Patra's castle stands on the site of the acropolis of ancient Patrai. The Romans were the first to build a fort here around AD 550, but the present structure is of Frankish origin, remodelled many times over the centuries by the Byzantines, Venetians and Turks. Set in an attractively maintained pencil-pine park, it is reached by climbing the 193 steps at the southeastern end of Agiou Nikolaou, then continuing and turning left. Great views of the mainland, Zakynthos and Kefallonia are the reward.