There are over 300 organized camping sites in Greece vying for a slice of the market. “Greek camps have the highest quality of services and infrastructure in the Balkans,” boasts Antonis Delidimitriou, President of the Halkidiki Camping Association, in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. The areas of Macedonia and the Peloponnese have the most organized camping lodgings, drawing the largest number of Greek and foreign campers.

Modern camping grounds have beach bars, libraries, supermarkets, butchers, tobacco stores, and all manners of delights. For those who prefer luxury, camps also offer mobile homes with TV LCD’s and their own parking. Other events organized include extreme sports, aerobics and theme nights.

Despite these facilities, the Greek Statistical Service found that for the period 2005-2008 there were 659,556 foreigners and 587,291 Greeks who took advantage of the offerings of Greek camps. Mr. Delidimitriou expects an increase in interest thanks to the reoperation of the Camping on Board service that is offered on Italy-Greece ferry routes, allowing camper/caravans on board for the price of a simple deck ticket.

Free camping is prohibited in Greece and in particular “tent setup or caravan parking in archaeological sites, along the coast, on the outskirts of public forests, in forests and spaces for public use in general”.

For a full list of camping sites in Greece, visit www.greecetravel.com/campsites/