Petra Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 On our recent journey down to Greece from the Uk we arrived at Ancona expecting to be able to park up at the port as usual. However when we arrived there the security was tighter than a duck's you know what!! All of the car parks near by were closed and the port is completely surrounded by fences. We managed to find a car park a few kilometres outside the town heading towards Falconara. It is a very quiet park and ideal for an overnight stop. There is also a few shops and a cafe close by. For anybody going to Ancona and need to overnight there the coordinates are N43 36.920 E 13 25.847 and the nearest street is Via Alessandro Volta 8. Also it would be advisable to get your tickets in advance because in future there will be no entry into the port unless you have tickets. The ticket office is being transferred outside of the port, but not sure when that will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Petra, thanks useful information we are planning our first trip to Greece next year so any info on Greece will appreciate, thanks Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 4, 2008 Author Share Posted November 4, 2008 Hi Carol. We are based down in Crete and have only just done the journey down to here this winter in the motorhome. We have driven the route before many times in the car however. If you let me know what sort of information you need then I will try to help. Petra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Petra - 2008-11-04 8:14 AM Hi Carol. We are based down in Crete and have only just done the journey down to here this winter in the motorhome. We have driven the route before many times in the car however. If you let me know what sort of information you need then I will try to help. Petra Hi Petra, spent 3 months on Crete in a VW van when I was younger, love the place! and long to return when I retire:-D . Are you there for the winter? whats the weather like? and where are you based? we just wild camped everywhere as ir was acceptable then.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted November 4, 2008 Share Posted November 4, 2008 Petra - 2008-11-04 8:14 AM Hi Carol. We are based down in Crete and have only just done the journey down to here this winter in the motorhome. We have driven the route before many times in the car however. If you let me know what sort of information you need then I will try to help. Petra Hi Petra, We are planning to visit Crete late March/April 09 for about six weeks, we will be coming from Rhodes after spending Jan/March in Turkey. Been touring Greece since 1969 but it will be our first time on Crete. Would be interested in any parking spots on the south of the island. Regards Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 We actually have a house near Agios Nikolaos on the North east of the Island and spend winters here. The weather at present is about 28 degrees during the day and about 20 at night. We even went swimming yesterday and had the beach to ourselves. Winters here are usually very mild temperatures rarely dropping below 10 degrees. Last year it was 25 degrees on Christmas Day. If you added all the bad days together we probably only had two weeks where we could not sit outside although it does get cool at night. This year we will be doing some more touring round the island in our motorhome so will find more places to stay. Most campsites are closed during the winter, in fact a lot of Crete is closed during the winter which is really lovely, no rowdy Brits in Malia!! A few suggestions for wild camping are the car park by the sea in Plaka, just outside Elounda: By the Vouliasmeni beach just before Istron on the road to Sitia, you can also park along the beach at Ierapetra and there is a large car park at Vai. We have also seen many motorhomes park in the car park at Kritsa although this is more of an overnight stay. Although it is technically not allowed to free camp rarely will the police move you on. The Greeks just do as they like so while in Greece..... We will pass on more information as we find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Hi Petra, Many thanks. What ferry do you use from the mainland to Crete? We will have to return from Crete to Piraeus or one of the ports on the Peloponnese. Any further info will be most welcome. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 6, 2008 Author Share Posted November 6, 2008 Hi Don we use the Piraeus to Heraklion ferry but there is a ferry from Kavonisi near Kissamos on the west of the Island that goes to the bottom of the Peloponese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Anyone travelling down to Crete taking the Italy - Greece routes should be aware that if you book Minoan or Anek and book both the Italian - Greek routes and domestic Greek route at the same time you will get a 10%discount on the Greek route. Also you get a large discount on the return fare booked at the same time. You can also book an open return which they don't advertise but you need to get the ticket stamped at one of the main offices. If you are over 60 you also get a 10% discount and you should always ask how much for me (yia Mena). It is worth noting that Anek fares increase over 5.5 metres whereas Minoan is over 6m. Greeks told us that you should always knock off half a metre as they never measure anything!!! When you are travelling to and from Italy you must always check in even if you have tickets as you need to get your sticker for your destination. Camping on board facilities are available From April til end of October. This allows you to stay in your motorhome and provides electric hook up. There is also water, toilets and showers available on the camping deck. You can also use all the facilities of the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Just to add a bit to Petra's ferry info. The smaller ferry companies operating on the short crossings Bari/Brindisi to Igoumenitsa/Patras usually allow/turn a blind eye to the use of the van on the crossing in the winter months. Agoudimos Lines http://www.agoudimos-lines.com Bari to Igoumenitsa/Patras Brindisi to Corfu/Igoumenitsa Ventouris Ferries http://www.ventouris.gr Bari to Corfu/Igoumenitsa Endeavor Ferries (was Myway Ferries) http://www.ferries.gr Brindisi to Igoumenitsa/Patras Don't ring/e mail the ferry companies as the head office will not admit they allow you to use your motorhome on the crossing in the winter. Usually there is no need to book in advance in winter time just turn up at the port and buy your tickets there. There is plenty of room for overnight parking at Bari and Brindisi. At Brindisi you might have to park outside the port gates. It's quite safe we have parked over night a couple of times. Sometimes there are reduced or cancelled sailings in January/February so be prepared. These pics show us and Magbaz travels waiting to load at Brindisi docks in Jan 2006 and on the camping deck of the ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 when I was there many years ago we stayed on a little beach outside Agios Nikolaos opposite side to Elounda, it had a river/estuary flowing from the right side into the sea....probably a hotel there now*-) We stayed there for 8 weeks on and off,along with2 -3 other vans...a chap on a put put used to bring us breakfast every morning:-D Also spent a week at Vai beach amongst the trees (famous for the bounty advert) can you still do this kind of thing? there were quiet a few German vans even then lol for 3 months we visited the whole of the island, never once being moved on...to be honest never even saw a camp site. the reception was brilliant were ever we went. probably the most memorable holiday of my life. But I was in my early 20's and the world was big and shiny and new then :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Where you stayed was Almiros which has changed a great deal although it is still a lovely beach. There was a British motorhome parked there this year for a couple of days but it is right next to the road which is quite busy now. The attitudes of Greeks has changed quite a lot in the last 25 years whilst we have been coming here. Everything is a bit more hectic now. Although if you park out of the way and dont cause trouble then nobody is going to cause you any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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