Patras, Greece

Patras, Greece, was established as a Santa Barbara Sister City on April 29, 2010, by the Santa Barbara City Council.

Patras is the third largest city of Greece with a population of 180,000. Like Santa Barbara, Patras’ geographical situation, at the foot of Mount Panachaiko overlooking the Ionian Sea, combines sea and mountains; the area has a Mediterranean climate, with relatively cool yet humid summers and mild winters. An important common geophysical characteristic of the region is its great seismicity, which has been recorded since ancient times. Patras shares another cultural similarity with Santa Barbara: its long tradition of hospitality to visitors.