Touring the Greek countryside in a hire car can be a very rewarding experience, and visitors are often amazed at the striking difference between Greece's urban and rural areas. Keep in mind however that the Greek road network may not be up to the standards that you're used to. You may find yourself driving white-knuckled around some hairpin turns or over a long stretch of uneven pavement. Even so, the rewards outweigh the costs by far as long as you've left home prepared to be your own driver.

If you're unlucky enough to be involved in an auto accident, the police can be reached by dialling 100; otherwise, you can get help with a breakdown by calling 104. On a related note, seatbelts are required by law for all front seat passengers as well as for all children 10 years old and under, who should be secured in the front seat in a child safety seat. The drink driving limit in Greece is 0.5mg/ml, and tourists would do well not to test the law in this department. Driving while talking on a cellular phone is also prohibited and can result in a stiff fine.

As Greece's largest and busiest city, Athens can be a frustrating place to drive. At times, the local authorities will actually close off entire city blocks to fight the traffic.

Currently, there's a sorting system in place that allows cars with odd-numbered license plates to drive on one day, while even-numbered plates are allowed on the next. This encourages car-pooling and effectively cuts traffic down to about half.

However, cars with foreign license plates as well as rental cars aren't included in this initiative so that tourists don't have to lose any sleep trying to figure the system out.

The major highways are all subject to a modest toll that theoretically helps with highway maintenance. These are three-lane highways that connect all of the major cities in Greece. Inside the cities, prepaid parking is arranged by stopping by the booth near the parking lot and buying your time in increments of 30 minutes. Take care not to stop your car and wait along any area marked with a dotted yellow line.

All of the major cities on mainland Greece can be reached in a few hours. At 300 miles, Salonica can be reached from Athens in 5 hours and Patras, at 130 miles, can be reached in 2 hours. When you're far from the big city, it's usually a good idea to carry a little bit of cash just in case the petrol stations don't accept credit cards. However, by and large, it's a given that any station accepts credit cards these days.

When you're driving downtown, expect to spend some time gridlocked in traffic; and whenever you can, try to plan your trips around morning and evening commutes. Out of town, watch out for livestock on the road and intermittent farm machinery. Otherwise, the perils of driving in Greece are minimal and they pale in comparison to the splendour of the ancient ruins and old-world charm with which Greece rewards its visitors.