I had my fair share of adventures in Greece which made me go crazy but if you have enough range I would recommend Syros LGSO direct. Reasonably priced, protected parking even in high season, immigration on request, a nice island and fast ferries from the harbour nearby.
Best way to “do Greece” is to fly to LGIO, fill up, and then fly to where you want to go. If you need a “base”, LGST also has everything.
It’s been like that since about 2015 when Greece was forced into the “fraport revenue extraction scheme” 
and loads of airports went from €30 to €400.
LGSO has 100LL but not C+I.
See my many Greek trip writeups here especially the more recent ones. I did LGKC about 2 years ago (not written up because not different enough) and went via LGIO too.
If you have decent range (say a TB20) then you can reach LGST from anywhere in Croatia and that is pretty easy.
As Emir says, check any local requirements e.g. slots and pricing with the destination airport.
@Boscomantico and @Emir described things as they (still) are.
AFAIK AOPA Hellas have again a meeting at Fraport’s offices tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks everyone for your contribute 🙏🏻
As far as I have planned until now, the program could be the following:
Departure home base LILV north Italy, DCT LGSO Syros, its 870NM
The initial idea was to stop in Ioannina but as Syros has custom and immigration on request, I thought going direct and avoid the purely technical stop in Ioannina should be a better idea, time and money saved, even if the fuel looks more expensive in Syros. In such way I can visit Syros for a couple of days or three and then depart for the rest of the appetibile islands. It’s even closer.
Regarding the appetibile islands I made a list, in order of route:
LGSO Syros
LGIK Ikaria
LGLE Leros
LGKJ Kastelorizo
LGPL Astypalaia
LGPA Paros
LGML Milos
LGSO Syros again, to make fuel, customs and back home. I’m evaluating to make minimum fuel and stop in south Italy only to make cheaper one, but have still to make calculation to see if it worth.
570NM total.
It’s not said I will do all of them. Probably not. Technically is possible but I still have to do all the homework of obtaining PPR, opening hours, notams, weather, the day that I want, the hour that I want. I also need to match the non flight related aspects like hotels, rental cars, etc… But I will consider myself lucky if I will do at least half of them ☺️ At least from the fuel side I have one less thing to worry about.
I also would like to know if is mandatory to follow the VFR routes in Athinai TMA and more. AIP says it is not, just coordinate with ATCs, but how is in practical? I will fly VFR with turbo and oxygen so the higher the better. Let’s say FL150 to 180.
So the AOPA – Fraport meeting is just today??? Wow, perfect timing!
Thanks again! 🙏🏻
DCT LGSO Syros
LGSO Syros again, to make fuel, customs and back home
I don’t think you can; LGSO is not a Greek port of entry. Remember Greece signed schengen (in the EU €€€€€ flowing euphoria, they signed absolutely everything stuffed under their nose) but does not operate it because of high vulnerability to refugees from Turkey which is very close in places. They still operate the old Port of Entry system – in effect airports with full Customs and Immigration.
Peter wrote:
I don’t think you can; LGSO is not a Greek port of entry.
I have been there last summer and did talk to the lady in charge. They apparently can arrange customs and immigration but it will require prior notice as the officers apparently come up from the harbour nearby. The cost was supposed to be somehow reasonable (30 Euro or so). I did end not using this service but it seemed to be available.
The AIP seems to confirm that customs/immigration is available at LGSO.
Departure home base LILV north Italy, DCT LGSO Syros, its 870NM
Wow, that’s a long leg. What type of plane? The usual stepping stone for Greece that has half reasonably priced Avgas and reasonable fees is Brac (LDSB).
Now, on most days, the leg towards the southeast benefits from tailwind, but it’s tough to plan on that.
On the return leg, you want to be very wary of strong headwinds from the northwest, both over the Agean and over the Adriatic. So at least on that leg, a stop at Brac (or somewhere in the southeast of Italy, although there are very few airports with Avgas and moderate fees) makes a lot of sense.
Looks like a heck of a trip with all those smaller Agean islands!
@Peter: I can confirm, it’s customs on request prior notification 24h before. The AIP say so and also pilot notes on SD. And also Sebastian_G 😀
@Boscomantico: it’s a Risen 915iS “Superveloce” exp. registration. I’m planning to stay on the Italian side of the Adriatic Sea, FIR boundary fix TIGRA. Is there any advantage on the other side? I’m not familiar with the area. Only thing is that various Adria routes are very low in altitude while I love to stay very high, especially southbound with favourable tail wind.
In case, on south Italy there is aviosuperfice Fondone LINK (LINK is the ICAO code of the airfield, nothing you can click on for more info 😅).
Yes, 7 island is a lot and tiring. Probably more than one will be automatically deleted due to PPR, opening hours, weather, hotel, rental car, etc…
Well, one could argue thast flying down the Croatian Adriatic is more relaxed (all controlled airspace) then flying down the Italian Adriatic coast (where you will change frequncies at least 10 times…). One could definitely argue that the Croatian side is more scenic. N problem flying VFR at say FL100 in Croatia.
Plus, when you need lots of fuel, then the difference between 2.70€ per litre and say 3.50€ per litre becomes significant.
I have been to Fondone. Years ago. They don’t have a real fuel pump (not even for mogas), so refuelling will certainly be more of an adventure than at say Brac…
Still, if you are more comfortable with flying through Italy, then of course that will also work. TIGRA is a classic for going to Greece from Puglia.
@petakas kept that LGSO C+I very quiet
Even the AOPA GR site does not mention this.
As a funny aside, when I last landed on Lesbos, the €45 charged by the policewoman for her “taxi fare” was repeated for every aircraft on the fly-in 
The best “refuelling adventure” I recall was at Trieste, where the pump was straight out of the Mad Max film set. Getting the TB20 there was a job and a half, too.
@Predator please add some reports to the EuroGA airport database afterwards
The ADRIA* routes are just advisory. Croatian ATC is very relaxed and you can just fly straight down the Adriatic at 5000ft or whatever. It is a really refreshing experience to get down there, after the previous 3hrs plus of haggling with ATC via France etc.
