A Week in Italy

Ferrara

After a whole 7 weeks in Greece, Italy has been a bit of a culture shock for us and it’s taken a little while to get back into the swing of things in Western Europe. For a start, we saw more motorhomes in 7 minutes then in 70 days in Greece and the abundance of free Aires with all the services laid out for you seemed a little alien at first.

We knew that this stretch of east coast of Italy holds little of interest off season so we made straight for San Marino which as it turned out was enveloped in fog. Having already visited in 2008 we decided we’d stay in the comfort of our van rather than brave the positively artic temperatures and begrudgingly packed our shorts and t-shirts away and pulled out our micro fleeces, scarves and gloves which have been firmly boxed up since Nordkapp.

At this point we could go on to tell you about the Italian architecture or the culture but the thing that has been the biggest interest to us since arriving has been the shops! Not only is Italy at least 30-40% cheaper than Greece for food (even like-for-like in Lidl) but the range and choice available in iPer La Grande is mind blowing. We pushed a trolley overflowing with speciality Pastas, Coffee, Gnocchi, Breads not to mention three types of Fish, Bacon and Beer (although we’re well stocked on Mythos) for less than an equivalent sized shop in Lidl just two weeks earlier. Craving our mid-afternoon coffee fix we purchased a new Moka Pot so we can have espressos which are slightly less messy and bitty then the Greek coffee we have been used to. Diesel and LPG is cheaper here in Italy also which is just as well as our gas usage has increased threefold as our heating is running through the night.

One of the best things about our blog is when people get in contact for help when they are planning to embark on a similar trip and in Bologna we met up with Matt and Laura who are following a similar route to us but in reverse. Bologna transpired to be larger than we anticipated and after ruling out all of our pushpins for the central area we ended up at a Train Station aire on the outskirts of the city joined later by Matt and Laura. Their van was cavernous compared to ours and Laura had done a fantastic job of putting their stamp on it with homemade curtains and knitted throws – their van has a special story behind it so I’d recommend visiting their blog – Matt & Laura

After a nearby Pizza and an evening sitting up talking which served to remind us just how early we have been going to bed since the clocks changed, we bid them farewell and began our trip North. At this point we’re on our way across the South of France to meet up with Adam’s parents who are travelling down with us to see Sophie’s parents in Spain for a family Christmas reunion. I must apologise therefore if for the next month our blog covers more well-trodden paths but rest assured in January we shall be embarking on another adventure – so watch this space! We did however have time for another encounter with fellow traveler Ric from Vantastic Journey although our meeting was brief we hope to catch up with him in Spain at some point

Our last week in Greece

Our days in Greece were running out and our pace slowed right down as the port of Patras became ever closer. We found ourselves parked in the cruise ship port town of Katakolo because the marina offered electric hookup to campers, Adam had some work to do and the batteries could use the free boost.

The town itself revolved solely around cruise ships, initially deserted as soon as a ship rolled in the shops would extend their wares well into the street. You could tell the nationality of the passengers that day by the greetings the shop keepers gave us as we walked down the street – “Bonjour!”, “Ciao!”, “Hola!” on three separate days. The shops themselves sold largely fake handbags, shoes and clothes, “Replicas!” replied one woman while I was commenting on the poor quality of one such item. Not quite sure how Greece gets away with it, maybe its something to do with the Faky Lacky. 

As we got ready to leave we filled our water tank and as we moved onto filling our bottles the water revealed itself as a murky brown colour much to our horror and we suddenly knew why we had been refused water with our coffee. We lined up over a grill and let out 90 litres of off-white water and used the opportunity to give our fresh tank a good wipe out from the inside before filling up with fresh clear water from a nearby fuel station.

After a visit to Chlemoutsi castle a campsite beckoned to deal with the 4 weeks of washing, bedding and towels and we found Ionion Beach Camping was highly recommended. Aside from 5 German caravans and one motorhome the site was deserted so we picked the best spot right on the beach and proceeded to use all three large washing machines simultaneously, before stringing a line on the beach for some of the larger items to dry, the whole process which taking most of the day.

Just one more beach stop between us and Patras we managed a length of the beach before retreating inside from hordes of mosquitos, this is one aspect of Greece we won’t miss. The journey into Patras reminded us why we don’t like large cities, ports especially, as the roads were lined with immigrants looking to find their way under a lorry or passing vehicle.


We pulled into the new south port and Sophie checked the prices online while Adam went into the ticket office armed with a pad to get prices from the three different carriers. The process is straight forward and it’s an ideal opportunity to pitch one against another, except in our case Minoan was already cheapest by £100. While the ‘Camp On-board’ service finishes on 31st October the price remains the same but you are offered a cabin and a free meal instead, we managed to knock the price down to £215 which for a 23 hour crossing didn't seem too bad; a return would have been only £300.

After the most thorough search we’ve ever had by the Greek army who guard the port, we boarded and were greeted to the usual frantic Greek arm waving and eventually slotted into a tiny space under a ramp and plugged into the on-board hookup with just one other camper; our batteries won’t know what’s hit them.
The ship itself was largely deserted and on-board prices inflated to all but the truckers with their 50% discount cards, our free meal was limited and we settled on meatballs while the truckers opted for three main courses each. I can’t imagine a cruise being relaxing because when we arrived to a grey Ancona we were truly knackered and ready to be back in control of our own destiny.

Lousios Gorge & Olympia

We have seen some of the most impressive beaches in Greece, Voidokilia included, however with the weather turning a little colder we decided to head inland to view the magnificent Lousios Gorge. The route was adorned with charming villages perched on impossible slopes and we managed to stay almost in the center of three and nobody batted an eyelid, such is the laid back culture of Greece.

Karytaina 

Our first stop was Karytaina where we stayed in the town square and made the short journey up to the ruined castle which overlooked the village. Having drunk our staple Greek coffee we departed to explore some of the Gorge area which as it transpired was accessible by road starting at Elliniko. We've been a little wary of minor roads in Greece and with good reason!

While generally good in some parts the road was down to half width with the other half having disappeared down into the gorge while a bust pipe cut another road in two. 

We were flagged down by two Polish walkers at Kokkoras Bridge who had walked the length of the gorge but hadn't left enough time in which to return along its length.

Fortunate for them we were there since we didn't see another car for the whole day, we gave them a ride to Prodromou Monastery saving them a couple of km's and a 600m climb. Wedged into a palisade on the canyons east flank, the 12th century monastery is the gorges most spectacular sight - although we must have arrived on wash day as grey underpants were flapping in the wind from every balcony and the monastery itself was closed.

Two further nights were spent in the village of Dimitsana which offered ample parking, free wifi and good opportunities for hiking into the gorge. Adam was keen to visit the Museum of Hydroelectricity which was unfortunately closed, much to Sophie's relief. 

The trip through the Gorge finished at Olympia which was totally deserted except for 4 4x4's which had traveled overland from China apparently en-route to France. The Olympic games were first held here roughly around 776 BC and was originally a grand venue, more of a temple than a sporting site. Today, there are only a handful of columns and ruins which exist such as the circular Phillippeion dating back to 4th Century BC and the Temple of Hera which is one of the oldest temples in Greece. 

It was one of the rare occasions when it might have been nice to have a guide since, while impressive in terms of scale and historical significance, the fact that we had the place to ourselves detracted from the sites sense of importance. A worthwhile experience, but perhaps we've just had our fill of ruins for this trip?

Just a couple of other photos which we took whilst travelling through the little villages of the Louisos Gorge.

Our Guide to Visiting & Driving in Greece with a Motorhome

This guide has been written based on our own experiences in Greece and is published to provide you with some basic information on Greece to better equip you for your visit. For more information and pictures of the places we visited, see the links to our individual blog posts at the bottom of this post.

Visited By Us:
September - November 2011

Country Facts
Country Code (GR), Currency Euro (€), Capital Athens, Full EU Member. While it is a Schengen Country it is landlocked by non-Schengen country so there are manned border crossings, but no visa requirements for EU citizens.

Road Vignette Required?
No. 

Toll Roads
YES. There are many toll motorways in Greece and they can be expensive, however there is usually always a non-toll alternative which is more scenic but perhaps not as direct. In 3 months in Greece we didn’t find it necessary to go on any toll roads, often finding the non-toll roads ran directly alongside.

Road Condition ★★★★★

Generally Good. Having driven in Eastern Europe and entering Greece from Romania/Bulgaria we found the roads are of a generally good standard however given the economic crisis it stands to reason that road condition could deteriorate somewhat from its present state. If travelling on a mountain road it is common to see rocks in the road and for the outer edge to be crumbling away so extra care is needed here.


Driving Standard ★★★★★
Below Average. The apparent roadworthiness of some of the vehicles are some of the worse we have seen in Europe and broken light clusters are so common it’s the norm. Add to that a liberal mix of non-locals in hire vehicles during season and you’ll want to stay alert behind the wheel. Vehicles often stop or turn without warning (or brake lights!) sometimes for a chat with a local and Stop signs are frequently ignored. The Greeks counteract the need for a rear view mirror with liberal use of the horn, two short beeps mean “I am here and about to overtake you” and is often met by a friendly beep and a wave in return. It would be wise to adopt this local custom and also to allow faster vehicles to pass so that they don’t become frustrated and attempt to do so on a blind bend.

Diesel, LPG & Autogas
We only found one fuel station willing to accept a card payment despite signs advertising that cards were accepted so it is worth carrying plenty of cash with you. Fuel prices varied dramatically from €1.39 and €1.60 for Diesel in August 2011 with some of the cheapest stations being ‘cash only’ and usually a RevOil, we practiced filling up whenever we found a station at our ‘target’ price. There are now nearly 100 LPG stations in Greece.

Useful Links: LPG in Greece

Winter Tyres Required
No.

Official Aires / Motorhome Service Points
None.

Campsites ★★★★★
Good. The quality of campsites varies greatly and it is worth doing some research first into the facilities as many primarily capitalise on their location. In three months in Greece we only used one campsite for Athens so we will contact our friends and update this section shortly.

One of many excellent free camping opportunities in Greece.

Free / Wild Camping ★★★★★
Excellent. We only visited Greece out of season and found it to be a Wild Campers paradise with endless opportunities and many of the main beaches and towns relatively deserted. However you could see from the seating and parking capacity that these areas can get incredibly busy during peak season and would make Free Camping more difficult and less appealing during these times. Out of season you have the pick of the bunch, with the obvious exception of Athens which was the only time we opted for a campsite. We felt totally safe at all times and had many friendly interactions with locals and other campers.

Useful Links: Our Wild Camping GPS page has over 30 locations for Greece

Availability of Fresh Water ★★★★★
Excellent. There are communal taps available in most towns, marinas and rest areas and not once did we struggle for water. It might be worth carrying a funnel and short length of hose / water container as on a handful of occasions we made use of the beach showers to obtain water when no tap was obvious.

Grey / Black Waste Disposal ★★★★★
Below Average. There are many toilets at popular beach and marina locations suitable for emptying your black waste but these are not commonplace.

Price Index ★★★★★
Generally Good.We found Greece relatively expensive in 2011 and the prices of most things are roughly comparable to the UK. This is however offset to some degree by the sheer number of free camping opportunities and the fact that Greece does offer a great deal in terms of natural beauty and historic sites. We had no difficulties withdrawing cash from our Credit Card in ATM's but be weary of Greek National Bank ATM's (and possibly others) which will ask if you would like to withdraw in Sterling rather than Euro's. The result is a poorly weighted exchange rate much less that what your provider would give had you have chosen to withdraw in Euro's and have it converted at source.

Food / Supermarkets ★★★★★
Generally Good. Greek’s are dependent on traditional butchers and fishmongers so it should come as no surprise that some supermarkets carry a limited selection of meat and fish. Lidl is commonplace however the stock was sometimes limited and appeared to be used as a ‘Cash and Carry’ with many apparent Greek business owners stocking up in bulk on water, feta, olive oil and such like. There is a large chain of Carrefour which we found to be horrendously expensive and instead opted for City AB which appeared much more middle of the road. Watch out for pickup trucks with loudspeakers and vans selling fresh produce especially in some of the smaller villages as well as fish being sold from boats these are a great way to mix with the locals.

Eating & Drinking Out ★★★★★
Good. Greek hospitality is generally excellent and out of season you will have the pick of the restaurants with the staple being grilled meats and fish served alongside a Greek Salad. Expect to be invited into the kitchen to see the specials on offer that day and perhaps taste the sauce to see if it is to your liking. If you want fresh fish then many restaurants have chilled display cabinets outside with the fresh catch of the day displayed so you know you aren’t getting a frozen offering. Average meal for two with a decanter of wine is in the region of €25-30. If you like a coffee it is worth looking for a coffee shop with plenty of older greek men present – here the coffee is usually better value and more authentic. A traditional Greek (or Turkish) coffee is a strong drink and served in espresso style cups along with a tall glass of water with sugar added at the time of brewing, you can only drink about two thirds since the grounds settle in the bottom of the cup. If you’ve paid in the region of €1 each then you know you’ve gone to the right place anymore and you must be in a tourist trap!

Availability of Open Wifi ★★★★★
Excellent. Many towns have communal wifi on offer with unlimited access and availability from cafes and bars is excellent, we had no problems obtaining fast and open wifi during our time in Greece.

Useful Links: Our Guide to obtaining Wifi in Europe

Our Summary and Posts on Greece:

• View all of our posts on Greece
• Lousios Gorge & Olympia
• Methoni & Pylos
• Mystras
• Inner Mani
• Monemvasia
• Nafplio
• Epidaurus
• Athens
• Evia
• Ancient Delphi
• Nafpaktos
• Lefkas
• Parga
• Ioannina & Dodona
• Papigo
• Vikos Gorge
• Meteora
• We are in Greece!
• Lousois Gorge & Olympia
• Last Week in Greece

Methoni & Pylos

To give you an idea just how quiet Greece is at the moment, a whole film crew can set up in a town such as Methoni and nobody bats an eyelid or gets in the way. Nobody apart from us of course, shamefully ordered down from he castle walls citing that we were "too modern" to be in shot! Oops.

Pylos, our van far right.

Next stop was Pylos, I'm not going to tell you how it was quiet (it was) or that the whole town centered around a large roundabout with a in-season seating capacity of several hundred but for now home to just seven Greek men aged 65-105. We once again contravined the 'no camping' sign on the pier given that we're not driving a tent as pictured on the sign and were joined by the two other vans which have been following us round for seemingly weeks now.

Adam managed to pick up several cases of Mythos beer with the €1 discount promotion which seemed to have sold out everywhere weeks ago and we made use of the towns three bakeries, butchers, fishmongers and vegetable stall. He also managed to get a hair cut from a traditional Greek barber which included the obligatory slicked back gel - he couldn't wait to get back to the van to wash it off! Greek coffee for €1 a cup has also become an afternoon ritual for us and boy does your body soon remind you it's time for the next one. In season it is possible to rent a boat to get to some of the islands but we had to make do with a couple of impressive sunsets over them instead.

We wandered up and down trying to decide which restaurant to eat in given that every single one was empty but all appeared to still be serving food, we settled for the one we had warmed to earlier in the day with the Greek Maitre d who seemingly spoke English with a Yorkshire twang. We sat down on our own and as we ordered our drinks a young lad appeared at the door out of breath and disappeared into the back and re-appeared in a set of chefs whites, clearly summoned from home (or more likely a nearby boozer!) to cook for the only two patrons of the evening. We opted for the mixed Greek grill and after much banging and crashing from the kitchen we were tucking into a mouth watering plate piled high with various grilled meats and nearly had to be carried back to the van. The next morning we took advantage of the facilities to fill our fresh tanks and felt no remorse in emptying our toilet cassette in by far the worst public convenience so far of the trip. 

We'd heard about the castle, dunes and famous curved beach of Voidokilia and set about trying to find it which was a little more difficult then we anticipated as access from the South isn't possible and you have to cut across inland through a couple of wing mirror-scraping villages before you arrive. It really is a sight to behold and we had the place to ourselves as usual, I can't imagine how busy it gets in season. We made the steep mosquito infested walk to the Castle and were rewarded with views overlooking the cove and nearby lagoons and contemplated a jump in the sea but the water was freezing so perhaps we've already had our last dip of the season.

Mystras

 

We sort of missed Mystras out when travelling from Nafplio to Inner Mani but given that it was only a 70 mile round trip from Kalamata we decided to go and see it even though it would mean coming back on ourselves. As it turned out, while deserted, the roads were some of the windiest we've driven on and I don't exaggerate when I say that my hands were sore by the end of the day.

The area around Mystras turned out to be one of the least camper friendly areas in Greece, owing to the number of campsites in the area most of the carparks went further than the usual "no camping" signs but specified no motor homes at all between 10pm - 8am. We did find a quiet lay-by not far from the main sights which provided a comfortable overnight given that the site closes at 3pm (GPS: 37.073686, 22.412860)

Mystras was a rewarding visit because unlike many of the other ancient sites we have visited it was a little more challenging to walk around and therefore more rewarding. The site is divided into two parts and we were advised on entry to visit the lower then drive up to the higher but we found the whole site fine for exploring on foot from the lower part with the exception of a colony of large red ants flying about one of the walkways!

On our return we missed out Kalamata totally which looked like any other large scale town and opted to spend the evening on an amazing sandy beach which stretched as far as the eye could see although we were the only ones present, this time choosing to ignore the 'No Camping' signs (GPS: 37.005560, 21.972500)

As we continue to travel around the coast we are constantly finding even more charming coastal towns such as Koroni which on the approach signs warned that vans and motorhomes were not allowed in the center but the parking provided on the outskirts was closed, so we tucked in on the road just behind the last sign.

The town itself was a maze of tiny streets and steps up to a large castle and church complex positioned imposingly on the hill.

Foinikounta 

Given that staying over night here is not possible, we moved on to the next village of Foinikounta where owing to the fact it was out of season and all the villas were closed up we were able to park right on the sea front outside the blue flag beach and wander freely around the sleepy town before it wakes up next season.