At the beginning of 2025, the Greek authorities issued new bans aimed at restricting wild camping, particularly at hot spots and cultural sites. Violations were threatened with hefty fines of up to 3,000 euros and, in serious cases, even prison sentences of up to three months. However, following protests and a successful petition, the rules were recently relaxed significantly.
Originally, a 24-hour rule was to be established, according to which all motorhomes would only have been allowed to park for 24 hours in public car parks, on the roadside or in municipal areas. This general restriction was cancelled and the following regulations now apply instead:
Within built-up areas
- Motorhomes under 7.50 metres in length may park without a time limit
- Motorhomes over 7.50 metres in length may still only park for 24 hours
- Caravans may also only be parked for 24 hours
Outside built-up areas
Motorhomes and caravans are once again allowed to park without restriction, regardless of the length of the vehicle. However, this only applies in marked areas or on the hard shoulder, and provided parking is not expressly prohibited. Vehicles must also be parked parallel to the road at the roadside.
What is parking, what is camping?
The Greek camping associations are appealing to camping tourists to interpret the rules with a sense of proportion. In particular, the question of whether chairs, tables, barbecues or awnings may be taken out when staying overnight outside campsites is still a grey area. "We strongly appeal to people to treat nature and the environment properly," says the SEARTE association. "Protecting our natural wealth is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral responsibility for all of us."
In fact, bans on wild camping have been in place in Greece for years. Until now, however, these have hardly been monitored and largely tolerated. The authorities apparently wanted to respond to the sharp rise in the number of motorhome tourists with stricter and more consistent enforcement. This year, around 50,000 motorhomes are expected from holidaymakers - with only around 2,100 vehicles registered in Greece.
