· Permitted Parking
Parking spaces in Athens are quite rare and hotel parking is usually not free of charge. It would be advisable for you to book a hotel that offers free spots.
In Santorini – one of the most touristic islands almost all tourist attractions there offer free parking.
You may not be familiar with the below parking signs, which inform you that parking is prohibited in the odd or even months of the year.
Alternative Parking (Prohibited on the Odd Months of Year) | Alternative Parking (Prohibited on the Even Months of Year) |
· Parking in Athens
Athens has a specific parking system in place. Spaces marked by a white line are for short-term visitors while spaces marked in yellow are for commercial use only. Short-term visitors can use the white spaces from 09:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, and from 09:00 to 16:00 on weekends.
Prepaid parking cards need to be displayed for the use of blue short-stay spaces, and can be bought at newsagents, tobacconists, kiosks and other small shops, with a maximal validity of 3 hours.
Occupying short-term parking spaces without paying the required parking fee, or exceed the time limit for which has been paid for will incur a €20 fine. If paying within 10 days, the fine can be reduced by half.

· Forbidden Parking
In Greece, you are not allowed to park in the following spots:
- Less than 15 feet from a fire hydrant
- Less than 5 metres of a pedestrian crossing
- Less than 15 metres from a bus stop
- More than 12 inches from the curb
- On the sidewalk
- If blocking a driveway
- With the left side of the vehicle next to the curb
- Less than 20 feet from a crosswalk or intersection
- Within 30 feet from a traffic control device
- In a fire lane
- In violation of a posted sign regulating parking within a shopping centre or office complex
Vehicles parked in prohibited places may be towed away or their licence plates may be removed. Fines will be also applied.
June 17, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied with the service.
View moreJune 17, 2025
Destination: Athens
Satisfied
View moreJune 14, 2025
Destination: heraklion
The process was quick and smooth.
View moreJune 14, 2025
Destination: Athens
Satisfied
View moreJune 12, 2025
Destination: Santorini
The booking stated that cancellations before 12:00 would be free. We arrived at the store at 11:20, but there was no staff present. They finally arrived at 11:55 but were very unhelpful and communicated poorly in English.
View moreJune 11, 2025
Destination: Athens
The process was smooth. The car was in great condition.
View moreJune 11, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied.
View moreJune 10, 2025
Destination: heraklion
Satisfied
View moreJune 10, 2025
Destination: Athens
Pickup and drop-off were very quick.
View moreJune 8, 2025
Destination: Athens
The staff here are very strict about time. Additionally, the car was decent, but we couldn't get in touch when we wanted to extend the rental. They also asked us to pay extra money.
View moreJune 8, 2025
Destination: Corfu
Very satisfied
View moreJune 7, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied.
View moreJune 7, 2025
Destination: Athens
The company tries every possible way to take money from you and resorts to tricks to achieve this. Their bumper is as flimsy as a sheet of paper and can be easily damaged with a light kick. In China, such a cheap item would only cost around one or two hundred yuan, but they charge you 350 euros. It's an unpleasant display of the deeply ingrained exploitative attitude of traditional capitalist countries in Europe.
View moreJune 6, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Excellent car rental experience
View moreJune 5, 2025
Destination: Thessaloniki
Terrible experience, definitely avoid this company, absolutely avoid them!!!! First, I called the rental office and was told they'd pick me up in 5 minutes, but I ended up waiting for 30 minutes. Then, I headed to the rental office, which was quite far. After reaching the office, I had to wait in line for around 1 hour as there were only 2 staff members. While waiting, you'll even see huge spiders crawling on the ground. When it's finally your turn, they informed me that my reserved car was unavailable and offered a free upgrade. However, the deposit required was 1280 euros, despite me having already purchased full insurance through the rental company's official coverage. Even if you buy the rental company's full insurance, not domestic insurance through rental platforms, they still force you to purchase an additional insurance at the store, costing around 20 euros per day. The deposit then drops to 80 euros. This is blatant forced consumption. Having rented cars in Greece at least 5-6 times, this is the only time I felt extremely dissatisfied! It’s a major scam. Do not go to this company.
View moreJune 3, 2025
Destination: Rhodes
Luckily, I took a video of the area under the bumper when I picked up the car. When I returned it, they said I caused the damage and casually mentioned that the insurance would cover it. My insurance has a deductible, though. After showing them my video, they double-checked their own photos to confirm.
View moreJune 3, 2025
Destination: Santorini
The car return process was very smooth, just a brief inspection was needed.
View moreJune 1, 2025
Destination: Athens
Overall very straightforward, no upselling, and the return process was a simple check. Booked a Volkswagen Golf but got a diesel Audi A3 instead. Although it had higher mileage, it was still nice to drive, and the diesel saved some money.
View moreMay 31, 2025
Destination: Zakynthos
The location was easy to find, no queues, and the car pickup was very quick. They provided us with a nearly new car with just over 9000 kilometers on the odometer. The staff was very friendly as well—highly recommended. Additionally, we purchased full insurance for 6 euros per day. Since there are many wild bushes that grow into the roads on Zakynthos Island, which could easily scratch the car, I’d suggest getting full insurance.
View moreMay 26, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Satisfied
View moreMay 26, 2025
Destination: heraklion
Satisfactory
View moreMay 25, 2025
Destination: Athens
Check the pickup location in advance and it's quite easy.
View moreMay 23, 2025
Destination: Athens
Satisfied, thank you very much.
View moreMay 23, 2025
Destination: Athens
Car handover was convenient and efficient!
View moreMay 23, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied, a trusted brand.
View moreMay 23, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied, a trustworthy big brand.
View moreMay 22, 2025
Destination: Athens
This was my first time renting a car abroad, and it was very convenient and efficient. The scheduled pickup time was 9 AM, but we actually got the car at 10 AM. The rental company agreed to let us return the car at 10 AM as well, which was great!
View moreMay 22, 2025
Destination: Athens
The service from the car rental staff during pick-up was very poor.
View moreMay 21, 2025
Destination: Athens
The overall service was satisfactory.
View moreMay 21, 2025
Destination: Crete
Very friendly, fast pickup and drop-off.
View moreMay 19, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very good.
View moreMay 18, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Great service.
View moreMay 15, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Very satisfied! However, remember to take photos of the car's body and underside during pickup to avoid any trouble when returning the car.
View moreMay 13, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Highly satisfied.
View moreMay 12, 2025
Destination: Athens
The car was an old Ford and consumed a lot of fuel. They tried to upsell insurance once. When returning the car, the staff just gave it a quick check without being too strict. During pickup, they provided a small card explaining that minor scratches within the card's area didn't need to be noted. For fuel, you return the car with the same amount as when you picked it up, no need to fill it completely.
View moreMay 12, 2025
Destination: Athens
Satisfied, quick car pickup.
View moreMay 11, 2025
Destination: Santorini
No one came to hold a sign to pick us up at the airport. After leaving the airport and going uphill, you can see the Alamo flag, it's just a 3-minute walk from there. The staff have an accent, which makes them hard to understand. You need to leave your phone number and email address to help them contact you. The deposit is frozen at 900 euros, which is excessively high! The car provided was very old, had tens of thousands of kilometers on it, and had many scratches! The rims were also damaged! You need to record every detail on-site and clarify everything with the staff; otherwise, you might be wrongly charged when returning the car. Luckily, I recorded videos!
View moreMay 9, 2025
Destination: Athens
The service was satisfactory, but I rented a Golf and they insisted on upgrading me to a Nissan Juke. The Juke is a terrible model, so everyone should avoid renting it.
View moreMay 7, 2025
Destination: Athens
It was an excellent car rental experience, the service attitude was very good.
View moreMay 5, 2025
Destination: Athens
Good
View moreMay 4, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Our flight schedule changed, combining two flights into one, and we arrived two hours early. They charged us an extra 40 euros to pick up the car earlier; otherwise, we had to wait until the original scheduled time. It felt a bit like extortion. I've never experienced a car rental where you couldn't pick up earlier than planned!
View moreMay 3, 2025
Destination: Santorini
The rental company's service attitude was excellent!
View moreMay 1, 2025
Destination: Athens
The service is fine.
View moreApril 29, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied.
View moreApril 27, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Very satisfied
View moreApril 26, 2025
Destination: Athens
Very satisfied
View moreApril 22, 2025
Destination: Athens
Immediate deposit refund is commendable, but a Mercedes-Benz really can't show its full potential in downtown Athens. However, it's excellent on the highway.
View moreApril 22, 2025
Destination: Athens
It's good, not bad.
View moreApril 21, 2025
Destination: Crete
Everything is good, except the store is not located inside the airport. It's about less than 1km away, and there is a shuttle bus for transfers. However, with dozens of car rental companies at the airport, it's quite surprising that a big company like Europcar does not have an airport branch. That said, the environment of the store outside the airport is much better.
View moreApril 16, 2025
Destination: Santorini
Overall, it was okay. The staff were very friendly but extremely meticulous during the inspection! They paid close attention even to the tiniest scratches. They kept promoting their insurance. The car was quite old and didn't have Bluetooth, so I used my own speaker to play music throughout the trip. Given the low price, it's a reasonable option for those looking for affordability. Taking photos and videos during pickup is highly recommended, and the staff there also suggested doing so because they are very thorough during the inspection. For example, they spent a lot of time and recorded even a scratch smaller than half the size of a pinky fingernail. I was worried that they would be equally strict during drop-off. Luckily, I drove very carefully and avoided any scratches or collisions. However, there were indeed many gravel roads, so extra caution is necessary.
View more