Greek city of Patras. Patras is the largest city in the Peloponnese.
The city of Patras (Πάτρα) is the largest financial, commercial and cultural center Peloponnese and western Greece. It is the capital of the Achaia region, with a population of slightly more than 200 thousand people, the fourth largest city in Greece.
Patras is called the gateway of Greece to the west, mainly because of the port, which is an important, from a transport and commercial point of view, a center of trade with Western Europe and Italy. Patras has 2 universities, an institute of technology and a research institute with high performance in the field of technical education.
Archaeological studies have shown that Patras was inhabited in the Paleolithic era, the first inhabitants of the region were the Ionians.
The extremely important role and peak of the city's heyday coincides with the period of the creation of the Achaean Union, in 280 BC.
From the city of Patras you have easy access to most historical sites Peloponnese: in the south is Olympia, about an hour's drive to it; in the area is the most ancient temple Apollo, which is the best preserved in Greece. On the contrary, on mainland Greece - the famous Delphi, where the most famous oracle was located ancient world. In the mountains, east of the city of Patras is located picturesque city Kalavryta (Καλαβρύτων), which has an excellent ski resort.
How to get to the city of Patras?
♦ Patras has an airport, 30 km from the city
♦ If you are coming from Athens by car, follow the 8A road, which goes directly to Patras
♦ The bus from Athens departs from KTEL Kifisu 100, the journey takes 3 hours, the ticket costs 18.9 euros. Arrives at KTEL of the city of Patras (Address: Όθωνος και Αμαλίας, 85), it is located next to the port
♦ The Athens - Patras train departs from Larisis station (σταθμος Λαρισης), the journey takes 4 hours, the ticket costs 17 euros. Patras railway station is very close to the port
Required phone numbers in the city of Patras:
KTEL in Athens (information for Patras): +30 2105134669
KTEL Patras: +30 2610 623887
Railway station in Patras, information: +30 2610 639108
Radiotaxi: +30 2610 450 000
Police: +30 2610 433181
Peloponnese is the cradle of Greece, a peninsula where the most important events of Greek history took place. Peloponnese is famous untouched nature, luxurious sandy beaches and rich heritage of past centuries. Here is the center ancient civilization on the planet - Mycenae, the legendary Sparta, Olympia and Epidaurus. Also, one of three largest cities Greece, Patras.
View of Patras from the walls of the Venetian fortress.
Key points about Patras
The city of Patras is located in the northwest of the Peloponnese, on the shores of the Gulf of Patraikos. This largest port peninsulas and the center of Achaea nome with a population of almost 210 thousand inhabitants.
In Patras mediterranean climate with warm, humid winters and hot summers. But, in general, the weather in Patras is very comfortable throughout the year. During the summer average temperature reaches +28 °C, and the coldest month is January (about +10 °C).
The city is surrounded by mountains and immersed in greenery - like any other city in the Peloponnese, Patras are famous for their picturesque nature. Although it is not considered a resort, there are several good beaches for relax.
The city beach is located 1 km from the center, crowded with tourists and locals in summer. It is well organized: there are sun loungers, water activities, beach bars and many hotels. From the center you can get here by bus.
Those who like to relax in silence will appreciate Psafopyrgos beach, 16 km away from the center. Nearby is the traditional village of the same name, which has everything for a comfortable pastime: taverns, sun loungers, several small hotels. This a good option for families with children.
17 km from Patras is the beach of Rodini with a clean coastline. It is also suitable for family vacation.
Attractions Patras: what to see in the city
Tourism began to develop in Patras thanks to a large international port. It receives ferries from Italy and the Ionian Islands. At the same time, Patras does not look like a "passing" city - it has something to interest tourists for a few days.
Sea port of Patras.
The symbol of Patras has become medieval castle, built on the high point. The idea of building a castle on this site came to the mind of Emperor Justinian, and ancient pre-Christian buildings served as the material. He repelled any attacks on Patras, which locals called a miracle. The castle acquired its current state in the Middle Ages - it was rebuilt and significantly expanded. Today, anyone can visit it to enjoy the views of the city and the port. In summer it often hosts cultural festivals.
The Roman Odeon is another important monument of Patras. It was erected even before the famous Athenian Odeon, but was badly damaged as a result of wars, invasions and earthquakes. Long forgotten and buried under the remains of buildings, in 1889 the Odeon was accidentally discovered by the builders of the port. Its restoration was completed in 1956. Today ancient monument serves as a venue for events International Festival Patr.
From Roman times, Patram inherited the ruins of an aqueduct. The population of the city was growing rapidly, and he simply needed a similar source of water supply. Today you can see part of the dam and arched structures. This is all that remains of the almost 7-meter aqueduct, but its ruins are recognized as an important monument of Patras.
Among religious monuments Of particular importance is the church of Agios Andreas, built in honor of Andrew the First-Called - the patron saint of Patras. It is said that this is where he was crucified. The church was erected in 1974, and until now its dome is considered the largest in the Balkans. The architecture is designed in the Byzantine style, there is a bell tower and many arches. Directly opposite is old church dated 1835.
Patras has several museums worth visiting. Archaeological Museum The city is one of the five largest in Greece. On permanent display three big halls are ancient finds discovered on the territory of the city and in the west of the Achaea region. The museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. And at the Folklore Museum there will be an opportunity to get acquainted with folk art. The collection includes agricultural tools, furniture, household items, handicrafts. Many items are unique and have been collected from nearby villages. The exhibition is accompanied by photographs and detailed story about each exhibit.
Once in Patras, it is impossible not to see an engineering miracle - the Rion-Andirion bridge, which connected mainland Greece with the Peloponnese. It is located near Patras and impresses not only during the day, but also at night when the lights are turned on.
Bridge Rion-Andirion.
How to get to Patras
Araxos Airport is located 50 km from the city, accepting flights from Vienna, Stuttgart, Munich, Paris, Athens. Basically, these are charters with tourists choosing the Peloponnese for recreation. Starting from May, you can fly from Moscow to Patras with Nord Star flights.
It is more convenient for some to get through Athens, but the distance between cities is impressive - more than 250 km. In the capital of Greece, you can take a train or scheduled bus. Travel time will be 2.5-4 hours. By car from Athens, you need to move first along the E94 highway, then near Corinth turn towards Patras on the E65 highway.
The city can also be reached by ferry from Italian cities Bari, Venice and Brindisi or from the Greek island of Corfu.
Patras on the map of Greece.
Last summer my friend and I decided to go to Greece. But it wasn't beach holiday in one of resort areas countries, we wanted to travel around different cities, villages, look at the life of ordinary citizens and, of course, at the main attractions.
Bus
One of the transportation options is the bus. By this public transport, you can get from one city to another in three hours or longer, because it all depends on the flight. Buses from the well-known Greek company Ktel Achaias run along this route.
There are many flights available per day. Eat night bus, which departs at 2:30, the first one in the morning starts at 05:00, and the last one at 22:00.
The interval of movement of this transport is from fifteen minutes to an hour. More details can be found on the carrier's website. The only point is that there is no language selection function (neither English nor Russian). I used the translation function that Google automatically offers. Therefore, I recommend this method to you. :) And if you can't figure it out, then you can just ask at the bus station. :)
By the way, here is a mark on the map where exactly the bus station is located.
Fare
A bus ticket will cost 12-19 euros. If you are planning to return from Greek capital back to Patras, then buy travel cards in both directions at once, save about 10 euros.
Purchase
You can buy tickets at the ticket office of the bus station.
A car
If you do not like the option with public transport, then you can use car. You can rent such a vehicle on the Internet, because now there are a lot of online services like , where options are sorted according to given parameters. But such a "pleasure" will cost three hundred euros and more, depending on the brand of car. Therefore, think carefully about whether you are ready to lay out such an amount.
Concerning the state highways in Greece, they are good there - most are designed for two or three lanes in each direction, the road surface is even, pits are very rare. The trip will be comfortable.
But I want to warn you right away that in Greece car roads paid. The Olympia motorway passes from Patras, where the fare depends on the number of kilometers covered and the category vehicle.
For the entire journey in a passenger car, you will have to pay 6.3 euros. Payment is made in cash or bank cards at the entrance to paid section. There are six toll booths on the Olympia motorway:
- Elefsina (26 km);
- Peramos (33 km);
- Pachi (41 km);
- Agioi (65 km);
- Isthmos (73 km);
- Rio (205 km).
By the way, you can get to Athens by car in three hours, but this is subject to the absence of traffic jams.
Other options
Despite the fact that both cities have major railway stations, there is no direct connection between them. You need to travel with two transfers. This option seemed inconvenient to me, despite the fact that the trip takes three to four hours. But of course, it's up to you to decide. If you decide to travel like this, then here is the site of the Greek railway.
There is no air service between these cities, so the option with by air also disappears.
Outcome
My friend and I traveled to Athens by bus. Driving licenses both me and my friend don’t (we won’t dare to take an exam at a driving school), so this was the only way to get there. Regarding comfort, the bus was a solid five - there was Internet, the cabin was clean, the chairs were soft. I can’t say anything bad, I liked it, my friend was also happy.
We have planned a trip to Olympia. The road to Olympia goes through the Greek city of Patras, where the temple of St. Andrew the First-Called is located and in the temple - one of the greatest shrines the Christian world - the ark with the relics of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, as well as the cross of Andrew the First-Called. The Church of St. Andrew the First-Called in Patras is located on the site where the Apostle Andrew was crucified. We decided to visit this cathedral for sure.
Today the city of Patras is a large metropolis with a population of 160 thousand people. It's a transit city The largest city-port. The city itself is the third largest in Greece. Universities are located in Patras, respectively, there are many students and everything related to student life in the city: theaters, bars, cafes, places of recreation and entertainment.
The city of Patras is divided into two parts: old Patras, ( upper city) where there are narrow streets, historical sights, many colorful taverns and shops where you can buy souvenirs and memorable gifts. It is worth visiting the Palia Petra area, which has preserved buildings from thousand years of history. Architecture of the late classical period/
New Patras -modern city. New Patras is located on the coast of the Ionian Sea. In addition to the port, there are hotels and beaches. The city itself is not seaside resort, because the sea is cool.
The air temperature for summer is low:
- in June 22 - 29 degrees
- in July 24 – 32
- in August 26 - 32
Windy, often cloudy, rainy. Despite this, there are many tourists and vacationers in Patras.
We took the temperature values from the Internet. It’s not very clear to me myself, so what kind of air temperature prevails.
The beaches of Patras
From myself I can say the following: from Patras, Galya and I drove by car. Therefore, during the trip, we drove up to the sea (in our case, to the shore of the Gulf of Corinth), chose a beach and swam.
Small beach between Delphi and Patras
Once again I will say: our experience is the beaches, or rather the beaches, of the Krinth Bay, I would say invigorates. Very clean and transparent. We met large pebbles, boulders and stones on the beaches. Entrance - exit, as well as bathing itself - not for children. Perhaps there are beaches more suitable for families (we saw a small part). Haven't been to the beach in Patras. We know about it from magazines.
"Euromag" - a major European magazine periodically publishes a catalog (rating) of the best, in its opinion, beaches. The city beach in Patras ranks 1st among the beaches of Greece (according to the magazine). He was awarded the Blue Flag. This means that the beach is clean, comfortable, beautiful.
One of the beaches near Patras
If you want to stop in Patras and swim, then Here you can choose for yourself good hotel on the shore of the bay.
It is convenient to navigate in the city, because. Patras is the first city in Greece where, since the 19th century, a clear construction plan has been used for new buildings.
The history of the city of Patras began in the 3rd century BC. During Roman rule. Patras was formed by the merger of three Mycenaean villages. The city received its name - in honor of one of the Achaean leaders Patreos Patras, who participated in the creation of the city. Crafts began to develop in the city. The convenient location has made the city a famous port city. From here there was a trade exchange with Italy.
Patras attractions
1. The Cathedral of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the cross of the Apostle Andrew, the relics of Andrew the First-Called.
3. Ruins ancient acropolis, Odeon (Ὠιδεῖον or other Greek ᾠδεῖον) is a building for singing and musical competitions built in Athens under Pericles. Subsequently, it was used for various public purposes. There are odeons in various Greek cities.
4. Ruins of the fortress. The fortress in Patras belongs to the Byzantine era
Fortress ruins
5. Cable-stayed bridge over the Gulf of Corinth. This is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. Opened a week before Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. This bridge has several names: Rio Antirio, Rion Andirion and official name- Γέφυρα Ρίου-Αντιρρίου, i.e. Harilaos Trikoupis Bridge (the Prime Minister of Greece, who wanted to build this bridge back in the 19th century, but then the economic situation in the country did not allow the dream to come true).
Rio Antirio bridge across the Gulf of Corinth
6. Carnival (takes place annually in December). Colourful, bright, incendiary holiday. Gathers a huge number of participants, including tourists.
Carnival
There are not many historical sights. In our opinion, the main thing in Patras is the Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Church of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called
The Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Patras was built over several decades and was completed in 1974. Next to the cathedral is another, medieval, temple, built just on the spot where Andrew the First-Called was martyred.
I remember the long queues in Moscow at the time when the relics of St. Andrew were brought to Russia. When Galya and I entered the cathedral in Patras, there were two of us in huge temple. Voshchli we freely, during the day, at 12 o'clock. The door was open.
Andrew the First-Called is the first of the apostles whom Christ called. After the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the disciples - the apostles cast lots, in which direction to go and carry the word of God. So they are connected with the name and activity of St. Paul (the apostle) and Luke.
The name of the Apostle Mark is immortalized - San Marco Square and the Cathedral of St. Mark, the name of the Apostle Peter is associated with - the Cathedral of San Pietro and famous square, which is broadcast when the Pope addresses his flock. The name of the Apostle James is associated with Spain and the city of Santiago de Compostela.
According to the legend, it fell to the apostle Andrew to preach in Thrace and Scythia.
We have come down to the works of the historian Ovid, who lived at that time (from 43 years before the birth of Christ to 18 years after Christmas). I give modern titles territories that, according to Ovid, were occupied by Scythia: territories north of the Black Sea, part of the Caucasus, the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, the Don and Southern Bug rivers (Ukraine), the Crimean Peninsula.
The Tale of Bygone Years, written at the beginning of the 12th century, says that the Apostle Andrew visited Novgorod and the northern Russian lands, predicted the emergence of Kyiv, being on the territory of present-day Ukraine.
In 70 AD Apostle Andrew was martyred on the cross in the city of Patras.
The cross on which Saint Andrew was crucified is X-shaped. Greek name such a cross is a banner. When Peter I created the flag of the Russian fleet, he used the image of the St. Andrew's Cross. Actually, the name - St. Andrew's banner - this is the St. Andrew's Cross. Cross - symbolizing the X-shaped form of the cross on which the Apostle Andrew was crucified.
The cross itself is located in Patras in the temple of St. Andrew the First-Called. There is a chapel at the place where the apostle was executed. It is 20 meters from the cathedral.
Order of St. Andrew the First-Called
In Russia there is an order - the Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called. This is perhaps the most significant award. Awarded for services to the Fatherland.
List of Knights of the Order Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called in imperial Russia.
Relics of Andrew the First-Called
The relics of St. Andrew are also in the cathedral: head, finger, parts of the cross.
A special story is connected with the relics of the Apostle Andrew.
The Apostle Andrew was killed in Patras around 70 AD. The relics of the Saint were kept in Constantinople. They streamed myrrh abundantly. Several times a year, myrrh was scooped out in buckets.
Then, in the 11th century, the crusaders stole the shrine and transported it to Italy, to the city of Amalfi. A magnificent cathedral was built for the relics in the city, but the relics ceased to stream myrrh. After a gap of about a hundred years, when the faithful prayed and asked for forgiveness from the saint, myrrh-streaming was restored.
Legends say that the relics began to stream myrrh again when the last crusader involved in the theft died.
Be that as it may, grace has reappeared.
In 1964, the Catholics returned the head of the Apostle Andrew. It is located in the cathedral in Patras. In Patras, there is another part of the body of the holy Apostle Andrew - a finger.
The story of the appearance in the Orthodox world of this particle of the saint’s body is even more unusual: “one pious Christian woman”, who came to Italy to venerate the holy relics, bit off her finger from the relics in the process of applying to the relics and returned the shrine to the Orthodox world.
This finger is also kept in the holy ark in Patras, along with the head of the Saint and the particles of the cross.
Patras Map
The city of Patras is one of the most visited places by pilgrims. There are pilgrimage tours from Athens to Patras. You can come to Patras on your own.
How to get to Patras:
Enlarge the map and see how to walk to the Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Athens-Patras
1. By car: it is convenient to get to Patras from Athens, from Delphi, from Olympia.
2. public transport- more difficult. I don’t know what the problem is: that transport is bad in Greece or that it is difficult to find a site and buy a ticket through it. The situation is complicated by the lack of translation of the text into English language((
Therefore, I tell you how to get there is not very clear:
From Athens: metro + train + bus in 3 hours 38 minutes
Walking distance to Μ2 Πειραιάς — Χαλκίδα Αεροδρόμιο — Κιάτο Κιάτο — Πάτρα λεωφορείο
Apparently, they refer to the bus schedule.
3. By train from Athens: from railway station(it is also a station - there are two of them in Athens) Peloponnese Station.
4. By bus. There are Greek sites bus stations, but they are in Greek ((We, with our experience of traveling and booking various tickets, could not figure out how to book a ticket to Patras from this site, from Athens or Delphi, for example, and how to find out the schedule ((
And one more thing, here you can watch in English www.ktel-fokidas.gr/index.php/en/
The rest you will have to find yourself.
Find information about railway stations Greece, train and bus schedules are incredibly complicated. All information must be obtained on the spot, at the station.
5. Another option for the Athens-Patras trip is a pilgrimage one day excursion by bus with an English-speaking guide.
You can also take a tour of Meteora there. Or go on your own. To help you, our 2 articles about Meteors.
Patras is one of the most important cities in Greece, the most significant locality in the Peloponnese and the capital of the nome Achaea. Its population is just over 200 thousand people, which by local standards is almost a metropolis. In addition, it is also the largest Greek port on the Ionian Sea and the second largest in the country after Piraeus. In general, when passing by, it makes sense to make a stop. Moreover, there is something to see in the city.
The location of the city is such that when traveling through the western Peloponnese, it will not be possible to pass it. Firstly, Patras are located very close to Olympia, and secondly, the internal roads of the Peloponnese, due to mountainous terrain, so twisted that many prefer not to mess with them, and go from Corinth or Tripoli to Olympia through Patras.
Another reason is the bridge in Rio, connecting the Peloponnese with mainland Greece and being great solution for those autotourists who have little time, but Napoleonic plans.
The capital of Achaia nome is famous for its sunsets
At the first acquaintance with the city, special emotions do not arise. In architecture, it is very reminiscent of Athens or Thessaloniki, but much poorer in their sights. But this is only at first glance.
The fact is that Patras is a student city. There are many motorcycles, clubs, bars, fashion shops and other companions of youth.
Like Athens, the city buzzes all night long during the summer months, but if the capital is dominated by a more mature and respectable audience, then in Patras it is the students who are the driving force behind the nightly entertainment.
Patras is a youth city with a huge number of cafes and bars
What to see
As for the sights, this is Psila Alonia Square, the city fortress, the Odeon and the Cathedral, which houses the relics of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.
The latter circumstance is very related to the inhabitants of Patri Kiev, for whom Andrew the First-Called is also a heavenly patron. But if the Apostle refers to the people of Kiev indirectly, since he preached in the lands where the capital of Ukraine is now located, even before its foundation, then the fate of the Saint was more closely intertwined with Patras. It was here in 66 AD that the Apostle Andrew was crucified by order of the Roman authorities.
IN Cathedral the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called are kept
Speaking of the city, you can not ignore the shopping. If for some reason you could not go shopping in Athens, then in Patras you can more than make up for this omission.
You will be incredibly lucky if you find yourself in Patras during the Carnival period, which is considered not only the largest in Greece, but also one of the most significant in the world.
The carnival takes place annually at the end of winter and beginning of spring and does not have clear dates, since it is tied to the celebration of Easter.
You can clarify the current dates of carnivals in Greece until 2020, and you can get acquainted with the traditions of the celebration in the Peloponnese in more detail.
How to get there and where to stay
You can get to Patras without any problems by car or bus on the Athens-Corinth-Patras highway.
True, to be completely correct, only the Athens-Korinth section can be called an autobahn in the full sense of the word; from Corinth, it is more correct to call the road "the so-called autobahn." However, the path that runs along south coast The Gulf of Corinth compensates for all possible inconveniences with its views.
If it is more comfortable for you to travel by bus, then routes to Patras depart from Athens from Terminal A, located at 100, Kiffissou str. More than 10 flights connect both cities daily.
More details about the bus stations in Athens and how to get to them Grekoblog.
The bridge in Rio is one of the main highlights in this part of Greece
You can also get here by train from Athens. At least 10 trains connect both cities daily, and the journey takes about 4 hours: a little more or a little less, depending on the type of train.
Grekoblog wrote about how to find the current train schedule and buy train tickets online at.
If you are traveling by sea, then regular maritime traffic connects the city not only with the most significant Greek islands in the Ionian Sea, but also with Italian cities Brindisi, Bari, Ancona and Venice.
When visiting the city with an overnight stay, best selection hotels.
Climate:
The climate in the city is Mediterranean - with hot and dry summers and warm but wet winters. The largest number rainfall occurs in November and December. From May to September, rains are extremely rare and mostly sunny weather prevails.
Summer sunset from the embankment
The hottest months of the year are July and August. Historically, average monthly temperature during this period it is + 25C, but often the thermometer rises to + 40C. The coldest month is January, the average temperature of which is +10C.
Beaches:
Patras in Greece is not considered a resort - it is rather an administrative and logistical hub, despite the fact that the city has its own beach. Although in the summer months there is nowhere for an apple to fall on it, residents prefer to go swimming in other places if possible.
