Driving in Greece can be a real pleasure for those who can drive and especially for travelers who can drive defensively. Driving in Greece is a bit insane and locals appear to ignore the rules. Often, travelers tend to copy the locals and that surely spells dangerous situations.

Driving legally in Greece

In order to drive legally in Greece you must be at least 18 years old. You need a full driver’s license from your country of origin. An European Union drivers license, a US drivers license or a UK one should be accompanied by the International Driving Permit (although technically EU nationals can use just their own driver’s licenses).

Anyone riding in front of the car needs to wear the seatbelts. Children under 10 years old aren’t allowed to ride in the front. It is illegal to use a cell phone while driving.

Speed Limits in Greece

Although there are strict speed limits in Greece, many tend to ignore them. To stay safe, refrain from “racing” with other drivers and stick to the legal speed limit at all times:

• Urban areas: 50 km/h
• Open roads and Motorways: 100 – 120 km/h

The drink driving limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.05%). But that doesn’t mean you are allowed to drive under the influence.

Road Rules in Greece

Dial 112 in case of an emergency. You will be redirected to the ambulance, police, or the fire department, depending on the emergency. The service is available in several languages, including English.

Drive on the right side of the road, just like in the United States. Using the horn without a good reason is not permitted. Some cities , such as Athens, have restricted areas to traffic in order to reduce congestion (although these don’t apply to rental cars or cars driven by foreigners).

Always know how much fuel you have. Gas stations are usually closed on Sundays and there aren’t many open after 7 p.m. In many cases they don’t accept credit cards.

Parking rules are strict, but, again, nobody follows them. Still, don’t park close to a hydrant.

The two most dangerous maneuvers on the Greek roads are: passing slower vehicles and the left turn.

The road signs are self-explanatory and are standard. They are usually both in English and Greek (when they show directions and distances to cities, for example).

The lanes aren’t always that clearly marked or respected, especially at night. The double lines in the middle of the road means no passing on the other side. Motorbikes don’t obey the lanes or the rules.

On mountainous roads, driving can be quite dangerous. Watch out for blind curves and narrow roads, as well as fellow drivers who parked where they were not supposed to. Use the engine break (put the car in a lower gear) rather than the normal break.

If you want to leave Athens for the weekend, prepare for some nightmare traffic whether you leave on Friday evening or come back on Sunday evening. And no, it doesn’t matter where you go. This is especially true around Easter and in mid-August, two of the biggest holidays and vacation times for Greeks.

Have a map or better yet, an up-to-date GPS. Nowadays, smart phones can easily double as GPS (without having to use the Internet to find the location, thus saving money on cell phone subscription as well).

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