# Route to Greece



## 111449

Please can anyone tell me the best route from the UK to Greece via Ancona? I don't want to pay a fortune in road tolls (or motorway vignettes) but I don't want to spend ages getting there, either.
P.S. Is it true that the 'camping on board' option does not extend beyond October 31st? 
P.P.S. Which Italy - Greece ferry company have people found the most reliable/economical?


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## Rapide561

*Tolls*

Hi

I can get you there for minimal tolls as follows.

Calais - Dunkerque - Lille - Mons - Charleroi - Arlon - Luxembourg - Metz - Nancy - Bussang - Thann - Basle - Lucerne - St Gotthard Tunnel - Chiasso - Milan.

Your tolls here will be only the Swiss Vignette - 40 SFR for a motorhomes less than 3500 kg. The route is fairly quick too - although from south of Epinal to Thann, a lot is single carriageway.

From Milan, the easy route is the motorway, but there is aroad - I think it is the SS9 that runs virtually parallel to the motorway. I have not used that road though, so cannot advise on it.

As for Greece and ferries, member DONMADGE is, amongst others, one of those in the know as it were.

Russell


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## Autoquest

From Luxembourg I was going to stick to the German autobahn and route via Munich, Innsbruck and the Brenner - I haven't done it before but I need to get to Venice in 4 days from Calais.


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## peejay

dallan said:


> P.S. Is it true that the 'camping on board' option does not extend beyond October 31st?


For the longer crossings from Venice and Ancona, yes, camping on board stops about then.

I think some of the shorter crossings from S Italy have been known to turn a blind eye and let you camp on board out of season, Don will be able to confirm this and give you more info if he sees this.



dallan said:


> P.P.S. Which Italy - Greece ferry company have people found the most reliable/economical?


I've used Minoan from Venice to Patras and Igoumenitsa twice in 2000 and 2002, they are about the best of the bunch along with Superfast but its a bit of a lottery with most Greek ferries and depends on where they put you on the deck with camping on board, don't expect Dover/Calais organisation at the ports, it can be a bit chaotic.

pete


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## Don_Madge

dallan said:


> Please can anyone tell me the best route from the UK to Greece via Ancona? I don't want to pay a fortune in road tolls (or motorway vignettes) but I don't want to spend ages getting there, either.
> P.S. Is it true that the 'camping on board' option does not extend beyond October 31st?
> P.P.S. Which Italy - Greece ferry company have people found the most reliable/economical?


David has contacted me direct and I've given him all the info I have.

Don


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## rexos

*Calais to Ancona route*

Hiya,
We`re going from Ancona to Igoumenitsa in June. We were going from Calais via either Mt Blanc or Frejus tunnels but think the route via Basel and Milan is quickest, trouble is, its a toll route. We have a boat to catch on Sunday at 5pm. 
Minoan Lines are allowing `camping` on deck, so that should be interesting.
When on Greek soil we are driving to Kavala, east of Thessolonika, to catch another boat to Thassos. We normally go there on a package holiday but Thomson have pulled out of our regular studios.
A campsite a mile away next to the beach should solve our problem-we hope!
Not sure what the French tolls will cost but going to Pompeii last year via Swiss and Milan cost us around 30 euro on the Autostradas.
Best of luck.


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## max123

Hi Rexos, camping on board Minoan lines is great but had trouble sleeping because we found it very hot. Its like having a hotel above your van.
I would be interested how you get on in Thassos. I used to go there 20 odd years ago and had some amazing holidays. I have never found another place like it for sheer unspoilt beauty and hope it hasn't changed too much. I wanted to go there when we travelled to Greece in the motorhome but wife and kids wanted to see the Peloponese and Athens etc. Hopefully I will get my way next year so your feedback would be very much appreciated.
Cheers Max


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## 97339

Yes, Rexos, we'd be interested in hearing about your Greek travels. It will be 27 years since we were on Thassos, for our belated honeymoon and we found it beautifully unspoilt. Not so sure we would like it now, or have things not changed that much?

1997 we travelled overland to Greece in our aged Bedford. If you are interested, you'll find my ramblings on Virtual Tourist:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/87f23/1cd/

Click on the blue links, telling you where we went.


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## bigfoot

Autoquest said:


> From Luxembourg I was going to stick to the German autobahn and route via Munich, Innsbruck and the Brenner - I haven't done it before but I need to get to Venice in 4 days from Calais.


Using this route I have done it in 3 days to Ancona. My wife and I share the driving,we leave early about 7 and drive for 2 hours,stop for breakfast while the rush hour carries on. We ususually arrive at our night halt by 4ish. It can hold you up if you are travelling with other vehicles,once it took me 5 days.


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## Mainplus

Hi Rexos

I have been warned off using the Mt Blanc tunnel by another motorhomer we met in Venice. He was appalled at the very high fee for using it.

Dave


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## Mainplus

*Good agency for booking Greek Ferries*

I have just booked our Ancona - Igoumenitsa ferry using VIAMARE (www.viamare.com). I was put on to them by the Caravan Club travel office and they turned out to be really very helpful and I got the tickets a few pounds cheaper than any of my internet searches turned up.

I ended up not using their website to book as it seemed to be set up for foot passengers, but when I gave them a call at their London offices they sorted me out with camping on deck very efficiently.

A word of warning though - we booked our ferry for early September and they were amazed that I could get a camping on board berth this close to the sailing.

Hope this is of help

Dave


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## PAT4NEIL

Any information on this would gratefully be received, hoping to go next May for 6 weeks via venice, is that a good time to go. For your first visit to Greece, where would you recommend to visit and stay.

Many thanks
Pat


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## Mainplus

Hi Pat

This will be our first time over in the motorhome but we have spent lots of time on the island of Lefkas sailing, so we are heading back there in September.

We will probably spend time north of the island near Parga too.

This is probably an easy trip for a first timer as we will not be travelling very far from Igoumenitsa ferry port (probably less than 100 Km).

I have already been asked for details of the trip, so I'll do my best to post them when I return (or if I'm not feeling too lazy, I'll post something while I'm over there).

Dave


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## 97339

Hi, PATSY4, don't go any later. It gets too hot to function unless you have air-con and are relying on campsites. Also, make sure you have good road maos of Greece, the best are the Road Editions. There are various regons available. Have a look at:

http://www.mapsworldwide.com/road_editions_297pub0.htm

Definitely travel the Peloponnese, a beautiful region with varying scenery and magnificent beaches. The whole of the wst coast is practically one long beach with places to free camp and proper campsites. Oh, how I envy you.
(I presume you've looked at my link further back in the thread on where we travelled?)


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## Don_Madge

PATSY4 said:


> Any information on this would gratefully be received, hoping to go next May for 6 weeks via venice, is that a good time to go. For your first visit to Greece, where would you recommend to visit and stay.
> 
> Many thanks
> Pat


Hi Pat,

Greece in May can be very pleasant, for some ideas on what to see and do see HERE I would suggest you book your ferry sooner rather than later as the Camping on Board is now very popular.

If you do leave it too late to book the Venice ferry there are frequent sailings on the Bari/Brindisi - Igoumenitsa/Patras crossing.

The companies on the shorter crossing will also let you use your van out of the camping on board season but don't ask the head office for permission. Just turn up at the port and buy you tickets.

Agoudimos Lines have a day sailing five days a week from Brindisi to Igoumenitsa for anybody who does not fancy a night crossing. We have used the day sailing many times in the past 10 years but only in Dec/Jan.

Don


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## Grizzly

In addition to the incomparable Don here is another site that I use- in my dreams- to go East ( and West, North and South):

http://www.magbaztravels.com/

G


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## PAT4NEIL

Thanks for the reply

I could go early May, I dont like it too hot no air conditioning. We dont mind being adventurous, it cant all be beaches though, cause although I would love it, him indoor wont.

I have looked at your virtual tourist blog, many thanks

Pat


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## PAT4NEIL

Thanks Don, If I was booking for next year how soon can you book, who would you recommend.

Would it be easy enough to tow a motorcycle on a trailer, if so does it make it more expensive on the crossing, and are the roads of a reasonable quality for motorcycling.

Many thank Pat


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## smiler

*route to ancona*

Dallan , Rapide route is similar to the one i take, i sometimes divert to the Hymer factory at Bad Walsee then around Lake Constance and then south to Milan, another way is to go from Hymers to Fussen ,south to Nauders, Landek then Bolzano then motorway to Ancona, this avoids Austrian and Swiss tolls. I am currently in Vassiliki on Lefkas temperature today 38c


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## Don_Madge

PATSY4 said:


> Thanks Don, If I was booking for next year how soon can you book, who would you recommend.
> 
> Would it be easy enough to tow a motorcycle on a trailer, if so does it make it more expensive on the crossing, and are the roads of a reasonable quality for motorcycling.
> 
> Many thank Pat


Hi Pat,

I would suggest http://www.viamare.com/ and use http://www.minoan.gr/index.asp?a_id=226 for the sailing. It will cost more if you tow a trailer and if the camper deck is full you might have to leave the trailer on the lower deck. I would check with Viamare to see when they will take bookings for next year.

Greek roads are not too bad but the standard of driving is very poor so you will have to be very careful on the bike.

If you are not a beach person I would suggest the "Lonely Planet Greece" for sites to visit.

Don


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## 106352

*greece*

hi all 
everyone seems to recommend going to greece by ferry from bari etc
is there some reason to not drive down the coast of the adriatic round albania and down through greece to piraeus if you have plenty of time?
cheers


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## 106352

*greece*

hi all 
everyone seems to recommend going to greece by ferry from bari etc
is there some reason to not drive down the coast of the adriatic round albania and down through greece to piraeus if you have plenty of time?
cheers


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## Don_Madge

*Re: greece*



greywiz said:


> hi all
> everyone seems to recommend going to greece by ferry from bari etc
> is there some reason to not drive down the coast of the adriatic round albania and down through greece to piraeus if you have plenty of time?
> cheers


Hi,

There's nothing to stop you doing that except you will have to buy third party insurance cover for the van at the Albanian border.

If you don't want to use the ferry you can get to Greece via Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria without leaving the EU.

Two of our friends went through Albania in 2006 and we plan to return home that way in 2009 after wintering in Turkey and touring Crete.

Don


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## PAT4NEIL

Thanks Don

I am a beach person, but hubby not so much, as long as we can ride a motorbike, and see some culture that will do, I dont think Neil will like to detach the trailer, as it has a very heavy bike on it, but pivots a lot in the middle, its not braked, I will ask the ferry booker about that.

It ill be interesting to see how you get on driving through Albania, I think they are really bad drivers, we only went as far as montegro

kind regards


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## Don_Madge

PATSY4 said:


> Thanks Don
> 
> I am a beach person, but hubby not so much, as long as we can ride a motorbike, and see some culture that will do, I dont think Neil will like to detach the trailer, as it has a very heavy bike on it, but pivots a lot in the middle, its not braked, I will ask the ferry booker about that.
> 
> It ill be interesting to see how you get on driving through Albania, I think they are really bad drivers, we only went as far as montegro
> 
> kind regards


Hi Pat,

What the ferry booker tells you and what can happen at the port can be entirely different. I've know caravanners that have had to leave their cars on the lower deck when the camper deck is busy. So be prepared.

Don


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