driving in greece

Athens is insane when it comes to both driving and parking. It's best if you avoid it altogether. If you're planning to drive to the Peloponnese pick up a car at the airport so you can drive around Athens instead of through it. Be sure to go to your local AAA office to pick up an International Driving Permit, no test or membership required.

danny, Just to clarify, the driving protocols in Greece and steering wheel position are the same as North America. As someone else mentioned, it would be a really good idea to get an I.D.P. as it's compulsory. I was asked to produce an IDP when renting in Santorini last year. Much of the Pelopponese is fairly "sparse" so you shouldn't have any trouble driving there. However, at least some of the road signs have Greek lettering, so a GPS along with a good Map would be prudent. Be sure you do some research on road signs and parking regulations if you'll be in larger cities (ie: Nafplion). You may find it helpful to have a look at This Website. Happy travels!

I drove around Greece alone in April 2011 and had no problems. I tried to avoid driving in Athens but due to airline problems I arrived 14 hours late (!) and had to pick up my SUV in Athens. I had no problem with Athens, they yell, blow their horns, etc but I just went on, following the rules and there was no problem. If there is 1/16 of an inch clearance, they will drive thru it! That's why all the cars have scratches. On the road I had absolutely no problems. If you are going slow they expect you to ride the far right side of the lane, straddling the lane and the shoulder (usually paved). I would recommend filling up the tank every chance you get, sometimes the gas stations are far apart. I rented a 5 speed manual Hyundai SUV from Swift Car Rentals in Athens. They are great!

Not much new to add but I will affirm all that has been said. Try not to drive in Athens at all. There is no point and you don't need a car near the Acropolis to sit in a parking lot. Rent it heading out of town and drop it off on return. The airport is good or Swift will pick you up at your hotel and at least get you to the main road out of town. Always be aware of scooters and motorcycles passing right past you. Always stay near the right on rural roads as the middle is for passing. Always be cautious on rural roads rounding corners and hills as slower traffic can be ahead or animals. But don't feel paniced by all this, outside of Athens the driving is pretty easy, even in Nafplio. An IDP is require just to rent a car so don't think of saving yourself $15 or whatever it is. Signs are usually well marked in English but if in doubt, just ask. People are friendly and will point you the right direction. Except in towns, getting lost on rural highways is hard because there aren't that many.

Having a car in Athens in not worth the trouble. Turn the car in when returning to Athens and use public transportation. We rented a car upon arrival and left the city for Dephi. We call the car the rental company when we returned and they picked the car up at our hotel which was at the base of the Acropolis. We had to park on the sidewalk in a NO PARKING area while awaiting the car rental agent.

I didn't drive while in Greece but took note of the conditions. The Peloponnese is sparse as someone else said. If you go to Nafplion it's not too bad, plenty of parking near the docks (not sure but don't think it was pay parking) Argos seemed a bit more hectic. Athens was nuts but honestly thought it was better than Palermo. Highways were nothing. Very light traffic and good road conditions. If you're staying near the Acropolis you won't need a car. We stayed near Monastiraki square, most everything you will want to see is within a 15/20 minute walk. The worst was a 30 min walk to the Arc. museum.

Hi Danny, We have driven in Greece many times and I want to reaffirm everything everyone else has said. It is a very easy metro ride to the city center and there is no reason to rent a car in Athens. The Pelopennese is very drivable...just be aware that the protocol in Greece is that if someone wants to pass you (and they will), it's your obligation to get as far to the right as is reasonable to give them maximum room. You will avoid a lot of frustration from other drivers by doing this. Also, an additional note about the IDP...there are some companies that don't check to see if you have it BUT in the fine print there is usually a clause that says if you don't have it you void any insurance you have on the car...so as has been said, make sure to get it! We found parking in the Pelopennese easy. Good luck!