Cyprus-Forum.com

[tuggy]

hello all time as come for me to sell up and go to cyprus but i want to drive across in my van/minibus/camper, and i need info on a route so if any one has any info at all it would be great to hear from you i am going to kapparis if anyone knows it my mother-in-law has a bar there called the corner pin anyone know it

[dms007]

where are you?
wherever you are, you have to realised that cyprus is surrounded by water on all sides. you cannot drive the the whole way.
you have to swim too

[tuggy]

i am in manchester the uk i know that much m8 give me a break eh

[RichardB]

Hi tuggy

One way is to drive to boot of Italy and get ferry over from Brindisi to Limassol

Ferrys also run from Athens-Limassol

[RichardB]

If you "google" AA routeplanner. You can get route from Calais or whereever you're going to cross over to, To Brindisi or Athens (approx 2100km)

[Freddy]

G'day, I am a Brit and retired to Cyprus, on a permanent basis, in early 2004. Worked on-island several times over forty years, military and civilian and on two occasions travelled both UK-Cyprus & Cyprus-UK. First outward journey, in 1986, was prior to Yugoslavian conflict and we ventured through Central France, Southern Switzerland, Northern Italy and travelled along the Yugo coast and around Albania. Through Europe via any route is no problem but using the Yugo coast road you will have to contend with thousands of bends and hundreds of tunnels, long and short! Wonderful scenery but allow at least three days from Trieste to Greek border where, without doubt will take you two hours plus to get through! Picked up ferry from Athens for Limassol.
Second outward journey, in 1994, we decided to travel a different route:
Netherlands, Germany down to Munich, Southern Austria, into Italy and ferry from Ancona to Patra(Greece), across to Athens and ferry to Limassol.
Although the people along the coast of the former Yugoslavia are known to be friendly, I have heard a few stories of robberies around the area of the coastal border of Montenegro & Albania. But that was in the late 90's, much has changed in that general area in the past five or six years.
Enjoy....

[tuggy]

CHEERS FREDDY M8 SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A GOOD TRIP M8

[Leyland]

Hi Freddy,

I did the route the other way but the reverse is straight forward.

I went Calais to the Frejus tunnel, west of Grenoble. Drove over North Italy, via Turin and Milan, to Rimini. Then down to Ancona where I picked up a very nice car ferry to Patris, in west Greece, close to Corinth.

From there drove to Athens and Pireaus and picked up a ferry to Limassol.

We stayed a week outside Athens to recover. We did not prebook but the tourist information got us good accomodation.

Accomodation on route, (mainly France), was in the Formula One chain. Cheap and cheerful. You can book on line in the UK. Rooms in Rimini were easy to get, via the tourist information office.

A very enjoyable trip, glad I took my time. (Avoid the toll routes, particularly in Italy, they cost a bundle and save you very little time overal).

[tuggy]

nice to see peps have done this trip ,it gives me a bit more go knowing it can and as been done before i have a route now but i dont know how much ferrys are , where to get them , how long it takes on ferrys , etc this infomation would be a great help too , maybe a website to a ferry company? anyway thanks to all that have helped me

[bungle]

My husband & I left Dover in July 05 and headed down thru Switzerland and then Italy for a month or so before taking a ferry from Brindisi to Patras before driving to Piraeus. Depending on the time of year of your trip then you need to book your ferry journey from Italy to Greece in advance. We thought we'd turn up but after a few enquiries in southern Italy had to book about a week in advance to take the ferry to Patras, and then we didn't get our first choice.

Whilst a number of people have posted saying ferries are available this is not strictly true as services have been suspended for the last 2/3 years as we found out last year. What we had to do was put the car on a Louis Cruise from Piraeus (Princess Marissa was the boat )which then toured 3/4 greek islands before landing in Limissol 4 days later which cost approx 700 euros (you have to pay this in cash at the office in Piraeus) - though we did go for a more expensive cabin. Again you'll need to book this in advance and best to speak to the Louis office directly in Piraeus - the Cyprus arm of the operation were not v helpful.

Also worth spending the night before in Piraeus as we did - rather than trying to make it in one day from Patras. The traffic can be a nightmare and could mean you miss the boat!

Have fun!