Ancona – Igoumenitsa – Patras
Ancona (IT) → Patras (via Igoumenitsa) (GR)
- Year-round
Key facts
- Via the ferry
- 21 hrs
- motorhome ≤7 m + 2 adults + inside cabin high season approx. €650–950 one-way (indication); low season from approx. €400; deck passage instead of a cabin saves €100-200
- Overland
- 20 hrs
- ±1,600 km
Overland alternative: via Slovenia/Croatia/Serbia/North Macedonia or via Albania — non-EU borders with waiting times, vignettes and variable road quality
Saves approx. 1,600 Balkan kilometres and 2-3 driving days; overnight ferry = arrive rested. Note: camping on board (sleeping in your motorhome on deck) was abolished by Attica in 2025 — now cabin, seat or deck
Ferry or drive on? Do the mathsDeparture port & check-in
For ordinary vehicles, 2 hrs before departure is the practical rule; anyone using 'camping on board' has to check in 4 hrs before departure, because the motorhomes are the first to be placed on the open deck. Bring original identity documents for every passenger, children included - they really are checked at boarding. In high season the approach to the varchi (port gates) is busy; allow extra time.
Facilities at the terminal
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Fresh water
Drinking water at the Area Sosta Posatora.
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Chemical toilet
Grey and black water disposal at the Area Sosta Posatora.
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Showers
No showers at the area; there are showers at campsites nearby.
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Fuel
Petrol stations along the SS16 around Ancona.
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Gas & LPG
GPL is widely available in Italy; you need the Italian fitting (Dish) for a refillable tank.
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Groceries
Supermarkets in Ancona; Greek prices are comparable, so there is no need to stockpile.
Where to spend the night before departure
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Area Sosta Rimessaggio Camper Posatora, Via del Fornetto 91 / Parco Belvedere, 60131 Ancona
Motorhome aire- Distance to terminal
- ±4 km
- Price per night
- €12, coins only at the automatic barrier
Overnight stays allowed
Used above all by motorhomes waiting for the boat to Greece or Croatia. 30 places, open all year, maximum height 3 metres. Drinking water, grey and black water disposal, electricity, waste containers, wifi, dogs allowed, fenced with daytime supervision. Reviews are mixed: some find it perfectly fine for a night with water and disposal, others call it poorly maintained. Make sure you have coins.
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Camping La Mimosa, near Ancona
Campsite- Distance to terminal
- Not known
- Price per night
- Not known
Overnight stays allowed
A campsite explicitly aimed at motorhomes taking the boat to Greece or Croatia; details could not be verified because the site blocked retrieval.
Camping on board is the very reason many travellers choose this route: you get an allocated spot on the open deck with a 220V hook-up and pay only the deck passage per person plus the vehicle rate - no surcharge for the camping service. Pets travel free if they are quiet. Cooking and any use of gas or a naked flame is strictly prohibited. Important warning: camping on board was not available in 2025 on the Superfast/Bluestar ships from Italy to Greece - check when booking whether it is offered in your season. Shut the gas bottles, fold in the mirrors and otherwise leave the vehicle deck alone.
Arrival & first stop
First motorhome stop after arrival
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Camping Drepanos, Drepanos Beach, 46100 Igoumenitsa (GPS 39°30'37"N / 20°13'16"E)
Campsite- Distance to terminal
- ±5 km
- Price per night
- €25 per night with an ACSI card in low season
Overnight: check in advance
On a peninsula with the beach right there, about 4 km from the centre along a safe cycle path. Chemical toilet disposal, hot showers, 80 touring pitches of 30-100 m², restaurant and beach bar, wifi with 80-100% coverage, accessible facilities. Open all year. 7.3/10 from 41 reviews; guests praise the beach but call the sanitary block and the fixed installations scruffy.
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Camping Kato Alissos, Kato Alissos (West Achaea)
Campsite- Distance to terminal
- Not known
- Price per night
- Not known
Overnight: check in advance
The classic first campsite west of Patras on the Gulf of Corinth; much used by motorhome travellers arriving at Patras.
GPL (autogas) is reasonably available in Greece along the main roads, but less so inland; you need a Dish adapter.
New Greek motorhome legislation (law 5170/2025) caused a good deal of alarm. After talks between the Greek motorhome club ELAT and the Ministry of Tourism, it has been confirmed that under the Greek traffic code motorhomes may park wherever cars may park. Since 1999, however, caravans, trailers and motorhomes may be parked in residential areas for a maximum of 24 consecutive hrs. Beaches, forests and archaeological sites are explicitly prohibited. The ministry has announced that it intends to set up official Camper Stops. Also: Greek toll roads (Egnatia Odos from Igoumenitsa, Olympia Odos from Patras) charge by category based on height and axle spacing - motorhomes often fall into a dearer class than cars.
Igoumenitsa is the logical place to get off if you are heading for Epirus, Meteora or the Ionian islands; Patras if you are going straight to the Peloponnese or Athens. The boat to Patras almost always calls at Igoumenitsa first.
Border, documents & rules
Italy-Greece is EU and Schengen: no customs clearance, but the ferry operators do run strict identity checks on boarding and disembarking - original passports or identity cards for every passenger, minors included. Pets travel on an EU pet passport.
Motorhome tips
Book 2-3 months ahead for July/Aug; getting off in Igoumenitsa saves 5-6 hrs of sailing and is ideal for Lefkada/Meteora; gas bottles closed and fridge off in the hold