By which path to go to the sea, which border crossing to choose, and where are the least crowds - these are the most common questions before setting off on a summer vacation. Whether you are going to Thassos, Halkidiki, or the Ionian coast, here you will find:

• a brief description of each direction,
• alternative routes (in case there is traffic on the route you have chosen),
• links to specific guides for each part of the journey,
• tools - links to live traffic monitoring (at the border and on the flyover),
• and concrete advice.

Helpful for you:

• All live cameras at the borders and links to google maps routes can be found here: Live cameras and maps, calmly choose the best option for you.
• Before the trip secure internet for travel: Nikana eSIM.

Which path to take by car to the sea?

If you are heading to Thassos, Sithonia, Lefkada, or any other destination, take a look at a detailed guide with all the main information.

THASSOS

For the journey to Thassos, it is crucial to first choose between the route through Bulgaria or North Macedonia, depending on your starting point and the current situation at the borders. What you need to know about the routes:

• Through Bulgaria: The highway is complete from Belgrade to Greece (including the bypass around Sofia), except for a short section through the Kresna Gorge. The great advantage is Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen area, which makes the Promahonas crossing much faster now.
• Through North Macedonia: The standard option, via the highway. As an excellent alternative to avoid queues at Evzoni, we recommend the Dojran crossing.

Choice of port and ferry:

• Keramoti - Limenas: The most popular option; shorter (35 minutes) with frequent departures, every 30 minutes.
• Kavala - Skala Prinos: Longer voyage (75 minutes); fewer daily departures (only 4).

Take a detailed look at the guide: By car to Thassos and back.

• Schedule, ticket prices, and other information can be found in our article Ferry to Thassos.

SITHONIA

Sithonia is best reached via North Macedonia, and the route you will choose depends on the situation at the border crossings and the bypass around Thessaloniki (which you can monitor at the link above).

• Alternative for Evzoni: The Dojran crossing is the best choice. From Dojran, you have two options to Nikiti:
  1. Standard: Via the Thessaloniki bypass (use only at night or early in the morning due to the Flyover).
  2. Detour (Evzoni or Dojran - Langada loop (Liti) - Zagliveri - Poligros - Geerakini): Although it has more curves, it completely bypasses Thessaloniki and crowds. It takes almost the same time as through Thessaloniki.
• Arrival at the accommodation: From Nikiti, follow right for the western coast (Marmaras) or left over the hill for the eastern coast (Sarti).

Check out the detailed guide:

• Driving to Sithonia by car.

For Halkidiki (Sithonia and Kassandra) - Flyover warning:

If you opt for the standard route through Thessaloniki and the bypass, be prepared for heavier traffic. Before making a decision, we advise you to spend half an hour to an hour, before the alternative exit, to check Flyover cameras and additional Google Maps, to make the right decision and avoid crowds.

We recommend using the bypass freely if you are traveling at night, and avoiding it on weekends and on “round” dates in the peak season: July 15, August 1, and especially August 14 and 15 (when the people of Thessaloniki go to the villages to celebrate the Assumption of Mary).

KASSANDRA

Kassandra is the closest to Thessaloniki, making it the most easily accessible but also the busiest region. The road is almost entirely a multi-lane highway but requires careful planning of departure time. What you need to know about the route:

• Border crossings: The standard route leads through Evzoni, but the Dojran crossing is always a smart alternative when there are long lines at the main crossing.
• Bottleneck in Nea Moudania: At this interchange, the road splits for the first and second finger. A “bottleneck” often forms here because the highway narrows at the point where a large number of vehicles turn towards Kassandra.
• Bridge in Nea Potidea: A point where traffic further slows down at the entrance to the peninsula.

Useful tips:

• Tolls: From the border to Kassandra, you will pass through two toll booths, while driving on Kassandra itself is free.
• Police checks and speed: The section from Thessaloniki to Nea Moudania is excellent and often tempts for faster driving, but this is where the police usually set up mobile speed cameras, especially on weekends. Before departure, remind yourself of the most important rules: Guide to traffic regulations in Greece.

Arrival at the accommodation: After Nea Potidea and Afitos, the road leads you to the eastern coast and places like Polichrono, Hanioti, and Pefkohori, while the second branch leads to the western coast (Siviri, Furka, Skala Furka).

• Check out the detailed guide: Driving to Kassandra by car.

ATHOS

The journey to Athos and Ouranopolis has multiple routes and options. You can take the route as for Kassandra and Sithonia, but if you want to avoid traffic around Thessaloniki, an important junction is the Lagadas interchange, where you choose one of two directions: What you need to know about routes and exits:

• Main route (Highway): From Evzoni or Dojran, head to the Lagadas interchange, then to the Egnatia Odos highway towards Kavala. Exit at Stavros (Rendina) and drive along the coast through Olympiada to Ouranopolis. This is the fastest and most comfortable route.
• Mountain route (Main road): At Lagadas, continue along the main road through Nea Apolonia and Paleohori. The road passes through mountain villages and leads directly to Ouranopolis. Ideal if you want to avoid the highway and toll booths.

Short guide for decision-making:

• Fastest and simplest: Lagadas ➔ Egnatia Motorway ➔ Coast (Olympiada).
• Without crowds and tolls: Main road through the mountains (Paleohori - Megali Panagia). The route is slower but more relaxed.
• Best starting point: The Dojran crossing quickly takes you to the Lagadas interchange.

Detailed guide for routes to Athos:

• Driving to Athos

THESSALONIKI REGION - Asprovalta, Vrasna, Stavros

For these resorts, you choose between three main directions. The key point for those coming from Macedonia is the Lagadas interchange, where you choose between the highway and the main road. Options from North Macedonia (Evzoni or Dojran):

1. Via the highway (Egnatia Odos): At Lagadas, join the highway towards Kavala. This is the fastest route but leads through toll booths and is close to construction work on the Thessaloniki bypass.
2. Via the main road (Along the lakes): At Lagadas, do not take the highway but continue on the old main road (bypasses the lakes from the lower side). The road passes through the villages of Lagadika and Nea Apolonia and leads directly to Stavros.
   • Why choose this: No toll booths, less traffic than on the highway, and a more relaxed drive.

Option from Bulgaria:

1. Via Serres (Shortest): The best option for travelers from eastern Serbia. Since Bulgaria is in the Schengen area, crossing Promahonas is fast. At Serres, choose:
   • For Stavros: Exit at Nigrita (shorter but winding road).
   • For Asprovalta/Vrasna: Continue through Nea Zichni (flatter and faster road).

Short guide for decision-making:

• Fastest: Egnatia Odos Highway (Lagadas exit).
• Most relaxed (no tolls): Main road through Nea Apolonia.
• Shortest distance: Route through Bulgaria.

Detailed description of all routes: Driving by car to the Thessaloniki region

KAVALA

The road to Kavala offers an interesting choice: the classic highway through North Macedonia or a shorter, more economical route through Bulgaria. What you need to know about the routes:

• Through N. Macedonia (Most comfortable): This is the safest option because you drive almost the entire length on the highway. At Thessaloniki, follow the green signs for Kavala to join the modern Egnatia Odos highway. If you want to avoid queues at the border, use the Dojran crossing and at Liti, join the road to Kavala directly.
• Through Bulgaria (Shortest and cheapest): The route through Dimitrovgrad and the Promahonas crossing is significantly shorter for travelers from eastern Serbia. The road through Bulgaria is of good quality, but is largely a main road with many trucks, so we recommend this route for daytime driving.
• Alternative via Drama: For those who want the shortest possible route, there is an option through Bansko and the Exochi (Ilinden) crossing. The road is winding but without major climbs and takes you directly to Drama, and then to Kavala.

Short guide for decision-making:

• Fastest and safest: Through North Macedonia (mostly highway).
• Cheapest and shortest: Through Bulgaria (less mileage and cheaper fuel).
• Without queues at the border: Crossings Dojran (NM) or Exochi (BG).

Useful tips:

• Fuel: Be sure to fill up your tank before entering Greece (at the exit from NM or BG), as fuel in Greece is significantly more expensive, and there are no gas stations on the highway from Thessaloniki to Kavala.
• Vignette: If you go through Bulgaria, a vignette is mandatory as soon as you cross the border.

Check out the detailed guide:

• Driving to Kavala by car

EPIRUS AND IONIAN COAST - Parga, Vrahos, Lefkada, and Kefalonia

Destinations on the Ionian coast share a similar route to western Greece, but differ in the final part of the journey - so it is important to know where to exit and what to expect in the last kilometers. What you need to know about the route:

• The most common route goes through North Macedonia and then the Egnatia Odos highway (E90/A2).
• An alternative is the Niki crossing, which often has fewer crowds and a calmer flow of traffic (Niki crossing - route to the Ionian coast).
• There is also a route through Albania, you can read a detailed description here: Route to Greece through Albania.
• The highways are modern and fast, but include multiple toll booths.
• Traffic is significantly lighter compared to Halkidiki.

Differences by destination:

• Lefkada: After the highway, you turn off towards the Aktio-Preveza tunnel at Preveza and then continue towards the island. Lefkada is reached without a ferry - via a movable bridge. Detailed: Driving to Lefkada by car.
• Parga and Vrahos (Epirus): The highway exit comes earlier (towards Kanallaki), after which you continue on a regional road through hilly terrain. The road is of good quality but with more curves and slower driving towards the end. Detailed: Driving to Parga and Epirus.
• Wider region of Epirus: Igoumenitsa is reached almost entirely by highway, without complicated exits. For Sivota and surrounding resorts, after the highway, there is a shorter drive on a regional road.
• Kefalonia: The route is the same as for Epirus but includes a ferry. The fastest option is the port of Astakos (near Preveza) or Nidri and Vasiliki (on Lefkada).
  • All about departures and reservations: Ferries to Kefalonia.
  • Detailed description of the route: Driving to Kefalonia.

Alternative routes with fewer crowds

As an alternative to Evzoni - where are the turns and what is the advantage: Route to Greece via Dojran

Route through Bulgaria

For a large number of tourists, the route through Bulgaria shortens the journey, especially when vacationing on Thassos or near Kavala. The highway is complete to Greece, the bypass around Sofia is completed, and the highway to the border with Bulgaria is finished. The only downside to this route is that it is burdened with international traffic, so caution is advised. Check out a detailed description of the route through Bulgaria in the article Driving to Greece via Bulgaria. You can also explore another route, which is Route through the Vlasina Lake and Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Vignette

A vignette is required for transit through Bulgaria (daily, weekend, weekly, or monthly). How to buy an e-vignette for Bulgaria.

We offer over 3,000 accommodations. Choose the one that suits you and your family

Toll booths and tolls to Greece: What you need to know?

Toll booth costs are an important part of trip planning. Regardless of whether you are traveling through North Macedonia or Bulgaria, we recommend checking the number of toll stations and the payment method in advance.

Total toll costs from Serbia to resorts in Greece

For a complete calculation of tolls and other costs: Toll booths, tolls, and total travel costs to Greece.

Fuel prices - where is it the cheapest?

Fuel: We recommend that due to the recent fuel crisis, before setting off on a trip, check the current fuel prices in Greece and North Macedonia, which will help you decide where to fill up your tank.

• Fuelo North Macedonia
• Fuelo Greece.

Faster to the sea with the TAG device (ENP)

During the summer season, the biggest crowds are at toll booths. Using the TAG device allows for faster passage and easier travel. Thanks to the Open Balkan system, the Serbian TAG can also be used in North Macedonia. The Greek TAG is not yet connected to the Open Balkan system, but it can be ordered to an address in Serbia.

• How to set up a Serbian TAG for Macedonia (Open Balkan system).
• **[How to order a Greek TAG device to an address in Serbia](https://nikana.gr/s