@WhiskeyPapa
I’ll be flying in Greece in August too. Thought about going to LGTS this time, but decided Corfu again (LGKR), and from there to Megara (LGMG) to visit Athens for a couple of days. Will leave airplane in a hangar in Megara (thanks for helping Kyprianos!) and go to Crete by overnight ferry, and back two weeks later by airline (€ 46) to pick up airplane. AOPA Crew Card is imperative (!) if you don’t want to pay a lot of money. If you want to go to Milos, I have a friend with a small hotel in Apollonia, just send PM.
Our favorite method is to find a place to stay once we get there (allows maximum flexibility). Is that realistic in August or do we need to reserve ahead (prefer 3-4 star accomodation, but can rough it too)?
It depends .. August of course it can be pretty tight, but you can have a look here and send her an eMail if you are interested. It’s a German girl who has been living in Greece for 20 years who owns the place: http://www.andreas-rooms.gr/en/
(If you need some tips for Crete, send PM, I am there every year since 2000 ….)
@flyer59: Those rooms look enticing. Milos is a possibility. Itinerary wide open. We like museums and biking. Would Thiva be a decent stop for a trip to Delphi? We have been on Crete, a Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos (not in our plane) and want to go only new places this time. Rhodos is definitely on the list. Maybe 4-5 stops over 2 weeks.
Thinking:
Thessaloniki LGTS
Skiathos LGSK
Thiva (for Delphi)
Milos (LGML)
Rhodos (LGRP)
Chios (LGHI)
But will take advice!
In case you have missed it, look here. Awesome trip report.
Not sure whether you’ll be flying VFR, IFR or both. But SkyDemon is very useful for anything VFR in Greece. The VFR routes (including acceptable altitudes) are shown. And the Greek controllers seem to expect you to adhere to them. Recenty I flew VFR Kalamata LGKL to Megara LGMG – SD on the iPad was really useful, whereas the GNS430W didn’t bring anything to the party.
PG’s article (above link) is very good.
Greece is easy for accommodation. It’s everywhere. Both booking.com and airb&b work great. My advice, having been there countless times (both TB20 and airline) is to not go too far downmarket, and that is especially true for airb&b (true for airb&b everywhere actually!). Greek beds are universally at least 9 on the 1-10 hardness scale so be ready for that 
Regarding availability of accommodation, do a search of booking.com or airb&b, for now, or for the relevant dates.
Justine and I have just been to Rhodes and while quite touristy it is really nice. The airport has avgas and wide opening hours, with flights operating till midnight local time.
It’s hard to make more general comments because different people look for different things. IMHO the most beautiful island is Kithira LGKC (no fuel and no port of entry) but many younger people would be bored there. Santorini LGSR (“Thira”) is a bit of a tourist ripoff (due to cruise ships dumping thousands of old ladies with 5 figure inheritances every day) but is 10/10 scenic. Most Greek postcards are of Santorini. A few of the islands can be quite sleepy e.g. Ikaria and with not much to see or do and nothing really functioning, but that is rare. The dirty end of the “18-30” low end (sex) tourism gets dumped at the bottom end of Corfu (the famous Kavos), on various places on Zakynthos, and a bit at Hania (east Crete). The only places IME where food is easily crap is Kerkira on Corfu, and a lot of places on Zakynthos, due to low-end tourism.
All the islands have unique characters; not two are anywhere near the same. The “people experience” is great; they are non-arrogant and are friendly and since they don’t expect anybody to speak Greek, English is well spoken which makes life hugely easier than in much of “old” southern Europe.
Just jumping in for a comment on Thessaloniki Aeroclub fuel.
It is indeed for the club’s use and that is why it is not published.
This means that there are many IF’s in the equation. If they have some available, if they can supply some to a visitor (low stock), if there will be someone on site to pump it at requested date & time, if they respond to the query in time and few more.
In Athens int’l if you do a technical stop (not leaving airside or embarking/disembarking) passengers the cost is something like 20~50 Euro. The 200+ is if you go landslide/overnight etc.
From the north Avgas & Entry can be done in LGKR, LGSM or LGAV.
Others have the one but not the other.
Pilots should just consult the AOPA guide Peter mentioned and plan accordingly.
Current plan is to refuel in Skopje the week before vacation begins and leave the plane in Thessaloniki LGTS with 4.5 hours of fuel. Because of weight, don’t want more anyway. We (I, wife and son) disembark from our commercial flight at LGTS and get into the prepositioned plane:
1) Fly to Lesvos LGMT. 3 nights.
2) Then to Rodos LGRP (refuel). 3 nights
3) Then to Milos LGML. 3 nights
4) Then to Naxos LGNX. 3 nights
5) Then to Samos LGSM (refuel). 2-3 nights
6) Back to Thessaloniki LGTS, leave the plane & catch a commercial flight home.(This gives me an excuse to come back to fetch the plane! It’s about a 4 hour flight to LHBS)
I’m sure the itinerary will change several times. We might take out one island to spend 4 nights on each one.
Sounds like a great vacation dont forget to take notes specifically costs Landing Parking handling etc etc.
And of course the flying.
