WWII: Germany
Rising from the Heap of World War II destruction in Dresden, Germany, are three magnificent churches. The subject of the Kurt Vonnegut novel Slaughterhouse-Five describes walking amongst the ruins as if walking on the moon. Recently, I visited three of these Dresden churches, survivors of the World War II destruction.
THE SURREAL LIFE: Catalonia, Spain
A house with a dragon’s back. Lantern-lit trees with eerie faces. Turrets made of giant eggs. It may sound like a fairy tale kingdom, but it all actually exists in Catalonia. The seemingly unreal certainly abounds in the capital city of Barcelona and surrounding communities.
PAYING IN WORDS FOR A PRICELESS EXPERIENCE: Avila, Spain
You lie back on the crisp, cool sheets of your king-sized bed. Your room is spacious and elegant: a television, writing desk, and telephone are among the amenities provided. Do you think this type of extravagance is out of the typical student’s budget?
MUSEUM UNDER OPEN SKY: Azerbaijan, Gobustan
Starting our trip from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan with my brother I head south. The road along the beautiful shore of the Caspian Sea leads to Gobustan, one of the famous historical and mystic landmarks of the country. As children we were taken there once by our parents.
THE CIDER ROUTE IN NORMANDY: France
“Normandy is proud of their apple trees,” my French friend told me. There was certainly ample truth in it as the Cider Route (La Route du Cidre) was proposed in 1973 to let people discover and appreciate the great quality of the wine in the region of Pays d’Auge.
A DAY-TRIP TO TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY: The Amalfi Coast, Italy
Few scenes on earth are as spectacular as the Amalfi Coast which stretches from Sorrento to Salerno. Combine sparkling blue-green water, rugged cliffs, a hair-raising bus ride, a leisurely boat ride and stunning little towns like Positano, Amalfi and Ravello and you have one breathtaking sight after another.
ISLAND OF SEAFARERS: Kefalonia, Greece
When Juan de Fuca sailed his ship up the Pacific coast of western Canada, into the Straits now named for him, I wonder if he felt a pang of homesickness for his native home, Kefalonia, Greece. Juan de Fuca, whose real name was Iannis Focus, was born in Kefalonia during the reign of the Venetians in 1550, and later went to sea in the service of Spain, on a quest to find the passage that links the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
A MEDICAL MARVEL: Kos, Greece
Visitors to the Greek island of Kos might be unaware when they arrive of the historical importance of this island but in between enjoying the glorious sunshine, warm waters and beautiful views you cannot go far without stumbling across ancient ruins and landmarks.
CYCLING IN BRUSSELS - “A VÉLO, MESDAMES! Belgium
It was ‘car-free Sunday’ when I arrived in Brussels. From dawn till dusk, no motorized vehicles were allowed into the city centre, apart from public transport. The streets filled up with smiling happy cyclists, trikers, Nordic walkers, roller-bladers, joggers and strollers. What a great opportunity to explore my new surroundings!
TORCELLO - THE FORGOTTEN VENICE: Italy
Six miles from Venice. across a vast stretch of water, lies a mysterious relic of a bygone era. the precursor of Venice – Torcello. It was here. on this remote and neglected island. that Venice’s path of destiny began with the creation of an original blueprint of itself.
OSTIA ANTICA - THE OTHER POMPEII: Italy
In the early sixties, I had explored Pompeii. Now, over 40 years later, my husband and I set out to investigate Ostia Antica: the other Pompeii. After arriving at the Ostia Metro station, we strolled the few blocks to the entrance. Ahead of us lay the mile-long Decumanus Maximus, the main drag of its day.
THE TRADITION, THE JOY AND THE JAZZ CONTINUE: At The Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy
The morning light strikes the 13th Century Italian city of Perugia, not like a symphonic chord, but rather like a series of soft notes, slowly turning the grey cobblestones pink and gold as the Umbrian sun rises over the ancient buildings. The jazz arrives in a similar fashion.
FRANCE: Biking On The Canal Du Midi
We were planning a long camping trip to France. We had dreamed for years of hiring a boat on the Canal du Midi but were always put off by the expense, so my partner came up with the idea of cycling its length: inexpensive, a good way to see the countryside, meet the people and great exercise.
WHEN I PAINT MY MASTERPIECE: Rome, Italy
I have heard that Fausto delle Chiaie displays his work every day in Rome’s Piazza Augusto Imperatore, between Emperor Augustus’ Mausoleum and the Ara Pacis Museum, and I have come to seek him out. He turns and looks quizzically at me.
RETURN TO SARAJEVO: Bosnia-Herzegovina
I looked up through the clear blue sky as the commercial jet flew high over the valley. It was 2004 and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina was still suffering from the scars of the 1990s war. Progress had been made, buildings rebuilt, and people were moving on with their lives. I had hoped then to come back again one day.
RUBBING OFF LUCK AT A TURKISH WEDDING: Turkey
I was thrilled, when I was recently invited to a Turkish wedding. The invitation immediately raised an important question: what gift to take? Tradition requires the guests to give money or gold or both. Luckily, every jeweller has a selection of gold coins, adorned with a red silk bow and a pin for just that occasion. That’s it. No wedding list, no towels or toasters.
A TURKISH DELIGHT - EXPLORING BODRUM AND FETHIYE: Turkey My friend and I arrived at Bodrum by ferry from the Greek island of Kos. Bodrum is a beautiful bustling tourist centre. The harbour is dominated by the impressive Castle of St. Peter built by the Knights of St. John. Magnificent yachts from all over the world are anchored there.
THE ICON PAINTER: Greece
The success of the movie Angels and Demons has had a major impact on sightseeing in Rome. The cost usually exceeds €50 per person. Alternatively, you can take the two-day “do-it-yourself” tour and visit all of the movie locations.
A “DO-IT-YOURSELF” ANGELS AND DEMONS TOUR OF ROME: Italy
The success of the movie Angels and Demons has had a major impact on sightseeing in Rome. The cost usually exceeds €50 per person. Alternatively, you can take the two-day “do-it-yourself” tour and visit all of the movie locations.
MAKING CHRISTMAS MEMORABLE: Germany
Christmas in Germany is taken really seriously and has much historical significance. Decorated Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 16th century when Christians started bringing decorated fir trees into their homes.
DODGING BANDITS IN SARDINIA
“Are you sure this is wise?” he had asked. I was engrossed in reading The Rough Guide: ‘ … bandit capital … between 1901 and 1954, Orgosolo - population 4,000 – clocked up an average of one murder every two months.’ Always the adventurer, I dismissed his worry. “Of course it’s wise,” I reassured him.
HIKING MOUNT GOLICA: Slovenia
Slovenia, located south of Austria, is an alpine country with plenty of mountains and places to hike. Hiking trails in the valleys and in the mountains attract visitors from all over the world.
THE CLIFF SIDE TEMPLE TOMBS OF FETHIYE: Turkey
Ever since I saw pictures of them in the National Geographic years before, I’ve dreamed of visiting the Lycian tombs at Fethiye, Turkey. But can I reach them? I’m already exhausted from the 40C heat and the long slope I’ve walked up from the town.
AN AFTERNOON WITH THE ROMANS: Turkey
Joining other excited history buffs, my husband, daughter and I leave Kusadasi’s docks and head into Turkey’s arid northwestern hills. As archeology-student guide Tino sets the scene, we roll along through pastoral countryside dotted with fig and apricot trees, Mediterranean pines and olive groves…
TENERIFE - A FUN-FILLED FIESTA: Canary Islands, Spain
While whizzing along Tenerife's scenic west coast, a sea of flags and gently swaying streamers entices us to stop. It was a fiesta in honour of La Virgen de Candelaria, the Canary Islands patron saint. A coastal town, Alcala changed its name to Candelaria (meaning Candle Mass) when the saint’s image was washed up Chimisay beach.
FINDING INSPIRATION AT THE TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS: Athens, Greece
It was warm for Athens in October, really warm. The sun was intense, and my feet tired from touring the Acropolis the day before. as I headed to visit the largest temple of antiquity, The Temple of Olympian Zeus. I had spied on the awe-inspiring collection of columns from high atop the Acropolis the day before and could not wait to get a close-up look.
APOLLO ORACLE: Didim,Turkey
Will the oracle talk to me? Will the Medusa turn me to stone? I laugh at myself, as these thoughts go through my mind while I trudge up the steep road which leads from my holiday place in Didim, about 150 miles south of Izmir on the west coast of Turkey to the complex of the oracle in Didiyma about 3 miles away.
ĐAKOVACKI VEZOVI: EMBROIDERING A COLORFUL CROATIAN FESTIVAL: Đakovo, Croatia
The 43-year old festival lasts for two weeks. Starting from mid June, people come to Đakovo to enjoy the best of the Slavonian traditions - delicacies, wines, arts, music and horse breeding. The last day of the celebration, always a Sunday, attracts the largest crowd. The grand day this year was on July 5.
CELEBRATING MALTESE HERITAGE: Mdina’s Flower and Pageantry Festival
They call it “The Silent City,” but Mdina in the tiny Mediterranean country of Malta is anything but silent on this April day. It’s Mdina’s (pronounced Medina which is Arabic for city) annual flower and pageantry festival, marking the beginning of spring and also commemorating the warlike history of this alluring walled settlement.
VISITING ISTANBUL ONE DAY WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA: Istanbul, Turkey
Last April, I was in Istanbul when United States President Obama paid a visit to the city. We followed the same itinerary, except I didn’t have the political meetings that Obama had. It was Obama’s first visit to a country where ninety percent of the people are Muslim. I am there on my second visit to the city to write about how it has changed in the last ten years.
LOVER’S SPAT WITH THE ETERNAL CITY: Rome, Italy
I love Rome so much I live there two months every year. But last year, Roma morphed from lover to spouse who no longer strived to satisfy, much less delight me. I did not have an aha! moment, that moved my passion for Roma to the echoes of Medieval bells and memories of riso gelato. It was good while it lasted. And then it was over.
VENICE, MISTRESS OF THE SEAS: Venice, Italy
Venice is a city dappled with light, tremulous and flashing, shimmering gently beneath the bridges and seeping into the shadowy lanes. Once known as Serenissima, the most Serene Republic, for centuries the sun shimmering on gilded domes and pinnacles, the soft splash of the gondoliers' poles ...
GRONINGEN, A VERY DUTCH CITY: Groningen, The Netherlands
It’s Sunday morning and Groningen is still sleeping. A huge number of bikes are locked everywhere, the streets are quite deserted and the shops closed. Only a few hours ago the atmosphere was completely different: pubs and discos were crowded with people, streets were full of boys and girls walking across the town or getting something to eat at one of the ambulant food sellers.
WELCOME TO THE REALM OF HADES AND PERSEPHONE, THE ORACLE OF THE DEAD: Greece
The boat cuts a silent swathe through the jade coloured water of the narrow river. I imagine crocodiles lurking in the shallows. And surely those tangled boughs that dip into the murky surface shelter coiled serpents ready to strike. I spot several turtles basking in the morning sun on a submerged log. But though there may well have been crocodiles here in by-gone times, and undoubtedly there are snakes among the reeds, this is a river in Greece.
THE OASIS: Poperinge, Belgium
From the outside, No. 43, Gasthuisstraat, in the Belgian town of Poperinge looks like a typical 18th Century town-house of a type commonly found in the Low Countries, but, it’s famous world-wide. I was in Poperinge researching an article about the war, and wanted to see the building my Grandfather had often spoken of.
WALKING THE WALLS INTO ANTIQUITY: Dubrovnik, Croatia
My husband and I had one goal in mind when we visited Croatia: to stroll Dubrovnik’s magnificent walls. But first, we had to immerse ourselves into the atmosphere of that ancient city that had come into existence between AD 598 and 615.
PASSEGGIATA: Strolling Through Italy
In Italy, life proceeds at its own pace and with its own rhythm. When a hotel manager says that the room will be ready, “In ten minutes,” he doesn’t mean by the clock. He means, “In a little while,” an indeterminate amount of time. Maybe it will be soon but more likely later. Once we accept this, we relax.
A ROYAL SCHOOL FOR NOBLE BOYS - MIEZA: Macedonia, Greece
Located near the royal city of Pella, Alexander and his chosen companions were sent there to study under the tutelage of the eminent philosopher Aristotle. There could not have been a better teacher for the future king of Macedon, who would in time become known as Alexander the Great.
THE CRADLE OF HISTORY: Gibraltar, Europe
Gibraltar is visited by millions of tourists each year; many to enjoy the sea and the sunshine, whilst others demand something a little different from their visit to the former British colony. Getting to grips with the history of its turbulent past provides an excellent backdrop from which to enjoy the many sights and attractions which lend themselves to Gibraltar’s present.
CYCLING THE DUTCH CAPITAL: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
From edgy contemporary art to classic architecture to modern engineering marvels, the city has something for everyone. The best way to see this wide array of sights is by bike, the primary mode of transport in Holland and without argument the most efficient.
VENICE, MISTRESS OF THE SEAS: Venice, Italy
It is my first morning in Venice and I am anxious to explore her ancient promenades. Venice is a city dappled with light, tremulous and flashing, shimmering gently beneath the bridges and seeping into the shadowy lanes.
THE GHOST CITY OF MYSTRA: Greece
Mystra, a ghost city near the Peloponnese city of Sparta, dates from the Byzantine period. Usually I prefer exploring the Classical or Bronze Age sites of Greece. But who can ignore a mother’s guidance? I packed my tent and began the five-hour trip to Mystra at the bus terminal in Athens.
MILL POWER: WINDMILLS THROUGH HISTORY: Europe
Windmills first appeared in Persia in about the 7th Century AD, but were unknown in Britain until the end of the 12th Century, when the idea was brought to northern Europe by the Crusaders. They spread rapidly, for windmills and water mills were the first machines used by Man which didn't depend on his own strength, or that of his animals.
AWAY FROM HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Athens, Greece
Christmas in 1983 was the first time I had ever spent Christmas away from my family. I couldn’t have been any farther away from Vancouver, Canada than Athens, Greece. It looked as though it would be a dismal time. Donald and Barry became my saviors, cheering me with their Irish humor and lively music.
A PLACE FOR DREAMERS: Bologna, Italy
One of the last big cities left in Italy that refuses to cater to the influx of tourists, Bologna packs as much culture into its winding vias and shady piazzas as its more popular cousins, Rome and Florence. There is a potent feeling of opportunity that hangs in the air, a vibrancy and excitement for life that radiates from the young residents of this college community.
DEATH AND DOLCE IN THE DOLOMITES: Italy
Here I was, in a cramped machine-gun post 8,000 feet up on Lagazuoi in the Italian Dolomites, where ninety years previously the Austrians had defended their Alps front line against Italians who had joined the war on the side of the Entente Powers.
A REMEMBRANCE DAY MEMORIAL: Ypres, Belgium
The author of the poignant, well-known poem 'In Flanders Fields' was Lt. Col. John Alexander McCrae, a soldier from Guelph Ontario. And still today, on Remembrance Day, November 11th, this beautiful poem resonates to remind us all of the tragedy of war.
WALLPECKERS - CHIPPING AWAY A PIECE OF HISTORY: Berlin
"In Berlin we don’t have woodpeckers; we have wallpeckers," Eva, a native Berliner, tells me. "People come to the Berlin Wall with picks and hammers trying to take home a piece of history." I can understand why. I have thought about doing this myself. Why pay twenty Euro dollars for a small piece of the wall when you can get your own much larger piece free?
A FORMER SOVIET CITY WITH AN EUROPEAN HEART: Riga, Latvia
In 1997, the old town of Riga was made a World Heritage site by Unesco. I explored those neat streets in a cold November afternoon. Old buildings and beautiful monuments stood behind every corner. I crossed the Daugava river to have a look at the wonderful skyline of this city, which impressed me with its sharp and long towers.
SEARCHING FOR ALEXANDER: Thessaloniki, Greece
By the harbour in Thessaloniki, stands a magnificent statue of the young warrior-king, Alexander the Great, astride his fabled horse Bucephalus. I first became acquainted with Alexander when I was in my teens and he has become part in my life. I have realized a dream, coming to northern Greece to trace his footsteps.
HIKING THE SAMARIA GORGE: A SENSORY EXPERIENCE: Crete, Greece
From the moment I reached the threshold of the trail leading through the Samaria Gorge, on Crete, I became acutely aware of the limitations of conveying my experience in text or on film. The sheer magnitude of this landscape is impossible to capture in a photo or even in words. And yet my camera lens was resilient when it came to struggling to capture the pristine vistas or vivid colours of the floral and fauna.
THE FORTIFIED CITY: Nauplion, Greece
On my first visit to Nauplion, in 1978, I recall it only as a dusty little town dominated by an impressive citadel, with a small Venetian fortress out in the Bay. Recently, on a quest to explore Greece‘s medieval past, I decided to return there. What I learned was that Nauplion has been a fortified city since the Bronze Age, and an important part of Greece’s history of the struggle for independence.
THE GHETTO OF VENICE: A Visit to Judaism’s Historic Past
Traveling in Europe, from Spain to Germany there are remnants of lost civilizations with little signs of current Jewish life. Of course there are exceptions, but they just do not seem to balance out the wealth of synagogues that have been turned into museums or churches. However, when I arrived in Italy, I discovered a pulse of Jewish life.
WALL POEMS: Leiden, Holland
As I walked in the historic center of Leiden, the Netherlands, I noticed some words written on a wall. It was neither a commercial advertisement nor a street sign. As I stepped closer I had a wonderful surprise: it was a poem. “The poems, which were written in many different languages, are meant to be for everybody” the initiators of this project explained.
PIERREFONDS GOTHIC GEM: Valois, France
We were driving in the old province of Valois, France. Ahead was a shimmering castle with pot-bellied turrets that crowned a lush meandering coppice. With such rich pickings is it any wonder that these springy-floored footpaths, roads and hills rising to hundreds of feet, were once the favorite hunting ground of emperors and kings?
IVORY AS ART: Erbach, Germany
In the central German town of Erbach Count Franz I of Erbach brought a new skill to his subjects - the art of ivory carving. In 1783, he founded the Ivory Carvers Guild of Erbach. The town rapidly moved toward prosperity, testimony of which is given by the town itself and the local museums.
POURQUOI? Oswiecim, Poland
It was the beginning of February and the weather was predictably Polish; snowing and –10 degrees C. It stopped snowing on my arrival at the small town of Oswiecim, which was a quaint and isolated town for most of its 700 years history until the twentieth century when it gained notoriety by its German name, Auschwitz.
THE OLYMPICS ... RUNNING NAKED FOR THE OLIVE CROWN: Olympia, Greece
This year, the Games of the XXIX Olympiad are being held in Beijing, China. As in the past, athletes from all over the world will compete for the gold medals. The first competition held at Olympia, was nothing to do with going for the gold. In fact, it was a chariot race that would determine who would win the hand of a beautiful princess, and inherit her father’s kingdom.
THE MINOANS: Knossos, Greece
The eruption of the volcano of Santorini, in the Aegean Sea, in 1450 BC, has been the subject of many television documentaries. I’ve been curious about the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, on nearby Crete, ever since I visited Santorini. Was a whole civilization centred upon Knossos really wiped out at a stroke by the eruption of the volcano and the resultant tsunami in?
MARKET DAY: Vushtrri, Kosovo
In Vushtrri, market day is always on Friday. I followed the old man down the steps and into the traffic circle, which was jammed with trucks, their beds piled with potatoes and other vegetables, but most of all—now that winter had begun—with cabbages. More trucks were arriving behind us, and they drove up onto the sidewalks and circled us like a wagon train under siege.
AN EASTER PILGRIMAGE: Patmos, Greece
Patmos, a small island with about 2,000 residents, is one of the Greek Dodecanese Islands near the Turkish coast. It was once noted for its shipbuilding and trade and many of the traditional mansions have been restored. Today Patmos is known mainly for the Monastery of St. John the Theologian and for the pilgrimage at Easter, which attracts visitors from all over the world.
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