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Please be easy on me here - newbie to this site.

I am planning a road trip with family  ( husband and 5 kids between 3.5 and 12 yrs) next summer from London to Athens. WE want to get there slowly - take maybe 2 weeks and thought one day on road and one day rest in campsite would do it.

All kids good travellers and have travelled before.

However , never done this type of trip before.

We are not taking our own tent but plan to stay in campsites en route in mobile homes . 

I would be really grateful for recommednations as to route, campsites, tips and pointers as to what to avoid/not to miss.

Our route so far is west through france to switzerland and then down to italy  - along length of italy to brindisi port where we catch ferry to greece and then along greek coastline to athens.

thanks all      

Just wanted to say hello and you found us!!  I also wanted to get rid of the blue face on this thread!

It's lovely here too :)

I'm not sure how the prices compare but the road trip to Ancona is shorter than going to Brindisi (would allow you more time in Greece).

Are you specifically wanting to stay around Athens? Well worth a look but I'd be inclined to stay somewhere else in the Peloponese: Nafplion (Nauplion) or Patras perhaps, and do Athens sightseeing on a day-trip (or two).

There are plenty of sites all round the Peloponnese (although nothing like the numbers in France) and I've never noticed any caravan parks - but then I've never looked! 

I'm not quite clear how long you want to stay in Greece for?  

Yes, but more fun and probably cheaper! Has anyone done any camping in Bulgaria, Macedonia, &c? Lovely places and pretty unspoiled - perhaps?   

Quote: Originally posted by ben9 on 18/6/2009

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The other option is down through Bulgaria, a lot harder and a lot more complicated.

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Quote: Originally posted by paul_M on 17/8/2009

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Yes, but more fun and probably cheaper! Has anyone done any camping in Bulgaria, Macedonia, &c? Lovely places and pretty unspoiled - perhaps?   

Quote: Originally posted by ben9 on 18/6/2009

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The other option is down through Bulgaria, a lot harder and a lot more complicated.

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We have done this trip several times. It's a great journey.

We found the best route Belgium (ferry to Calais/Dunkirke or Ostende)

Luxembourg

Germany (via the Rhine Valley and Munich)

Austria (you need a motorway vignette costing about 7 euro at the border

Italy (would recommend Ancona over Bari)  

Ferry to Igoumenitsa (you could stop off at Corfu for a few days) and drive down the coast to the Gulf of Patras or sail staight to Patras.

Cross over into the Peloponnese for a few days and visit Argos, Mycenae and Corinth (don't blink or you will miss the canal as you cross it).

It's only then a short drive to Athens.

We once took two weeks doing this exact trip and manged to have a few days in various places along the way. We have also done it in 4 days but that is not to be recommended.

If you wanted to avoid camping in Athens try Glyfada, a posh(ish) holiday suburb only a bus ride out of Athens.

Coming back it is sadly no longer possible to get a ferry direct form Greece to Croatia but Croatia is well wporth a visit.

Finallly I have to say that camp sites with ready erected tents or statics for hire are pretty few and far between outside the tourist places on this route. Hotels in Germany are expensive but we have used some excellent B&B type establishments but have come unstuck on occassions, especially out of season.

 Hope this helps.

Your trips sounds wonderful but one downside that you might come across is being able to hire a mobile home for just one night.  I wanted to do that on our way down to Spain but the minimum I could book was 3 nights.  Hope that this is not the case with other campsites but thought I would mention it so you could look into it.

Why not do a round trip?  Do the route to Athens that you already have in your mind, and then, for the return journey, head east across Greece, north into Bulgaria, on north into Romania, west into Hungary, Austria and then northwest up through Germany.  All of this route is within the EU, there are plenty of good campsites all the way, and whereas on your outward journey all of the countries you are visiting are of the developed, western type, on the return journey you will see some parts that have changed little in the last 100 years, but soon will.  The people in these eastern european countries are very friendly, and contrary to popular myth, there is little crime.  You will also find that fuel and the cost of living on the return leg will be considerably less than on the outward journey.  I would strongly suggest that you take a tent with you, and be prepared to use it most nights.  For ideas look at www.magbaztravels.com

Best wishes, Martin T Jeffes.  Sakar Hills Camping, Harmanli, Bulgaria

Why not search posts by Rostrevor,Tim and Cary,Michael, David Klyne.

They are experienced travellers to Italy etc and have given me lots of good advice for my trips.

Terry

Quote: Originally posted by paul_M on 11/6/2009

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Are you specifically wanting to stay around Athens? Well worth a look but I'd be inclined to stay somewhere else in the Peloponese: Nafplion (Nauplion) or Patras perhaps, and do Athens sightseeing on a day-trip (or two).

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Agree about the Peloponesse, Olympia, Mistras (near Sparta) and ancient Corinth also all worth a look.  The Diakofto - Kalavrita railway is interesting, if you're into that sort of thing.  I'd be seriously tempted to not drive into Athens, just get the bus/train in for a day or two.  You could also see if any of the ferries stop in either Kefalonia or Corfu for a stopover. 

Would want a bit more than two weeks for this trip, though.  Hope you find a good route.

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