Travel Guide Patras

At 219 km from Athens and third city of Greece, Patras is often the obligatory passage of the trip in Greece. It is a particularly dynamic city: one meets few sailors, but many soldiers, backpakers, hurried men, students who give a youthful touch to this university city which is a bit dilapidated in places... In short, you either love or hate Patras. The best way to avoid Patras is to go up to the upper city, to the acropolis, to enter Palia Patra, the century old district, to stroll through the streets and squares planted with giant palm trees, or to go and have a drink in Psila Alonia square. Coming to Patras for the carnival is also exceptional: it is during this period that you will feel the pulse of the city, all the locals live for this event and have fun until the early hours of the morning to celebrate it. In the lower town, in the streets parallel and perpendicular to the port street, Othonos-Amalias, there is a grid of wide avenues interspersed with beautiful shady squares where you can find the empire of consumption: fashion stores, shoes, hi-fi and hotels of all categories. There are many hotels near the port, but beware of the dingy and overpriced tourist traps! Getting there. Accessible by bus (www.ktelachaias.gr) and by train (www.trainose.gr). There is also a port (to Italy and the Ionian Islands) and even a small airport (www.araxos-airport.gr).