Practical Advice and Tips for driving in Greece on a family vacation

Taking a rental car and exploring a part of Greece can be great fun during your family vacation. If you’ve never driven in Greece before here are some tips to help you prepare!

Driving in Greece

Greece is a wonderful country to explore by car. You can stop off at little visited villages, reach remote beaches, and see and do more during your family vacation in Greece all at your own pace.

Whether you want to hire a car in Greece for a day, or plan a family road trip in Greece, these driving tips will help you prepare for what awaits.

Drive stick

Automatic cars can be a bit of a rarity in Greece. Knowing how to drive stick / manual gear shift will give you a great advantage. If you prefer a manual car, make sure to reserve well in advance by asking the Kids Love Greece team to help!

Prepare for the tolls

Greece has an excellent system of new roads partly funded by the EU, government and investors. Somebody has to pay for it all though, and that someone is you the road user!

On the new tollways, you can expect to pay tolls every 20 or 30 kms. A journey between Athens and Thessaloniki could cost you nearly 40 Euro in toll fees. Bring plenty of cash to pay for the tolls as you go.

Prefer not to pay anything? The old road network is still in place and is free. For every tollway, there is a ‘free’ way to get to the same place. Just don’t expect the road quality to match.

Country lanes

If driving up into the mountains or anywhere off the beaten track, don’t be surprised to see herds of goats or cows wandering aimlessly in the middle of the road! The more remote you go, the more likely you are to see them.

Listen to the horn: Drivers in Greece tooth their horns for a variety of reasons. It could be to say hello to a neighbour, to let you know they are passing by, or to warn you of a police car or accident ahead. Don’t assume because somebody is using their horn they are being aggressive.

Driving in Athens

Athens is a very unique city when it comes to driving, and can be a bit of a shock for drivers experiencing it for the first time! Road signs can at best seem advisory, people will overtake on the inside and the outside. Motorbikes add to the chaos and parking can be a nightmare. If you must drive in Athens (and we would suggest trying to avoid driving in the city itself), do as the locals do.

Parking in Athens

Whilst the locals have become very adept at fitting their cars into seemingly small spaces, take a closer look at them. There are not many cars in Athens without a bump or a scratch. Keep that in mind when parking your hire car you’ve left a deposit on! If you must drive in Athens, makes sure to stay at a hotel with dedicated parking spaces.

More information about car rental in Greece

To find out more about driving in Greece and where to hire a car, contact the Kids Love Greece team today through the online chatbox. We will be more than happy to share our experiences and advice, so you can get the most out of your next family vacation in Greece!