The view from Fira over the caldera.
If the link to the video works…
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Ohhhhhhh
Gorgeous. We supposedly have our own little balcony/patio area with a view over the caldera. Excited about that.
So we have booked all 3 dinners in Athens - the 68 place, Linou Soumpasis k sia (can’t find a menu, but the reviews I read made me want to go), and GB roof garden. This last is iffy - it’s late on our first night, but has an amazing view and isn’t far from us. Just not sure I’ll want to stay up that late for a view. Lulu is excited about it though, and this trip is her graduation present, so it might stick.
No breakfasts needed in Athens. Our hotel is located over (and associated with) a bakery, and I guess we get fresh baked goods each morning. Incredible if true.
Again, thanks everyone! Very grateful for all the help.
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The Grand Britannia is an absolutely beautiful hotel from the outside. I wish I had visited inside. I think it’s worth staying up late to do a rooftop dinner.
I had dinner at a rooftop with relatives in 1996. I don’t remember where it was now. It was an impressive view.
Enjoy your trip.
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Thanks Phoenikia. That helps me feel stronger about this reservation. I’m sure Lulu will especially thank you!
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It’s almost magical, at least for me.
I also have a memory of swimming in a rooftop pool, same trip.
That was my university graduation trip. My parents, my aunt and I visited Greece (Athens, the Classical Tour which is a tourist bus loop that visits Delphi, Napflion, Olympia, Kalamata, Meteora, a few days in Lesvos, a day cruise to Poros and Aegina.) , Turkey (Istanbul, Ephesus, Cappadocia) , Austria (Vienna, Salzburg ) and Germany (Munich, Nurnberg ,Neubrandenberg, Berlin) that summer. 
I had hoped to visit Greece in the summer of 2020, but obviously that didn’t happen. I was lucky to visit in 1979, 1996, 2004 (arriving the week before the Olympics began) and 2007.
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We are currently in Naxos, and have had two very nice meals at Stelida. I was too exhausted from travel the first night to remember to take pictures. Lulu and her dad both started with saganaki, which came with a sort of lemon relish, I got the fava purée with capers and pickled onions. It needed the toppings, would have been under seasoned without. Lulu got under seasoned risotto, but salt fixed the issue. LLD got grilled whole sea bass with salad and roasted vegetables and potatoes. I got an amazing seafood orzo - incredibly good. Last night Lulu and I got the saganaki, and LLD got greek salad to start. Mains wer fava purée with octopus, grilled pork belly, and sea bream.
A freebie dessert of lime yogurt with nuts and seeds was so good I couldn’t stop eating it - tasted like a light key lime pie. The others shared a chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream.
Food, service, and views were all very good. Wines by the glass here have really impressed me so far.
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Last night’s dinner was at Paradiso in Agia Anna, Naxos, which was recommended by our hotel staff. At first I thought “uh oh, touristy” which it was, but pretty much everything along the strip of beach looks that way, so you just try for the best. We started with tzatziki taramasalata, and olives, along with house wines. The wines were pretty bad, but the food was good! Next dakos and horiatiki, then spanikopita, and chicken souvlaki for LLD. The salads were fine and huge, spanikopita was delicious, and LLD loved his souvlaki. Fun spot.
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What a gorgeous setting! Your photos make me want to return to Greece next summer. It’s been on the list of places to visit from Berlin for a very long time.
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We had a wonderful day touring Naxos, then back to the hotel for another dinner at Stelida. It’s very good, has a beautiful setting, warm hospitality, great wines, and is easy, so it’s hard to get motivated to go elsewhere. We had another very good meal here. LLD started with mussels in white wine with fennel, the broth was delicious. Lulu and I started with burrata with tomatoes, pickled onions and cucumbers and powdered olive. So good. LLD got a pork special- I can’t remember the name but it was basically a stew with thyme and lemon. Lulu got horiatiki, and I got spaghetti with shrimp. Dessert was killer - deconstructed baklava with vanilla ice cream and a center of custard. Sort of like a baklava ice cream sandwich on steroids. Amazing.
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Our last night in Naxos, and once again the family wanted to eat at Stelida. Appetizer special of tuna tartare for all of us, delicious. LLD got lamb, Lulu and I repeated dishes we’d had before. One of the people working at the hotel was having a birthday, so the evening ended with a party for him. The warmth of this place is as big as selling point as the food, which is really saying something.
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Yesterday was our first day in Santorini, and good golly it is gorgeous. We’re staying up in Oia on the cliffside. My family once again wanted to be easy and eat at the hotel. The restaurant is called Ombra. It was … fine, nothing spectacular except the sunset view. Lulu and her dad started with sea bass tartare, i got tomato salad. Lulu and I got smoked feta ravioli with shrimp (Lulu liked it a lot, i thought it was ok), LLD got lamb. They gave us two desserts which they both liked - white chocolate mousse and something called chocolate candy bar.
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I really liked getting a frappe or freddo iced coffee at some of coffee shops overlooking the Caldera. There’s a bit of a premium for the coffee shops with a view.
Enjoy your stay! It’s been 17 years since my visit!
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Man, the Greek isles have really stepped up their game since I was there last.
Most of the food was pretty pedestrian / basic traditional Greek dishes – very good, but nothing as fancy.
Oia is beautiful. Make sure you get to the hot springs at Nea Kameni!
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I convinced the family to dine outside the hotel, and we were all thrilled with the results! I had never heard of Ammoudi Bay (Lulu tells me everyone else has), but it’s a beautiful spot to eat and watch the sunset. I figured the food might be average because it’s such a perfect and happening setting, but we had a great meal at a place called Sunset. We stretched our meal out to 3 hours without realizing it. We were right next to the water and it was so pretty we didn’t want to leave. We started with a bunch of stuff to share: taramasalata, tzatziki, olives, fried zucchini. Then Lulu and I each got marinated anchovies, while LLD had ceviche. Next was scallop sauté for me, which was in a dashi with lots of mushrooms, Lulu got tuna tartare (we definitely have some favorite dishes!), and LLD got grilled dorado. Lots of crisp local white to drink. Finished with a shared lemon tart and some complimentary ouzo. Highly recommend in every way.
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Oops, problem loading. Please forgive the bad lighting in some of these. The sun had set and my phone is old.
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I distinctly remember the sound of octopus carcasses being slapped against the pavement for tenderization.
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I didn’t hear it last night, but yes, it’s such a distinctive sound. You get the sense you’re about to eat well.
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