Driving to Athens

[NormanC]

Just starting to think of a holiday involving driving to Athens using the Brindisi-Igoumenitsa ferry. Looking at taking 4 weeks, 1 week in each direction and 2 weeks in Greece.

Has anyone tried this or similar and can offer any tips?

What route should I think of? How far can I sensibly go each day? Where should I overnight?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome!

Thanks

 

[st4]

You could do 300-400 miles a day. Route wise not a scobby bar you'll go through Eastern Europe, some of the roads will be "iffy" to say the least.

 

[iscaboy]

Just starting to think of a holiday involving driving to Athens using the Brindisi-Igoumenitsa ferry. Looking at taking 4 weeks, 1 week in each direction and 2 weeks in Greece.

Has anyone tried this or similar and can offer any tips?

What route should I think of? How far can I sensibly go each day? Where should I overnight?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome!

Thanks

Done that (and variations "left" and "right") several times on everything from 2 wheels on up.

Nothing much can be said about it that will be useful you, in the sense that once you've done it you'll think "that was useful advice", you basically have to do it, to get it.

What I will say is this;

1. Respect your vehicle, perhaps for the first time, really respect it and what it represents, which is autonomy, economy and mobility. (*thorough* tyre and vehicle check every 3 hours.)
2. Watch the different road surfaces, Greek tarmac is not the same as UK tarmac... (if you're on 2 wheels you also have to watch for thinks like greek road junctions being gathering grounds for grit)
3. Watch the different drivers, I have fond memories of looking in the rear view mirrors of the bike, seeing no autopista, just a swirling cloud of dust and rubber smoke, with the odd car sliding out of the cloud into sunlight, fond memories because I was 10 feet in front of that happening, not 10 feet behind...

*ANYONE* can drive to greece and back and destroy their vehicle and end up with Shank's pony.

HTH etc

 

[Barbanasos]

I have done it 4 times. Twice with a renault 5 GTT and then another two with a saab 9000. It is a great trip but I only did it with the sole aim of getting to greece hence driving long hours and not many stops. Really easy too, even without a GPS at the time. Mark the cities you want and just follow the road signs.

- I usually set off in the morning on a Thursday then drive to dover.
Cross to Calais about mid day, the earlier the better.
Drive solid towards, Lille, Reims then towards Strasbourg or even better towards Nancy through epinal (twisty roads a pleasure but with plenty of trucks to overtake) and after towards Basel (also known as Bale) you should be there for 9pm.
- Sleep in Basel for the night, plenty of hotels including a Formule 1 which is dead cheap.
- Set off early in the morning and head towards Luzern and Lugano (you will need to pay swiss road tax) although I got lost once turned in another roundabout in Basel and then ended up in switzerland without crossing the main toll point so avoided paying tax.
- After Lugano you should see signs to follow towards Milan, where the border to Italy is. After that you follow towards, Bologna and Rimini and I then went for Ancona.
- I was in Ancona at 5pm on the Friday. There is a boat later in the afternoon and will get you to Patras, Greece on Saturday. Minoan and Superfast are greatly equiped and fast, although the tickets are not that cheap and you will need overnight stay - chose cabin or bus style seats.

The drive from the North of Italy to Brindesi is very long 7hrs I think and then the boats from Brindesi to Igoumenitsa are old and very crowdy.

On the way back make sure you stop at lake como as it is beautifull. Just check the cities I gave you as I am not sure if they are on the right order, but seeing them on a map you will get the idea.

I am jealous as it will be a dream come true when I do it next in the 55 with a bikini on the front to avoid stonechips and flies. You will laugh at the car once in Greece as it would have acquired a beard.

 

[Barbanasos]

Service the car and check everything prior to setting off, change the belt if necessary as well and have spare bulbs etc. Some people say you need a high vis jacket these days through france.

The French keep indicating if they want to overtake for as long as they are on the fast lane. The italians will just drive up your rear bumper, just let them through if you don't want to waste them, its amusing so just let them through. Do not brake as it is silly thing to do altogether and you do not want a crashed car in a foreign country. Play it cool and let them through. Use your horn as well as sometimes absolutely necessary in italy and everyone is doing it.

Another thing I did is always fill up once you hit the 1/4 of the tank as you could get lost and not finding a gas station soon enough. Please also note the tolls you ll have to pay in France and Italy. Carrying some currency also helps.

 

[jimti]

your route each way would really depend on your personal preferences, where you want to visit, whether you want to avoid tolls etc etc. I personally would use the Ancona To Patras ferry and book a cabin. The roads in Greece can become very slippery when wet, due to their construction I believe. Also watch for drivers trying to overtake on the hard shoulder, I drive extensively around Europe and can honestly say Greece has the most dangerous drivers I have ever seen.
What time of year are you thinking of going?

 

[NormanC]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. It's much appreciated.

What helps is that I have driven thousands of miles in Greece but always in hire cars!!

I'll have to investigate the Ancona-Patras ferry. I didn't realise that Brindisi-Igoumenitsa was so grotty.

 

[robpow]

<snip lots of good suggestions>

On the way back make sure you stop at lake como as it is beautifull.

I can second this, a lovely place to spend a day or two. Drive to Bellagio and look for the small car ferry over to Menaggio and then the mountain route across to Lugano, very very nice drives. Was in a rented CLK so made the most of it! Oh, and Srimione in Lake Garda is worth a stop for lunch, lots of little nice restaurantes and ice cream shops behind the castle. Maybe a bit touristic but worth an hour or two.

Matt

 

[FF99]

I drove from Igoumenitsa to Athens about 25 years ago (having crossed from Corfu) in a cr*ppy hire car. It was a great drive. From distant memory, we only took it pretty gently and overnighted twice en route (at Metsovo and - I think - also at Delfi). Make sure to stop at the Meteora (ancient hilltop monasteries) en route.

I guess the roads will have improved, but even then there was no difficulty with the drive. Enjoy it ! Perhaps just at the moment, you have to allow for unexpected hazards on account of the general unrest, especially in Athens itself.

 

[BIG Sean]

The roads in Greece can become very slippery when wet, due to their construction I believe.

Limestone aggregate - it polishes up and gets incredible smooth. I've been sideways in a cheap Korean hire car - not fun

 

[NormanC]

Limestone aggregate - it polishes up and gets incredible smooth. I've been sideways in a cheap Korean hire car - not fun

You're hiring things with too much power!!

Try a Seicento with the aircon full on - you can only just get it moving!!

 

[Darrell]

I live in Skiathos and have done this trip a few times. I do it this way.

Step 1. London to Reims. Spend the night in Formula 1 hotel.
Step 2. Reims to Milan.
Step 3. Milan to Venice and onto the ferry.
Step 4. Get off the ferry in Piraus.
Step 5. Drive from Piraus to Athens.

I don't like driving that much so the ferry from Venice to Piraus is the bulk of the journey and I think I only drove about 1000 miles.

Stay away from Brindisi!!

The ferry from Venice stops in Corfu, Igoumenitsa, Patra and finally Piraus.

The ferry is good and the cabins are fine for a night or 2.

PS I have spelt Piraus wrong.

 

[Darrell]

I drove from Igoumenitsa to Athens about 25 years ago (having crossed from Corfu) in a cr*ppy hire car. It was a great drive. From distant memory, we only took it pretty gently and overnighted twice en route (at Metsovo and - I think - also at Delfi). Make sure to stop at the Meteora (ancient hilltop monasteries) en route.

Metsovo is a stunning place in the winter, like a Swiss ski resort in central Greece.

I was over on the mainland a while ago and visited Meteora, I have been there on a number of occasions but it always blows my mind away. I think it is featured in one of the Bond movies.

 

[Barbanasos]

Meteora is amazing. They featured in "For your eyes only" with Roger Moore.