Info on Greece

[bobalobs]

Took a VW to Greece for ten weeks in 1988 and remember most of that trip as if it was yesterday! And yes even then Tolo was a kiss me quick holiday trap but described by one tour brochure as "the true Greece"! We drove through quickly and spent the night in wooded campsite by the shore and when darkness fell the sound of classical guitar was heard from two locals playing to their children. When they finished a ripple of applause came from other campers who had also been listening. Made the hairs on the back of my head rise and the complete opposite to our trip through earlier that day.

We drove down through Yugoslavia as it then was starting in May. Spent time in Halkidiki in northwest Greece and then on to Piraeus via Delphi where we took the ferry to the island of Karpathos where friends lived then on to Crete a further ferry to the Peloponese and in July a reluctant trip back to the " normality" of a 9 to 5 job!

Total mileage approaching 5000 and an allin cost of £2500. We ate out most nights and campsite nightly fees were less than the daily fees for keeping our two cats in the cattery!

Always dreamt of going again and even having read this thread maybe we still will and visit that campsite near Tolo again. Probably now a holiday complex!!

[flicka]

Having said so much above, I thought I would check to Camp site situation in the North West of Greece.

Only found one - http://www.camping-in-greece.gr/Details.asp?id=72

& not much information on that.

 

But for anyone going to Greece via the ferry from Italy into Igoumenista, I would recommend a detour from Ioannina into the Pindos Mountains for the Vikos Gorge the western approaches provide the easiest access & a good viewpoint can be Monodendrion.

Then (depending on your confidence) the journey from there across the Pindos range to Metoria, otherwise contiue following the Gorge south & onward to Patra & Preveza.

 

Sorry to hear things have appear to have deteriorated so much since our last visit.

We were aware that prices were increasing greatly even 4 years ago, but the pressure of the Euro has meant that price equality across the Eurozone appears to have impacted on the local population more than we anticipated.

Joining the Eurozone has not done Greece any favours.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Don Madge - 2010-10-27 6:08 PM

 

JudgeMental - 2010-10-27 5:16 PM

On our trip we crossed over to Crete with the intention of staying a couple of weeks but we stayed nearly three months :-D

 

Hi Eddie,

 

Crete has that effect on you. :-D :-D We spent six weeks there earlier this year and it was near paradise especially in the south of the island.

We found some excellent restaurants a bit pricey but well worth it.

The campsites are expensive for whats on offer but we spent only a few days on them. It will definitely be one of our winter haunts once we have to slow down and take it easy.

 

Safe travelling. Don

 

 

There where no campsites when we went, none that I saw anyway. We drove down through Yugoslavia as well........Yes it was that Long ago! :D

 

 

[flicka]

Don / Brian

The front page of the Greek website link I added, states that "Wild Camping" in Greece is forbidden.

Did you find this to be the case or do the police turn a blind eye (?)

 

"Wild camping, parking or use of camping accommodation outside the authorized campsites is strictly FORBIDDEN, under very serious penalties. (Law2160/93, article4/1, and Law 2741/99 article 21/1)."

[Brian Kirby]

The answer to that seems to be a bit elastic.  It is illegal, yes.  Do the police act against wild campers?  Not, I was given to understand, if a) no one objects, b) they don't see you (unlikely, as they were practically invisible outside Athens) or d) you don't make the mistake of parking within spit of a campsite - when the campsite owner will raise a rumpus.  We used sites, so this was gleaned from others as we went.

After all, exceeding the speed limit is illegal, and overtaking on double white lines is illegal, and a fat lot that has to with how Greeks drive, so I guess a little matter if a discreetly parked motorhome, including on some town car parks, hardly figures.  :-)

[Don Madge]

John/Brian,

 

How do you define "CAMPING" to me camping is tents, trailer tents and caravans and all the accompanied bits and pieces. :-D

 

The parking/camping debate has been going on for years.

 

I consider what I do is parking not camping. We are fortunate with our silver panel van conversion we don't stand out as much as some motorhomes.

 

We have never had a problem in Greece or the islands we have visited. We were asked to move once on Rhodes, we had stopped for lunch on a deserted beach and it was close to a Greek army camp that was well hidden and not marked with the blue and white stones one usually sees.

 

If it's convenient we use the aires, there are a few about and not widely publicised.

 

Don

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Don.  Now you're just being mischievous!  :-) 

In truth, I don't think it matters a hoot how I, or any other individual, choose to define camping.  What will count is how the authorities in the location, or country, define it.

My personal preference is for the French definition, because it is clear. 

A vehicle that has only its tyres in contact with the ground, no awning extended, and no tables or chairs etc deployed outside it, is parked.  Providing that vehicle is not parked in contravention of any statutory prohibition it is entitled to remain parked for, I think, one week.  This right is enshrined in the Code de la Route and is not open to question, but its applicability is restricted to the public roads (which can include laybys, picnic spots, even car parks, etc).

However, if steadies are wound down, the awning extended, or tables, chairs, or other camping paraphernalia are deployed around the vehicle, it may be deemed to be "camping".  This would obviously be a de facto contravention where there is a camping restriction, and can be construed a contravention where camping is not specifically banned, but is not specifically authorised either (aire, campsite or other). 

There is one further condition regarding parking, which is that the parked vehicle must not, of itself, cause hazard, nuisance, or obstruction. 

The final caveat is that notices banning the parking of motorhomes (camping-cars) are, according to the French Min of Transport illegal, because discriminatory: camping-cars being, legally, regarded as private cars and not a separate category of vehicle.  Not all local Mayors accept this definition, so you may have trouble with the Police Municipale if you ignore such local restrictions.  The case could be argued, and would very likely be dismised, on the ground thet the mayor had abused his powers, but this route is really only sensible for those with a strong desire to experience the French legal system at first hand!  :-)

It follows that restrictions on car parking apply equally to motorhomes, and that areas set aside for commercial vehicle parking are not automatically permissible for motorhomes.

As anywhere, parking on private land without permission is a trespass.

Not having tried wild camping, I have not explored whether there is a French equivalent of UK common land, and how stopping on that works legally, or what restrictions might apply to areas such as the "domenale" forests, where ownership is vested in some other authority.

Outside France I tend to stick to what the signs say, and in their absence adhere to the French model, on the basis that it seems fairly common sensical, so is at least logically defensible if challenged. 

Golden rule: if told by a man with a gun, uniformed or otherwise, to "sling yer 'ook", leave promptly and without argument!!  :-D  But that's just me!