‘Mamma Mia’ dreams come true in Santorini
The second stop on our European summer adventure was the breathtaking country of Greece. My first visit was during a 2022 cruise with Leo Katigbak and Keren Pascual, and I remember being absolutely enchanted — especially by Santorini, which completely stole my heart. Ever since then, I’ve dreamed of sharing that magical place with my children. As it happened, Greece has always been on my daughter Gabbie’s bucket list, likely because of her love for “Mamma Mia.”
Our first stop was Athens. We arrived at 5 p.m. (local time) and headed straight to our hotel which was located near Ermou Street, a one and a half kilometer-long road lined with shops, restaurants and coffee shops and walking distance to the Acropolis and Parthenon.
After a traditional Greek dinner of kebabs, we retreated to our hotel for a good night’s rest. The next day, we walked towards the Parthenon and enjoyed the sweeping view from atop. After lunch, we explored the shops and indulged in some retail shopping. For our last night in Athens, we decided to have dinner at Meat the Greek for their famous souvlakis.
The next day, we flew to Santorini because the following day was Gabbie’s birthday and she wanted to spend it there.
We stayed in the charming village of Oia, known for its peaceful atmosphere compared to the bustling, tourist-filled Fira. Gabbie booked us a beautiful little house-hotel right in the heart of Oia, complete with a patio that overlooked the serene Aegean Sea. The view was stunning, and the location made for such a relaxing, soul-soothing stay. The only catch? Santorini’s signature maze of steps. Since cars aren’t allowed in the main strip, we definitely got our fair share of exercise trekking up and down those stairs!
We landed around 2 p.m. local time and, after settling in and freshening up, we walked to a nearby restaurant called KooKoo Bar, highly rated and rightly so. Our first meal in Santorini was a feast: juicy lamb chops, fresh seafood pasta and the most refreshing island juices. After lunch, we strolled around Oia, popping into little shops and savoring the magic of being there together. We capped the afternoon with Greek frozen yogurt — a treat we ended up indulging in every single day.
That evening, we had dinner at a cozy taverna where I discovered my favorite meal of the trip: grilled sea bream and the restaurant serves rice! Afterward, we grabbed some Oreo ice cream bites from the nearby supermarket — a sweet little nightcap before calling it an early night, still recovering from our travel day from Athens.
The next day was Gabbie’s birthday! Paolo, my son, went out early to buy us coffees and prosciutto sandwiches from a local café, (his birthday gift to his ate Gabbie), so we could enjoy breakfast by the patio and enjoy the cool breeze and breathtaking view. It became our go-to breakfast spot during the trip! Around 11 a.m., we took the bus to Fira, the lively part of Santorini I had explored during my 2022 visit. The contrast with Oia is striking. Fira is vibrant, colorful and full of energy. We had a delicious birthday lunch with a sweeping view of the sea, then wandered through the sunlit streets before heading back to Oia for some afternoon relaxation.
Later that evening, we celebrated Gabbie’s birthday with dinner at Roka, a restaurant she specifically chose because of its yellow decor — her favorite color. The meal was divine: ceviche, Mediterranean fish soup, steak and conchiglie pasta. To top it off, Gabbie had also reserved a table at a sushi bar known for its stunning sunset views. As we watched the sun dip below the horizon, it felt like something out of a dream.
For our final full day in Santorini, we all agreed on a slow, stay-in kind of day. Paolo once again brought us savory crepes and coffee for breakfast and we enjoyed it on the terrace, finishing our books under the morning sun. For lunch, we tried the popular gyros place Pito Gyros, which Paolo later declared as his favorite meal of the entire trip. Gabbie got her beloved iced Freddo cappuccino, a popular coffee drink in Greece. Paolo had banana frozen yogurt, and I had greek frozen yogurt topped with fresh strawberries.
We spent the rest of the day enjoying our beautiful little hotel. I finished a charming romantic comedy book I found there, while Paolo caught up on the NBA Finals.
All in all, our Santorini getaway was like something out of a fairytale. It was everything we hoped it would be — and more. Most importantly, this time I spent it with my children.
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