Cleethorpes to Corfu

[LouthMick]

Howdy, thanks for the add.

Total newbie to Motorhomes and looking for some opinions on what would make a suitable motor home to act as a taxi between Cleethorpes and Corfu. My situation is as follows:

1) Buying a property in Corfu which should hopefully complete by end of year. Near Paleokastritsa. 1.5 acres with plenty of hard standing parking space.

2) Will live in Corfu for 6 months of year - April to September. Qualify for Greek Golden Visa so not restricted to normal 90 day visa.

3) Passengers: 3 x Dogs (2 x English Setters and 1 x Jack Russell). 1 x Cockatoo Parrot. Me and Mrs.

4) I will be driving. Motorhome will only cover 2 x Journeys per year - there and back. Approximately 3.5K miles return journey.

5) Budget: Up to £70K

6) Plan to keep property and motorhome for 10 years, meaning total mileage will be approx 35K miles.

7) Due to travelling with Parrot, we’d like to avoid ‘cooking’ with gas. Parrots are very sensitive and susceptible to stuff like gas. We’d probably live off ‘ding meals’ and salad for the 4 - 5 day journey. With that in mind, the motorhome will need a microwave.

8) Not looking for scenic / tourist routes, just quickest route to Bari ferry terminal in Southern Italy. Travelling with 3 x dogs and parrot is restrictive - don’t want to leave them unattended.

9) Probably better to have LHD motorhome as 80% of journey will be non-UK.

10) 53 years old, passed driving test in 1991 and have C1. I drove 4 tonne Bedford trucks in the military so not intimidated by something with a bit of length and girth - ooooh matron! What does bother me is that if I go large, what problems I may encounter on the ferry? Some of the ferries allow onboard camping with electric hook-up, but won’t allow use of gas appliances and/or engine running during the voyage - another reason to have a microwave when using the ferry provided electric hook-up.

My brain hurts looking at all of the MH brands. My main concern is what brand is best to see me through 10 years of 2 x trips per year in relative comfort. I’d like a garage to hump tools back & forth, plus lots of UK pet food (Greek pet food is generally poor).

There’s also the added benefit that the MH could be used as fall-back accommodation in the event of an extended power failure in the Corfu property - there’s lots of power failures in Corfu.

I’m leaning towards one of the German brands. Burstner seems to be of decent quality with a good reputation. Is it best to buy in the UK or in Germany?

Does anyone do this journey? What places do you stop at for some rest/sleep etc…. Any significant challenges to overcome on the journey?

All comments welcome. Thank you.

 

[Hirsch]

Howdy

I want one of those Greek visa thingys that let you stop more then 90 days. How do you get one please?

 

[LouthMick]

Howdy

I want one of those Greek visa thingys that let you stop more then 90 days. How do you get one please?

Purchase a property worth over €250K euros, or invest.

more here > https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/eu-golden-visas/greece-golden-visa/

 

[Wabs]

Helloo and welcome,,think payload first, I think you will need a large MH,,, sounds brilliant,, good luck

 

[mitzimad]

you will not be able to run a microwave for long on the ferry unless you have hook up

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[Figaro]

 

[mitzimad]

i would get one with gas and a hook outside for the parrot

 

[Wabs]

Just got me thinking,,the roads around Paleokastrisa aren’t very wide or accomodating..and twisty,,,just be aware of any motorhome overhang, so maybe the German makes would be better for you,,depending on your budget,,good luck in your travels

 

[LouthMick]

you will not be able to run a microwave for long on the ferry unless you have hook up

The ferries from Italy to Corfu have a hook-up and allow onboard camping - Should be OK.
Will probably use Eurostar for getting from UK to France.

 

[LouthMick]

Just got me thinking,,the roads around Paleokastrisa aren’t very wide or accomodating..and twisty,,,just be aware of any motorhome overhang, so maybe the German makes would be better for you,,depending on your budget,,good luck in your travels

Ahh, you know the area. The property I am buying is on the outskirts of Doukades (10 mins inland from Paleo), with easy access from the main road running from Corfu Town across the the Island. Will have a small runabout Smart car for shopping etc….

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[LouthMick]

Nissan Figaro?

 

[Wabs]

Lol,,you’ll need it

 

[Wabs]

Ahh, you know the area. The property I am buying is on the outskirts of Doukades (10 mins inland from Paleo), with easy access from the main road running from Corfu Town across the the Island. Will have a small runabout Smart car for shopping etc….

I’d get a big canopy for it, or you will be like a roast chicken there

 

[Wabs]

I think I would look at the Burstner,, there are plenty of owners on here who would give you honest advice,,at least you’re in the right shop..

 

[Wabs]

I just hope whatever you choose it will drive better than a Bedford

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[Pirahna]

I'm having a van (VW Crafter, the 7.4 metre version) converted for me at the moment, there's no gas. Hob is a Webasto diesel, there's also an electric oven/grill/microwave going in backed up with solar and a pair of lithium batteries and inverter. Heating and hot water are diesel powered as well. All the diesel stuff is plumbed into the normal diesel tank on the van.

 

[Boris7]

Been a while since I drove to Corfu, but Bari ferry used to be the way to go, simply to avoid Albania.

 

[Wabs]

Been a while since I drove to Corfu, but Bari ferry used to be the way to go, simply to avoid Albania.

At all costs avoid Albania,,,

 

[Offagain]

Welcome to the Fun!

We have driven to Greece several times in the last few years, mainly in our motorhome but prior to that in a small van and a car. We keep a boat near Preveza and usually travel over after Easter until early July, then head back at the end of August until sometime in mid to late October.
If we are in a hurry we use the tunnel then the toll roads past Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse, Mont Blanc tunnel, the A5 then 4/5 then 26 between Milan and Turin, A21 then A1 past Piacenza and Bologna, A14 past Rimini to Ancona where we catch the ferry to Igoumenitsa. We could drive to Bari and get the ferry from there but prefer not to. We did it once because we got to Ancona and the ferry was cancelled due to a serious snowstorm (this was in March) so we rebooked from Bari for the following day.
We use Anek or Superfast whenever we can as they do camping on board until the end of October and there are always lots of hook ups available. You have full access to the restaurants and bars on the ferry, plus the showers and toilets on the garage decks. As regards cooking, if you’re only using electricity you’ll be ok, and it’s best to avoid eating in the restaurant on the ferry if possible! Others use slow cookers and inductions hobs etc.
Minoan say they offer camping on board but what they mean is the cost of the cabin is included in the price. But the beds are really uncomfortable and we much prefer to stay in the motor home.
We use park4night to find stop overs. Always off the motorway and as often as possible with a nice view or in a quiet spot eg a small village, next to a canal or lake, in a pine forest etc. With only one exception we never plan these beforehand, preferring to decide on the day when to stop and where. Sometimes we go back to places we’ve used before but mainly we try new places. We also ensure never to stop within an hour or two of Calais as we don’t want any stowaways!

I want one of those Greek visa thingys that let you stop more then 90 days. How do you get one please?

We got Greek residency in September 2019 and are currently going through the process of converting it to a 5yr biometric permit.
You must prove you have

• a Greek address - we use our contract with the boatyard
• sufficient income or available funds to support yourself - I think it’s about £3500 each
• adequate medical insurance as being a resident and not on holiday you won’t be covered by the GHIC
• a history of being in Greece for long periods and spending money here - we supplied several years of bank statements of the relevant months with the spending in Greece highlighted, plus if required I can provide email confirmations of ferry bookings, and flights going back years!

You also need to provide 4 passport photos taken in Greece - they are different dimensions to those in the U.K. and there are different requirements eg hair must be drawn back from the face
Plus pay a fee of €16 each prior to the first appointment.
The three part process begins with an interview with the police in the station to which your address is allocated. Our address is in Aktio so we need to travel to Agrinio each time, a round trip of 120 miles. There is a second trip needed about two weeks later to take fingerprints - quite why they can’t do that at the first interview isn’t clear, but that’s the process and I‘m not going to argue! Then a third approximately two weeks after that to collect the cards, which must be done in person.
Our first appointment is next week.
However, There is currently a lack of knowledge /training about the whole 90/180 /residency thing by local police. We had our passports stamped going into France which started the 90/180 clock. Technically once we boarded the ferry at Ancona that clock stops, but there are no border staff there to do that, and also none at Igoumenitsa port. We were directed with a vague wave to the police station but couldn’t park anywhere so decided to go to the police at Preveza as that was the next town we would go through. After a struggle to find the right person he spent half an hour trying to tell us that as Greek residents we have the right to go anywhere in EU (also not correct) for as long as we want. We stopped telling him he was wrong after a while as he was adamant and was holding our documents! So we’re keeping all ferry tickets, boarding cards etc to prove when we entered and will leave Greece.

Sorry it’s a bit long winded but hopefully it contains some information you may find useful.

 

[RobbyMClark]

wow, love Corfu, oh so jealous.
@off again is the one to listen to as they do the trip more often than I go the shops.

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[chaser]

At all costs avoid Albania,,,

Just out of interest, why would you avoid Albania, honestly don't know the first thing about it, never been anywhere near it and no intention of, but just intrigued by your post.

 

[Boris7]

Just out of interest, why would you avoid Albania, honestly don't know the first thing about it, never been anywhere near it and no intention of, but just intrigued by your post.

I suspect Albania isn’t such an issue nowadays but back in the 80’s and early 90’s when I was driving Trucks our insurers wouldn’t cover us in Albania.

It was a dangerous place and you were well advised to stay clear, can’t think it’s as bad now but not sure I’d like to find out the hard way.

 

[chaser]

I suspect Albania isn’t such an issue nowadays but back in the 80’s and early 90’s when I was driving Trucks our insurers wouldn’t cover us in Albania.

It was a dangerous place and you were well advised to stay clear, can’t think it’s as bad now but not sure I’d like to find out the hard way.

Interested now just googled motorhomeing in Albania, and this came up, looks good.

Camping Albania – Exploring Albania in a motorhome – The Travelling Twins

the-travelling-twins.com

 

[robnchris]

We kept our boat in Levkas, flying into Preveza was a bloody pain with up to 2hrs in a taxi to get to Levkas. so we moved the boat up to Gouvia Marina on Corfu as getting flights there was so much cheaper and only 15 mins from airport to the marina
Most of the people we knew that drove out used the ferry from Brindisi, not certain which is the best option, Corfu is a lovely island a shame the local fishermen smashed up the new pontoons when they had been built in Paleokastritsa which was a great place to pull into.
Corfu is a fabulous island to drive around though keep out of Corfu town when the cruise ships arrive.
Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Boris7]

Looks like you can get a ferry from Albania to Corfu.

Austria to Albania vis Slovenia, Croatia is a great drive.

I’ve been as far as Montenagro maybe Albania is worth a look.

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[The Dudess]

At all costs avoid Albania,,,

We drove to Crete via Albania a few years ago - no problems whatsoever. The locals were very friendly, waving and even saluting us, and apart from some of the roads being a bit rough it was a great trip. Southern Albania is stunningly beautiful. We got 3rd party insurance at the border - probably not worth the paper it was written on but at least we were legal. Would definitely do it again.

 

[Wabs]

Just out of interest, why would you avoid Albania, honestly don't know the first thing about it, never been anywhere near it and no intention of, but just intrigued by your post.

I’ve been there once,,that was enough,,that was years ago,so,may have changed,but doubt it,,it was quite lawless then.

 

[LouthMick]

Welcome to the Fun!

We have driven to Greece several times in the last few years, mainly in our motorhome but prior to that in a small van and a car. We keep a boat near Preveza and usually travel over after Easter until early July, then head back at the end of August until sometime in mid to late October.
If we are in a hurry we use the tunnel then the toll roads past Reims, Troyes, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse, Mont Blanc tunnel, the A5 then 4/5 then 26 between Milan and Turin, A21 then A1 past Piacenza and Bologna, A14 past Rimini to Ancona where we catch the ferry to Igoumenitsa. We could drive to Bari and get the ferry from there but prefer not to. We did it once because we got to Ancona and the ferry was cancelled due to a serious snowstorm (this was in March) so we rebooked from Bari for the following day.
We use Anek or Superfast whenever we can as they do camping on board until the end of October and there are always lots of hook ups available. You have full access to the restaurants and bars on the ferry, plus the showers and toilets on the garage decks. As regards cooking, if you’re only using electricity you’ll be ok, and it’s best to avoid eating in the restaurant on the ferry if possible! Others use slow cookers and inductions hobs etc.
Minoan say they offer camping on board but what they mean is the cost of the cabin is included in the price. But the beds are really uncomfortable and we much prefer to stay in the motor home.
We use park4night to find stop overs. Always off the motorway and as often as possible with a nice view or in a quiet spot eg a small village, next to a canal or lake, in a pine forest etc. With only one exception we never plan these beforehand, preferring to decide on the day when to stop and where. Sometimes we go back to places we’ve used before but mainly we try new places. We also ensure never to stop within an hour or two of Calais as we don’t want any stowaways!


We got Greek residency in September 2019 and are currently going through the process of converting it to a 5yr biometric permit.
You must prove you have

• a Greek address - we use our contract with the boatyard
• sufficient income or available funds to support yourself - I think it’s about £3500 each
• adequate medical insurance as being a resident and not on holiday you won’t be covered by the GHIC
• a history of being in Greece for long periods and spending money here - we supplied several years of bank statements of the relevant months with the spending in Greece highlighted, plus if required I can provide email confirmations of ferry bookings, and flights going back years!

You also need to provide 4 passport photos taken in Greece - they are different dimensions to those in the U.K. and there are different requirements eg hair must be drawn back from the face
Plus pay a fee of €16 each prior to the first appointment.
The three part process begins with an interview with the police in the station to which your address is allocated. Our address is in Aktio so we need to travel to Agrinio each time, a round trip of 120 miles. There is a second trip needed about two weeks later to take fingerprints - quite why they can’t do that at the first interview isn’t clear, but that’s the process and I‘m not going to argue! Then a third approximately two weeks after that to collect the cards, which must be done in person.
Our first appointment is next week.
However, There is currently a lack of knowledge /training about the whole 90/180 /residency thing by local police. We had our passports stamped going into France which started the 90/180 clock. Technically once we boarded the ferry at Ancona that clock stops, but there are no border staff there to do that, and also none at Igoumenitsa port. We were directed with a vague wave to the police station but couldn’t park anywhere so decided to go to the police at Preveza as that was the next town we would go through. After a struggle to find the right person he spent half an hour trying to tell us that as Greek residents we have the right to go anywhere in EU (also not correct) for as long as we want. We stopped telling him he was wrong after a while as he was adamant and was holding our documents! So we’re keeping all ferry tickets, boarding cards etc to prove when we entered and will leave Greece.

Sorry it’s a bit long winded but hopefully it contains some information you may find useful.

WOW! Thank you for the reply. Slow cooker and/or an induction hob is something I didn’t even consider - good alternative to cooking with gas. As I will be driving for 6 to 8 hours per day, the batteries will have sufficient time to fully charge - I will also have a roof mounted large solar panel installed.

I‘ve never driven a motorhome through Europe (never driven a MH in the UK), but have been renting villas in Corfu for 6 weeks per year for the past 10 years - I know the island very well, usually staying in the Kassiopi area.

When travelling through Europe, where do you dispose of all the waste water?

 

[LouthMick]

I just hope whatever you choose it will drive better than a Bedford

Anything drives better than one of these…..

 

[Ninjabob]

Been to Corfu by car twice many moons ago and that was from Brendisi