On the quiet Greek island of Serifos, in the once-bustling mining village of Megalo Livadi, sits a small whitewashed house perched just above the water. It was here, in this humble two-room home, that Giannis, a retired naval engineer now in his seventies, grew up alongside his four siblings.
source.image: Kirsten Dirksen
One room was his parents’ bedroom. The other — the kitchen, the living area, and each night, the shared bedroom for five children. But what the house lacked in size, it made up for in freedom and joy.
Giannis remembers those years not for the constraints, but for the laughter echoing through the narrow streets, the games played with the many other children of the village, and the simple rhythm of returning home for dinner and sleep.
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Today, he and his wife, Popi, have lovingly restored the house, keeping its modest spirit alive. Painted bright white like the nearby church, the home once again watches over the bay where ships once loaded ore, now a place of peace and memory. It’s not just a renovation — it’s a return, a tribute to a life rich in simplicity and connection.
