Driving to Athens.

[tonycordon]

We are considering driving to Athens for my son's wedding next July. Has anyone done this trip recently? If so any advice on routes, costs and/or general suggestions would be gratefully received.

[ManOpener]

Greek drivers are terrible. Worst I've ever experienced in Europe. They make the Sicilians look good.
Aside from that I can't really offer much.

[mikal83]

WE HAVE just returned from Venice, so you could just continue down thru Croatia.
Venice-Salzburg-Munich-Karlsruhe-Brussels-Calais.

[TooMany2cvs]

mikal83 said:

WE HAVE just returned from Venice, so you could just continue down thru Croatia.

Look south from Croatia. You've got a little bit of Bosnia, back into Croatia, then Montenegro, then Albania before Greece.

Whilst Albania is a seriously great place to visit and travel through, it's definitely not the easy route. Also - never mind breakdown cover, your insurance will probably not cover you for Montenegro or Albania, so you'll need to buy top-up policies at the borders.

If you want to go overland, but aren't up for quite such an "experience", you can go further east. Not just a bit east - then you've got Bosnia or Serbia plus Macedonia, and the Macedonians hate the Greeks and vice-versa. Go all the way east - Germany, Austria (or Czech, Slovakia), Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria - and be in the EU the whole way.

Or you just get a ferry from Italy. Either from the buttock - Venice - or all the way down to the heel - Bari.

[Denis O]

If it was me I'd probably drive to Ancona, ferry to Igoumenitsa and then a 5 hour drive to Athens. I've done Ancona a number of times and it's easily done, from Calais, with 1 overnight stop an hour from Milan. I use the Mont Blanc route. Your next overnight will be on the boat and then you're off to Athens. Make sure you have a cabin. Aircraft seats are fecking uncomfortable and a sleeping bag on deck is worse.

Pop that route into Via Michelin and it'll give you all the tolls and an average number for fuel. Add the ferry cost which you'll get from either Minoan or Anek sites and you're good to go.

[tonycordon]

Thanks for the replies so far........anyone else????

[chilistrucker]

Denis O said:

If it was me I'd probably drive to Ancona, ferry to Igoumenitsa and then a 5 hour drive to Athens. I've done Ancona a number of times and it's easily done, from Calais, with 1 overnight stop an hour from Milan. I use the Mont Blanc route. Your next overnight will be on the boat and then you're off to Athens. Make sure you have a cabin. Aircraft seats are fecking uncomfortable and a sleeping bag on deck is worse.

Pop that route into Via Michelin and it'll give you all the tolls and an average number for fuel. Add the ferry cost which you'll get from either Minoan or Anek sites and you're good to go.

+1 on all of the above.
We do it various ways depending on the job, but if its my choice I'd pick the above, and Def get a cabin on the boat.

[abarber]

Yes, headed down from Venice on the ferry Igoumenitsa, staying at Lefkadas on route.

A great trip, wonderful roads, food, weather, beaches, mountains. What more can you want!

Also a wonderful view of Venice from the Ferry (Minoan lines).

[Chris944_S2]

Denis O said:

If it was me I'd probably drive to Ancona, ferry to Igoumenitsa and then a 5 hour drive to Athens. I've done Ancona a number of times and it's easily done, from Calais, with 1 overnight stop an hour from Milan. I use the Mont Blanc route. Your next overnight will be on the boat and then you're off to Athens. Make sure you have a cabin. Aircraft seats are fecking uncomfortable and a sleeping bag on deck is worse.

Pop that route into Via Michelin and it'll give you all the tolls and an average number for fuel. Add the ferry cost which you'll get from either Minoan or Anek sites and you're good to go.

That's what I was going to advise, except to continue to Patras rather than coming off at Igoumenitsa. The route across the Peloponnese is much nicer.