The medieval hilltop village of Hora is one of the finest in the Aegean — a maze of whitewashed mansions, arched alleyways, and hidden courtyards that has remained largely unchanged since the 17th century. The village was built high and inland precisely to be difficult for pirates to find and attack, and the labyrinthine layout served that defensive purpose well.
Wandering the lanes without a destination is the correct approach: the village reveals itself slowly, opening onto unexpected terraced views of the sea or a small plateia with a single kafeneion. The mansions that line the upper lanes were built by wealthy Patmian merchants in the 17th and 18th centuries and many remain in the same families. In the evenings, Hora's tavernas and the bars around the plateia below the monastery fill with a quiet, well-dressed crowd.