The little European island you haven’t heard of

Europe is home to hundreds of stunning little islands you may not have heard of – but they’re great for escaping the crowds.

In Greece, tourists often head to Mykonos or Antalya, yet overlook the island of Patmos.

It is often called the island of Apocalypse Which is less scary than it sounds.

This is because it was believed that Patmos was where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation, which is the end of the New Testament.

Pilgrims often come to the island to see the Cave of the Apocalypse, which is where he is said to have had visions.

But now, it is a luxurious holiday island shaped like a seahorse, with only 3,000 locals living on the 16-square-metre island.

It has attracted many celebrities over the years Heat months, including Julia Roberts, David BowieRichard Gere and Tom Hanks, most recently Pierce Brosnan.

George Fotinopoulos, the bar owner of Estiví, talked about his famous guests.

He told The Times: “Every year, for almost a decade, Bowie would come to Patmos for the first ten days of July.

“Jennifer Connelly with her husband Paul Bettany last summer.”

And it has yet to become popular with British tourists.

The beach is lined with whitewashed houses, the town of Chora is home to small restaurants serving local Greek seafood.

Or there are more shops and bars in the port town of Skala, where the cheapest drink is the local Mythos beer or wine grown on the island.

And of course there are stunning beaches on the island, one of the most famous is Lampi Beach with its multi-coloured stones, many of which are soft. pink,

Or one of the only sandy beaches on the island, Petra Beach, is the most popular on the island.

Other popular attractions include the Windmills of Patmos and the Monastery of St. John.

One tourist wrote: “Not as touristy or crowded as Antalya or Mykonos, I fell in love with this gem of an island.”

Another praised the towns, with another commenting: “Chora (also known as Hora) is absolutely gorgeous. Every narrow street is a photoshoot in itself.”

A new Marriott hotel is set to open on the island, which will be the first luxury Resort with 56 rooms, bar and spa.

The best way to get to Patmos is by taking the 2.5-hour ferry from Kos or the 1-hour boat from Leros – although you can also take the eight-hour ferry from Athens.

Flights from the UK to Kos start from £64, or £149 to Leros.

Greece is also home to several other little-known islands.

Paros, known as the ‘New Mykonos’, is found between Mykonos and Santorin and can be reached by a 45-minute plane ride from Athens.

Or the island of Naxos is cheaper than many other islands – where there are more goats than locals.

Don’t want to leave Britain? We’ve discovered that some of the most beautiful British Isles are home to sandy beaches, clear seas and dolphins.