Driving out into Greek countryside for a couple of days
 

A friend and I will be in Greece in May and I'd like to get off the beaten path and see some scenery in some less travelled spots. All the quidebooks warn that driving in Greece is very challenging to say the least. I'd welcome comments and tips.

Also, if we are spending a couple of days outside of the usual tourist areas, will we be able to find a place to stay? Are B&B's or equivalents generally available?

I speak a tiny bit of Greek, if that would make a difference in this situation.

Where will you be starting from? Central Athens? Athens airport? Are you just wanting to get away from busy Athens or do you have a specific scenery yen.

Frankly, the easiest driving would be to get a car from Athens Airport, if u are in Central Athens and absolutely new to Greek driving -- just take the X95 bus from Syntagma square to Airport. TIP: Friends say you get the BEST deal by going to Budget rental using the .gr portal.

I would suggest a drive to the "Argolid" area of the Pelopponnese Peninsula just over the Corinth Canal . Do you have a map? here's a simplified one.
http://www.hikenow.net/images/Greece/Maps1/c02.jpg -- click & this gets BIG.

... From the airport you are on a MODERN 4-lane divided highway, not a single traffic light until you get to th Corinth Canal (about 2 hours). Immediately after, the traffic drops off a lot... about 15 miles from canal, see a brown sign "ancient Nemea"... get off highway and u will find amazing small "Sacred Games" site (a mini-Olympia). No tour busses! gorgeous flowers! Broken Columns. Real Greece.

Have some lunch, then cross the big highway and take small rolling highway E 65 on map -- you will go through orange groves and olive groves, peaceful and green, E65 through Argos to the prettiest Old TOwn in all of Greece ... Nafplio. A World Heritage Site. Unbelievably beautiful in May. Explore the town ... sit & see the sunset along its harbor. Stay all night... Drive up a ramp to parking square looking down on town and stay at a mall hotel or a pension looking down on bay... Pension Ligiea or Pension Eleni are budget in May, 50?€ ... Streets are garlanded with flowering vines... you won't believe it, so here is a slide show to convince you http://travel.webshots.com/slideshow/551991579dJbWvh

NOTE: Ligeia or Eleni have websites; give them a phone call before you come; if they don't have free room, they'll know a neighbor who does.

Day #2 -- Drive in any direction, and more greenery ... 4 Km outside town is an ancient Mycenaen FORTRESS, Tiryns, again NO tour busses, you may be alone on the site as I have been many times. And /or, drive southerly about 25 miles, to Ancient Epidaurus (follow the brown signs that say Epidaurus Theatre) ... this was Greece's #1 "healing site" and since greece believed culture was part of healing ... it has a huge perfectly preserved theatre (seats 15,000) that is the worlds most perfect acoustic theatre. ... then go nearby to the seaside beach and take a DIP, and back to Nafplio for the sunset.

Day #3 -- by then, you'll know what area you want toexplore more. One suggestion: There is a nearby "Beach Town" called Tolo 8KM which is very full of hotels & a narrow beach. But just before you get there, at a fork in the road, bear LEFT At the sign "ASINE". Lovely little pebble beach with a cute taverna, AND a great ruin! On the other side of the ruin -- a long SANDY beach. I was here on a June 3 and there were SIX people SIX on the whole beach.
... everywhere this time of year, wild flowers, blossoms, even a few goats.

Correction in Nafplio segment -- I of course meant Small Hotel, not "Mall hotel" (!!!)

Sorry -- I didn't provide more detail in my original question. We are returning from Paros and heading to Meteora. I was planning to go into Athens and then take the train (as an experience, not for speed) up to Larissa, rent a car and drive to Meteora. After Meteora, head to Volos and down the Pilion penninsula which I read is beautiful - right across from Skiathos. It's Pilion I'm wondering about. Do you think we could find a place to stay for a couple of nights. It looks pretty rural on the map - but it could be full of tourist hotels for all I know. Thanks very much! (I am reading all the tips about traveling in Greece.)

Do be aware that if you rent a car in one place and drop it off in another, unlike in the US, you will incur a HEFTY drop-off fee ... friends of mine had to pick up in Thessaloniki and drop off in Athens Airport, surely 2 places whre cars are n demand. They checked every single big car co. and all had huge fees. They rented a car for a week for 350E off season... andpaid 240 drop off fee!

Also, folks like you sometimes make me think about giving up counseling on these forums -- you ask for specific advice, yet leave out vital info that makes our advice irrelevant. I spent about 45 minutes trying to fulfill your expressed wishes. Sigh.

There are some lovely villages in the Pelion, it is a very beautiful area. Not totaly off the tourist track but not overrun either, especially out of season. Since we visited some years back and saw this place, we alway fancied staying here. One day we will return:

http://www.pelion.co.uk/houses/lostunicorn.php

This site also has some information on the Pelion villages too. I haven't used them personally but have had them recommended. The coast of the Pelion is wonderful too, more sheltered on the western side but some beautiful beaches on the other side too.

Travelerjan - I was amazed at the detailed itinerary you provided - clearly extraordinarily well researched. I had posted my question the first 20 minutes on the site and I had no idea of the professional level of advice until I read your response and then spent some time reading other postings. This is my first time using a message board anywhere (I hope that's the right term) and I obviously need to learn how to use it. My original question was way too general - I thought people would just give tips about driving etiquette, how to buy gas, what to look out for -- stuff like that -- and whether it was a stupid idea to drive into the country without a reservation for a place to stay. I did print out your recommendation, either for a future trip or possibly this one if the other thing doesn't work out - it sounds great! Anyway, thanks for the information about returning the car to the same place. I hope you don't stop providing the kind of information you do - you are helping lots of people.

I drove for several weeks in Greece when I was there in a VW van so long ago I'm not going to admit to just when! I also drove for a week in the Peloponnese, Attica and Athens last May.

I'm not sure why everyone gets told how horrible driving is in Greece... it just isn't so!

Yes, you will find speeds higher and Greek drivers more aggressive than in, say, the US. But if you are a competent driver you will be fine.

Here's what I recommend:

If you arrive at the airport take Jan's advice and rent the car there. I doubt the hassle of getting into Athens for the relatively short train ride to Larissa is worth it and as she mentions it could end up costing you big time in drop off fees. It's an easy drive from the airport and you'll bypass Athens. There are also places like Marathon and Thermopylae you can stop at that you'd miss by train.

If you arrive by boat at Piraeus there is nothing
to be gained by going all the way out to the airport first. You can be on the highway from Piraeus and heading out of town in minutes.

Once you're in the car:

- Be sure to keep right and watch your mirrors. Cars will come up behind you faster than you might expect.

- If you're on a 2 lane road, put your 2 right wheels onto the paved shoulder, if there is one, to allow a faster car to get by. This is expected of you.

- Pay attention on curves and crests of hills... you might not think of passing someone there but a Greek driver might.

- a GPS is can be very handy. Plus decent maps.

- if you see a sign to turn right for where you're going be prepared to turn NOW! You won't get signs for miles ahead... be ready to go.

- don't rent the smallest cheapest car available... go a bit bigger and you'll have a safer and more comfortable drive. I ended up with an Opel Astra last May, about the size of a Ford Focus, and it was just right for 2.

- in addition to the budget.gr site try economycarrentals.com They are brokers so your car could come from any one of the big firms but they offer a zero insurance deductible on all their rentals.

Have fun!

Astolat, Paris-A's driving advice is TOTALLy on target; print it out if you want to, as a reminder. And if you are planning to pick up/return car to airport and you are supposed to return the car with a full tank of gas, here's a last tip --- the last gas station (petrol) station is about 10 KM from the airport, so keep y our eyes peeled for it.