Greece: Looking to try for the first time next year. Any recommendations please?

[Ian-n-Suzy]

Hi,

Hoping to visit Greece next Spring / Summer, apart from the usual places for research (on here, blogs, etc). Is there any material, info, guide books, maps etc that you would recommend as we love to have something to reference and enjoy the research.

We have most of the usual apps (Camper Contact, Park4Night, etc), but anything else we might not have come across would be great. Our Co-Pilot is set up with most of the POI collections that we've collected over the past 12 years or so, but again if there is something you think we that we may have missed.

Our Van is about 8.6m, and we have a black tank (onboard macerator) rather than a cassette, any info re constraints on that would be good also, and we prefer to wild camp, Aires, Camper Parks etc, but are certainly not averse to Campsites as well if they open up places of interest and don't cost the earth.

TIA

 

[Ian-n-Suzy]

Scrap the above - decided against it having read multiple blogs report unsuitable roads, I think we'll put this on ice until we have a smaller or Panel Van Conversion to use.

 

[acropolis22]

Scrap the above - decided against it having read multiple blogs report unsuitable roads, I think we'll put this on ice until we have a smaller or Panel Van Conversion to use.

Yup, 8.6m would be a nightmare in Greece and very much limit where you could go. Also very hard to find facilities to empty grey waste never mind a black tank. (Lived there for 17 years).

 

[nicholsong]

Scrap the above - decided against it having read multiple blogs report unsuitable roads, I think we'll put this on ice until we have a smaller or Panel Van Conversion to use.

I think you might have been a bit hasty in scrapping the idea.

We drove down to Greece a few weeks ago with our 7m 'A' Class Arto via Italy and ferry from Ancona-Patras then a few days in the Peloponnese before ferry to Patmos where we spent 3 weeks before parking it and flying back. We return to Patmos next Friday to do the reverse trip.

Let me deal with some of your worries.

Roads - I assume you are referring to roads in Greece, not e.g. Albania. Main roads are fine. Some minor roads have some potholes but there is not much traffic so can be negotiated on the 'wrong' side.

Length at 8.6m - we wildcamped everywhere and in no spot would the length have been a problem, equally on the roads. Maybe you were thinking of going into steep mountains.

Black tank - we have cassette, but on Patmos there is no campsite, but a friend told us of a sewage pumping station which we used by just lifting the lid of the chamber. If you have a long-enough discharge pipe I am sure you could find similar. We were there one day when two maintenance people arrived and they were fine with us emptying, even brought some gloves to use. They probably took the view that it was better to empty there than in the sea. If you know where you want to go you could phone some Town Halls up in advance and ask for similar for the same reason.

There are lots of people who have successfully MHomed in Greece.

I will edit and add some links later.

Geoff

EDIT These links

First my thread https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/progress-on-our-drive-ferry-to-greece.242812/

Second Tam's thread who spent months ther in the last year https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...g-zorba-take-two.227984/page-215#post-4462735

Then there is a useful map of POI s for parking places from Peejay over on MHFacts.

 

[acropolis22]

I think you might have been a bit hasty in scrapping the idea.

We drove down to Greece a few weeks ago with our 7m 'A' Class Arto via Italy and ferry from Ancona-Patras then a few days in the Peloponnese before ferry to Patmos where we spent 3 weeks before parking it and flying back. We return to Patmos next Friday to do the reverse trip.

Let me deal with some of your worries.

Roads - I assume you are referring to roads in Greece, not e.g. Albania. Main roads are fine. Some minor roads have some potholes but there is not much traffic so can be negotiated on the 'wrong' side.

Length at 8.6m - we wildcamped everywhere and in no spot would the length have been a problem, equally on the roads. Maybe you were thinking of going into steep mountains.

Black tank - we have cassette, but on Patmos there is no campsite, but a friend told us of a sewage pumping station which we used by just lifting the lid of the chamber. If you have a long-enough discharge pipe I am sure you could find similar. We were there one day when two maintenance people arrived and they were fine with us emptying, even brought some gloves to use. They probably took the view that it was better to empty there than in the sea. If you know where you want to go you could phone some Town Halls up in advance and ask for similar for the same reason.

There are lots of people who have successfully MHomed in Greece.

I will edit and add some links later.

Geoff

Geoff, you are an eternal optimist....... It's all do-able as you say. We too had fun in an A class in Greece. But I think most people would say don't go in an 8.6m moho with a black tank for your first time in Greece unless you are prepared to put up with a certain level of stress.

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[nicholsong]

Geoff, you are an eternal optimist....... It's all do-able as you say. We too had fun in an A class in Greece. But I think most people would say don't go in an 8.6m moho with a black tank for your first time in Greece unless you are prepared to put up with a certain level of stress.

Andrew

I am not just an optimist because I have just been there first time with the MH, but also had spent 30 years there on my boat, and both then and several other years before that, driving around a lot (cars and scooters). I think I am realistic.

I really cannot see why an extra 1.6m would make much difference on most roads in Greece. Yes of course it can in some places also Alps, Pyrennese, Scotland. Then research is needed, or stay at home.

Black tanks would also need some research, as I suggested above, but we found a solution as I posted - not black tank in our case but the same facility could have been used for a black tank with a long enough hose.

Ian-n-Suzy now have two different viewpoints so they can choose.

For us we had a wonderful few weeks, parking up at beaches with good tavernas, maybe helped by my years of experience there, but available to all.

We cannot wait to get back there on Friday. We have even discussed which beach/taverna we will park at for the first two nights and the Octopus, Taramasalat and Zucchine balls we want to eat.

'Come on down!'

Geoff

 

[Lenny HB]

When we did Greece we had a 7.2m van I don't think an 8 6m van would be too much of a problem.
A black tank would be ideal as we found emptying points a bit sparse, we got by with a spare cassette.

Link to my trip in my signature.

 

[Roger S]

When driving our van which is 8.1 metres sometimes I think ooh this couold be a bit tight, next thing you see a bus or a lorry coming the other way, so my thoughts are if a bus or lorry can go there so can I, and ive seen a lot of lorries and buses in greece.

 

[Richard Birkett]

We did Greece in our 8.6m Carthago ( 2.55m wide) and had no problem with any roads which are generally good. You will not find any more friendly people and as for discharging your black tank, many of the marinas we stayed at had facilities.

 

[Toady]

We are off to Greece in October. Hope to make Crete using ferries. MH is 8m but I don’t see a problem. Love Greece.

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[NicandJay]

Can I ask... have other Funsters been to many islands with their moho... fancy seeing some of them as well as mainland... we have a 6.89m coachbuilt...thanks

 

[nicholsong]

Can I ask... have other Funsters been to many islands with their moho... fancy seeing some of them as well as mainland... we have a 6.89m coachbuilt...thanks

Our 7m Arto is currently on Patmos island - see my post #6 above.

I know most of the Greek islands from 30 years sailing there and including driving around a lot of them, so tell me which ones you are interested in and I can give you some info.

Getting to the islands is no problem as most are served by big ferries and they take trucks there to supply everything from biscuits to steel beams.

Geoff

 

[NicandJay]

Our 7m Arto is currently on Patmos island - see my post #6 above.

I know most of the Greek islands from 30 years sailing there and including driving around a lot of them, so tell me which ones you are interested in and I can give you some info.

Getting to the islands is no problem as most are served by big ferries and they take trucks there to supply everything from biscuits to steel beams.

Geoff

Geoff,
I would like to work my way down to Crete stopping at maybe Kythnos or Serifos for a taste of smaller less touristy islands, Santorini then crete. Starting out in May

 

[Barryh]

I’ve driven cars but never driven a motorhome in Greece so can’t advise on that. However I’ve witnessed the chaos that is Santorini harbour as the ferries arrive and depart, then the double chaos that is the drive up the long and scary switchback to get out. Of course busses and trucks do it, but they seem to have some magic power that squeezes them round the bends and through impossible traffic coming the other way. I’m glad we were on the bus.

 

[Viennese]

I know Santorini quite well having been there many times and I would not take a van there. I think the camping sites are suitable only for tents. The island is small and apart from regular tourists I can't see them providing facilities for campers!

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[acropolis22]

I’ve driven cars but never driven a motorhome in Greece so can’t advise on that. However I’ve witnessed the chaos that is Santorini harbour as the ferries arrive and depart, then the double chaos that is the drive up the long and scary switchback to get out. Of course busses and trucks do it, but they seem to have some magic power that squeezes them round the bends and through impossible traffic coming the other way. I’m glad we were on the bus.

Their "magic power" is that everyone gives way to them, which may or may not happen with a motorhome.

 

[Northernraider]

Have to say i wouldn't take an 8.6 metre motorhome to greece especially the peloponnese ...my 7 metre did most of it no problems but Aires are non existent , spring and summer wildcamping will be much much harder than in winter time. I found only 1 waste disposal place in my entire trip so i stopped using the cassette. The most scenic places are quite tight and hilly .

I loved greece and i will be back many times i hope ...but i wouldn't find an 8.6 metre motorhome relaxing at all where i went ....and I don't think id go in summer either.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I suppose it depends how comfortable you are with your driving, spent a week in Santorini and drove all over with a hire car.
Would not have any second thoughts about taking my 8.6m van around.
Obviously places you cannot get to but just have to plan a bit.

 

[Ian-n-Suzy]

Hi,

Thanks for the info, plenty of food for thought there.

CHEERS

 

[Richard Birkett]

We took the ferry to Crete and stayed at camping Elizabeth on the outskirts of Rethymno. Again no problem with the roads with the possible exception of driving thru the morning rush hour in Athens!

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[Barryh]

How long are you thinking of going for? We love our motorhome travels as much as the next man, but sometimes there may be better options. A couple of years ago in September, we flew to Athens for about £130 each return to start a 4 week island hopping trip. Cheapish ferries run everywhere and out of peak season accommodation is cheap and at that time plentiful as well. We never booked anything, just turned up on an island and got sorted. We used mostly public transport to get around but car hire was easy and cheap (again) as well. It cost us a lot less than an equivalent motorhome trip would have done with time, diesel and ferries etc. Have to say we saw very few motorhomes in those 4 weeks.

 

[busby]

Their "magic power" is that everyone gives way to them, which may or may not happen with a motorhome.

Plus the fact that with a truck it doesn't really matter if you scrape another vehicle or a wall,,with a motorhome,,well say no more.BUSBY.

 

[sallys]

Have to say i wouldn't take an 8.6 metre motorhome to greece especially the peloponnese ...my 7 metre did most of it no problems but Aires are non existent , spring and summer wildcamping will be much much harder than in winter time. I found only 1 waste disposal place in my entire trip so i stopped using the cassette. The most scenic places are quite tight and hilly .

I loved greece and i will be back many times i hope ...but i wouldn't find an 8.6 metre motorhome relaxing at all where i went ....and I don't think id go in summer either.

We did the Peloponnese last Autumn in our 9.2m van and had a fantastic time. Yes there are some restrictions but we always found places to stay, both wild and on sites, and had no trouble emptying. Can’t wait to go back…and by then we will be 9.6m.

 

[Robert Clark]

Looks like the OP isn’t going to Greece
Hope they don’t decide to go to Cornwall or the Lake District instead