Patmos parking is simple once you know the island’s rules: use Skala for the port, use the signed lot above Chora for the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse, and use roadside or beach-edge parking for Kambos, Lampi, Grikos, and Diakofti. The historic core of Chora is protected by UNESCO World Heritage 1999 inscription rules, and Greek Archaeological Law 3028/2002 keeps the fortified alleys car-free, so a rental car, scooter, or ATV cannot enter the pedestrian zone. Skala is Patmos’s main port, ferry, and shopping base, and the island’s rental handover points cluster around the waterfront and the Skala pier. If you arrive as a foot passenger from Leros, Kos, Samos, Lipsi, Arkioi, or Marathi, the easiest strategy is to park once and walk the rest of the way. The practical parking pattern in Skala is straightforward: Free waterfront strips: Skala has signed free parking areas along the harbor edge, and drivers often use these for short stays near cafés and agencies. Main municipal lot: The largest public lot sits on the road rising from Skala toward Chora, roughly 150 meters from the ferry pier and near the Moto Faros office. No paid municipal parking: Skala’s public parking is free, but availability drops sharply when cruise passengers and ferry tender traffic arrive together. Vehicle-loaded ferry note: If you are collecting a car after a vehicle-loaded ferry arrival, expect a concentrated burst of cars, luggage, and foot passengers around the same unloading window. If the Skala waterfront is full, continue to the opposite side of the bay toward Hochlakas and the Sunset Hotel; that side is usually calmer and gives you an easier exit back toward the main road. The Chora of Patmos is a protected pedestrian settlement, and the rules around the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian are stricter than many first-time visitors expect. Under Greek Archaeological Law 3028/2002, the fortified core and its alleys are off-limits to private vehicles, and the UNESCO World Heritage 1999 inscription reinforces the preservation duty for the whole zone. Driving a rental car, scooter, or ATV into the historic core of Chora can trigger enforcement action, especially where “No Entry” signs protect the monastery approaches and the narrow lanes around the Cave of the Apocalypse. The official parking point for monastery visits is the large lot at the top of the Skala-Chora road, near the bus terminal and roundabout where taxis and minibuses turn around. That lot is the safest place to leave your car whether you came with a Fiat Panda, Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 208, or Opel Corsa, and the driving rules for Patmos also explain the 30 km/h urban limit that applies as you approach Chora. This Chora lot fills quickly in summer. In July and August, it can be full by 11:00 AM, and during Greek Easter or the Feast of the Assumption between August 13 and 17, drivers often find it full by 9:00 AM. The island’s heritage status also explains why access is protected so carefully: the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse are integral to the UNESCO designation, and Greek Archaeological Law 3028/2002 gives the preservation framework legal force rather than leaving the rule to local custom. If the main Chora lot is full, Patmos still gives you a workable fallback: the Aporthianos corridor, also called the old pilgrim route or donkey track, connects the lower road system with the Chora ridge. It is a practical pedestrian solution for visitors who have already parked in Skala or near the lower approach roads. The path was built in 1819, restored in 2010 by ELLET in the “Paths of Culture” project, and it remains one of the clearest ways to move between the Cave of the Apocalypse, Chora, and the Monastery zone without a car. The route is about 1.7 km on the direct pilgrim line or 2.4 km on the slightly longer road alignment, and the round-trip walking loop is commonly listed at 4.0 km with about 213 meters of elevation gain. The easiest visitor flow is to take a taxi or bus up first, visit the Monastery, then walk down through Chora and descend toward Skala via the Aporthianos track and the Cave of the Apocalypse; this keeps the hardest uphill section out of the hottest part of the day. The route is fully exposed, and the stone surface can be slippery after rain, so avoid the middle of the day in summer and choose stable shoes if you are carrying a child, camera gear, or shopping bags.