Original subtitles

(ethnic music)

- From the bustling streets of Athens

and the historic port of Hydra,

to the beaches of Zakinthos and the villages of Kythera,

our journey over the coming weeks

spans many of the Ionian islands, some well-known,

others that few ever get to visit.

But before heading off,

you probably want to know a little bit about me.

My story starts as boy growing up

in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

Like a lot of Greeks early last century,

my parents moved overseas to find a better life abroad.

They arrived with very little and worked extremely hard

to give my sisters and I a loving upbringing.

They also made me believe that if I, too,

worked hard enough, I could achieve anything.

54 years later, I've built a successful business.

And that has enabled me to do things I once only dreamed of.

One of those dreams was to step foot

on all 227 inhabited Greek Islands,

and I'm gonna take a big chunk out of that

in this first series.

So far, it's been an exciting and eye-opening journey,

with numerous occasions where the spectacular scenery

and incredible history have left me gobsmacked.

There's no denying that Greece is a remarkable country,

with wonderful people and a rich culture.

I've still got so much more of it to explore,

both above and below the water.

My travels now see me on the island of Kefalonia,

off the western coast of the mainland, in the Ionian Sea.

The days ahead are all about immersing myself

in the local way of life, seeing the place through the eyes

of those that call the island home.

I'll also be exploring some of the highlights that draw

tourists here in search of a unique Greek experience,

in a gorgeous part of the world that often gets forgotten.

One thing you'll soon realise,

is that Kefalonia offers you a truly diverse range of things

to see and do, and has plenty of the old-world charm

that the islands are loved for.

From the capital, Argostoli,

I'm making my way around the island to the port of Sami.

It's a relatively small settlement,

with pebbled beaches and a busy harbour front.

However, there's lots to check out in this area.

(bright music) (waves crashing softly)

After thousands of years of fishing,

the Ionian and Mediterranean seas

have become greatly depleted.

In some areas, the once fertile waters are now barren,

meaning the fishermen have to travel much further

for their bounty.

In this case, an Egyptian boat has arrived into the port,

with a freezer full of tasty morsels.

It's not uncommon to find vessels

from all around the Mediterranean,

coming into harbours with their hulls

laden with fish of all sorts of varieties.

Chefs from the town's restaurants and taverns,

as well as other locals, will buy their fresh produce

straight off the back of the boat,

with no middleman involved.

Mackerel, anchovies, and of course sardines,

are typically up for grabs.

Come and, wow, look at this.

Sardines.

This is what my wife loves.

Helen loves this.

If I took this back to Helen, I'm good for a week.

(laughs)

Fantastic, have a look at that.

They're Egyptian fishermen.

They come all the way.

You wonder why the Mediterranean is fished out, man.

(laughs)

(speaking foreign language)

- It's gonna take two minutes because they've got to serve

all the shops before they serve us.

They get the, as Kyriako says, they get the alpha vita,

and we get the other stuff.

(speaking foreign language)

- So we get the secondary stuff.

But because the camera's here,

we might get some decent stuff, who knows?

- These are fresh, of course.

- It's fresh, of course it's fresh,

it's good gear, good gear.

Every port in Greece has some sort of fishing fleet.

Most mornings you'll have at least one or two boats

arriving early with their catch for sale.

We're pretty spoilt when it comes to fresh seafood.

(speaking foreign language)

(both laughing)

(speaking foreign language)

- Look at that, oh yeah.

(speaking foreign language)

- Fresh sardines.

A little bit small, but it's fresh,

that's the important thing.

Let's go. (gentle guitar music)

- Just north of Sami, around a five-minute drive,

is a rather unique formation called Melissani Lake, or cave.

Take your pick.

In Greek mythology it's known as the cave of Nymphs

and is generally the first stop for most tourists

in the area, so who am I to break the tradition?

I don't think I've ever seen anything like this.

There wouldn't be many places like this in the world.

- Three.

- Three places like this in the world?

And where are the other two places?

- In Mexico and in Philippines.

- And the Philippines.

And I'm looking at the water, it's a beautiful blue water,

my understanding is that it comes from the sinks

in Argostoli, and it comes all the way here.

- From the other side of the island, Karavados.

- That's the Karavados, which we call the sinks.

That's like 15 kilometres?

- About 17, under the ground.

- So it's saltwater coming in, and let me just taste it.

- Brackish water, 25% salt in water.

- Okay, so it's got some fresh stuff on the way through.

- [Babi] Under the island.

- Now I'm told it comes up hill, the water is coming uphill,

is that sound right to you, that it goes up?

- It goes up. - It goes up?

- This level is higher than the sea level.

And the water start from the sea.

- Amazing.

Amazing, it's such a beautiful texture.

Nature. - Very strange.

An illogical phenomenon.

- Yeah, it is, isn't it?

So, I see that massive mound there,

that looks like it's collapsed from the roof, Babi,

how long ago did that happen?

- Long time, 5,000 years ago.

- Right, and that opening, is that--

- The same time.

When discovered this cave, it was all closed.

- Wow.

- And the roof now is only three or four metres thick.

- In depth?

Well, that will open up soon, in another 1,000 or two years?

- Not today. - Definitely not today.

Look at those stalactites, wow.

Stalic tights because they're tight,

stalic mites because they're coming up from the ground.

- One centimetre every 100 years.

Every hundred years, one centimetre, wow.

That's impressive, there's lots of them there.

It's taken millions of years for the cave to form,

and in the centuries to come, it'll keep evolving.

Hopefully as time passes,

our singing might improve a little, too.

Normally, I only break into tune after a few drinks.

Maybe I was a little too inspired by the surrounds.

(both singing in foreign language)

- I want you to sit down and sing.

Oh, shit!

Am I going the wrong way?

(speaking foreign language)

Sorry guys.

It turns out my ability as a boatman

is on par with my vocal skills.

I might have to leave both to the experts,

that's if I make it back to shore without drowning the crew.

You know, I can't row?

It's a good thing I'm a strong swimmer.

If this thing tips, it's every man for himself.

(ethnic music)

Another glorious morning set the scene

for what was going to be a special day.

The port of Sami was slowly waking up,

with a few folks quietly milling around

and taking in the charming setting.

The town is best described as quaint.

It has an inviting feel to it,

with a small harbour and minimal development.

It's actually fairly modern,

and has all the trappings a visiting tourist could want.

There's no shortage of places to dine,

or find a night's accommodation.

The wide streets and port area are flanked

with a mix of contemporary and Venetian architecture.

It's colourful, clean, friendly,

and above all else, welcoming.

For the crew of Mia Zoi,

the day started on a rather unusual note.

Excuse the pun.

The sounds of guitars, singing, and mandolin filled the air,

echoing around the waterfront.

According to tradition,

serenades in Kefalonia are sung by young lovers,

beneath the window of their sweetheart.

The lyric can be quite romantic, and even erotic in nature.

For example, the chorus in this little ditty goes,

"Tonight I don't want you to sleep,

"I'd rather you collapse."

It's a good thing the girls don't speak Greek,

otherwise their reactions might not have been so pleasant.

Mind you, what were these guys thinking?

(men singing in foreign language)

- This is a great example of the place's charm.

There's a certain innocence

about living in a small island community,

that you just don't find anywhere else.

Plus there's a lot more of the traditional way of life

that gets lost in the big smoke.

While the girls were being serenaded,

I continued to explore the island.

Not far from Sami is Antisamos Beach,

where some of the scenes from the film,

Captain Correllis Mandolin, were filmed.

It's a beautiful little spot

that's always popular with tourists.

The pebbled beach makes for an ideal place to relax,

read a book, or take the family for a picnic.

This really is a beautiful island

and thanks to being slightly off the beaten track

for most visitors to Greece,

there are plenty of peaceful spots to get away from crowds.

There's also quite contrasting scenes,

from the limestone cliffs on the coast and white beaches,

to the forested mountains and olive plantations,

the colours of Kefalonia are stunning.

My plan for the day was to catch up

with a good friend from Australia.

Throughout my life, I've had a number of mentors.

One of the unexpected ones is Peter,

who owns a local fish and chips shop.

He came to Australia with nothing,

built a number of businesses, and raised a family.

Nowadays, he spends six months of the year

on his home island of Kefalonia,

and the rest of his time back in Sydney.

He's always talking about how much he loves his small farm

and horses, not to mention how good his honey is.

So if I came to Kefalonia without dropping by,

I'd be in big trouble.

She's a beautiful horse, Kopella.

She's beautiful, mate.

(speaking foreign language)

- Pete, I want to get some of that honey,

let's go get some honey.

I want to get into your honey.

- [Pete] Yeah.

- [Peter] Let's go.

- [Pete] Bye-bye.

- See you, Kopella!

That's it, that's it, perfect.

Now, Pete, what am I gonna do about pants?

What do I do about pants?

Any pants, long pants?

- No. - No long pants?

- No.

- Well, what am I gonna do?

Where's your suit?

- No, I just go like this.

No. - Are you crazy?

- No, it's okay.

- What do you mean?

What are you talking about?

What am I gonna do with those right there?

(Pete speaking indistinctly)

- On the face? - Yeah.

- On the fingers and the face.

But you're just gonna go in with a hat?

I've already been stung by a bee today once.

You know what I don't understand?

You've got all this on there and there's nothing down there.

- Yeah, put it down the back.

- Put it on the back, yeah.

What's the difference gonna make?

What's this gonna, I can't.

Now, you watch my legs, okay?

If any bees go on my legs and I get stung,

I'm gonna grab you.

We want to see the queen.

We love the queen.

Where's the queen?

What is he doing now, Pete?

- He gives help to the food.

- Oh right, this is--

- Yeah, because the weather is bad.

- So he's giving them help, because it's a bad year,

it's hot. - Yeah, yeah.

- But in a good year, you get 20 kilos

out of one of those? - Yeah, 20 kilos.

- Fantastic.

(bright music)

We're gonna see a beautiful queen

apparently, they're saying.

- The young queen. - The young queen.

Well, we don't mind old queens, either.

We don't mind if it's an old or a young queen.

Mr. Cameraman, you almost got...

Mr. Cameraman has bees all over him.

She's got three or four bees around her,

helping her out, protecting her.

Pete, why do you do this?

Why do you have the bees?

Why do you do it?

You've got a shop, you could buy the honey.

You got plenty of money, why do you do it?

- [Pete] I don't have plenty of money.

I want a hobby.

- [Peter] Oh, this is your hobby.

And you're doing something productive.

- Yeah, something productive, yes.

I get to give presents to friends.

- Oh, mate, that's fantastic.

- When you are welcome in Australia,

I bring you honey and a bottle of wine.

- I've had your honey, I've had your honey, it's fantastic.

- I forget that I had bring you some.

- And I've had your olive oil from your olives.

- Olive oil, yeah.

- If I look a little nervous, it's because I was.

Recently I was stung by a bee

and since then I've had a phobia of them.

They're small, but they pack a hell of a punch.

Pete, on the other hand, is fearless.

He's been tending to his hives for many years,

and despite the occasional sting,

doesn't flinch at being covered in them.

Just about every island in Greece produces its own honey.

Each has a distinct flavour,

created by the plants of the area.

Naturally, Pete tells me that the best honey

comes from Kefalonia, and probably from his hives.

Pete is a great example of the type of migrants

that have helped make countries like Canada, the USA,

England, and Australia such prosperous,

multi-cultural nations.

He moved from his homeland in search of a better life,

and when he was presented with an opportunity

to make something of himself,

he took it firmly in both hands, and never let go.

Today, like others I've met in my travels,

Pete has answered an inner calling

that has drawn him back to his birthplace.

At the heart of his hometown of Fragiata,

is a tavern that he couldn't wait to drag me into.

To be honest, I, too, was pretty keen to go there.

It's legendary on the island.

There's no menu, because the owner just tells you

what he has available on the night.

What's more, you order the lamb chops by the kilo.

A month from now, Pete is turning 80.

Unfortunately, I won't be there for the celebrations,

but I like to think that tonight,

dining with him in his local tavern,

was just as special a moment.

(ethnic music)

Part of my journey through the Greek Islands

involves experiencing all the different ways of life.

From bee keeping and growing olives,

to being an archaeologist, and in this case,

the daily grind of the fisherman.

The sea has long been the provider of sustenance

for much of the country, although increasingly,

the catch has been poor.

Who knows how much longer this profession

will be sustainable?

To shed some light on the life of a fisherman,

I rose at an ungodly hour to meet Michali,

for a day on the water.

You know, fishing is the backbone of Greek Island life.

And we're here in it, amongst it,

with a typical Greek fishing boat.

It's a decent-sized job, which is good because the waves

and the weather don't look so good today,

so there's a good chance I'll be green when you see me next.

Michali was born and raised in Kefalonia,

but did a stint in Melbourne, Australia

before realising that he needed to head home,

and live his life doing what he loved most.

This meant living and working by the sea,

regardless of the challenges it presented.

His experience as a fisherman is echoed across Greece.

The romantic image of life at sea

that we've come to believe,

is quite far from the harsh reality

experienced in this day and age.

(Michali speaking foreign language)

- Over the years, this side of the whole Mediterranean,

It's getting fished out and people are focusing

probably more on the fish farms than anything else

and there's a lot of fish farms.

(speaking foreign language)

- There's a lot of sea bass in the fish farms.

Sea brim.

(Michali speaking foreign language)

- The good thing about what Michali is saying is,

that some of the younger fishermen like Michali

realise how important the sea is.

And they let it go for a while,

and they don't fish it too hard,

like they did in the late 90s.

(Michali speaking foreign language)

- That's awesome, Michali.

That's awesome, I love this.

He's saying that the new breed of fishermen,

here in the Mediterranean, especially here in Greece,

they realise how important the sea is,

and they do give it a chance.

They understand the sustainability issue

that they need to have in keeping the fish

here for generations.

What fish there are left.

(speaking foreign language)

- It's sad, well, we're gonna find out

pretty soon, aren't we?

(boat motor rumbling)

One of the plusses of a pre-dawn start to the day

is seeing the sunrise.

It's always energising.

I've actually never done this before.

First time I've been fishing

on a Greek fishing boat with nets.

Let's cross our fingers we're gonna get something.

Here they come!

A fisherman's life doesn't stop.

Once the nets have been hauled in,

they have to be untangled and the boat refuelled and cleaned.

Then, late in the evening, they'll head out to sea again,

resetting the nets so they can once again come back

at first light in the hope of getting a profitable harvest.

Here comes one that's a reasonable size.

This one we will probably keep,

the rest we'll be throwing back into the water.

This guy we'll keep.

Here comes another little red job.

I reckon we've thrown this little red guy in

three or four times and he keeps coming back.

Look at him, there he is again.

If he comes back, I'm taking him home, that's it.

I'll put him in my fish tank at home.

(soaring music)

Michali came out here at 7:00 last night to lay these nets.

We're here early in the morning to pick up the nets.

That is a full day's work for a handful of fish.

I reckon that wouldn't even pay for his fuel,

and for the help that he's got on board, you know?

I don't know how they make ends meet here.

It quickly became apparent that on many occasions,

Michali can't turn a profit,

so he's had to look at other ways of make a living.

Thankfully, as the fishery has declined,

tourism has prospered.

Embracing this change, he's now turning his hand

to being a tour operator, taking visitors on fishing trips

and then cooking the catch on the boat.

It seems to be working,

and knowing this gave me a sense of relief.

The future looks a little rosier for these fishermen

in fishless waters.

That's it.

The little red job's back again.

I'm gonna call him Bluey.

I'm gonna stick him in a bucket

and take him back to Australia with me into my little pond.

There he is.

There's Bluey!

There's Bluey, Bluey's down there.

Come on, Bluey, come here.

(speaking foreign language)

I'm gonna throw him back into the sea.

There you go back in there, mate, there you go.

Gotta do that, man.

You can't, little fish...

Oh!

I think here come a couple of lobbies!

Lobsters!

Here we go, there's one, look at that beauty!

Oh, there's another one, look at him!

Hey!

Now, that first one's probably undersized,

where I come from anyway.

Second one's fine, though.

It was worth coming today.

Maybe that will pay for the fuel.

If we're lucky.

It was an eye-opening and fun morning.

Apart from meeting Bluey, the little red fish,

I had an authentic experience

that has changed my view on a few things.

Having met Michali,

I've learned about how intuitive some fishermen are,

and that sustainability really matters to them.

I can only hope that he can continue to adapt

to the ever-changing world, and I'm now sure that his foray

into the tourism industry, will be a prosperous one.

(ethnic music)

Driving through the mountain roads on any Greek island,

I suggest you don't speed, and pay close attention.

There are no traffic lights, very few signs,

and around every corner you just might come across

a herd of goats. (bells clanking)

Here, livestock gets right of way, and for every person,

it feels like there are two of these horned

and bearded locals, so there's certainly no shortage

of them roaming the island.

(man whistling can calling goats)

Is that awesome or what! (laughing)

This little three-year-old kept giving me the evil-eye.

I don't know what I did wrong,

but I must have annoyed him somehow.

(speaking foreign language)

- Three years old, the kid is!

(speaking foreign language)

- All he eats is goat meat.

Goat meat every day, goat meat.

(speaking foreign language)

- 55 years old, look at that, look at this.

Unbelievable, bravo.

(speaking foreign language)

- 700 goats he's herding, fantastic.

(speaking foreign language)

- He's gonna take them up to the mountain now,

and in the morning they are just gonna come back down

on their own. (speaking foreign language)

- Thank you.

Thank you very much!

(speaking foreign language)

- Now, this might sound a little morbid,

but after seeing so many goats on the road, I was hungry.

So, it was back to Mia Zoi, to not only have some lunch,

but watch the football.

Kyriako, what are we gonna be doing today?

(speaking foreign language)

- So, today we are making what is called Kreatopita,

which is a meat pie, basically, with some rice in it.

That is the provincial dish of Kefalonia.

Fantastic, I'm looking forward to it.

Now I must apologise, I'm in my speedos at the moment,

my swimmers, because I just got stung by a bee.

We're moving a bit because the cameraman is laughing,

and we've got a bit of a swell,

so cameraman will crop it later.

(speaking foreign language)

- Amazing, so we actually put three different meats in.

We've got beef, we've got pork, and we've got goat.

(speaking foreign language)

- Half a kilo of beef, half a kilo of pork,

and a kilo of goat.

We've got spring onion, we've got garlic,

we've got a cinnamon clove, a bit of vinegar,

we've got some white wine, we've got some olive oil,

and that's in the first session.

And then after that we've got some cheese, which is...

(speaking foreign language)

- Kefalotiri. - Kefalotiri.

We've got some rice, it's special rice.

(speaking foreign language)

- For soup, rice for soup.

We've got some parsley, we have salt, tomato paste,

sugar, and mint.

Fantastic, okay, let's start.

Kyriako, what do we do first?

So the beef is going in first, oh wonderful.

(food sizzling)

(speaking foreign language)

- It's just such a nice smell.

it's an aroma you could drink that olive oil.

I drink that olive oil.

My grandmother lived to 102 drinking olive oil.

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome.

(speaking foreign language)

- Now, the goat's a little bit gaimier

but it's a beautiful meat to eat.

My understanding is,

goat is the most eaten meat in the world.

Spring onion comes in now.

Now, let me remind you.

Beneath that white shirt, I'm wearing bathers.

I'm in Greece, and that's the standard holiday uniform.

We want it to be soft, we want the meat to be soft,

because it's gonna be in a pie.

With all the vegetables and meat having been lightly cooked

on a low heat, we add 200 mils of dry white wine, garlic,

vinegar, the cinnamon stick, and water.

It's then left to simmer for an hour,

before adding the rice.

Next goes in the mint, parsley, tomato paste, and sugar.

Okay, and we stir this up.

And we can see the colour of this beautiful meat

packing that's gonna go in this pie.

Oh yeah.

(laughing)

I'm gonna be eating this soon.

While the meat is reducing,

it's time to prepare the filo pastry.

It just happens to be the same size as the tin.

I get hungry watching everything come together,

and making a pie is a long process.

I need to check that it's okay.

I'm a bit concerned that it might not be right, you know?

(speaking foreign language)

(laughing)

- Oh yeah!

I tell you what, that is such a beautiful texture.

(speaking foreign language)

- And the aroma, Kyriako has cooked this many times

and he still loves the aroma.

Look at that, look at that, look at that!

That is absolutely awesome.

I should take him home with me.

Here it goes.

And we have Kreatopita being made as we speak.

He's obviously speeding this up because he realises

that I'm very anxious about going in there

and watching the football.

You can see him smiling at the moment.

- Yes.

- Are you gonna do anything, write anything?

(speaking foreign language)

- Okay.

So he's gonna do some, in fact, I'm gonna go

because the football has started.

I'll leave you with it, okay?

Sorry.

I should also apologise to anyone

that finds my outfit a little revealing.

It's not exactly the normal kitchen attire.

Oh!

That looks so good.

(speaking foreign language)

- Everything's happening now.

It's half time with the football, we're losing.

Cameraman's smiling at me because of my bite.

We've got waves, I'm hangry 'cause I'm starved.

It's all happening right now.

(speaking foreign language)

(bright music)

That's the only thing that's making me happy.

Look at that, that is absolutely awesome.

I'm getting two pieces, thank you very much.

Now let's try this without getting burnt.

Let's have a go.

Let's see how good you are, Kyriako,

because I already know how good you are.

Let's have a look.

Have a taste.

I've got to say, that is my first Kreatopita ever.

I'm about to cry.

Next year, I might turn this into a cooking show.

I loved watching it all come together,

but I enjoyed eating it a lot more.

I'm certainly not a foodie, but one of the great things

about travelling to new places is experiencing the cuisine.

Whether it's a simple local delicacy

or something more elaborate,

the flavours of the destination are part of what defines it.

Mind you, I'm lucky to have such a great chef

to whip up these delicious meals.

(ethnic music)

(bright music)

Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands,

and around its rugged coastline are several port towns.

Most are hidden in tiny bays,

where the hills offer protection from stormy weather.

Each has its own story to tell, such as my next stop,

Fiskardo, which is on the northeastern tip of the island.

It's actually the only part of Kefalonia

that wasn't affected by the 1953 earthquake,

that devastated the rest of the island.

This means it has a lot of the original period architecture,

that much of Kefalonia has lost.

With that comes a certain charm,

which sets the town apart from others.

Wherever you go in Greece, there's a story to be told,

and you can always rely on a local tavern owner

to be in the know.

In this instance, I went to the oldest such establishment

in Fiskardo, and met with Maki.

He's been here for the past 20 years,

and it sounds like he'll be here for at least another 20.

So tell me, you've lived all your life here in Fiskardo?

- To be honest I was born here.

I grew up in Athens but I'm here the last 20 years.

- 20 years. - It was my dream.

I said to my wife--

- So, you're living the dream, as they say?

- I'm living my dream now, with my family.

I have two boys, a wife, everything's okay.

Everything's in order.

This was my dream.

- [Peter] You're happy with what you've got.

- I'm happy, it's enough.

You don't need a lot of things,

you don't have a lot of temptations, if I can say this.

Life is simple.

We work in the summer.

In the winter we gather in the houses with other people,

you know, we have dinner, nice wine, fireplace, that's it.

- [Peter] That's awesome, mate.

- We don't need anything else, believe me.

- [Peter] Fantastic, it's good.

- Maybe we don't have a theatre,

we don't have a cinema, doesn't matter.

- [Peter] I see all these sailing boats out here,

so in summer it is full of sailing boats?

- [Maki] I can say packed, completely full.

- And I see people are living, in front of your restaurant.

Living right there. - Exactly, exactly, exactly.

In front of the restaurant.

Every day new ones.

- [Peter] You must see some weird things.

Do you see anything--

- We have saw naked people having showers outside the boat,

people fighting, people completely drunk,

and sinking, and jumping into the water.

- You see everything here? - Everything.

A lot of funny things, a lot of strange things.

- [Peter] What's the most special thing you've seen here?

- One evening we were sitting here,

a lady asked to go to the toilet and she went inside,

and when she came out, it was Demi Moore

and I look at her, I say, excuse me, you are Demi Moore?

She said, yes.

And I was surprised, I was shocked.

She was eating here and nobody noticed that she was here.

- [Peter] Is that right?

- For me, it was the strangest thing that happened

because she was here so long time and nobody paid attention.

- [Peter] Demi Moore here?

- Demi Moore here, yeah.

- Maki, I'm looking at your meze here--

- You have to try it, this is local cheese with soft cheese.

- It's meze--

- Meze, we call it.

Local olives, tomato, peppers.

- We gotta try it. - And a very nice local wine.

- [Peter] Of course, we gotta try it.

We gotta try it with a bit of bread, too.

- [Maki] Of course, it's nice.

- [Peter] And on that note, thank you very much.

- And oil, local oil.

You don't need anything else.

(speaking foreign language) (glasses clink)

- A theme I've discovered in my travels

is that those that leave, often come back.

And a common reason, is a desire for simplicity.

Living a life free of fuss and hassle,

not driven by consumerism or wealth,

where good food, friends and family,

and having plenty of free time to spend with them,

are what matters in life.

(bright music)

When I look at old ruins, like the Byzantine lighthouse

and Christian Basilica on Kefalonia,

I get a feeling of wonder.

I put myself in the shoes of those

that had lived here centuries ago,

when this part of the world was isolated and remote.

People would have walked through the now crumbling ruins

and been oblivious to the wide world around them.

Life was centred around religion

and the community you lived in,

and few travelled beyond a few miles to neighbouring islands.

It's a much smaller planet today.

Something that has not been lost over the centuries

is an almost universal love of wine.

Believe it or not, but one of the things

that did leave this part of the world

and travel to the four corners was exactly that.

And I have a personal connection to it.

Growing up I worked in my uncle's restaurant

on weekends and holidays.

A distinct memory of that time is a hessian-wrapped bottle

that bore the name Robola.

I had no idea where it came from,

but was told it was a white wine

that was shipped all around the world.

This was happening at a time

when other Greek wines were relatively unheard of.

Nowadays, there are all sorts of wine varieties

leaving Greece's shores, but this place in Fragiata

has been doing it for over half a century.

No doubt the production process has changed a little,

but they say the flavour has only gotten better.

Seeing how much activity was going on in the factory

gave me a sense that business is good,

which in turn suggests

that they're making something special.

Big party!

My memories of Robola is from when I was 16

at my uncle's restaurant.

And I remember that wine really, really well.

But tell me a little bit about Robola

and why it's so famous.

- So what we know about Robola so far

is that it's really ancient, first of all.

The first mention that we have of Robola wine

is from 1500 BC.

- 3,500 years ago?

- Yeah.

It's really an ancient grape to the island.

It is, it's a local variety, of course,

which always gives white and dry wine.

And also we don't know specifically what does it mean.

Robola, we just know that it comes from an Italian word.

But we still don't know about how it came to us.

- Oh, it's beautiful.

- Thank you.

- And it tastes better than the aroma.

That's awesome.

I shouldn't be swallowing it, I should be spitting it out,

but anyway, that's fantastic.

That tastes exactly like it tasted back then.

- [Dionisis] But you can age it, you can keep it in--

- Although they're known for their dry white,

there are a number of different varietals

that Robola produce, all of which hold their own.

Amongst them is an organic wine that taste quite good.

Now, although my wife Helen doesn't drink alcohol,

she is a buyer of everything organic.

So who knows, she just might try this one.

(upbeat music)

You know what, they'e all good, but this is my favourite.

This is my favourite.

- Brings you back memories.

- Brings back memories, you know?

There's more to drinking wine than just the taste.

There's obviously your memories that evolve,

the times you were there, what you used to eat, you know?

And I remember the food that I used to cook,

my uncle used to cook, it's great.

This has brought back a lot of memories for me, Dionisis,

I really appreciate it.

Now, maybe I should buy some of this stuff for my family.

Yeah, I've gotta look after my family first.

- If they do like organic products, you should.

- Yeah, that's right.

I don't think I have any choice.

If I bring these home,

this is the only one my wife will drink,

if she drinks something anyway.

So, let's buy some, hey? - Okay.

So, you'd like one bottle of the organic one?

- Yes, I might take a case.

One case. - Okay.

- I'm blown away that the tiny town of Fragiata

has such a successful winery,

producing huge volumes of a drop so tasty,

it's consumed the world over.

It's a perfect example of how good things

can come in small packages.

(ethnic music)

(upbeat music)

- Cruising into out last stop on Kefalonia,

we definitely left the best for last.

This place was spectacular.

Such was the beauty of the landscape that everywhere

I looked it was as though I was gazing at a painting.

The scenery would leave

even the most well-traveled person stunned.

We're in the tiny fishing village of Assos.

It's a very quiet, serene atmosphere here

and the colourful houses are absolutely magnificent.

We're not here for that.

We're gonna go and see this massive fort up here,

one of the biggest I've seen.

It runs for another 600 metres that way.

When you come to Assos,

there are three things you have to do.

Firstly, take the long walk to the fortress

for a look around.

Apart from being interesting,

the views of the town below are awesome.

Secondly, have a swim in the port.

It's not often you find a port with swimming spots

that are better than most beaches in the country.

Then finally, make sure you have a meal

at one of the harbor-side taverns.

The food is generally great and the backdrop, even better.

The beauty of this town hasn't been lost on yachties.

It's a common stopover for many a flotilla,

who come in for a day or two to restock

and relax in the sheltered port.

Tourists also come here in numbers,

with guided walks through the streets and up to the fortress

being popular throughout the summer months.

I'd actually like to spend some time here in winter,

when everything settles down

and the place is almost deserted.

I'd love to know who laid all this slate.

Would be a big job.

Ooh.

I'll stand to the side a bit.

The walk is close to two kilometres,

but don't be concerned,

because you can see from the switchbacks

that it isn't too steep.

It's a gradual incline and having such incredible views

to enjoy on the way up distracts you from the fatigue.

Oh, and another great thing about this site

is that it's free!

There's no entry fee, guards,

or barricades stopping you from exploring everything.

(exhales exhaustingly)

1,800 metres, from the bottom to the top,

and you can't come by car.

But you don't have to be a historian to come up here.

If you like a good walk, it's magnificent.

If you're a runner, run up it, I didn't.

But even better, if you like a good view, it's awesome.

Santorini, eat your heart out.

(gentle music)

The castle was built by the Venetians in 1596

to protect the island from pirates,

and it ended up becoming the capital of North Kefalonia.

The walls are long and very thick

compared to other similar structures,

which made it one of the most impregnable fortresses

in the Ionian.

In the 1920s it was used as a prison,

and later it was home to a small settlement of families.

The castle was inhabited by 40 families in the 1940s.

Down to three in 1963 when it was abandoned.

But what's really special about this fort,

is it's claimed to have the longest wall

in all of Greece.

Two kilometres.

General James Navia of the British Army

claimed that it was stronger than Gibralta.

And when you walk around here and look at these walls,

you'd have to think he was right.

Hundreds of years have passed since it was built,

and today it's as imposing and impressive as ever.

The walls may be crumbling and the buildings

that were once within them might have fallen,

but you still get a sense of what this would have been.

Imagine being an invading force,

sailing into the port and looking up

to see the towering fortress above.

It's no wonder it stood for so long.

Let's hope that it might stand for another 500 years.

Wow.

I can see how artists and poets

can get their inspiration from places like this.

It's so quiet, it's so serene.

And the colours, the texture, just the body of this place,

the depth of field.

(breathes out)

You know, I'm just taking two deep breaths.

It's absolutely magnificent.

Like most Greek historical sites,

there's so much to see and learn.

They always stir up emotions and curiosity.

It's these feelings I experience

whenever I'm in places like this,

that are the very foundation of why I'm on this odyssey.

I've been to Greece more times than I can remember,

but I'm continually excited by discovering new places,

and the unique identity that every different port,

town, or village has.

There are hundreds of Greek islands

and you might think they're all gonna be the same.

But the more I explore, the more I realise

that it couldn't be further from the truth.

Many of these islands have existed independently

for centuries, and are only tied together

by a common flag and language.

Each has its own special culture,

fascinating history, and unique flavours.

It's this diversity that makes travelling

through the Greek Islands so special.

My next stop saw me leaving Assos and cruising

the few kilometres across the straight to Ithaki.

It was only a short trip,

but a vastly different offering to Kefalonia.

Feeling a bit remote here, you know?

There's none of us here, no humans, for miles.

Except me and the cameraman.

But man, there's goats everywhere.

Such a rugged terrain.

Look at it.

It's like looking at Google Earth.

If it were up to me,

the national animal of Greece would be the goat.

They're more at home here than any other animal,

and you'd be hard pressed to find an island

where they don't roam freely.

The sea here, the Ionian Sea is massive,

but the islands are so close together,

that it's perfect for sailors.

And it's actually perfect for amateur sailors.

You can see out there, one, two, three, four, five,

six sailing boats.

They're actually part of a flotilla,

and there are several flotillas

that are sailing out there regularly.

This place, Ithaki, gets 200 boats every day,

different parts of the island through summer.

So that's a number of flotillas.

Now that I've arrived in Ithaki,

it's time to explore what this ruggedly beautiful island

has to offer.

It might be small, but sure packs a punch.

Because it's so tiny, it's easy to see a whole lot

in a little bit of time.

From here, my journey will then take me to Lefkada.

It's a place full of myth and legend,

dating back to antiquity.

Being connected to the mainland via a causeway,

it's a busy tourist destination,

but that hasn't taken away from its authenticity.

Dig a little deeper than the popular tourist haunts,

and you'll find a special place,

with both natural and manmade wonders.

But before then, I've got some hiking to do.

I've often heard people being referred to as mountain goats.

Well, that certainly isn't me.

As much as I love a good walk through the countryside,

you'll never find me perched on rock edges.

Peter Maneas and heights certainly don't get along.

The beach is more my habitat.

(ethnic music)