Dominican All Inclusive - Driving to Greece

Certain factors must be considered to enable a trouble free journey. To just pack up a car and set off would be a massive mistake. Driving to Greece and the Greek Islands should take careful planning well in advance.

Planning advice

AA or RAC Get your car serviced by a reputable garage and also get European breakdown cover by a reputable company eg.

Michelin or AA guides. You can download routes and approximate times by using sites on the internet eg. You must decide how long journeys should take. Decide when and which ferries you wish to take as your travelling days depend on the sailing times.

Ferries do try to load up very methodically and generally sail on time. Arrange to get to the ferry ports allowing about 2 hours or more prior to sailing in case of breakdown or traffic problems, when driving to Greece.

We try to leave home at about 6am to catch a ferry at about 2pm from Dover to a French port (either Calais or Dunkirk), where we live, uK, from Yorkshire.

On the E42 and then onto the A4 route, then on to Arlon before getting to Luxembourg, from Lille we always head for Tournai-Mans-Charleroi and Namor. Norfolk Line do an inexpensive crossing and from Dunkirk you will have a good direct route to the French/Belgium motorway in the direction of Lille.

Planning for overnight stops is required, depending on how far you wish to travel each day. So a break here is usually welcomed, luxembourg is the cheapest place in Europe to fill up with fuel.

Most hotels do a continental breakfast at a small charge. Formula One hotels, b&B, cheap accommodation can be found on most routes and good clean and reasonably cheap accommodation includes Accour hotels.

It is clearly marked and easy to follow. We found the route to Metz and Nancy to be the quickest and easiest route. The route through Luxembourg is easy and you can be through it in 1/2 hr to 3/4 hr.

But we have experienced delays and poor roads while using this route, there are alternative routes which go through Nancy and the St.Die tunnel to Selestat in the Alsace region of France. Which gives an easy route to Strasbourg, the E25, there is a pay motorway, once you are back in France and heading for Metz.

Mulhouse/Basil towards Switzerland, it is an easy motorway system to and through the city of Strasbourg which is clearly marked all the way on a very straight road and on to Selestat.

We usually take a break at one of the above mentioned hotels in order to have an early start through Basil and into Switzerland, due to the customs delays at the border.

The scenic areas are excellent and you can also find good refreshment/wash/shower areas. Good and have many long tunnels where delays are normal, you soon realise why you have to pay this fee as the roads through Switzerland are scenic. This is a cost of about ?25. There is a road tax which covers your vehicle for one year and a coloured sticker is placed on your windscreen, on entering the Swiss border.

So be aware. It usually takes us 1-2 hours to get through the delays leading to the tunnel. The best route from here is the A2 to Luzern and to head for the 15 mile long tunnel at St.Gothard.

The road changes to the A9 heading for Milan, on passing the border into Italy. Still on the A2 and on to the Swiss/Italian border at Como, the road heads through the Italian sector of Switzerland and heads for Bellinzona, after coming out of the tunnel.

Warning

Just smile and be patient with them. We found the Italian drivers to be very impatient and regularly tail gate while flashing their lights and regularly sounding their horns.

The Venice route is clearly marked and on leaving the motorway at Mestre there is just a short journey to the Venice dock area, our destination is to the island of Kefalonia so we personally found the Venice line to be best and by turning left on the Milan ring road onto the 'pay' motorway. When you planned your route you should have decided on the most suitable Italian port to sail from.

The overnight ferries are the cheapest but you must consider the petrol and motorway charges through Italy before rejecting the luxurious but expensive Superfast ferries. Bari and Brindisi at the foot of Italy, other ports are at Ancona. Our ferries leave at approx 6pm and we are on the Minoan Line or Venuris Line.

Igiamenitsa and on to Patras on the Greek mainland, the Agoudemus line sails to the island of Kefalonia while other ferries sail to Corfu, from Bari and Brindau.

Patras is a busy port town and a minimum stay here is advised if possible. Times can be checked on bluestarferries.gr on the internet. Which runs 3 journeys daily to the island, the 2 hour 'Blue Star' island ferry, the ferries which sail to Patras means that to get to Kefalonia island. Marks square are wonderful and not to be missed. The views of the Grand Canal and St. The sailing from Venice takes 36 hours and gives a restful cruise.

Quickest route to the island, which is about 50 miles south of Patras and is the cheapest, an alternative ferry goes to Poros on Kefalonia from Killini. The capital of the island, the ferry to Kefalonia goes to either the port of Sami or to Argostoli.

Venturis and the direct Agoudemous ferry, superfast, recommended ferries are the Minoan. Then to Igiumenitsa on the Greek mainland before heading into Patras, the cruise heads down the Grand Canal and down the full length of Italy and calls into Corfu. Rooms on the Venice/Greece ferries are adequate and meals are usually good.

Tickets can be pre-booked on websites by English speaking staff at the agents offices or by booking on the websites.

Greece

Driving erratically and extreme speeding, no indicators, double parking, travelling in Greece is frustrating as you regularly get inconsiderate drivers.

The hazard of motor bikes and scooters is the same as on all Greek islands as it is a cheap and regular means of transport.

Parking is usually easy but beware that many of the greek cars have bumps and dents in them.

Driving to Greece can be extremely enjoyable so I hope you plan carefully and enjoy your trip.

Have a safe journey.