Patras (Patra) is Greece's third city and capital of the Western Greece region. It faces its gulf at the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. For those arriving by ferry from Ancona, Bari or Venice it is the gateway to the Peloponnese and the most direct route to Athens. It is a young, lively university town.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Castle | Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman fortress above the city, with views over the gulf |
| Roman odeon | Small 1st-century AD theatre used for summer shows |
| Basilica of St Andrew | Large 20th-century church to the patron saint, with relics of the apostle, said to have been crucified here on an X-shaped cross |
| Ano Poli and stairways | The upper town with neoclassical houses, reached by stairways such as Agiou Nikolaou |
| Apollon Theatre | Elegant neoclassical theatre by Ernst Ziller on Georgiou Square |
| Archaeological Museum | Modern, with Roman mosaics and finds from Achaea |
| Achaia Clauss | Historic winery founded in 1861, famous for sweet Mavrodaphne wine |
The carnival
The Patras Carnival is Greece's largest and most famous, and one of Europe's biggest. It lasts weeks, from January to Clean Monday, with parties, float parades, a treasure hunt and the grand final parade, ending with the burning of the carnival king in the harbour.
The Rio-Antirrio bridge
A few kilometres from the city, the Rio-Antirrio bridge, officially the Charilaos Trikoupis bridge, spans the strait at the mouth of the Gulf of Corinth. About 2.9 km long, it is one of the world's longest cable-stayed bridges, built to withstand earthquakes, and opened in 2004. It links the Peloponnese with western mainland Greece, towards Nafpaktos, Delphi and Epirus.
Onward travel
| Destination | Transport | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Athens | Motorway, KTEL bus or suburban train from Kiato | 2.5-3.5 hours |
| Olympia | Car | about 1.5 hours |
| Delphi | Car, via the bridge | about 2.5 hours |
| Kyllini (ferries to Zakynthos and Kefalonia) | Car | about 1 hour |
| Kefalonia and Ithaca | Ferry from Patras | 3-4 hours |
See also the Peloponnese and getting to Greece.