Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I am sure the Mods will let me know and re-direct me. Due to ill health suffered by my wife over the winters here we have decided that we will have to move to a warmer climate during the winter months. To that end, come September we will be heading to the Alicante area of Spain. My question is, can anyone suggest a route from Dobrich, in the North East of BG to Spain. I would also appreciate any tips on hotels, B and Bs en route and any idea on timing and distances between resting points etc.
Thanks for your help
Ray

Hi Ray

We moved to Bulgaria from France and it was a fabulous route, so I would suggest the same in reverse!

From Bulgaria cross into Greece and travel through Greece to get to the Igoumenitsa port.

Overnight ferry from Igoumenitsa to Italy (Bari port).

Travel up the east coast of Italy (that way avoiding Naples, Rome and Florence). Once you get to Bologna, hang a left, travel across Italy and cross into France.

In France, take the southern coast road (Cannes, Marseille, Perpignan) which will take you to the Spanish border, just north of Barcelona.

We had no problems finding hotels en-route (I'd usually drive until around 6.00 pm, then start calling in the nearest town until we found a hotel. The ferries from Greece to Italy are excellent, very modern and decent restaurants.

PS. Forgot to mention, from Dobrich you'd be best going Shumen, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, Razlog and then travel down to Sandanski, then you can cross the border into Greece just south of Sandanski (plenty of decent hotels in Sandanski).

we have just spent our first winter in spain, got back 3 weeks ago, similar reasons as yourselves. our route from balchik to romania, bucharest, slovinia, italy, france and then spain.
we will go this way again, taking all the toll roads as they are well serviced and have on site hotels once you have got to slovinia.
make sure you have the correct currency in romania and bucharest some would not take euros.

we did both of these routes when we went to Spain for the winter Through Greece and on the ferry and up through Italy across southern France and into Spain and coming back because we had picked up two dogs on route we came back all the way by road and to Italy and then up to Hungary and down through Serbia into Sofia and home. No problems any where lots of rest stops and parking for our camper van We are going again in September Dogs are allowed on the ferry and if you travel between april and end of september on the ferry from greece to Italy with a camper or caravan you can stay in it to sleep eat etc on the camping deck other months you have to have a cabin Good luck with your journey and new life

chrissybg wrote:

Dogs are allowed on the ferry

They also have 'dog-friendly' cabins so that the pets don't have to be put in the hold. It cost us an extra 15 euros for the dog to stay in the cabin with us.

Hi, thanks for the replies and advice, just a couple more questions to you seasoned travellers. How much is the ferry from Greece to Italy, is there a website for it, do you book in advance or just roll up and join the queue. Also going by that route how long would it take, and if I take that route Chris, do I go to Sofia and then drop down. Just looking at the map and not sure if going down to Edirne and across the top of Greece is an option?
Sorry to be a pain and thanks to all for the advice
Ray

Hi Ray

chrisbriggs wrote:

How much is the ferry from Greece to Italy, is there a website for it, do you book in advance or just roll up and join the queue

The price can depend (whether or not you want a cabin, whether or not you take the 'superfast' crossing, size of your car, etc.) you can check out all the prices here:
[url:eqoauy3y]http:
//www.
greekferries.
gr/anek-lines-ferries/igoumenitsa-venice/prices-booking-en.
htm[/url:eqoauy3y]

We didn't book in advance, just turned up at the ferry port, walked in and paid for a ticket. Then we were told to join the end of the queue and drive on when we were told.

chrisbriggs wrote:

if I take that route Chris, do I go to Sofia and then drop down. Just looking at the map and not sure if going down to Edirne and across the top of Greece is an option?

I'd really advise driving across and down. You want to be crossing into Greece at the Sandanski border. This leaves the shortest possible journey in Greece and you can easily get to the ferry port in the day.

Although we are not travelling to Spain I was interested to read about using the Greek ferry and Igoumenitsa port. I never understand why more folk don't travel to and from UK this route. When we came from Greece to VT we travelled from our Ionian island by ferry to Igoumenitsa then caught a coach to Thessaloniki and from there to Sofia and coach down to VT. Its a lovely route through Greece.