Some places have a way of calling us back, even when life takes us thousands of miles away. We had the opportunity to hear the inspiring story of Despina Pereira, whose journey from Australia to Greece is about much more than finding a place to live. It is a story of family roots, rediscovering a sense of belonging, and finding unexpected purpose through the restoration of traditional homes on the island of Samos.
Today, through her project Heritage Stays, Despina is bringing new life to old village houses while encouraging visitors to discover the beauty of authentic Greek island living. In her own words, she shares how memories of her grandmother, a love for community, and a desire for a more meaningful way of life brought her back to where she feels at home.
Childhood memories and a sense of belonging
I remember my grandmother sitting on the little porch, feeding the cats. I remember the smell of freshly cooked food and sitting down to listen to stories about her childhood and her life. My memories stretch across Australia and Samos, but the feeling is the same: the warmth of being with my grandparents, with time to talk and something good to eat.
My grandmother brought me up until I was seven. I didn’t speak a word of English until I started school in Australia. I ate different food, and the rules at home were different too. I wasn’t allowed to go to camps or do many of the things the other children could do. Although I was born in Australia, I often felt I was trying to fit into a way of life that didn’t come naturally to me.
When I came to Samos more than 35 years ago, I felt I belonged. I couldn’t quite explain why. There was something familiar in the faces around me, in the food, the dancing and the long summer nights. Looking back, I recognise so much of what my grandparents had given me: an appreciation of simplicity, nourishing food and community.
The life that kept calling me back
I grew up in Australia, but while my grandmother was alive I would travel back to see her. I loved the village, the family and the traditional way of life. The summers seemed to go on forever. From my early thirties, I was drawn to that slower rhythm. I wanted to experience something of the life my ancestors had known, with Mediterranean food and time to enjoy each day, away from the pressures of my busy life in Australia.
Years later, after meeting my husband in 2022, we were living on Long Island in America. I struggled to feel at home in the suburbs. It was my husband who suggested Greece. He knew how much I loved the country and how naturally I felt I fitted in. Perhaps this was where we could retire and enjoy our years together.
We bought a house in Amoni, near Sofiko, on the coast of the Peloponnese, through the Golden Visa programme. I had not yet received my Greek citizenship, and this gave us a way to make Greece our long-term home.
But another house was drawing me back to Samos: the old family home in Palokastro, where my grandmother had lived. At first, my plan was simply to restore it as a holiday home. As I spent more time there, I found myself wanting to stay longer. I wanted to take care of the place and contribute something to it.
Bringing the houses back to life
It took six months to finish the restoration. For me, the hardest part was keeping the work moving forward. There were stops and starts with workers, and it was not easy to keep the momentum going. The photographs remind me of the work behind the finished rooms, and of the patience it took to get there.
I had always imagined retirement would be about travel. I have travelled a great deal and enjoyed it, but I began to realise that something was missing. I needed purpose. I wanted to wake up with something worthwhile to do, and to use the experience I had gained over my working life to help others.
I am entrepreneurial by nature. I started looking at small, neglected properties nearby and thinking about what they could become. I could see the possibility of making them beautiful and comfortable again, and welcoming people who would appreciate the village as I did. That was the beginning of Heritage Stays.
The home taking shape
There is still plenty of work ahead. What encourages me is when people stop me and say they love what I am doing, that they appreciate seeing these houses cared for and their village looking prettier. They are proud of where they live. To feel that I am contributing to a place that matters so much to them makes me proud too.
An invitation to share village life
My involvement has grown beyond the houses. I am helping drive fundraising for a proposed community hall at Saint George’s Church in Palokastro. Father John, our priest, is a very kind man whose company brings me a great deal of joy. The hope is for a place where people can gather: perhaps a knitting group, a mothers’ group, or somewhere an older person can find company when they feel lonely. We are still in the planning stages, with design work underway and more fundraising ahead. I am bringing my energy, practical experience and connections with engineers and builders to help move it forward.
This is what I mean when I talk about community. It is something you take part in and help care for. I would like our guests to arrive with that same respect: curious about the people here, willing to support small local businesses and happy to let village life unfold at its own pace.
Discovering the beauty of slow living on Samos
My invitation is to come for 28 days. Give yourself time to walk the cobblestones, meet people and become familiar with the ordinary places that make up a day. Go back to the baker. Get to know the local shops. On Sundays, we have church, followed by coffee and a little get-together. I find that very sweet. These small occasions give people time for one another.
There are museums to explore and places to visit beyond the village. But a simple meal in the local taverna can make my day: fresh ingredients, fish, local wine and time to enjoy them. Nothing has to be fancy. I want people to experience how satisfying that can be.
Slow living is a way of thinking for me. I still work hard and have plenty of ideas, but I value an uncomplicated meal, a familiar face and a conversation I have time to stay for. Village life has given me a sense of belonging and a purpose I had not expected to find in retirement.
When I think about what I hope to share through Heritage Stays, I come back to my grandmother on that little porch. The cats, the food, the stories, the feeling of being welcome. Those memories have stayed with me all my life. Here on Samos, I am finding my own way to carry them forward.
If Greece is part of your family story, perhaps you feel that pull too. And if it isn’t, you are just as welcome. Come to Samos, settle into a village or seaside home, and give yourself time to experience everyday life here. I hope you will find something that stays with you, just as I did.
By Despina Pereira, as told to Mindful Vacation / Heritage Stays | heritagestaysgr.com
Planning your own slow escape to Samos
If Despina's story has inspired you to discover Samos, consider experiencing the island beyond its beaches and popular attractions. Located in the eastern Aegean Sea, Samos offers a beautiful combination of traditional mountain villages, picturesque coastal towns, olive groves and welcoming local tavernas. Take time to explore its quieter corners, enjoy regional food and wine, and discover the everyday rhythms of Greek island life.
Rather than rushing from one attraction to another, stay a little longer, support family-run businesses and allow yourself to become familiar with a place. Whether you choose a seaside retreat or a traditional village home, Samos is an invitation to slow down, connect with local culture and experience Greece at your own pace.
