To Greece by Camper

Why Take the Ferry to Greece?

For campervan travellers, the Adriatic ferry is far more than just a mode of transport – it is the beginning of the adventure. Rather than driving thousands of kilometres through central Europe and the Balkans, you load your motorhome in Italy and arrive in Greece rested, with fuel saved and the road ahead open.

All major ferry operators on the Italy–Greece routes accept motorhomes, campervans and converted vans, with vehicle space available alongside standard cars. Camping on board – spending the night in your own camper on the vehicle deck instead of booking a cabin – survives on just one route: Minoan Lines' Ancona–Patras and Ancona–Igoumenitsa crossing. Elsewhere the vehicle deck is locked once you sail, so you book a seat or a cabin like everyone else, usually with a camper club or restaurant discount on the vehicle fare instead.

Crossing times range from around 8 hours (Brindisi – Igoumenitsa) to over 24 hours (Venice – Patras), giving you the flexibility to choose a daytime crossing or a proper overnight voyage that saves a night of campsite fees at the same time.

Best Ferry Routes for Campervans

Four Italian ports serve Greece with regular ferries. Here is how they compare for motorhome travellers:

Exact crossing times vary by operator and season. Always check the schedule when booking.

For most campervan travellers arriving from Germany, Austria or the Netherlands, Ancona is the sweet spot: it is the most central Italian port, the overnight crossing works perfectly with a morning arrival in Patras, and it's the one route where camping on board is available, with Minoan Lines. Travellers from southern Germany or eastern France may find Venice more convenient despite the longer crossing.

If you are on a tighter budget or heading to northwestern Greece, Bari – Igoumenitsa is consistently the best value on a per-kilometre basis and often has more availability in shoulder season.

How Vehicle Pricing Works

This is the part that surprises most first-time motorhome ferry passengers: you are not charged a flat "car rate". Ferry operators price vehicles primarily by length, and sometimes by height as well. A standard family car (4–4.5 m) sits in a lower price bracket than a motorhome (typically 6–8 m or more), which in turn costs more than a compact campervan.

When booking, you will usually be asked for your vehicle's total length. It is essential to measure accurately and include any rear-mounted bike carrier, tow bar, spare wheel or other extension. Being even 10 cm over a length threshold can push you into the next pricing band. Height matters too on some routes – vehicles over around 2.5–3 m may be charged a supplement or directed to an open vehicle deck.

The vehicle fare is always on top of the per-person passenger fare. So the total price for a campervan trip is: passenger fares × number of people + vehicle fare by length. Cabins are optional – camping on board replaces the cabin entirely if available.

For detailed pricing guidance and a route-by-route comparison table, see our dedicated vehicle prices page.

Best Ports for Campervan Travellers

Ancona and Bari consistently rank as the most camper-friendly departure ports on the Italian Adriatic coast. Both have dedicated vehicle staging areas, good access roads from the motorway network, and ferry companies experienced in handling large vehicles. Ancona's terminal at the Stazione Marittima has check-in lanes for oversized vehicles and ample waiting space. Bari's ferry port is compact but efficient.

Venice requires slightly more planning – the ferry terminal at Marghera/Venice Porto Marghera is outside the historic centre, but it is easily reached by motorway (A4) and has no access restrictions for large vehicles. Brindisi is the simplest port of all, with a short crossing and a straightforward terminal, though camping on board is not available there – the vehicle deck stays locked for the crossing.

On the Greek side, Patras is the main arrival hub, with direct motorway access to Athens, the Peloponnese and the rest of mainland Greece. Igoumenitsa is the gateway to Epirus, Meteora, and the route north towards Albania or southeast via Ioannina.

Practical Tips for Your Camper Crossing

• Arrive early: vehicle check-in at Italian ferry ports opens 2–4 hours before departure. Large vehicles are typically directed to a separate lane. Arriving at the time listed for cars may mean joining the wrong queue.
• Power on board: whether Minoan's camping-on-board berths have a shore-power connection isn't published anywhere – ask when you book rather than assuming a hook-up will be there. On every other operator your camper simply sits parked, systems off, like any other vehicle on the deck.
• Gas cylinders: regulations vary by operator, and Minoan does not allow propane or other gas cylinders on board its camping-on-board sailings. Most operators require LPG cylinders to be turned off and valves closed for the crossing regardless. Check the operator's policy when booking and label your cylinders clearly.
• Fridge: plan for your compressor fridge to run on battery, not shore power, unless Minoan confirms otherwise for your sailing. Switch gas fridges off before boarding, as on every route.
• Passport and documents: Greece is in the EU's Schengen zone. EU/EEA citizens need only a national ID card; others need a valid passport. Your vehicle registration and, for non-EU campers, a Carnet de Passages may be needed.
• Fuel before boarding: fill up in Italy – fuel prices in Greece can be higher, especially on islands or in remote areas.

Exploring Greece with a Campervan

Once off the ferry, Greece opens up magnificently for overland travel. From Patras, the E65 motorway sweeps north past Corinth to Athens (around 3 hours), while the smaller roads south lead into the Peloponnese – Nafplio, Olympia, Mystras and the dramatic Mani peninsula, which has some of the best wild camping spots in Europe.

Heading north from Igoumenitsa, the mountains of Epirus give way to the plains near Ioannina and the monastery plateau of Meteora – one of the most iconic campervan stops in the Mediterranean. The road east from Igoumenitsa along the Via Egnatia opens up Thessaloniki and the rest of northern Greece.

For island hopping, Greek domestic ferry operator Blue Star Ferries accepts campervans on many routes from Patras, Piraeus (Athens' port) and Rafina. The Ionian islands – Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos – are reachable from Igoumenitsa or Patras with a campervan on board. The Cyclades and Dodecanese require more planning but are accessible from Piraeus.