Patras is the largest city and the most significant port of the Peloponnese. The history of the city dates back to the prehistoric period, when it constituted a major centre of the Mycenaean period. During Roman occupation it prospered both financially and commercially and was an important trade centre between the East and the West. Subsequently it was conquered by the Byzantines, the Venetians, the Franks and the Turks until its liberation in 1821. The city's cosmopolitan character, throughout its history, is reflected in its impressive architecture: imposing old mansions, large squares, the Medieval castle, the Roman music conservatory and amphitheatre, St. Andreas church, the neoclassical theatre “Apollon”, to name but a few. Nowadays the city of Patras hosts the largest carnival in Greece, while in the wider region you can visit picturesque fishing villages, pebbled or golden sandy beaches and beautifully forested mountain slopes.