# Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus

> Around 1,080 km from Thessaloniki across the three fingers of Chalkidiki to the waters off Mount Athos, on to the pelicans of Lake Kerkini, the waterfalls…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-342-thessaloniki-chalkidiki-olympus/

**At a glance:** 8-day road trip of about 680 km (422 mi) with 14 stops, from Thessaloniki to Tempi. About 9 h 23 min of driving in total. Best time to go: April–May and September–October. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €25 (Greece). Around 1,080 km from Thessaloniki across the three fingers of Chalkidiki to the waters off Mount Athos, on to the pelicans of Lake Kerkini, the waterfalls of Edessa and the royal tombs of Vergina, to the foot of Mount Olympus and into the Vale of Tempi.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 680 km (422 mi) |
| Driving | 9 h 23 min |
| Suggested days | 8 |
| Stops | 14 |
| Route | Thessaloniki → Tempi |
| Countries | Greece |
| Best time to go | April–May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | ≈ €25 |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-342-thessaloniki-chalkidiki-olympus.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Balkans and Greece by motorhome: vignette, tolls, borders, ferries and October](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-balkans-greece-by-motorhome/)

*Around 1,080 km from Thessaloniki across the three fingers of Chalkidiki to the waters off Mount Athos, on to the pelicans of Lake Kerkini, the waterfalls of Edessa and the royal tombs of Vergina, to the foot of Mount Olympus and into the Vale of Tempi.*

## The spirit of the route

In the morning the camper stands among Aleppo pines, and outside the sliding door the water lies so clear over the granite slabs of Sithonia that you can count the sea urchins. Across the water, in the haze, the cone of Mount Athos rises from the sea – a mountain most travellers will only ever see from a boat. Northern Greece is the Greece of contrasts: swimming coves smelling of resin and loud with cicadas, then a shallow reservoir on the Bulgarian border where Dalmatian pelicans circle and water buffalo stand in the reeds. In Edessa a river plunges over the cliff edge right in the middle of town; in Vergina the tombs of the Macedonian kings lie beneath a burial mound. Finally, the Olympus massif rises almost 2,900 metres out of the coastal plain, often with a cap of cloud on the summit. This route mixes beach days with cultural stops and a proper mountain day – and demands respect for the forest and for fire.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Thessaloniki to Kassandra (Posidi) (approx. 110 km)

- **The drive:** Leave Thessaloniki on the ring road towards the airport and take the well-built expressway towards Nea Moudania, then cross the canal at Nea Potidea onto the Kassandra peninsula. Continue via Kassandria and Fourka to the west coast as far as Cape Posidi. Four lanes as far as Potidea, then a two-lane country road with roundabouts and village through-roads. A good 1.5 hours without sightseeing in the city.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Thessaloniki: the White Tower on the waterfront promenade, the Rotunda and the Byzantine walls of the upper town (Ano Poli) with views over the gulf.
  - Nea Potidea canal: dug in the 1930s, the cut separates Kassandra from the mainland; the remains of the ancient city wall lie by the bridge.
  - Cape Posidi with the foundations of a sanctuary of Poseidon and the long sand spit – in the evening, views across the Thermaic Gulf to Mount Olympus.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** There are several campsites on the west coast of Kassandra, such as Camping Kalandra near Posidi and Blue Dream Camping further north near Sani, and Camping Kryopigi on the east coast. The sites usually have electricity, toilets and showers and shade under pines, but are mostly seasonal (roughly May to September/October); ask in advance about fresh water and waste disposal, pitch sizes and autumn opening. The holiday camps of the University of Thessaloniki and the Church near Kalandra are not public campsites.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Wild camping is prohibited in Greece; the fine is €300 per person. Only correct parking is allowed, and anything outside the vehicle’s footprint counts as camping – awning, chairs, levelling jacks, washing line. Kassandra’s beaches are patrolled in summer, and many beach access roads are signposted as closed to motorhomes.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Don’t drive the camper into central Thessaloniki: narrow streets, delivery traffic and scarce parking make it hard work. For sightseeing there are camper car parks in the south-east near the airport, such as A&A Camper Parking (listed in OSM with electricity and waste disposal; check current status and prices beforehand); from there take a bus or taxi into the city. Before Kassandra, shop and fill up at the large supermarkets in Nea Moudania – it is more expensive on the peninsula.

### Stage 2: Kassandra (Posidi) to Vourvourou (Sithonia) (approx. 145 km)

- **The drive:** Loop around the southern tip of Kassandra via Paliouri and the east coast with Chanioti, Pefkochori and Kallithea, back across the Potidea canal and along the gulf via Nea Moudania to Nikiti, the gateway to Sithonia. There, take the east coast road to Vourvourou. Heavy traffic in Kassandra’s resorts in summer; between Nikiti and Vourvourou the road winds through pine forest. Around 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Remains of the Temple of Zeus Ammon in Kallithea, just above the coast.
  - Old village of Nikiti: 19th-century stone houses on the hillside above the modern resort.
  - Vourvourou: a shallow lagoon with small islands offshore – for paddling and snorkelling, at its best in the early morning.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Between Vourvourou and Sarti there are large campsites on the east coast of Sithonia, including Camping Armenistis right on the beach with views of Mount Athos and Akti Oneirou near Agios Ioannis; electricity, toilets and showers, usually fresh water and waste disposal, often with a shop and taverna. Book in high season, and check the season and beachfront pitches in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The coves of Vourvourou and the beach car parks on the east coast are heavily overcrowded in summer; overnight stays are not tolerated there, and the municipality of Sithonia has its beaches patrolled in summer. For a daytime swimming stop, use the larger parking areas above the beaches – don’t drive along sandy tracks into the dunes.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Since the great fire of 2006, Kassandra has many young stands of pine; when the fire risk is high, never barbecue or smoke. Between Nikiti and Vourvourou there is a filling station in Nikiti; on the east coast of Sithonia the network thins out. In Vourvourou, avoid the narrow access roads to the holiday homes – there is nowhere to turn.

### Stage 3: Vourvourou to Kalamitsi and Porto Koufo (approx. 70 km)

- **The drive:** Take Sithonia’s east coast road south via Armenistis and Sarti to Kalamitsi and on to the bay of Porto Koufo at the southern tip. The road winds over hills, granite rocks and pine-covered slopes, with many coves to look down on; narrow in places, but asphalted throughout. About 1.5 hours of pure driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Sarti: a long sandy bay with Mount Athos directly opposite – sunrise over the Holy Mountain.
  - Kalamitsi: a sheltered bay with pale sand and rocks for snorkelling.
  - Porto Koufo: Greece’s largest natural harbour, almost entirely enclosed by rocks; fish tavernas on the quay and the castle hill of Lekythos above Toroni right next door.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Kalamitsi has two campsites right on the bay: Camping Kalamitsi and Thalatta Kalamitsi Beach (with bungalows), with electricity, toilets and showers and shade on terraces. If you prefer Sarti, you’ll find Camping Pitsoni and Camping Melissi there. On the bay of Toroni, a few kilometres north of Porto Koufo, is Camping Iza. Check seasons and fresh water and waste disposal in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The southern tip of Sithonia is unspoilt and hard to patrol, but the camping ban applies here too. On the gravel car parks above the swimming coves, nights in the vehicle are at most pure parking – levelling jacks, a table or a barbecue turn it into camping. If you want to be on the safe side, take one of the sites in Kalamitsi.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The road between Sarti and Porto Koufo has no crash barrier on many bends, and oncoming traffic includes service buses and quads – drive slowly and use the passing places. In Porto Koufo, park on the quay early; in the evening the waterfront road is full. Fill up with water at the campsite, as there are hardly any public taps.

### Stage 4: Kalamitsi to Ouranoupoli (Athos) (approx. 140 km)

- **The drive:** Via Porto Koufo and Toroni up the west coast of Sithonia, past Neos Marmaras, to Nikiti, then along the Gulf of Agion Oros via Ormos Panagias, Pyrgadikia and Nea Roda to Ouranoupoli. The west coast is quick to drive; from Ormos Panagias the road winds through hills with pines and olive groves. A good 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Parthenonas: an abandoned and partly restored mountain village above Neos Marmaras, by the Itamos forest.
  - Near Nea Roda, the depression of the Xerxes Canal, which the Persian king had dug through the Athos isthmus in 480 BC.
  - Boat trip from Ouranoupoli along the west coast of Mount Athos: monasteries such as Dochiariou, Xenophontos and Simonopetra seen from the water; the boats keep their distance from the shore and women may use them too.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Ouranoupoli, Camping Ouranoupoli lies on the beach north of the town, Camping Comitsa on the east side of the isthmus and Camping Ierissos near Ierissos; Camping Akti Alikes near Tripiti is not far from the ferry pier for Ammouliani. Electricity and toilets and showers are standard; most are seasonal until early autumn – ask in advance about opening in October.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The territory of the monastic republic of Mount Athos begins a few kilometres south-east of Ouranoupoli; there is no road link, and access is by boat only. In Ouranoupoli itself the harbour area is cramped, and the large car parks charge a fee and are not places to spend the night. For a quiet night, stay on one of the campsites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Only men may enter Mount Athos, and only with a diamonitirion, the residence permit issued by the Pilgrims’ Office. The number of permits for non-Orthodox visitors is strictly limited per day (currently 10); reservations are made well in advance with the Pilgrims’ Office in Thessaloniki, and the permit is issued in Ouranoupoli before the ferry. For everyone else, the round trip on the excursion boat is the alternative. In Ouranoupoli there is hardly any parking from midday: leave the motorhome on the campsite and walk to the harbour.

### Stage 5: Ouranoupoli to Lake Kerkini (approx. 220 km)

- **The drive:** Head north via Ierissos, Stratoni and Olympiada along Chalkidiki’s indented east coast, join the Egnatia Odos (A2) at Stavros and Asprovalta and continue to Amfipoli, then north-west via Serres to Lake Kerkini. Winding between Stratoni and Olympiada, past mining land; from Asprovalta quick going on the motorway and wide national roads. Around 3.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Ancient Stagira near Olympiada, the birthplace of Aristotle, on a peninsula with a city wall and views over the sea.
  - Lion of Amphipolis: the monumental marble funerary monument beside the old Strymon bridge.
  - Lake Kerkini in the evening: cormorants, herons and pelicans over the water, with the Belasitsa mountains on the Bulgarian border behind.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** We don’t know of any regular campsite at Lake Kerkini, and none is listed in the OpenStreetMap data; the villages of Kerkini and Lithotopos have guesthouses and small hotels. For motorhomes this stop is a transit night without electricity or toilets and showers – arrive with a full fresh-water tank and an empty cassette.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** At the Mandraki boat harbour near Kerkini, park4night lists a car park for a few vehicles with a water tap, which campers rate well. One user reported in 2025 that a local resident described overnight stays as forbidden and punishable – legally only parking is permitted there, and the lake is a national park: no awning, no chairs, no emptying of waste. Stray dogs and sheepdogs are common.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Dalmatian pelicans live on the lake all year round and breed on nesting platforms set up by the national park; the most impressive time is winter, roughly from mid-November to early March, when the birds come close to the fishing boats. In summer you can see herons, cormorants and some great white pelicans. Boats with fishermen and nature guides go out from the lakeside villages – ask locally in Kerkini or at the landing stages; departures depend on the weather. In summer there are a great many mosquitoes at dusk. On the Egnatia Odos, keep cash or a card ready for the toll stations.

### Stage 6: Lake Kerkini to Edessa (approx. 170 km)

- **The drive:** From the lake via Kilkis through the rolling farmland of Central Macedonia into the Axios valley, on across the plain of Giannitsa to Pella and then up the climb onto the limestone terrace of Edessa. Mostly toll-free country roads, flat and well built, with 30 km/h zones in the villages. A good 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Pella: excavations of the Macedonian capital with pebble mosaics, and the museum with the Lion Hunt mosaic.
  - Edessa waterfalls: the Karanos falls plunge around 70 m over the cliff edge; a path leads behind the curtain of water into a grotto.
  - The old Varosi quarter with half-timbered houses and the old watermills by the river.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** We don’t know of any regular campsite in or around Edessa, and none is listed in the OpenStreetMap data. The apps list parking areas on the edge of town and at the thermal springs of Loutra Pozar (about 40 km north-west) – check location, fees and overnight rules in advance. If you need electricity and toilets and showers, plan the next night in Litochoro.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Around the waterfalls, pure parking is permitted within the town: motorhomes up to 7.5 m with no time limit, longer ones and car-and-caravan combinations for no more than 24 hours at a stretch – local signs take precedence. Camping behaviour in the town park is not allowed.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The car parks right by the waterfalls are full at weekends and tight for larger motorhomes; come early in the morning, or park on the edge of town and walk for 15 minutes. The path behind the Karanos falls is wet and slippery. For Pella, a stop at the large museum car park on the main road is enough.

### Stage 7: Edessa to Litochoro via Vergina (approx. 145 km)

- **The drive:** Along the foot of the Vermio mountains via Naousa to Veria, and from there into the Aliakmonas plain to Vergina. Then across the Aliakmonas bridge and via Aiginio onto the A1 motorway (E75) south, past Katerini to Litochoro. Country roads through orchards, toll motorway from Aiginio. Around 2.5 hours plus the museum visit.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai in Vergina: the burial mound holds the tombs of Philip II and other Macedonians, with a gold larnax, frescoes and weapons – photography is not allowed inside.
  - The palace of Aigai and the new Polycentric Museum on the edge of Vergina.
  - Veria’s old town with the former Jewish quarter of Barbouta by the Tripotamos river.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** On the coast below Litochoro there are several campsites on Plaka bay, including Camping Sylvia with electricity, toilets and showers and fresh water and waste disposal; further north near Gritsa and Variko there are more, such as Camping Stolos, Gold Beach and Variko Beach. Some sites stay open longer than the beach sites on Chalkidiki – in autumn, phone ahead.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Around Vergina there are coach parks at the museum that motorhomes also use during the day; they are not an overnight spot. In Mount Olympus National Park, camping outside authorised places is prohibited, as are fires.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Check the opening hours and closing days of the museums in Vergina in advance; they are shorter in winter. The A1 is a toll road; motorhomes over 2.20 m high pay as class 3 at the toll stations, a good twice the car rate. Do a big shop and fill up in Katerini before the Olympus days.

### Stage 8: Litochoro to Vale of Tempi via Prionia and Platamonas (approx. 80 km)

- **The drive:** Early in the morning, take the roughly 18 km asphalt road from Litochoro up to Prionia (a good 1,100 m) in Mount Olympus National Park: many hairpins, narrow sections, possible rockfall. Back to Litochoro, then on the old coast road or the A1 to Platamonas and on south into the Vale of Tempi, where the Pinios breaks through to the sea between Olympus and Ossa. Without a hike, about 2 hours of driving time.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Prionia: starting point of the ascent to the Spilios Agapitos hut (Refuge A, around 2,100 m), about three steep hours through beech and black pine forest; below, the Enipeas with its waterfalls.
  - 13th-century Platamonas Castle on the hill above the coast, with views to Mount Olympus and over the gulf.
  - Agia Paraskevi chapel in the Vale of Tempi, reached over an iron footbridge across the Pinios, with a spring at the rock face.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** In Platamonas and Neoi Poroi there are several campsites on the beach below the castle, such as Camping Castle, Poseidon Beach and Heraklia Beach, with electricity and toilets and showers. About 15 km east of the valley, at the mouth of the Pinios near Stomio, there is another campsite. Check the season and fresh water and waste disposal in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Prionia lies in the national park: hikers may leave their vehicle in the car park overnight, but camping is prohibited, and on summer weekends the car park fills up early. In the Vale of Tempi the lay-bys along the road are not overnight spots – no wild camping.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Only drive the road to Prionia in a small or medium-sized motorhome; larger vehicles stay in Litochoro and take a taxi. In winter the road may be closed because of snow and rockfall. On the lower E4 trail through the Enipeas gorge several bridges are damaged; the huts recommend an alternative route – ask for the current situation at the mountaineering club in Litochoro or at the hut. The A1 bypasses the Vale of Tempi in tunnels; the old valley road leads to the chapel, with a car park by the footbridge – after storms or rockfall, check the state of the road and car park with the municipality of Tempi beforehand; space is tight for large vehicles.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Wild camping is prohibited by law in Greece (Law 5170/2025); the fine is €300 per person. Anything that extends beyond the vehicle’s footprint counts as camping: awning, table, chairs, barbecue, levelling jacks, washing line.
- Parking is governed by Road Traffic Code 5209/2025, Art. 38, clarified by a police circular from 2026: within built-up areas, motorhomes up to 7.5 m long may park with no time limit, longer motorhomes and caravans for no more than 24 hours at a stretch; outside built-up areas, on designated areas or at the right-hand edge of the road with no time limit, provided no ban applies. According to the police, staying inside a correctly parked motorhome, even at night, is not an offence. Local no-parking signs always take precedence.
- Forest fires: much of Chalkidiki is pine forest, and it has suffered several major fires. During the fire-protection season, open fires and outdoor barbecues are prohibited; Civil Protection publishes a daily fire-risk map, and on days in the highest categories access to forest areas may be closed. No cigarettes out of the window, and don’t park on dry grass – hot exhaust systems can set it alight.
- Lake Kerkini and Mount Olympus are national parks, and parts of the Chalkidiki coast are Natura 2000 sites: there, additionally, no driving on sandy tracks to the water, no fires, no emptying of waste. park4night and Campercontact are useful for current user reports on car parks and patrols.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- In northern Greece, fresh water and waste disposal are available almost only on campsites; public service points are rare. Many sites let passing travellers empty their tanks for a fee – ask first. For the Kerkini and Edessa sections, which have no campsite, arrive fully supplied.
- Never empty grey water or cassette contents into drains, streams or onto beaches – on Chalkidiki, illegal dumping is a frequent reason for new no-entry signs.
- Tap water is drinkable in the cities, but on the Chalkidiki coast it is often chlorinated or in short supply at peak times; many travellers buy bottled drinking water. Only use springs such as those at Prionia and at the chapel in the Vale of Tempi if they are signed as drinkable.
- Gas: foreign exchange cylinders are not swapped in Greece. Autogas (“υγραέριο”, LPG) is readily available at filling stations around Thessaloniki, Katerini and Serres, less so on the peninsulas. For refillable cylinders, carry a suitable adapter and arrive with full cylinders.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits for motorhomes up to 3.5 t: within built-up areas generally 30 km/h since January 2026, 50 km/h on multi-lane or physically separated main roads; outside built-up areas 90 km/h, 110 km/h on expressways, 130 km/h on motorways. Over 3.5 t, the motorway limit is 80 km/h, with lower limits for car-and-caravan combinations – follow the signs. Fines have been significantly higher since 2026.
- Tolls: the Egnatia Odos (A2) and the A1 Thessaloniki–Athens are tolled at toll stations, payable in cash or by card. Two-axle vehicles over 2.20 m high fall into class 3 and pay a good twice the car rate. Since 2026 the Egnatia Odos has been privately operated (Nea Egnatia Odos); the former EgnatiaPass discounts no longer exist.
- Thessaloniki: the centre is cramped and densely parked; leave motorhomes outside and use bus, metro or taxi. Bus lanes and no-stopping zones on the main routes are strictly enforced, and towing does happen.
- Blood alcohol limit 0.5, 0.2 for new and professional drivers; phone calls at the wheel only hands-free. A fire extinguisher, first-aid kit and warning triangle must be carried in the vehicle in Greece; if a bike rack sticks out beyond the rear, it should be clearly marked – a red-and-white warning panel is the safe choice.
- Athos: entry to the monastic republic is permitted only to men with a diamonitirion, reserved through the Pilgrims’ Office; places for non-Orthodox visitors are strictly limited per day. Women and visitors without a permit see Mount Athos from the excursion boat, which keeps its distance from the shore.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Binoculars or a spotting scope for the pelicans, herons and cormorants at Lake Kerkini – the birds keep their distance from the shore.
- Insect repellent and mosquito nets for windows and roof hatch: at Lake Kerkini, at the mouth of the Pinios and in the lagoons of Sithonia, mosquitoes are out in force in the evening.
- A fire extinguisher and fire blanket within easy reach rather than in a locker – compulsory in Greece and particularly important in the pine forests of Chalkidiki.
- Snorkel, mask and water shoes for the granite rocks and sea urchins in the coves of Sithonia.
- Hiking boots, a head torch and a warm jacket for the ascent from Prionia – up on Olympus it is cool even in summer, and thunderstorms come in fast.
- Long trousers and a shirt with sleeves for churches, monasteries and an Athos pilgrimage, plus ID and the reservation confirmation for the diamonitirion.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Agioritiki Estia – Visit Mount Athos (Diamonitirion, Tageskontingente, Pilgerbüro)](https://www.agioritikiestia.gr/en/visit-mount-athos)
- [Refuge A Spilios Agapitos – Litochoro–Prionia Alternate Route (Broken Bridges)](https://mountolympus.gr/?p=1230)
- [Visit Olympus – Litochoro to Prionia Hiking Trail](https://visitolympus.travel/?p=4952)
- [Visit Olympus – Enipeas Gorge](https://visitolympus.travel/?p=5024)
- [Gemeinde Tempi (gotempi.gr) – Kapelle Agia Paraskevi](https://www.gotempi.gr/must-see/must-visit/monasteries-churches/h-m-saint-paraskeui/?lang=en)
- [Gemeinde Tempi (gotempi.gr) – Tempi-Tal](https://gotempi.gr/must-see/destinations/tempi-valley/?lang=en)
- [Gemeinde Tempi (gotempi.gr) – Hängebrücke Agia Paraskevi](https://gotempi.gr/must-see/must-visit/place-natural-beauty/saint-paraskeui-hanging-bridge/?lang=en)
- [travel.gr – Krauskopfpelikane am Kerkini-See (ganzjährig, Brut, Wintersaison)](https://www.travel.gr/experiences/ta-zontas-argyropelekanoys-stin-k/)
- [Pincamp (ADAC) – Camping Blue Dream](https://www.pincamp.com/campings/camping-blue-dream)
- [OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkende – Campingplätze Griechenland (data/osm/camps/GR.json, Stand 29.09.2026)](https://www.openstreetmap.org/)

## Which stops are on the route from Thessaloniki to Tempi?

1. **Thessaloniki** (Greece)
2. **Nea Poteidaia** (Greece)
3. **Poseidi** (Greece)
4. **Vourvourou** (Greece)
5. **Sarti** (Greece)
6. **Kalamitsi** (Greece)
7. **Porto Koufo** (Sithonia, Greece): The largest natural harbour in Greece, an almost enclosed bay between steep hills at the tip of Sithonia. Good for a swim and a fish lunch.
8. **Ouranoupoli** (Greece)
9. **Lake Kerkini** (Kerkini, Greece): A large reservoir and Ramsar wetland in northern Greece, home to pelicans, flamingos and grazing water buffalo, with the Belasica mountains beyond. One travel guide rates winter best for Dalmatian pelicans; stay on the tracks near nesting areas and keep drones away from colonies.
10. **Edessa** (Greece)
11. **Vergina** (Greece)
12. **Litochoro** (Greece)
13. **Platamonas** (Greece)
14. **Tempi** (Greece)

## When is the best time for the route from Thessaloniki to Tempi?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June and November. Hot in July. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## What should you know before driving the route from Thessaloniki to Tempi?

Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €25 (Greece).

- **Greece: Motorway tolls.** Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.

## FAQs

**How long is Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus?**
8-day road trip of about 680 km (422 mi) with 14 stops, from Thessaloniki to Tempi. About 9 h 23 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus?**
We suggest 8 days: about 9 h 23 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus start and end?**
It starts in Thessaloniki and ends in Tempi.

**Which countries does Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus pass through?**
Greece.

**Where can you camp along Pine-fringed bays, pelicans and the throne of Zeus – by camper from Thessaloniki via Chalkidiki to Mount Olympus?**
OpenStreetMap lists 66 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Sunny Bay, Camping Sylvia and Ακτή ονείρου Camping-Bungalows.

**How much are the tolls on the route from Thessaloniki to Tempi?**
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €25 (Greece). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.