Can I free-camp on a beach or in nature?
No: free camping is banned. Camping or sleeping overnight in a tent on beaches, the foreshore, forests and public spaces is prohibited (legal basis: Law 2160/1993, Art. 4). Law 5209/2025 now distinguishes parking (legal, even overnight, where parking is allowed) from camping conduct (sleeping outside the vehicle, cooking, tables, awnings — illegal). Campervans ≤7.5 m may park in built-up areas with no time limit; >7.5 m up to 24 hours. Legal overnight staying only at licensed campsites or on private land with the owner's consent. In short: no tent on the beach.
📋 The rules
- Camping on beach/forest/public space: banned
- Legal overnight: licensed campsite or private land with consent
- Distinction: parking legal / camping illegal
- Campervans ≤7.5 m: parking with no time limit
- Campervans >7.5 m: up to 24 hours in built-up areas
🔓 Exceptions
- Licensed, organised campsites
- Private land with the owner's consent (one vehicle if unlicensed)
- Pure parking with no external setup
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Free camping is fined with an on-the-spot administrative fine of €300 per person/vehicle, with a criminal route too, up to 6 months' imprisonment and/or a fine up to €3,000. Note two points: the correct legal basis is Law 2160/1993 (not Law 4688/2020, which concerns recreational diving — a common miscitation); and campervans are not generally banned — only camping conduct (sleeping outside the vehicle, awnings, cooking) is. To stay compliant: stay overnight at a licensed campsite or on private land with consent; if you sleep in a campervan, keep it self-contained with no external setup, where parking is allowed.
📎 Official sources
- Law 2160/1993 (Art. 4) — tourism →
- Law 5209/2025 — new Road Code (campervan parking) →
- Ministry of Tourism →
❓ Frequently asked
Is free camping allowed on the beach?
No. Camping or sleeping overnight in a tent on beaches, the foreshore, forests and public spaces is banned under Law 2160/1993. Legal overnight staying is allowed only at licensed, organised campsites or on private land with the owner's consent.
Can I sleep in my campervan?
Yes, as parking, where parking is allowed, provided you don't camp. The new Road Code distinguishes legal parking from illegal camping conduct, i.e. sleeping outside the vehicle, awnings, tables or cooking outside the campervan.
How much is the fine?
Free camping is fined with an on-the-spot administrative fine of €300 per person or vehicle. There's also a criminal route, with imprisonment up to 6 months and/or a fine up to €3,000. The legal option is a licensed campsite or private land with consent.
How long can a campervan park?
Campervans up to 7.5 metres may park in built-up areas with no time limit, as ordinary vehicles. Those over 7.5 metres are limited to 24 hours in built-up areas. In any case, parking doesn't allow camping.
Does Law 4688/2020 apply to camping?
No. Law 4688/2020 concerns recreational diving, not camping. The correct legal basis for the free-camping ban is Law 2160/1993, Art. 4. The reference to 4688/2020 is a common miscitation circulating online.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “free camping fine greece”
- “wild camping beach law”
- “campervan overnight parking”
- “camping nature ban”
- “law 2160/1993 camping”
- “tent beach fine 300”