Greece Road Trip

Greece Grand Tour encompasses a thrilling journey around natural wonders, urban jewels, and fascinating history. Ancient archaeological sites, golden strands, and beautiful countryside against the backdrop of Mediterranean climate are a quintessence of exciting holiday trip. This tour will become even more comfortable and convenient owing to the top-notch state of Greek roads and highways.

The tour starts at the Athens Airport and takes you on a stunning adventure around such Greek gems as Delphi, Ioannina, and Meteora only to proceed to the southern part of Greece with places such as Patras, Pylos, or Tripoli. The tour covers both southern and northern urban jewels, owing to which you’ll be provided with an excellent overview of the whole country.

Your journey starts at the Athens Airport. It is precisely the place where you can collect your rental vehicle.

The journey starts at the Athens Airport, where travellers who would like to rent a car will have an opportunity to use the services of one of the numerous companies located in the area. Afterwards, you’ll depart to the second destination of this stage, namely Delphi.

While travelling to Delphi, you’ll drive through a number of interesting small Greek settlements, including Thiva and Livadia. The finishing line of this part of your road trip is a superb tourist highlight in itself. The most intriguing trait of this place is its location on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus. The place offers a breathtaking panorama of the nearby verdant hills.

From Delphi, you’ll travel around 240 km along impeccable roads. Take road EO27 through Eleonas, Gravia, and Ano Bralos to get to Kalabaka. Along the way, there’s a possibility to take an extra stopover at Lamia, located near a small nature park with dense flora and beautiful plant formations.

Kalabaka is surrounded by lovely hills. It offers an interesting insight into the small-town ambiance of Greek settlements. In the city centre, you’ll find a number of top-notch restaurants that offer a wide choice of local specialties which will bring you even closer to Greek culture.

Kalabaka is a gateway to one of the most popular and well-known Greek highlights, namely the Meteora. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a rock formation, upon which you’ll find an extensive complex of Eastern Orthodox monasteries. After some time for sightseeing, you’ll head to the next destination of your road trip, Ioannina.

Ioannina is located at a distance of 110 km away. The Pindus National Park, which you’ll be passing along the way, is another opportunity for a scenic break. It is characterised by dense forests mainly consisting of European black pine. It’s also riddled with small lakes and rocky peaks. During this stage of your road trip, the views behind your car window will be truly amazing and unique.

The starting destination of this stage, Ioannina, enjoys a scenic location on the western shore of Lake Pamvotis. While in the city, try not to miss such highlights as the Aslan Pasha Mosque, the Old Zosimaia School, and the Fethiye Mosque that features a tomb of Ali Pasha. After a short sightseeing tour, hop in your car and head south to Patras.           

To reach Patras, take A5 road. You’ll drive through such villages as Myrodafni, Klisoura, or Ano Drymonas. Natural reserves that are worth visiting along the way include the National Park of Tzoumerka, Peristeri, and Arachthos as well as Katafigio Agrias Zois Petalas.

Patras, located in the northern part of the scenic Peloponnese, has been hailed the Greece’s Gate to the West. Even though it is mainly a commercial hub, it can boast a number of interesting landmarks and monuments. The topography surrounding Patras is also worth mentioning – beautiful hills and arid rural areas will create a perfect backdrop for your road trip.

The last destination of this stage is Olympia. The road signs will show you that you’re around 120 km away. Take EO9 road and enjoy the views behind your car window. Along the way, you’ll drive through such small Greek settlements as Andravida, Savalia, and Alpochori. You can take an extra stop at Pyrgos.

Olympia is an ancient sanctuary that is known for hosting Olympic Games in the times of Classical antiquity. Today, you’ll find only the remnants of an extensive complex of structures used by the contesters. After a short stroll around the ruins, it’s time to buckle up and head for the next destination of this road trip – Pylos.

Continue your journey south along EO9 road. This stage will lead you along the stunning Greek coast which you can admire through your car window. Along the way, there’s a possibility to take a number of extra breaks in small nature reserves. The beautiful blue water, small coves, and inconspicuous cliffs will add a lot of beauty to this lap of your journey. After around a two-hour drive, you’ll reach Pylos. 

Pylos is a beautiful seaside resort where you can take a longer break to stroll along the scenic golden strand for a while. Among the multiple interesting highlights, you can visit the New Fortress, the Old Navarino Castle, and the Ancient Aqueduct. After a short stopover in Pylos, jump in your vehicle to head towards the next destination of this stage, namely Tripoli.

The distance to be covered during this stage is almost 130 km. You need to take EO82 road north. After an approximately three-hour drive, you’ll reach the picturesque Tripoli. Along your way, you will drive through a number of rural settlements. You can also take an additional stopover at a small nature reserves located at a stone’s throw from Tripoli.

Tripoli is a city located in Central Peloponnese. In this city, you’ll be surrounded by stunning hills on all sides. This will add to the idyllic atmosphere of this road trip stage. Your next stopover is Corinth, located at a distance of around 180 km away.

In order to reach Corinth, you need to head north again. Along the way, you can take an extra break at Argos, which can boast interesting architecture and top-notch local restaurants. Part of this stage will take you along the Greek coastline which is characterised by forceful waves, scenic cliffs, and sandy coves.

Corinth enjoys a scenic location on the Corinth Canal. It’ll be an ideal stopover for those motorists who value scenic landscapes and unforgettable views. It’s worth taking a short stroll around the port. From Corinth, you’ll have only around 170 km to cover to reach the finishing line of this road trip, namely the Athens Airport. Along the way, you can take an extra break at the Mount Parnitha National Park.

Along your scenic drive to the Athens Airport, you’ll pass such places as Megara, Eleusis, and Gerakas. After reaching the airport, it’s time to leave your rental vehicle. However, you can take Metro Line 3 to reach the city centre of Athens and continue your Greek journey. Also, there’s a possibility to reach the capital by bus or take a taxi.

Athens is known as the symbol of the great Western Civilisation which is evident at every corner of this stunning Greek capital. All of its landmarks are a standing proof of the country’s history that has its roots more than 3,000 years ago. If you’re a lover of history, you can’t miss such places as the Acropolis, the National Archaeology Museum, or the Byzantine Museum.

It’s also worth considering a visit at the beautiful Church of the Holy Apostles or Panagia Kapnikaréa Church for an insight into religious edifices. What’s more, the lovely neighbourhoods of Pláka and Anafiotika will be a true showcase of Greek architecture at its best. After a day full of ancient archaeological sites and Greek landmarks, it’s time to travel back to the Athens Airport.

Surely, the presented journey idea has become a perfect inspiration for your future holiday excursions.
The plan we’ve prepared can be used as a base that can be recreated in its entirety or only partially and that can be enriched with original attractions of your choice.
If car travel is the preferred travel mode for you, there are a number of vital traffic regulations to follow and a number of things to remember to make your trip smooth. These tips will surely become useful for holidayers who are considering renting a vehicle or camper rental in Greece.
It is essential to follow the local road regulations when on a trip around Greece. When moving around Greece in a car, try to stay away from alcohol at all costs. Remember that the allowed level of alcohol in blood is rather low and is only 0.5‰. In order to avoid a speeding fine, it is best to never exceed 50km/h, which is the maximum allowed speed when travelling around the build-up areas. If you are aiming for undeveloped areas, you should keep in mind that the maximum permissible speed is 90km/h. While on highways, you cannot exceed 130km/h. It is best to equip your car with a fire extinguisher and first aid kit and drive with your headlights on at daytime to ensure proper safety.
The majority of holidaymakers wonder about the costs of the whole trip. Depending on the budget option that you are interested in, the total cost of the whole adventure will vary. Check out the available budget possibilities.
If you’d like to benefit from the budget option to cover the planned 1,522km across Greece, it can cost approximately 175 EUR. You should take into consideration that economy accommodation options will cost approximately 396 EUR. If the this option is your target, you should be prepared to spend roughly 432 EUR on restaurants and food. Travellers will have to pay approximately 270 EUR if they aim for the budget car hire option as well. Thus, the estimated travel expenses amount to about 1,003 EUR without car rental and 1,273 EUR with vehicle rental.
When it comes to the standard offer, you have to spend the maximum of 225 EUR on the gasoline needed to cover the tour. Standard accommodation options will cost more or less 660 EUR. Tourists can expect that the standard option in terms of food and restaurants will cost approximately 576 EUR. Travellers who want to cover the trip in a standard rental vehicle can expect a cost of approximately 450 EUR. Drivers who would like to rent a car will pay about 1,911 EUR for the whole road trip, whereas those who are not interested in vehicle rental will spend more or less 1,461 EUR.
The available premium option has been prepared with the most demanding holidaymakers in mind. When it comes to this offer, the estimated cost of the road trip will total roughly 3,822 EUR for drivers who are considering vehicle hire and 1,461 EUR for those who do not need a rental car. Travellers who would like to cover the itinerary in a premium rental car can expect a cost of around 1,350 EUR. In the top standard configuration of the road trip, the gasoline cost will amount to 288 EUR. Holidaymakers who would like to go for top services in all aspects of their road trip should expect to pay more or less 864 EUR for food and restaurants and roughly 1,320 EUR for overnight stays.
Our road trip will also be ideal for all camper lovers, as it can be easily adjusted to their requirements. If you choose this transport option, the expenses may amount to roughly 2,700 EUR. You will spend about 338 EUR on gasoline allowing to cover all stages of the road trip. Holidayers who will go for camper hire should expect to pay approximately 330 EUR for accommodation and around 432 EUR for expenses connected with food.
The Road Trip Costs section shows all the mentioned details in a straightforward manner.
The part of Greece mentioned in our adventure idea is great to be visited between April and October. If Greece Road Trip has sparked your creativity, you should definitely check out other picturesque road trips and scenic drives that are available on our website. The great diversity of travel opportunities will definitely meet the expectations of the most demanding holidaymakers.