Greece Summer

Buckshaw to Sparti
A summer road trip, July 2026 — Lancashire to the Greek Peloponnese
Seven countries, four days, one motorhome, two motorbikes and two very well-travelled dogs.
The Adventure
This July we're pointing the motorhome south and driving all the way from home in Lancashire to Sparti, deep in the Greek Peloponnese, to see Mario.
It's Adam and Mata up front, Pablo the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Nala the Labradoodle stretched out in the back, and the two bikes — the little Keeway and the Honda Rebel — riding along on the trailer for adventures once we arrive.
From the white cliffs to the Corinth Canal in one glorious dash across a continent.
The Route
Off the shuttle at Calais and straight across Europe, threading seven countries in four days:
France → Germany → Austria → Slovenia → Croatia → Serbia → Bulgaria → Greece.
The Channel, the vineyards of eastern France, the Bavarian lakes, the high Alps, the green Balkans, and finally the mountains of southern Greece.
Night One — Calais
We roll off Le Shuttle in the small hours and tuck up for a few hours' sleep by the marina, ready to point the nose south at first light.
Overnight: Camping-Car Park Calais — 275 Rue d'Asfeld, 62100 Calais, France (booked)
Night Two — Bavaria & the Chiemsee
A long first day across France and Germany brings us to the shores of the Chiemsee — the "Bavarian Sea" — with the Alps rising on the far horizon and the promise of mountains to come.
Overnight: Camping-Car Park Übersee — Julius-Exter-Promenade 2, 83236 Übersee, Germany
Night Three — Over the Alps, into the Balkans
The big one: up and over the Tauern, Austria transit only, gliding through the Karawanken Tunnel, then down past Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade as the landscape softens into the rolling green of the Balkans. We stop for the night close to the Serbia–Bulgaria border, one hop from Greece.
Overnight: Popoland Camp — Paljina bb, 18000 Niš, Serbia
Journey's End — Sparti
The final push carries us through Bulgaria and down the length of Greece — around Athens, across the dramatic cut of the Corinth Canal, and up into the mountains of Laconia.
Sparti: ancient home of Leonidas and the Spartans, and these days home to Mario. The kettle's on, the bikes come off the trailer, and the holiday truly begins.
The Crew
Adam & Mata — drivers, navigators, chief dog-wranglers
Pablo — Rhodesian Ridgeback, seasoned road-tripper
Nala — Labradoodle, official co-pilot
The Grand California — home on wheels
The bikes — a Keeway K-Light 125 and a Honda CMX500 Rebel, along for the Greek roads
The Overnight Stops
Night 1 · Camping-Car Park Calais 275 Rue d'Asfeld, 62100 Calais, France · 50.95933, 1.83225 24h automated barrier · secure · ~€17.50/24h · booked via the Camping-Car Park app
Night 2 · Camping-Car Park Übersee (Chiemsee) Julius-Exter-Promenade 2, 83236 Übersee, Germany · 47.84023, 12.48078 24h access · 16A electric, fresh water, WiFi, video-surveilled · €23/24h · (no showers/toilets)
Night 3 · Popoland Camp, Niš Paljina bb, 18000 Niš, Serbia · 43.41508, 21.83723 · +381 65 8004373 24h, dog-friendly riverside campsite with restaurant & pool · ~€20/night incl. electric · easy access for a large motorhome + trailer Secure fallback nearby: TIR TOP-TRANS guarded truck stop & grill, Malčanski put bb, Niš
Destination · Sparti Palaiologio, Sparti, Greece · 37.0739, 22.4297
By the Numbers
~3,400 km from the front door to Sparti
7 countries in 4 days
2 dogs, 2 bikes, 1 motorhome
1 Channel, 1 Alpine crossing, 1 Corinth Canal
Follow the Route
Trace the whole journey on the map: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/PR7+7GQ,+UK/50.95933,1.832247/47.840226,12.480785/45.8150,15.9819/44.8466,20.4030/42.6977,23.3219/37.0739,22.4297
Next stop: Greece. 🇬🇷
Buckshaw Village → Palaiologio, Sparti · Overland Motorhome Trip · July 2026
The Rig
VW Grand California 600 + trailer (Keeway K-Light 125)
The Crew
Adam & Mata, with Pablo (Rhodesian Ridgeback) and Nala (Labradoodle)
Departing
Le Shuttle, 00:20 on 16 July 2026
Arriving Sparti
~21 July 2026

Trip at a Glance
3,400
Kilometres Overland
4
Driving Days
7
Countries Crossed
3
Overnight Stops
A secure, gated or barriered stop every single night — essential with two motorbikes on the trailer. One non-EU leg through Serbia is straightforward with the right paperwork.

The Corridor
Six overnight stops, each chosen for security, convenience, and the wellbeing of the crew.
1
Calais, France
Secure barrier-entry aire · Arrival night
2
Munich, Germany
Allianz Arena camper stop · Night 1
3
Weissensee, Austria
Alpine lake campsite · Nights 2–3
4
Belgrade, Serbia
Gated city campsite · Night 4
5
Asprovalta, Greece
Beach campsite · Night 5
6
Palaiologio, Sparti
Journey's end 🎉 · Day 6

Arrival Night · Calais
Le Shuttle 00:20 → arrive Calais ~02:00 local. Drive ~15 min to a secure barrier-entry aire and sleep.
The Stop
Aire de Camping-Car Calais
275 Rue d'Asfeld, 62100 Calais
24-hour access with code-entry barrier
Well-lit and secure — used to late Shuttle arrivals
Services on site: water & waste
~€11/night
Morning After
Short walk to the seafront once the sun is up. Services on site mean you can top up water and empty waste before the long haul east begins at first light.
No booking required — simply arrive and use the barrier code. Have the entry process noted before you depart.

Day 1 · Calais → Chiemsee (Übersee)
The long haul day — all motorway, no borders (Schengen throughout). Start at first light.
Distance & Time
~900 km / ~9 hrs via Reims, Metz, Saarbrücken, Stuttgart
The Stop
Camping-Car Park Übersee, Julius-Exter-Promenade 2, 83236 Übersee, Germany. €23/24h, 24h access, flat hardstanding, 16A electric hook-up, fresh water, WiFi, video-surveilled. Note: no showers or toilets on site.
The Setting
Right on the shore of the Chiemsee — Bavaria's largest lake with Alpine views. A peaceful overnight spot after the long drive, with lakeside walks at dusk or dawn.

Day 4 · Austria → Belgrade
Back to Villach, through the Karawanken Tunnel into Slovenia, then Ljubljana → Zagreb → cross into Serbia → Belgrade.
Distance & Time
~600 km / ~6.5 hrs
Border Note
Croatia → Serbia is a passport-stamp crossing. Aim to arrive mid-morning to beat queues.
The Stop: Belgrade – Zemun Campground
Šilerova 21, Zemun — gated paved yard, English-speaking hosts, reviewers feel safe leaving the van.
Book by phone/WhatsApp: +381 63 749 1750

Day 5 · Belgrade → Northern Greece
Serbia's main transit motorway south, then through Bulgaria and into Greece — the leg that keeps you clear of North Macedonia.
Route Details
Distance: ~620 km / ~6.5 hrs
Belgrade → Niš → Sofia (Bulgaria) → Greek border at Promachonas
Serbia → Bulgaria: proper passport crossing
Bulgaria → Greece: internal Schengen border (quick)
The Stop
Camping Asprovaltas — enclosed beach campsite on the E75, a relaxed launchpad for the final run. camping-asprovaltas.gr
Secure alternative: A&A Camper Parking, near Thessaloniki — +30 693 688 8673

Day 6 · Northern Greece → Sparti
The home straight down through Greece to son Mario in Sparti.
1
E75 South
Via Larissa & Lamia
2
Around Athens
Bypass the capital
3
Corinth Canal
Iconic crossing
4
Tripoli → Sparti
Final descent to Palaiologio 🎉
Distance
~570 km
Drive Time
~6 hrs on good toll motorway
Destination
Palaiologio, Sparti — journey's end

Essentials Before You Go
Vehicle & Insurance
Confirm motorhome policy explicitly covers Serbia and the trailer (no Green Card needed, but cover must be listed)
Temporary cover available at the Serbian border if needed
Carry V5C, UK driving licence, insurance docs and a UK identifier
Tolls & Vignettes
Pre-buy e-vignettes: Austria (+ Karawanken & Tauern/Katschberg tunnel tolls), Slovenia (tall-vehicle "2B" class), Bulgaria
Toll booths in France, Croatia, Serbia and Greece
The trailer bumps you up a toll class — factor this in
The Dogs
Keep the GB Animal Health Certificate, microchip and valid rabies records to hand at every crossing
For the return to the UK: vet tapeworm treatment 24–120 hrs before re-entry

Two Things to Watch
🌡️ July Heat — Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece
Regularly 35 °C+ across the Balkan and Greek legs. Plan carefully to keep the dogs safe and comfortable.
Start each leg early in the morning before the heat builds
Plan shaded water stops along the route
Run the van's cooling system effectively
Never leave Pablo and Nala in the parked van, even briefly
🔒 The Bikes on the Trailer
Gated and barriered stops every night do the heavy lifting. Layer up the security further:
Reverse the hitch-side against a wall or hedge
Disc-lock each bike + a hardened chain through both bikes and the trailer frame
Hitch lock + wheel clamp on the trailer
A cover over the bikes to obscure them
A GPS tag hidden in each bike