In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Lake Kerkini via Philippi, Kavala and Thassos through the Nestos Gorge, Pomak villages and lagoons to the Evros Delta and the Dadia Forest: around 835 kilometres through Greece's quiet north-east.
The spirit of the route
Beyond Thessaloniki, Greece grows quieter. Instead of beach resorts, the road passes reed-fringed lakes, tobacco fields and villages where minarets stand beside church towers. In the morning Dalmatian pelicans glide over Lake Kerkini, at midday you stand in the theatre of Philippi, where Paul preached for the first time in Europe, and in the evening you look out of the sliding door at the fishing boats of Kavala beneath the aqueduct. A ferry takes you across to Thassos, to marble quarries and pine-fringed coves, then on into the gorge of the Nestos, where river and railway cut through the rock together. In Thrace the air smells of lagoon salt and drying tobacco, the wooden walkways clatter at the monastery of Porto Lagos, and in the far east cinereous vultures circle over a forest that is slowly recovering from the major fire of 2023. A route for people who bring binoculars, take border signs seriously and accept campsites that are more simple than perfect.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Thessaloniki (outskirts) to Lake Kerkini (approx. 105 km)
- The drive
- Thessaloniki is only the starting point: from the western outskirts take the A25/E79 motorway towards Serres, and after the Lachanas exit head north on country roads through hills with wheat and cotton fields to the southern shore of Lake Kerkini. Wide, easy roads, narrow in the lakeside villages. Around 1.5 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Dam near Lithotopos at the south-eastern end of the lake: sluice works on the Strymon and a wide view across the water to the Belasitsa range on the Bulgarian border.
- Herds of water buffalo grazing in the shallow water along the shore and on the pastures around Kerkini – keep your distance, the animals are semi-wild.
- Boat trip with fishermen or nature guides from the jetties on the western shore to the colonies of pelicans, cormorants and herons in the flooded riverine forest.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: There is no regular campsite at Lake Kerkini; none is listed in the OpenStreetMap data either. Arrive with a full fresh-water tank and an empty cassette and plan the night as a parking-only night.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The lake is a national park. Only parking within the rules of the Highway Code is permitted (Art. 38 KOK): outside built-up areas on designated areas or at the roadside, with no awning, chairs or levelling jacks. The best-known car park at the jetty and the notes on it are already covered in the CampingSpirit guide to Thessaloniki, Halkidiki and Olympus. Do not drive onto the dam crests or the farm tracks along the shore: some are closed to traffic and they turn muddy after rain.
- Insider tip for campers
- Boat trips are arranged on the spot in the lakeside villages and are cancelled in wind; early morning has the best light and the lightest wind. In winter the Dalmatian pelicans come especially close to the boats; in summer mosquitoes swarm from dusk. Fill up in Serres or on the A25 – there are hardly any petrol stations in the lakeside villages.
2Stage 2: Lake Kerkini to Kavala (west coast) (approx. 150 km)
- The drive
- Via Lithotopos and Neo Petritsi to Serres, then south-east on the national road through the Strymon plain to Amfipoli. There join the Egnatia Odos (A2) and follow the coast via Nea Peramos to Kavala. Flat country roads, motorway with a toll station from Amfipoli; the last kilometres before Kavala wind above the coast. Around 2.5 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Lion of Amphipolis: the reconstructed 4th-century BC marble monument beside the road at the Strymon bridge, with a lay-by.
- Amphipolis Archaeological Museum and the excavations of the ancient city with its city wall and remains of the timber pile bridge over the Strymon.
- Kasta burial mound near Amfipoli, the largest known burial mound in Greece; the tomb is still being restored and is not open to visitors, and the mound can only be seen from outside.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Batis is on Batis beach on the western edge of Kavala, a few kilometres from the centre: electricity, toilets and showers, shade under trees, city bus nearby. Further west between Nea Iraklitsa and Nea Peramos, Camping Paradiso is on the beach. Check water and waste facilities and opening seasons with the sites in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The coast between Nea Peramos and Kavala is built up and densely parked; at beach car parks the Greek camping ban applies (Law 5170/2025, €300 per person) as soon as a table, chairs or awning are out. In Amfipoli the museum car park has room for motorhomes during the day.
- Insider tip for campers
- On the Egnatia Odos, two-axle motorhomes over 2.20 m high fall into toll class 3 – at a good twice the car rate. If you stay on the national road from Serres you save part of the toll but drive through more villages. In Serres there are large supermarkets on the outskirts with car parks without height barriers.
3Stage 3: Kavala to Keramoti via Philippi (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- Into town in the morning, then over the pass north of Kavala down into the plain of Philippi and via Chrysoupoli into the Nestos plain as far as Keramoti. Short climb with hairpins behind Kavala, then flat country roads through fields. Pure driving time just over an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Panagia old town on the Kavala peninsula: fortress with a view over the harbour, the Imaret and the birthplace of Mehmet Ali, alleys with steps.
- Kamares, the 16th-century Ottoman aqueduct whose arches span the new town.
- Philippi (UNESCO World Heritage Site): theatre, forum, basilicas and the Via Egnatia, plus the baptism site of Lydia by the stream near Lydia/Krinides.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Keramoti there is a campsite on the edge of town near the beach that is listed in OpenStreetMap; check facilities and opening before you arrive. More reliable is Camping Alexandros by the sea in Nea Karvali east of Kavala, with electricity, toilets and showers, and water and waste facilities, around half an hour from the ferry port; pitches are tight and it gets full in high season.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Keramoti harbour vehicles wait in the lane for the ferry; staying overnight there is not intended. Parts of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace National Park lie around the lagoons west of Keramoti – no tracks to the water, no fires, no emptying of waste.
- Insider tip for campers
- There is no way through Kavala's old town for motorhomes: park on the large areas by the harbour or leave the camper at the campsite and take the bus. Arrive early or late at Philippi – there is hardly any shade. The car park at the archaeological site is right on the main road and is large enough for motorhomes.
4Stage 4: Keramoti to Thassos (Pefkari) (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- Ferry Keramoti–Limenas, crossing around 35 minutes. On Thassos, drive anticlockwise round the ring road: Limenas – Panagia – Chrysi Ammoudia – Kinyra – Aliki – Potos – Pefkari. The east side is winding, with climbs through pine forest and village through-roads; the south is flatter. About 1.5 hours' driving without the ferry.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ancient agora and theatre of Limenas, a few minutes' walk from the ferry port.
- Panagia: mountain village with slate roofs, plane trees and spring-fed fountains above the east coast.
- Aliki: peninsula with ancient marble quarries and remains of two early Christian basilicas, with swimming coves on both sides.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Pefkari Beach on the south-west coast lies under pines right on the beach, with electricity, toilets and showers. On the east coast near Chrysi Ammoudia, Golden Beach Campsite is on the long sandy beach. There are further sites on the west coast near Skala Prinos. Most island sites only open in season – check in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The nationwide camping ban applies on Thassos too; beach car parks are checked in season. The island is densely wooded: barbecues and open fires are banned in the fire season, and on days of the highest fire risk forest tracks may be closed.
- Insider tip for campers
- Ferry tickets are only sold at the booths right in front of the jetty in Keramoti and Limenas, cash or card; reservations are not possible. Motorhomes pay by vehicle length per metre and per direction, passengers extra. In high season ships run roughly every half hour during the day. You sometimes have to reverse onto the deck – follow the marshals. Fuel is more expensive on the island than on the mainland.
5Stage 5: Thassos to Avdira via the Nestos Gorge and Xanthi (approx. 135 km)
- The drive
- Via the west coast (Limenaria, Prinos) back to Limenas, ferry to Keramoti, then through the Nestos Delta with its lagoons and rice fields to Chrysoupoli and north to Toxotes at the mouth of the gorge. On to Xanthi and south through the tobacco plain to Avdira. Long stage with ferry and hike – start early.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Vassova lagoon near Keramoti with flamingos, herons and fishermen's huts – watch from the roadside with binoculars.
- Hiking trail in the Nestos Gorge from Toxotes: on the path above the river and railway to viewpoints over the meanders; a few hours as a loop.
- Abdera: the excavations of Democritus's ancient city by the sea south of present-day Avdira, with an archaeological museum in the village.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Natura is by the sea east of Avdira, towards Porto Lagos, with pitches with and without shade; ask in advance about electricity and water and waste facilities. The site is only open in the summer half of the year. No campsite is listed around Xanthi itself, so Natura works well as a two-night base for the town and the Pomak villages.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Nestos Gorge and the delta (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace National Park) overnight stays outside designated sites are not intended, and fires are banned. Use the car park in Toxotes during the day for the hike, but better not at night – it is small and a popular excursion spot.
- Insider tip for campers
- You can also reach the viewpoint over the Nestos meanders near Galani by vehicle; the access road is narrow, so with a large motorhome check the map first. In Toxotes operators offer kayak and rafting trips; after rain the Nestos carries a lot of water. In Xanthi and Chrysoupoli there are petrol stations with autogas.
6Stage 6: Avdira to Porto Lagos via Xanthi and the Pomak villages (approx. 125 km)
- The drive
- To Xanthi, through the old town on foot, then on the mountain road north up the Kosynthos valley into the Rhodope Mountains to the Pomak villages around Echinos. Winding with climbs, very narrow in the villages. Back via Xanthi and across the plain to Lake Vistonida and Porto Lagos. Around 2.5 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Xanthi old town: mansions of the tobacco merchants, folklore museum, narrow alleys on the hillside above the river.
- Echinos and the surrounding villages: Pomak settlements with mosques, stone houses and tobacco terraces in the Rhodope Mountains.
- Agios Nikolaos monastery near Porto Lagos: a chapel on small islands in the lagoon, reached by wooden walkways, with pelicans and cormorants all around.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: The state campsite on the beach at Fanari, a few kilometres south-east of Porto Lagos, was leased to a new operator in 2025 and is due to reopen after renovation; check in advance whether it is running. The safer option is to return to Camping Natura, around 15 minutes west of Porto Lagos.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Lake Vistonida and the lagoons are part of the national park; on the spit at Porto Lagos and on the beaches the rule is: parking yes, camping no. The monastery car park can fill up on feast days.
- Insider tip for campers
- Don't drive the camper into Xanthi's old town: park on the edge of the centre near the large market square. The weekly market (bazaar) is traditionally held on Saturdays – the centre is very busy then. In the Pomak villages only photograph people after asking, and visit the mosques only in appropriate clothing. The narrow roads beyond Echinos towards the border are unsuitable for large vehicles.
7Stage 7: Porto Lagos to Alexandroupoli via Maroneia (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Via Fanari and south of Komotini into the hills of the Ismaros range, down to Maroneia and to the coast at Agios Charalambos. Then via Mesimvria along the coast to Alexandroupoli. Mostly quiet country roads, winding and narrow around Maroneia. Around 2 hours' driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ancient Maroneia by the sea near Agios Charalambos: theatre, sanctuary and remains of walls among olive trees.
- The village of Maroneia with Ottoman houses and a square shaded by plane trees, and above it the cave of Ismaros, which is associated with the Cyclops of the Odyssey.
- Alexandroupoli lighthouse on the seafront promenade, the city's landmark and an evening meeting place.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Alexandroupoli's municipal campsite is by the sea around 2 km west of the centre: many pitches, electricity for a fee, water and waste facilities, restaurant; according to guest reports the toilets and showers are clean but dated. Walk or take a short bus ride into town. Check opening times in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The small harbour of Agios Charalambos and the coast around Maroneia are popular but cramped; the same camping ban applies there as in the rest of the country. Longer motorhomes over 7.5 m may park in built-up areas for no more than 24 hours at a stretch.
- Insider tip for campers
- The road down to the ancient site is narrow – with large vehicles park at the top and walk. In Alexandroupoli supermarkets, garages and autogas are easy to reach; fill up and stock up on water here before the border region. Ferries leave the harbour for Samothrace.
8Stage 8: Alexandroupoli to Soufli via the Evros Delta and Dadia (approx. 85 km)
- The drive
- East to the Evros Delta visitor centre around 14 km beyond Alexandroupoli, then via Feres north into the hills of the Dadia Forest and on to Soufli. Well-built country roads, more winding towards the forest; in the border region military vehicles and checks are frequent. Around 1.5 hours' driving, a full day with the boat trip and hike.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Evros Delta: wetland of around 200 km² with lagoons, reeds and salt meadows; boat trips with specialist guides, organised by the visitor centre near Loutra Traianoupolis, with binoculars and telescopes.
- Dadia Forest: from the information centre take the national park authority's minibus to the raptor observation hide, from which cinereous, griffon and Egyptian vultures can be seen – the last cinereous vulture colony in Greece breeds here.
- Soufli: town of silkworm breeding with a silk museum in a mansion and workshops where silk is still sold.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: No regular campsite is reliably known in Dadia or Soufli. Plan to drive back to the Alexandroupoli municipal campsite (around 65 km) or move on after a parking night. If you stay, use only regular parking areas on the edge of town, without camping behaviour.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Evros Delta and the land along the river are a military restricted zone on the border with Turkey. Foreign visitors need an access permit from the police and army for the delta – including for wildlife watching; the process takes time, so contact the national park authority (Management Unit Evros Delta and Dadia) early and only firmly plan boat trips once you have the permit. Staying overnight near the border, away from villages or on farm tracks is not a good idea – border patrols carry out checks and you risk trouble.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not photograph military installations, barracks, border posts or the border fence, and do not fly a drone – the no-photography signs (a crossed-out camera) are everywhere in the Evros region and are enforced. Always carry your ID. In the Dadia Forest the 2023 fire destroyed large areas; trails have been adapted, and forest tracks are not to be driven. The minibus to the observation hide has only a few seats – reserve a place in advance with the national park authority. It does not run on days of the highest forest-fire risk or at temperatures above 40 °C.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Wild camping is banned in Greece (Law 5170/2025); the fine is €300 per person. Anything outside the vehicle's footprint counts as camping: awning, table, chairs, barbecue, levelling jacks, washing line.
- Parking is governed by Art. 38 of Highway Code 5209/2025, clarified by a 2026 police circular: in built-up areas motorhomes up to 7.5 m may park without a 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 without a time limit, unless a ban applies. According to the police, staying in a correctly parked motorhome, including at night, is not an offence. Local bans take precedence.
- Lake Kerkini, the Nestos Delta, Lake Vistonida and the Thracian lagoons, the Evros Delta and the Dadia Forest are national parks or Natura 2000 sites: no driving on tracks to the water, no fires, no emptying of waste, keep your distance from breeding colonies.
- Evros border area: military restricted zones run along the Turkish border; foreign visitors need an access permit from the police and army to visit the Evros Delta, which must be applied for early via the national park authority. Photography bans at military installations are strictly enforced, and drone flights near the border are off-limits.
- Forest-fire season: in the summer months open fires and outdoor barbecues are banned; civil protection publishes a daily fire-risk map, and on days in the highest categories forest areas may be closed. Thassos, the Dadia Forest and the Rhodope Mountains are particularly at risk. Do not park on dry grass.
- For up-to-date user reports on parking areas, checks and campsites, park4night and Campercontact are useful; entries on opening times on minor routes are often out of date.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Between Serres and the Evros, water and waste facilities are almost only found at campsites; public service points are rare. The reliable supply points are near Kavala, on Thassos, on the coast near Avdira and in Alexandroupoli. There are practically no regular campsites at Lake Kerkini or in the Evros hinterland.
- Only empty grey water and cassette contents at service points – never into drains, channels or lagoons.
- Tap water in the towns is generally drinkable but often tastes strongly of chlorine; on Thassos and in small villages many travellers buy bottled drinking water. Only use village fountains if they are marked as drinkable.
- Gas: foreign exchange cylinders are not swapped in Greece. Autogas (“υγραέριο”, LPG) is available at petrol stations in Kavala, Xanthi, Komotini and Alexandroupoli; carry a suitable adapter for refillable cylinders and arrive with full cylinders.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits for motorhomes up to 3.5 t: in 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; vehicles with trailers go slower – follow the signs.
- Tolls: the Egnatia Odos (A2) between Thessaloniki and the Turkish border at Kipoi has been privately operated since 2026 (Nea Egnatia Odos); the former EgnatiaPass discounts no longer apply. Two-axle vehicles over 2.20 m high pay class 3, a good twice the car rate. Payment in cash or by card.
- Ferry to Thassos: tickets only at the port, no reservations, motorhome fare by length per metre. Turn off gas cylinders, switch the fridge to battery and manoeuvre as instructed by the deck crew.
- Border with Turkey: Kipoi crossing on the Egnatia Odos. To continue you need a valid Green Card covering Turkey and the vehicle documents; expect checks near the border and keep your ID to hand.
- Blood alcohol limit 0.5, 0.2 for new and professional drivers; phone use at the wheel only hands-free. A fire extinguisher, first-aid kit and warning triangle must be carried; if a bike rack sticks out beyond the rear, it should be clearly marked – a red-and-white warning panel is the safe choice.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Binoculars and ideally a spotting scope – pelicans on Lake Kerkini, flamingos in the lagoons and vultures over Dadia are usually far away.
- A large fresh-water supply or extra jerrycans: there are practically no campsites and hardly any supplies at Lake Kerkini and in the Evros hinterland.
- Insect repellent and mosquito screens for the windows – by the lakes, delta and lagoons mosquitoes bite in large numbers from dusk.
- Sturdy shoes and water for the path in the Nestos Gorge and the archaeological sites of Philippi and Amphipolis, where there is hardly any shade.
- Cash for ferry booths, toll stations, boat trips and village tavernas in Thrace, where card payment doesn't always work.
- ID and vehicle documents to hand, plus a Green Card with Turkey cover if you continue via Kipoi.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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