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Driving in Greece – Recommendations, Tips and Tricks
25. Inexperienced drivers are not recommended to travel on mountain roads. They are very narrow and winding, and in some areas there is space for only one car. There are no fences and roadsides on many mountain roads, so if there is no enough space to pass another car that moves in the opposite direction, then there is only way - to move backwards until there is a suitable place for passing that car.
26. If there is a need to park on a narrow street, then do not forget to turn on a warning light before the maneuver. This way you will warn drivers that ride behind your car of the maneuver, so they will have enough time to slow down and wait until the parking will be completed.
27. Taking into consideration the nature of local roads (narrow and often with one-way direction of motion), parking with the car’s back is better. That is the way how local people park. With such a type of parking it will be easier to go back to the road and join traffic.
28. In the evening and at night many police officers are on duty on roads that pass popular bars and taverns. Their main aim is to find drivers who ride a vehicle drunk. If a police officer asks to take a breath test that will identify the content of alcohol in blood, in no case should one refuse - this will inevitably lead to a severe punishment.
29. In Athens, there is quite an unusual rule that regulates entering the center of the city. On even dates only cars with their car number ending with an even number are allowed to enter the center of the city, and on odd days vice versa – only cars with an odd digit as the last digit in the car’s number are allowed to enter.
30. Because of this rule, many local residents who cannot live a day without driving to the central area, own two cars. The abovementioned rule does not apply to motorists who live in the central part of Athens.
31. In roads it is possible to see road signs that warn drivers that in this location the speed can be measured by the radar. Most likely, there is no radar nearby. This place is simply often guarded by police patrols that measure speed.
Hints on Car Hire in Greece
When choosing a car for your Greece trip, don’t forget to check and compare the franchise amount (indicated in the rental conditions) for all cars considered in your selection. The franchise may vary from 200 to 2000 euro/dollars even for cars of the same class. A thorough comparison will allow you to choose the option with the lowest franchise.
During your booking, we will offer you to take a full coverage of the franchise ('No Risk' or 'No Excess' package). If you book a car without full coverage, it is recommended to take it at the pick-up time - this will substantially reduce your financial liability in Greece for the whole rental period.
During your car pick-up in Greece, do not forget to check what to do in breakdown-, accident- or theft-cases. Most of our offers include 'Breakdown Assistance' package. Besides this, every rental office would be happy to assist you with this package.
Prior to the car return, please check your voucher for the fuel conditions. If it is indicated that a driver shall return the car with a full tank, do not forget to refuel it on the way back, this will save you from additional charges at the rental office.
If you are looking for a car hire in Greece, we advise you to check OrangeSmile.com actual rental offers. Just use the orange search form at the top. We guarantee that you would not be able to find better rates anywhere else!
33. Drivers, who want to make a journey through the underwater tunnel Aktio – Preveza, will also have to pay. The length of the tunnel is 1,570 meters, more than 900 meters from which are laid under water. The cost of using the tunnel for a motor car is approximately 3 euro.
34. Drivers will also have to pay to use the Rio – Antirio Bridge. The length of this incredibly beautiful construction is 2880 meters. The cost of a ride on the bridge is approximately 13 euro for a motor car.
35. There is a clearly demarcated area suitable for parking in the center of Athens. If a road has a blue marking, these parking spaces are made for local residents only. Parking spaces for guests of the city are marked in white. Finally, parking spaces for special services and privileged cars are marked with yellow.
36. Parking in the center of Athens is paid on weekdays from 9:00 to 21:00, and on Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00. The system of payment for parking is also quite interesting. For example, a one hour long parking will cost around €0.50; a parking place for two hours costs one euro, for 2.5 hours - 4 euro, and for 3 hours - 6 euro. Therefore, parking time is limited to three hours.
37. Vehicles equipped with snow chains must follow a special speed limit. It is 50 km/h, regardless of the type of a road.
38. If for experienced drivers the maximum allowed content of alcohol in blood is 0.5‰, the drivers, whose driving experience is less than two years, have a stricter limit - 0.2‰. This level cannot be exceeded by motorcycle drivers as well. If a driver is caught with the higher limit, and this is the first violation of this type, the fine will be 250 euro.
39. It is prohibited to drive on the roads of Greece with lower beams turned on during the daytime. Lower beams can be used only in case of poor visibility, when it’s raining or if there is fog.
40. Children under 3 years old can be transported in a car only in a special chair. Children aged from 3 to 11 and whose height is less than 135 cm, are allowed to be transported only at the back seat of a car. The fine for violating this rule is 80 euro.
41. Local gas stations sell unleaded petrol (95 and 98), as well as diesel fuel. Drivers, who make long distance rides, should keep in mind that transporting petrol in cans is prohibited in Greece.
42. According to local regulations, in addition to a driving license, a registration certificate, and a “green card”, drivers must have a fire extinguisher, a warning triangle and a first aid kit.
44. Radar detectors are prohibited from using on local roads. The penalty for this violation is 2000 euro. Moreover, the offender of this rule can face such problems as withdrawal of the technical passport and the car’s number for two months, and also the suspension of the driving license for 30 days.
45. Drivers, who are accustomed to following the speed limit, will find it quite difficult to drive on local roads without breaking traffic regulations. If a vehicle that follows your car wants to overtake, you should move as close to the right as possible and give way to that car. It is possible to overtake cars only on the left.
46. In large cities, there are many intersections with circular motion. Drivers, who are about to enter the intersection, have the advantage at such intersections. It is better to make such maneuvers steadily and slowly.
47. When leaving a car, do not leave any valuables in it. Even if you plan to leave your car on a guarded parking lot, do not rely on this fact very much as the possibility of losing valuables is still very high.
48. Roads of Crete are considered among the most complex and dangerous roads in the country. On the north coast, highways have quite a good quality. The majority of roads have two lanes. The closer you move to the south coast, the narrower and more winding roads you will have to cope with. Many road sections have the so-called blind bends.
49. There are many roads covered with gravel in mountain regions. As a rule, there are no boards or road signs on such roads. Before starting a ride on such roads, foreign drivers are recommended to consult local people or ask a travel agency for help in order to find out all necessary information.
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