Patras

Saint Andrew's basilica, the castle steps and Psila Alonia in a day

Patras fits into a single well-paced day. Begin at the Basilica of Saint Andrew on the western waterfront before visitors build up, walk the arcaded lower town to Georgiou I Square and the Apollon Theatre, then climb the Agiou Nikolaou steps to the castle and end at sunset on the Psila Alonia terrace.

Morning: start early at the Basilica of Saint Andrew on the western waterfront and look into the older church beside it before the visitors build up. Then head inland through the arcaded streets of the lower town to Georgiou I Square and the neoclassical Apollon Theatre facing it.

Late morning: climb the steps at the top of Agiou Nikolaou Street towards the castle while it is still cool. The walls look across the water to the mountains of Aitoloakarnania, and on a clear day you can follow the line of the bridge to the east. Drop down to the Roman Odeon on the way back.

Afternoon: take a taxi or bus out to the Archaeological Museum for its mosaics, rebuilt Roman houses and cemetery finds. Give it two hours; the exhibits are arranged by theme, so wander at your own pace.

Students drift towards Rio after midnight if you still have energy.

Mavrodaphne, tentoura and carnival food in Patras

Drinking well in Patras starts with Mavrodaphne, the sweet, dark red that made the Achaia Clauss winery's name; the 19th-century estate in the hills makes a half-day trip by taxi. Locals also sip tentoura, a cinnamon and clove liqueur, and carnival season fills the tavernas with heavy winter dishes.

The estate was founded in the 19th century by a Bavarian, Gustav Clauss, and its stone buildings and old casks make a good half-day outing by taxi. Drink Mavrodaphne with dessert; it is closer to a fortified wine than a table red.

The other local bottle is tentoura, a liqueur scented with cinnamon and clove, served in small glasses after dinner. Many tavernas pour one on the house.

For food, the lower town is the place: casserole cooking in simple family places, and student-priced cafes along the stepped streets. Carnival season changes the menu. On Tsiknopempti, the Thursday eleven days before Clean Monday, the whole city grills meat outdoors and the smoke hangs over the streets. On Clean Monday, the first day of Lent, families switch to lagana flatbread, taramosalata and seafood, and fly kites on any open ground.

Carnival floats, masked balls and the burning of the carnival king

The city's year revolves around carnival, which builds from January and peaks on the last weekend before Lent, usually in February or early March. That Sunday brings the parade of huge satirical floats, and the season ends with the burning of the carnival king at the harbour; book rooms early for those dates.

Patras plans its year around the carnival. Events start building in January with balls, children's parades and street parties, and everything culminates on the last weekend before Lent, usually in February or early March. The Sunday parade of huge satirical floats, built in workshops over months and aimed at politicians and celebrities, draws hundreds of thousands of people. That night the carnival king is burned at the harbour to close the season. Rooms in the centre go first, so book weeks ahead and expect noise until dawn.

Weather in carnival season is cool, seldom cold: highs of 14-16C and lows near 10C, with January and February the damper months. Pack a waterproof for the parade.

Spring is the best time for sightseeing. April brings highs around 20C and May about 23C, with rain dropping to around 20-35 mm a month, so the castle steps and the walk across the bridge are pleasant. Summer is hot, highs of 30-32C in July and August and almost no rain, and the Roman Odeon hosts performances on summer evenings. Autumn rain returns from October, rising past 110 mm in November and December.