Survival Guide

Welcome to

Patras !

Patras, the mythical city of King Patreus, a connection of the east and the west, of land and sea, of ancient and modern ways, awaits you

Patras

Patras Survival Guide

Table of contents Patras, connecting people and ideologies

University of Patras

How to get to Patras

Map of the city

Hospitals and Labs

Boarding and lodging

Transportation

Exploring the City

Around the area

Events

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On the West side of Greece, where crystal blue waters meet the

green forests, Patras is waiting for you.

Patras is the third largest city of Greece built at the foothills of

Mount Panachaikon, overlooking the Gulf of Patras, where its jewel,

Rio-Antirio bridge, is located.

Patras' core settlement has a history spanning four millennia, as in

the Roman period it had become a cosmopolitan center of the

eastern Mediterranean. Dubbed as Greece's Gate to the West, Patras

is a commercial hub, while its busy port is a nodal point for trade and

communication with the rest of the world.

Patras, connecting people and ideologies

The beautiful beach promenade of Patras, the interesting historical

monuments, the joyful Carnival and the vivid nightlife attract many

exchange students.

Tip: Patras has a Mediterranean climate. It features the typical mild,

wet winters and hot, dry summers, with spring and autumn being

pleasant transitional seasons. During the summer the temperature

usually rises up to 30-35 ˚C while in winter it falls to 4-10 ˚C.

University of Patras

The University of Patras is the third largest university in Greece. It is a

public university, located 12 km outside the city of Patras, in Rio. You

can find more information here.

School of Medicine

Specifically the School of Medicine is located right next to the

University Hospital of Patras. It’s facilities offer the students a great

academic experience. Right now more than 800 students are enrolled

in its undergraduate program. You can find more information here.

How to get to Patras

By Plane

Right on the outskirts of Patras there is a small airport, Araksos

airport. It operates mostly during the summer due to the great

touristic interest. So most of our incoming students arrive at the

“Eleftherios Venizelos” international airport in Athens.

After your arrival in Athens there are two ways to come to Patras:

By Coach-Intercity Bus

You can take the bus line X93 from the airport to “Kifissos” bus

Station (KTEL) where you can board an intercity bus to Patras.

Though there are many buses scheduled every day, be careful

because after a certain hour they stop and you may have to stay in

Athens for a day. The trip to Patras lasts around 3 hours. The ticket

costs 18.90 euros for non-students (one way ticket).

By Rail

The rail station is located right outside of the airport. There you

can catch a train to Patras. The only tricky part about the train is

that right now there are active construction sites in the lines and

the line does not reach Patras. So you take the train from the

airport and when you reach a town called “Kiato”, you have to

get off the train and board a bus that takes you to Patras.

Tip

All this is included in one ticket (from the airport to Patras, for

non-students it is around 23 euros). The journey lasts 3

hours. Also be wary of the time you arrive in the airport because

the last train leaves the airport at 18:44.

Map of the city

How lost would you be if it weren’t for us?

This map is a valuable tool that lists many things of interest about the

city itself. We will keep it updated throughout your exchange with

things that we consider are worth sightseeing, places to shop and

dine, nightlife areas and above all places that will be useful for your

exchange! Click on the map below to see more information. If you

notice something that you’d like to see as well, tell us and we’ll add

it!

Hospitals and Labs

University Hospital of Patras

The Regional General University Hospital of Patras is a modern health

care facility which provides important social work in the areas of

primary and secondary care. It is one of the largest and leading

hospital units in the country. You can find more information here. (Site

in Greek)

Here you may find a list of our research exchange projects and clinical

departments.

The University Hospital hosts the clinics for SCOPE Students. The

SCORE research laboratories are located in the University campus,

inside the Medical School, next to the University Hospital.

During the first day of your exchange your Contact Person will guide

you to your appointed clinic or laboratory, in order to greet you to your

professor.

Boarding and Lodging

Boarding

Throughout the year our incoming students can enjoy one meal per

day at the Hospital’s Restaurant without charge. The restaurant is

located inside the Hospital.

Lodging

Student Flat

A student will open his or her house to welcome you and to offer

accommodation for your exchange period. You are kindly requested to

be polite with him/her and to respect his/her property and remember

that he/she opens his/her house to make you feel more comfortable in

a house instead of staying in a hostel.

Student Hostel

Most of our incoming students stay at a student hostel. The last few

years we are working with Adonis City Hotel. It is located at the center

of the town only five minutes from the bus station and the train

station, its address being 7, Zaimi st. & Kapsali st..

Directions

Usually, your Contact Person will take you to the hostel, so you do not

need to worry about transportation. However, under special

circumstances (i.e. if you arrive too late at night), you might need to

get to the hostel on your own. Check the map for more information on

its location.

Accommodation

The rooms are double rooms so almost all students have a roommate.

Each room has its own bathroom (toilet, shower), a mini fridge, and

clean sheets, pillow cases and towels.

All the rooms have access to the hotel’s WiFi network. There is no

kitchen or any other electrical appliance used for cooking inside the

rooms or in the hotel in general, but there are many cafes , stores and

restaurants around where you can find everything you need.

Transportation

How to reach the university

Bus

Bus Line No.6 Patras- Rio Hospital - University of Patras

Bus Line No.9 Εllinos Stratiotou - Rio Hospital - University of Patras

Tip

We strongly recommend you stick to these two bus lines only, as the

rest may confuse you, since they head to other destinations

throughout the city and NOT in the University Campus. Also ask your

Contact Person where the closest bus station to your hotel is.

Where can I buy bus tickets?

The orange ticket costs 1,5 euros (full fare), while the brown ticket

costs 0,75 euros (students’ discount). If you have the International

Student Identity Card (ISIC), you will be able to buy tickets with 50%

discount but you will have to carry the ISIC with you.

When you are at the University Campus, you can buy them from the

canteens spread in the Campus. You can find one at the faculty of

Medicine. When you are in the city, you can buy tickets from kiosks

called “periptera”.

Train

The Patras Suburban Railway runs every hour daily, from 6:23

in the morning until 23:23 in the evening. It connects the city’s

two ends, from Agios Andreas to Rio and Agios Vasilios.

The Suburban rail service carries passengers to the Hospital of

Rio and the University of Patras, by transfer at Kastellokampos.

We recommend you the multiple trips monthly card (for

students) that costs 15 euros. Otherwise each trip costs 1 euro.

You will take the train from Patras Station and you will get off

at the station of Kastellokampos. There, you will get on buses

parked nearby that will lead you to the university.

Pay attention

You need to get on the first bus which has the following stops:

1st stop: Faculties of Physics, Chemistry, Math & Biology

2nd stop: Faculty of Agriculture

3rd stop: Faculty of Medicine

4th stop: (terminal) University Hospital of Patras

(Please refer to the map for more details.)

Usually your Contact Person will guide you to the university labs

or the hospital clinics in the first day so you can get acquainted

with the route and the means you can use to get there.

Main Squares

Georgiou I Square

It is the central square and the heart of the city. It was named

after King George I. It was and continues to be the center of

political and cultural life in the city, hosting all significant activities,

cultural events and, most importantly for some, its carnival.

Olga’s Square

It is known by the name of queen Olga, wife of king George I,

and was planted with trees bearing the name "The queen's

garden".

Trion Symmahon Square

It bears the name of the three Allied Powers who fought for the

liberation of Greece; Britain, France and Russia. The square

features a flower clock and links the Agiou Nikolaou pedestrian

way with the seaside front and the dock of Agios Nikolaos.

Exploring the City

Psilalonia Square

It is one of Patras's most popular squares. It is close to downtown

Patras, next to one of the city's main street, Gounari Street. It

features a fountain, many sidewalks, palm trees and playgrounds.

It is surrounded by several shops, restaurants and cafes and a

number of modernist buildings.

Places of interest The Roman Odeon

The most significant ancient monument, is in the upper town and

was built around 160 AD, in the reign of either Antoninus Pius or

Marcus Aurelius. It has been restored and partially reconstructed,

and is used as an open-air theatre for performances and concerts

in the summer.

Patras Archaeological Museum

It exhibits the history of Patras from the prehistoric era to the late

Roman period. The exhibition is divided into three thematic

sections in the three large halls of the museum: the Chamber of

Private Life, the Hall of Necropolis and the Hall of Public Life.

The church of Saint Andrew of Patras

Founded in 1908 by King George I, the church was inaugurated in

1974. It is dedicated to Saint Andrew, the patron of the city and is

near the seafront, between the areas of the new and the old port.

It is the second largest temple of byzantine style in the Balkans.

Patras medieval Castle

Overlooking the city, it was initially built in the 6th century AD by

the Byzantine emperor Justinian, having many additions from the

period of the Frankish and Venetian rule of the city. Its current

outline dates back to the second Venetian rule of the town (1687–

1715). Today, its interior is used as a public garden.

The Achaia Clauss wine industry & tasting center

It’s located on the outskirts in Petroto village. It was founded in

1861 by the Bavarian Gustav Clauss and is most famous for its

Mavrodaphne.

Patras Lighthouse

It is a reconstructed "Faros" (Lighthouse), which is the symbol

of the city. It is situated at the seaside front between the old

and the new port, at the end of Trion Navarhon street.

Main Streets Riga Fereou Str.

It is actually a pedestrian way filled with cafeterias and shops. If

there is one place you need to see to get to know Patras, this is

it. It runs through the center of Patras, offering a safe and

enjoyable way to go from one end to the other.

Gerokostopoulou Str.:

It is the street that runs through Georgiou Sq.. It is very popular

and hosts many cafeterias and clubs.

Agiou Nikolaou Str.

One of the mail streets of Patras, where the shopping

happens. One of its ends is a pedestrian way and leads to the

Trion Symmahon Square and the train station, while its other

end leads to the stairs of Agiou Nikolaou that can take you to

the old city of Patras.

Trion Navarchon Str.

It is also a pedestrian street at the end of Riga Fereou and

very close to the church of Agios Andreas. It has many

taverns and is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll.

Vrachnaika (or Vrachneika)

It is a coastal town which stands off only 12 kilometers from

Patras. You can get there by bus line 5 of city bus, which passes

from George Sq.. It is worth visiting in order to taste traditional

Greek delicacies in taverns by the sea. Of course you can gaze

the endless blue and the boats that sail in the crystal waters.

Around the area

The amphitheater

Α favorite haunt of the city, is located in the pine woods of

Dassilio. One of the most popular spots of the city, that is also

called the "terrace" of Patraikos bay because of the great views it

offers, ideal for a relaxed meeting or a walk. Main slogan “the

bright side of city” urges you to seize the opportunity and enjoy

great coffee, along with the best city view.

Rio

It is a coastal settlement of municipality of Patras. You can get

there either by bus line 6 of city bus or the suburban rail. There,

you can visit the Venetian castle of Rio, which is an impregnable

fort with towers and a wide moat with seawater.

Next to the castle dominates the cable Rio-Antirio Bridge. It is

also an important attraction, because it is said to be a

challenging construction. Rio is also renowned for its nightlife

but also for its beaches. Along the beach of Rio, visitors will

encounter many cafes, bars and nightclubs, but also many

taverns and restaurants capable of satisfying the most

demanding customers.

Nafpaktos

It is perhaps the closest destination outside Patras which is worth

a visit. It is a city with long history and unique beauty. Nafpaktos

is a city with a lot of traffic during the whole year, but increases

during the summer months. Τhere, you can visit taverns,

restaurants and cafeterias in the city center, the beaches or the

castle hill overlooking the sea.

Kalavryta

It is an ideal destination for fans of the mountain. An excursion at

Kalavryta is ideal for those who want to visit a place of great

historical interest not far away from Patras, as Kalavryta is located

at a distance of 88 kilometers from Patras. It is a place of

significant historical importance for the Greek Nation and also a

major entertainment destination, mainly because of the ski resort.

Events Patras Carnival The Patras Carnival, “Patrino karnavali” in greek, is the largest event of

its kind in Greece and one of the biggest in Europe. It has more than 180

years of history. The events begin on 17 January and last up to Good

Monday of Easter. The carnival of Patras is not a single event but a

variety of events that includes balls, parades, hidden treasure hunt and

the children's carnival amongst others.

It climaxes in the last weekend of Carnival with the Saturday evening

parade of carnival groups, the extravagant Sunday parade of floats and

groups, and finally the ritual burning of the carnival king at the St.

Nikolaos Street pier in the harbour of Patras. Its characteristics are

spontaneity, improvisation, inspiration and volunteerism. Due to the fact

that the number of participants in recent years has reached between 35

and 40 thousand, the parade takes several hours to complete.

On behalf of

The Local Committee of

Patras

We’re looking forward to meeting you!

National Exchange Officer (NEO)

National Officer on Research Exchange (NORE)

Publisher Hellenic Medical Students’ International Committee (HelMSIC)

General Secretariat Mikras Asias 75 Athens 11527

Greece Phone: +302107462033 E-mail: info@helmsic.gr

www.helmsic.gr

Copyright © 2016 - HelMSIC