To Greece from Kyiv by car (A detailed report to help road travelers with prices, optimal routes, stops, visa-free border crossing, description of Sithonia + links to short videos) . turpravda. ua/newimg/3/800x600/00/01/88/00/1880092.jpg" style="height: 600px; width: 406px" />

Preparation

My friends and I planned this trip in the winter. Having decided on the date of the trip, we began to choose accommodation for ourselves on the Sithonia peninsula - the most picturesque of the three peninsulas in Halkidiki. Our company consists of three families - 6 adults and 3 children, girls aged 10-12, so we were looking for a house with three bedrooms and one children's room. For two weeks they chose among various options and in March they chose and paid for the rent of a house near the town of Toroni on the coast of Aretes Beach from 08/04/2017 to 08/12/2017. The total rental price for three families for 8 nights was 1735 USD.

In June, we started planning a route, looking for articles on this topic on the Internet and found that there was not much information at all. Previously, we traveled around Europe several times by car, traveled to more than a dozen countries, but the route to Greece was laid for the first time. I wanted to learn more about the condition of the roads and the nuances of passing borders in a visa-free regime. Since Romania and Bulgaria, through which the route ran, are not Schengen countries and border control is present there, we were a little alarmed by possible delays when crossing the borders.

The plan was this - to leave Kyiv with two families in two cars through Romania and Bulgaria, and on the way to Sofia airport, another family should join us - our Italian friends who flew in from Milan.

We laid the Ukrainian part of the route through the Odessa region along the Odessa-Reni highway. I do not recommend this route to anyone. The track is in a terrible state, floating on asphalt up to half a meter in height and the same pits, so I had to drive very slowly. From Odessa to the border - 4 hours in autoslalom mode. (If you drive from Kyiv, the road through Chernivtsi is better, but you need to take into account the presence of a queue at the border. There is no queue from Odessa, but you need to additionally pass the Moldovan checkpoint). Note: *As of 2019, the Odessa-Reni track is already in excellent condition.

The length of the route from Kyiv to Sithonia was a little more than 1800 km. We decided to go with one night. On the first day, we planned to drive most of the route to the town of Petrevene in Bulgaria (100 km short of Sofia). The distance from Kyiv to Petrevene on our route was about 1300 km. Since we had already driven long distances in Europe several times before, prolonged driving did not scare us much. But when planning the route, we did not take into account the state of roads in the Odessa region, speed limits in Romania and the time to pass the borders. As a result, it took almost 20 hours to drive on the first day!!!

In Petreven, we booked two junior suites in the Misha guest house through Booking. Not a bad budget hotel with a cozy area and a swimming pool, where you can relax after a long trip. The price for one two-room junior suite was 30 euros.

On the way…

So, on the night of August 2 to 3 at 01.00 we left Kyiv in the direction of Odessa in two cars (Nissan Qashqai and Mitsubishi Lancer) and turned onto the Odessa-Reni highway at dawn. The peculiarity of this route is that it partially passes through the territory of Moldova (a short section in Moldova, about 20 minutes drive near the village of Palanca). Before entering the Moldovan territory, the border guard counts passengers and issues a ticket, and when leaving it is taken away. The procedure is five seconds. Then again through the Ukrainian territory through Sarata, Tatarbunary, past Izmail on Reni. In Reni, we refueled to capacity with gasoline and gas and drove up to the border at about 11.00.

Entry to Romania

 It is possible to enter the territory of Romania from the Odessa region only through the territory of Moldova. At the Giurgiulesti checkpoint, Ukrainian customs officers inspect the car, trunk, body and engine number. They check passports, registration certificate for the car and birth certificate of the child. Then, right there, the Moldovan customs officers again superficially inspect the interior of the car and the trunk (opened and closed). After that, the driver needs to go through several windows with documents, where you need to present your passport, green card (international auto insurance), registration certificate and rights. Since we crossed the border for the first time with biometric passports under a visa-free regime, we also prepared a printout of the confirmation of the hotel reservation, a certificate from the bank on the availability of funds in the account and personal insurance, but all this was not required either here or later. The whole procedure took about 25 minutes, there was no queue at all. At the entrance, you need to buy at least a weekly vignette for driving through the territory of Moldova worth 5 euros !!! , although the journey through the territory of Moldova takes only about 5 minutes. Then we drove up to the Moldovan-Romanian border, where a Moldovan customs officer checked that we had a vignette and stamped an exit stamp in our passports. We passed the Moldovan-Romanian checkpoint in 20 minutes. We immediately bought a Romanian weekly vignette for 3 euros and entered the territory of Romania. In general, in each country, before buying a vignette, you need to calculate the time of your stay and, depending on this, buy a weekly or monthly vignette. If you travel in transit through Romania back and forth, it is cheaper to buy a vignette twice a week than once a month. The road through the territory of Romania is not bad, but it passes through towns and cities, so it was not possible to go fast. We saw the police a couple of times on the road, but we were not stopped.

At gas stations, it is better to pay for Romanian lei, because when paying in euros, these hucksters inflate the exchange rate by one and a half times. When I refueled with gas at a price of 2.29 lei per liter, I refueled almost 40 liters for 90 lei, which in conversion is about 20 euros. But when I said that I would pay in euros, the bill was 30 euros!! ! At the same time, it is not always possible to pay with a card, since the cashier will apologize with a sly smile and say that the terminal allegedly does not work and they only accept cash. So, to pay in Romania, I recommend buying the required amount in lei.

The route in Romania seemed boring and not interesting to us. The road led us through monotonous settlements and in this part of the country we did not feel the Romanian flavor. Our path ran through Bucharest and we laid it not along the district, but through the city center, because earlier on the autotravel forums we learned that the district of Bucharest is always very busy with trucks and you can get stuck in a traffic jam for several hours. As a result, we realized that we did the right thing, since we drove all over Bucharest in 20-25 minutes without a single traffic jam. We left Bucharest at about 17.00 and fatigue was already making itself felt, we rather wanted to get to the bridge over the Danube "Giurgiu - Ruse" (Romanian-Bulgarian border) and enter the territory of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria

At about 18.00 we arrived at the checkpoint in front of the bridge, where we paid 6 Euros for entering the bridge and moved across the Danube towards Bulgaria. (On the way back, the entrance to the bridge from Bulgaria already cost us 2 Euros).

After crossing the bridge, the Bulgarian checkpoint was waiting for us, where the border guards selectively stopped cars. We drove through without stops and inspections.

In the area of ​ ​ the bridge on the Romanian and Bulgarian side there are kiosks selling vignettes and at the entrance to Bulgaria we bought a weekly vignette for 9 euros. When buying a vignette here, due to the extortionate exchange rate when paying in euros, you will overpay at least 1 euro on a weekly vignette. But you can drive a little further and buy a vignette at the nearest gas station. (On the way back, we did just that, a weekly vignette at the gas station cost us 8 euros already).

It was interesting to travel around Bulgaria. Mountain landscapes and a sense of proximity to the cherished hotel added optimism. At about 20.30 we arrived in the town of Petrevene and checked in at the Misha guest house booked earlier.

A delicious dinner with a cold beer was the long-awaited culmination of this endless day.

The next morning began with water procedures in the pool.

After breakfast, we slowly drove towards Sofia, where at 13.00 at the airport we had to meet our Italian friends. The remaining 100 kilometers to Sofia, we drove along an excellent road and admired the magnificent mountain scenery.

Having met our friends at the airport, we already left in full force towards Greece. Sithonia was 450 km away…

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=SlsArAE9cB0

Before the border, we decided to refuel to capacity, as the price of fuel in Bulgaria is slightly cheaper than the Greek one, and besides, we had some Bulgarian leva left to spend. The navigator led us to the border with Greece near the Bulgarian village of Kulata.

Greece

At the Greek checkpoint, the border guards stopped us and, having collected our passports and the registration certificate for the car, they told us to park the cars and wait. At the same time, all the other cars, having presented their documents, passed us without delay. At first we were wary, but then we saw that they were stopping all the cars except for the Greek and Bulgarian registration. Two cars with German and Italian registration joined us in the parking lot. Most likely, the Greeks and Bulgarians have a simplified procedure for crossing the border, and all the rest are subject to verification. After waiting about 10 minutes, they took out our documents and we drove to Greece.

There are no vignettes in Greece, but there are paid sections of roads, and immediately after crossing the border, a payment point was waiting for us, where we paid 2.40 euros.

Then the road was easy and fun. Having passed along the district of Thessaloniki, we turned to Halkidiki and then, using the navigator to Sithonia, to the very end of the peninsula, where near the town of Toroni a Greek-style house we rented was waiting for us. The owner of the house named Evripidis welcomed us cordially, handed over the keys and gave us a tour of the house. Half an hour to unload things and provisions, and we are already swimming in the clear water of the Aegean Sea.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=AC5OoeYtJX4

Holidays in Sithonia

Sithonia is a very beautiful, picturesque place to relax with many different beaches and coves. You can drive around the entire coast of the peninsula in two hours, but even a month is not enough to explore all the beautiful places on the coast. There are simply no roads to most of them, and you can only get there along the paths or swim up from the sea. If you wish, you can find a funky beach, where there will be no one except you. In almost every town you can rent a boat with a capacity of up to 5 people. The price is 120 euros per day + fuel or 80 euros for half a day + fuel. At the same time, you will be given a ten-minute briefing on how to operate the boat and go on a free voyage. By renting a boat, you can explore a part of the coast that is not accessible from the land side and have a good rest.

In general, Sithonia is the greenest of the three peninsulas in Halkidiki. Various species of coniferous trees hanging from the cliffs above the transparent sea are a paradise for photo shoot lovers. I don’t know why, but there are no tourist attractions such as banana rides, parachuting, etc. For me, thank God. Also, there are practically no large hotel complexes and tall buildings, but on the contrary, there are more campsites and picturesque places that lovers of tent leisure have chosen. During the rest, it seems that you are somewhere very far from civilization, and nature is simply mesmerizing.

 Snorkellers will love it here too. Of course, the underwater flora and fauna is not as diverse as in Egypt, but you can do spearfishing. We shot two octopuses and one squid (we didn’t count the fish), which we cooked for dinner with pleasure.

During our vacation, we traveled all over the coast of Sithonia and visited several picturesque beaches. But in the short period of our stay, it was simply not realistic to see all the beauty of these places. I really want to come here again and explore the eastern coast of the peninsula more, starting from the beautiful bays of Karidi near the village of Vourvourou and further to the south of Sithonia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=oZZSrvemgFY

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Ipbv3sa60hQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=cAzv5V2j5oI

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=HhOB6WF7LBY

Rented House (Maisonette)

We lived in a two-story Greek-style house, which we found and booked six months before the holiday, immediately transferring 100% of the payment. (If possible, it's always better to book accommodation in advance, as there is a higher chance of choosing the most suitable option. Already in April, most of the cool options that we had previously looked at on the site were booked).

Maisonettes in Greece are called 2-3-storey houses built according to the scheme of townhouses and intended for several families. The layout of our house at first seemed a little unusual to us - the entrance and the open terrace are located on the second floor, where a staircase leads from the courtyard. There is also a hall with a fireplace, a kitchen and a toilet. An internal staircase leads to the first floor, where there are 3 bedrooms, a children's room with 3 beds and a toilet with a shower. Then we realized that thanks to this layout, the Greeks keep cool in the sleeping quarters. Less than 100 meters from the house to the beach, where there are umbrellas with sun loungers and chairs assigned to each house. There is also a tavern with a bar. The beach itself is very picturesque and sparsely populated, about 300 meters long, separated from both sides by capes protruding into the sea. In general, for our friendly company, such housing was the most preferable option with a fairly affordable rent for August.

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=T-G6UlRTUMI

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=g1zQxcnfcKg

About prices in supermarkets and taverns

If you want to sit in the evening in any restaurant (here they are called taverns), then keep in mind that portions in Greece are not small, and a dish for one person will cost you 5-12 Euros. To sit in a tavern with wine and try different dishes, a check for our family of two adults and one child cost 30-50 Euros, depending on the order. Prices in all taverns in Sithonia are about the same, the assortment is similar, but they cook differently everywhere.

When buying products in stores, you need to take into account that prices in small supermarkets can vary greatly. We also met the owners of roadside markets who were overwhelmed, who on beer did cheat up to 500%!! ! In general, it is better to find a large supermarket with an extensive assortment, then the prices will be adequate. From our experience, it is best to skimp on basic products at the beginning of the peninsula in the town of Nikiti, where the Lidl supermarket is located on the highway - a common European chain with adequate prices.

Prices for some products: beer in cans 0.5 from 60 cents, milk 1 liter - 1.20, butter - 2.50, olive oil from 4.50 per liter, beef meat from 7 euros per kilo, wine from 3 euros per bottle , all cuts and sausages in packages from 2.50 euros per package.

In general, our vacation turned out to be very eventful, fun and informative. Since all the members of our company had previously tasted all the delights of all-inclusive resorts, we wanted to diversify our summer holidays and experience new sensations. The peninsula of Sithonia was perfect for our trip, especially since we have not traveled in this direction yet. In addition, we were able to get an idea of ​ ​ two more countries - Romania and Bulgaria.

Home, time to go home…

The return journey passed through Sofia, where we stayed in the city center at the previously booked Best Western Hotel. The price for a triple junior suite when booking through Booking was 82 Euros. Our plans included a little walk around the city and have a farewell dinner with our Italian friends. (By the way, if you want to sit in a restaurant in Sofia, you need to book a table in advance, especially on weekends. Without knowing this, we went around several restaurants in the center, spent an hour and a half to find a free table). Having settled down in a cozy courtyard of a Bulgarian restaurant, we discussed and shared our impressions of our joint vacation for a long time, but everyone was a little sad about the upcoming farewell.

In the morning of the next day, with tears in their eyes, the girls stood embracing and did not want to part for a long time. Giacomo, Natalia and Francesca stayed in Sofia to wait for their flight to Milan, and we were waiting for the 900 km road to Ukraine to the glorious city of Chernivtsi, where another transit hotel was booked on the way home…

Travel Budget

Since a significant part of the questions in PM is related to the budget of the trip and how it can be reduced in price, I decided to supplement the article with an approximate estimate. So, in detail: when planning a trip to Sithonia by a private car, you need to take into account that the distance from Kyiv to Sithonia is 1800 km, respectively, in both directions 3600 km plus 400 km drive through Sithonia, so the total mileage is about 4000 km. You will drive about half of the route on Ukrainian fuel at Ukrainian prices, provided that you refuel to capacity before leaving Ukraine. The second half of the route you will drive on European fuel. Multiply the European fuel price by an average of 1.5 of the Ukrainian price. In Ukraine, it is necessary to buy international auto insurance "Greencard" (the price can be specified in the insurance, depending on the length of stay). Buying vignettes, tolling the Giurgiu Rousse bridge and paying for roads in Greece will cost about 35 Euros. You can spend the night in a decent hotel in Bulgaria or Romania, if this is not a tourist area, for about 30 Euro + dinner and breakfast. At the same time, it should be taken into account that in a tourist area, for example, in Sofia, the price of an overnight stay is about 2 times more expensive (In order not to strain on the road and arrive at the resting place in the middle of the day, I recommend traveling with two overnight stays). In August, housing in Sithonia near the beach for 2 adults and 1 child from 60 Euro / day for a studio without a kitchen. For those who want to reduce the cost of living, there is an option to find accommodation upon arrival on their own without the services of booking sites that charge a commission of about 15 percent of the rental amount. But in this case, you need to plan to arrive at the place in the first half of the day and, after a long trip, still spend some time looking for suitable housing. In principle, there are many mini-hotels of various price categories in coastal villages, but looking for accommodation after a long trip, as for me, is quite a nervous thing. But you choose. If you dine in taverns, the average bill for a family of 2 adults and 1 child is 35 Euro. Prices in stores are described above. With proper planning of the trip and selection of a comfortable place to stay in Sithonia for 10 days for a family of 2 adults and 1 child, as well as the cost of travel and transit overnight, I recommend setting a budget of about 1300 Euros. In any case, the price may increase or decrease depending on your individual preferences. Personally, we saw many Europeans who came in groups in several cars and lived in tents right next to the sea in very beautiful and sparsely populated places. So lovers of camping can have a great rest in some paradise in Sithonia with a fairly modest budget.

P. S. To plan a trip, I also recommend reading the report of auto travelers from Kharkov, there is also a lot of useful information about Sithonia http://www. opel-club. com. ua/forum/topic/275278-gretciya-na-avto-halkidiki-sarti-iyun -2016/

Have a nice trip everyone.