Solo to Greece

[Suda]

Old lady in a panel van would like advice regarding a solo trip to Greece. The route from Calais to Venice, camping or Aires on the way, security, leaping from one side of the van to the other to pay tolls, mechanical problems which might occur , in fact anything at all which will give me the confidence to embark on my Motorhoming swan song. Thankyou

[Tracker]

Firstly I really admire your pluck in doing this and I wish you every bit of luck and enjoyment along the way.

 

Not sure when you are going but the proposed tolls on German Autobahns probably won't but may be an issue?

 

When you lean across to pay tolls make sure you do your seat belt up BEFORE engaging gear and moving off just in case an over zealous plod is looking for an easy victim to make up his quota.

 

Vicarious books have a number of books and maybe Camperstop and ACSI would be the best ones for you to look at? http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk/product_list.shtml#camperstop

 

Mechanical problems? How long is a bit of string! What sort of van and age is it as there may be known avoidable issues but a good in depth service and tyre check by someone you trust is a must as is a decent recovery service - often available with your insurance.

 

 

[DaveyB]

It sounds like a great trip. I was tempted to head to Corfu a few years back but bottled it. When I was looking I liked the idea of getting the ferry from Venice, especially as one of the ferries allowed you to sleep in your motorhome overnight on the deck. They would supply hookup, and you could use the toilet and shower facilities on the boat.

[StuartO]

Not been further than Venice but this route to get that far worked well for us:

 

Calais Docks via E40, E42, E411 to

Luxemburg Capellan Services, 247 miles, (N49 38.159 E5 58.019) for cheap fuel then

Stelplatz Mettlach 293 miles, (N49 29.892 E6 35.803) overnight stop.

Back onto the A8 then A6, A61, A6, A5, A8, A7 and through Austria on the B171, L76 to the Resia Pass into Italy and on to:

Camping Mals Venosta, 709 miles from Calais, (N46 41.064 E10 33.018) for stop then via Merano, Trento, Feltre, Treviso to:

Camping Fusina Venice,901 miles from Calais, (N45 25.162 E12 15.378)

 

Longish legs so you might want extra night stops but we have done this journey without. Mettlach Stelplatz is only a few miles detour and worth it. A car park near river and supermarket in a nice little town which also has a Vilroy & Boch Factory Shop. Restaurants too if you want them. Only a few bays marked for MHs but everyone seems to spread out elsewhere so plenty of room. This route through Austria does not use motorways.

 

The Resia Pass into Italy is an easy climb and descent, non-motorway, which we've done with a big MH and trailer so dead easy in a panel van. Much prefer it to the Brenner Pass. We stayed a couple of nights at Mals, which is a terraced site, immaculately kept and with a spectacular mountain outlook. Quite a walk into town, so self catering worked fro us.

 

Camping Fusina is open all year and well located for visiting Venice by ferry boat (every hour) and sitting at the waterside looking at the City across the Lagoon. Midges at some times of year so take big citronella candles and place then near your ankles. Interesting approach through an industrial area where young (and not so young) ladies with very short skirts assemble to wave to passing lorry drivers. Nevertheless the campsite is in its own world and pretty good. Pizzeria and bar on site if you want it. There might be better places to stop on the approach to Venice if you are planning to catch a ferry but Camping Fusina is a safe bet.

 

If you PM your email address to me I'll send you a Garmin route file.

[silverbike]

Definitely recommend the ferry option. We've done Venice to Igoumenitsa and back to Ancona. Also Ancona to Patra and return. Lots of Italian motorways do a complete rather than sectional fare so you get your ticket when you get on and pay as you come off. Paying a section at a time drives me mad! French motorways I believe you can buy a sticker for your windscreen which is read as you go through so you don't even have to stop!

Security- lock the van door when you're filling up and paying or simply returning the supermarket trolley, but if you frequently travel solo I guess you do that anyway! On sites we've not had problems and we've previously camped with a motorbike and tent all over Europe.

Best of luck with the trip and enjoy the planning. I know I do.

[Guest JudgeMental]

simple answer avoid most of the tolls: belgium - Luxemburg - head for strasbourg - Basel - Milan - verona -venice. OR toll free via Germany/Austria. if you decide to go via switzerland they come to your window to collect money, I would use the tolls in Italy as reasonably priced. I think we tend to concern ourselves with trivial concerns that once you get going fade into insignificance...I'm jealous have a great trip! :-D

[Brian Kirby]

Which part/s of Greece are you intending to visit? May have some relevance to points of departure/arrival.

 

If you want to take in Venice as well, I think it would be a superb point to use at one or other end of your journey. The ferries pass through the Guidecca Canal, and the views over Venice should be amazing (I've only watched the ferries from the canal side). The other favourite seems to be Ancona, which we used in 2010. You could at that time go one way and return the other.

 

For the more southerly ports, unless you want to take in those parts of Italy, most folk seem to think the extra time and distance spent driving aren't repaid by the shorter crossings.

 

There seems to have been a bit of a turn around among the ferry operators since we went, but several were offering the "camping on board" option for caravans/motorhomes. Would be wise to check this early, and be prepared to book early for discounts.

 

There were indeed EHUs available, but it was a bit of a scramble to "bag" a pull down EHU on boarding, as there semed to be more vehicles than cables! They were carried on ceiling mounted recoil reels on the ferry we used (Anek), and one had to fish for them with a long pole. Only one pole available!

 

Choice between Igoumenitsa or Patras depends rather on where you will head on landing. The ferry served both, arriving Igoumenitsa first, and then on to Patras.

 

If your vehicle is of European manufacture, (Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Ford, Mercedes, VW) you shouldn't have any general problems getting spares, but remember that much of Greece is rural, and towns are not that large away from Athens or Thessaloniki, so finding a franchised repairer to hand, should you need one, is a bit unlikely. Most of the garages seem to be general workshops, but are doubtless good at getting most things going again when they stop.

 

Roads were generally fair to good, and usually quite wide, although mostly two lane. It is common to use the "hard shoulder" to make way for overtaking vehicles (in both directions!), and a failure to yield the priority can cause a bit of upset. However, you'll soon get the hang of that. But, I'd advise against doing this on right hand bends, though you may be pressed to, because it is also used for parking! And yes, I did find that out the hard way! :-)

 

Language isn't too much of a barrier if you don't speak modern Greek, many folk speak English.

 

If you go to Athens be on your Guard. There were gangs of pickpockets and bag dippers all over the place - not threatening - but very slick. Tube stations are high risk, as there are so many people around, and tourists, like it or not, are easy to spot. They seemed to rely mainly on diversion theft: one would ask for directions, or similar, while another explored your bag etc, and immediately passed your purse or whatever to a third, who walked off rifling it for whatever was worthwhile, and chucking the rest tidily into the nearest bin as he passed! Carole's bag was done in this way at Syntagma, and we went back to watch a while later and could then see the whole game being played. Needless to say, the police blamed immigrants. Get a "PacSafe" bag, or similar, for a bit of peace of mind.

[Suda]

Wow what wonderful information you have all supplied. Thankyou so much for the lengthy and detailed responses to my post.

[Bulletguy]

Not sure what you consider "old" or how much previous experience you have of driving in Europe? On the latter i'm assuming very little or possibly none as "leaping from one side of the van to the other to pay tolls" is not particularly a good idea and in some cases, physically impossible. Some tolls are unmanned where you will need to pay via cash or credit card (apart from those with vignettes) and you will have to exit your van to do that.

 

Two tips on the above....1) don't keep in line with the vehicle in front which will be LHD and will be as close as possible to the booth or pay machine. I've done this a couple of times only to find myself looking a bit silly as i squeeze between van and machine....so keep as far over to the right as you possibly can! 2) on exiting it's a good idea to lock the van. OK it's a bit long winded but some people in certain countries have a habit of entering unattended vehicles.

 

I travel 'solo' and whether it be machine or manned tool booth i always exit my van as i find it easier.

[Suda]

I am 68 and have considerable experience of driving in both Europe and North Africa but as I recently lost my partner, it will be the first time I have travelled across the Channel on my own.

[antony1969]

Sorry to hear of your loss ... What a great trip and I'm very jealous ... You must post some pics and safe travels

[Bulletguy]

Suda - 2014-12-20 10:50 AM

 

I am 68 and have considerable experience of driving in both Europe and North Africa but as I recently lost my partner, it will be the first time I have travelled across the Channel on my own.

 

 

You should be fine then. The main difference being this time you will always be only in the driving seat and have no passenger to do the toll booth work. Whether manned or unmanned ones i'd still recommend you exit your van. Actually i find it easier than going over to the passenger seat.

 

When are you planning on going?

[Pampam]

Eyup suda i hope you have an enjoyable journey please keep us informed how you get on if possible then i can enjoy your trip "vicariously?" Sorry to hear of your loss , and can i ask what van youve got? Is it a conversion or a van with settee and camping stove thrown in back lol ,all the best pp:)

[ips]

Good for you have a great trip, I have no experience of foreign trips but if it was me and presumably in no rush I would meander along taking smaller roads as from my experience of UK touring you can find great places that way that motorway or toll roads will not offer.

Keep us updated during your trip it will be great to follow your escapades.

Regards ian

[Brian Kirby]

Bulletguy - 2014-12-21 1:24 AM

 

Suda - 2014-12-20 10:50 AM

 

I am 68 and have considerable experience of driving in both Europe and North Africa but as I recently lost my partner, it will be the first time I have travelled across the Channel on my own.

 

 

You should be fine then. The main difference being this time you will always be only in the driving seat and have no passenger to do the toll booth work. Whether manned or unmanned ones i'd still recommend you exit your van. Actually i find it easier than going over to the passenger seat.

 

When are you planning on going?

In view of the difficulty with toll booths, and the high cost of French autoroure tolls, I'm wondering why you would bother with them?

 

It is quite straightforward to cross NE France down to Alsace without using any toll roads.

 

From Alsace across Germany toward Fussen is toll free, though mostly non-autobahn, and also quite straightforward.

 

From Fussen it is possible, and also straightforward to, cross Austria non-toll down to Italy at Merano, and from there to Venice can also be done toll-free via Bassano del Grappa.

 

If it would help, I can let you have route details, with some alternatives, plus a few campsites for overnight stops. PM me if interested.

 

My only rider is that whatever route you select will be far easier if you use a sat nav, as trying to read maps and navigate while driving is not that relaxing an experience! :-)