Original subtitles

(upbeat music)

- [Peter] In the first series,

I began unravelling the story

of this spectacular and historic nation

by travelling from Athens around the Peloponnese

and up to the Ionian Islands.

It took in parts of the country

that lots of tourists know well,

but in amongst the popular places were hidden gems

undiscovered by the holiday masses.

This series I'm back on board my beautiful boat Mia Zoi

and heading to a region of Greece

I haven't spent much time in.

The plan is to skip between the islands

taking in the sights with Northern Aegean.

It'll be a journey of discovery,

where I'll be digging deep into the fabric

that makes Greece so unique,

and immersing myself in a centuries old culture,

unlike anywhere else on Earth.

In this episode, I continue my time in Samothrace.

It's an island frequented by adventure

and nature lovers alike.

It was also home to one of the most well known

statues in the world,

which is where I'm headed to first.

(gentle music)

A short drive from the port town of Kamariotissa,

on the northern coast of Samothrace,

lies the ancient temple complex

known as the Sanctuary of the Gods.

From what was an expansive

and elaborate series of structures,

now remains scattered ruins

with but a few columns left standing.

However, archaeologists have been studying

this location for centuries,

and from the limited remnants,

they've been able to paint an accurate

picture of what this sacred complex looked like.

Painstaking exploration has even enabled them to learn

about the captivating rituals that were carried out here.

I was lucky enough to be escorted around the ruins

by one of the researchers

that has been working on the excavations for over 20 years.

- This place is magical.

It is in this wonderful valley,

and it faces out towards the sea,

so you have the mountain, the sea, the valley,

the wonderful but very dangerous stream

that bisects right through the centre of the place,

and they recognised it as special,

and a place where the gods were,

and consecrated it to the great gods.

These gods offered remarkable blessings.

They, to the initiates, offer protection at sea,

and the opportunity for moral improvement.

You became a better person by virtue

of undergoing initiation into the rights of the great God.

- [Peter] I hear also that Alexander the Great's parents

met here or something,

is that right?

- Indeed they did, yes.

Olympias and Philip II met,

and their marriage contract was likely brokered here,

and of course, they are the,

gave birth to Alexander the Great.

- [Peter] And I understand that happened all here

at Therima,

is that right?

- Well, you know, somewhere on this island it seems,

we're pretty sure that they went through initiation,

so they were here at the sanctuary.

- You know, Alexander, the Sanctuary of the Great Gods,

that great Mount Saos that changes the weather every minute,

it's a pretty special island, this one, isn't it?

- Oh, it vibrates.

This is, everyone who comes here,

can't always quite put their finger on it,

but they know it's different and special,

and they leave saying, "That was amazing."

- And you know, I came here a little bit underwhelmed,

but you see this mountain, and the changing weather,

and you see stuff like,

this is absolutely awesome.

I mean, you get paid to do this, don't you?

- Yes.

(both laughing)

- Well over 2,000 years ago,

pilgrims searching for a better,

safer future would come here from all parts

of Greece and beyond,

to undertake the famous initiation.

This involved travelling from temple to temple

in a sacred process with encounters that revealed

symbols and revelations,

cleansing the body and mind.

The initiate would provide offerings to the gods,

and would then witness ritual dancing.

Wine flowed freely, quite often leading to intoxication,

followed by the confessing of sins.

Reminds me of a big Saturday night in my 20s.

I gotta keep up with you.

(both laughing)

- There's, as you can see,

there's tonnes of material, it's just not in--

- It's everywhere!

- Yeah, it's overwhelming, actually.

- Wow. - We have a hard time--

- [Peter] So we don't know really

where this piece goes, do we?

- Oh, we do. - We do?

- We know exactly, we know,

we can place every single one of these.

- Is that right? - There's a real difference

between Greek and Roman architecture.

Roman architecture is magnificent, and is all about spaces,

so it's made of concrete,

and they formed these huge domes.

But Greek architecture,

every block is custom cut to fit a particular position.

- So the Greeks were better at putting these things

together than the Romans?

- Just different objectives.

Totally different objectives. - But they were better,

weren't they? (Bonna laughs)

C'mon, c'mon, we're sellin' Greece here, right? (laughs)

- [Bonna] In terms of skill, and handling materials,

and fineness of crafting,

there's just nobody better than the Greeks.

- [Peter] Then nobody better than the Greeks.

- [Bonna] Nobody better. - So what's amazing,

there's random stones everywhere here,

and yet we know where every single piece comes from.

- Yeah.

- And we gotta thank people like Michael

and you for that, eh?

- Yeah, well, and the many, many, many students

who work with us to record all the dimensions,

and the find spots, and, yeah.

All the seats were preserved,

and then they just disappeared between--

- So this was a theatre,

was it? - This is a theatre, and--

- Oh, doesn't this look absolutely magnificent?

- [Bonna] Amazing, yeah.

- [Peter] So the theatre was here, and that was the Akion,

what do you call it?

- Well, that was the Hieron,

and then the altar court was kind of askanae,

and then behind it all was the Victory.

- There she stood. - Yep.

- Let's go up and have a look.

So, Bonna, this is where the Nike,

or the Nik-ay as you call her,

she stood here. - She did, she--

- This is where it all began.

- Yeah, or where it all ended. - Where it all ended, yeah.

- Remember, she was our last great monument.

- And she's now in Paris, obviously.

Here? - She's right here,

right here, so facing into the sanctuary.

- So if you got a Rolls-Royce,

obviously I haven't the bust that she had,

you got a Rolls-Royce or the Nike shoes,

which should be Nik-ay, but anyway,

this is where it all started.

Is that right?

- [Bonna] It is, it is.

- [Peter] And she's now in Paris at the Louvre.

- But if you wanna know where she stood,

and why she stood. - Come here.

- Come here. - This is better,

this is better.

Shall we move on?

- Absolutely, yeah.

- Standing here where Nike stood,

the goddess of victory,

and looking down on the sanctuary,

and listening to what you said to me today,

that message you delivered

about the Sanctuary of the Great Gods,

I wanna go back and learn more.

I really have to say thank you very much

for taking the time to spend some time with us.

- Well, it's been my pleasure,

and thank you for sharing Samothrace with so many others.

- Thank you, thank you very much.

- [Bonna] My pleasure.

- You know what?

I could look at this all day long.

- Yeah, I know, I know.

It's why I stay.

- Yeah? (laughs)

(cheerful music)

(upbeat music)

When you're climbing the mountains

and walking the hiking trails in Greece,

or anywhere for that matter,

you need to get sustenance.

And I don't wanna carry lots of things around,

apples, and fruit, you wanna pack it in tight.

So I like to take a bar with me.

The problem is,

in the islands, it's hard to find a decent bar,

so Kyriakos makes 'em for me.

We call 'em the Kyriakos bar.

And in front of us, we have all the ingredients.

- And all this other stuff.

So let me go through it, why don't I go through it.

What we've got here is sunflower seeds,

we got almonds, we got pumpkin seeds,

we got cashews, pistachios, almond butter, goji berries.

- Cranberry. - Cranberries,

coconut oil, oats, honey, cinnamon,

hemp seeds, wow.

Shredded apple, dates, and maca powder.

And all this put together, cooked and stuff,

what are we gonna do here?

- Okay.

- So what we do is we get all the wet stuff.

- [Peter] So we put all the wet stuff in,

so he's got the coconut oil going in,

the honey's going in, and the almond butter's going in,

and we're heating it up.

Not too hot, is that right?

So we take this heated emulsion,

stick it in this glass bowl,

and now we just mix everything together,

is that right?

It's pretty simple, isn't it?

Now I don't think you have to have these in exact,

in exact measures, really.

No one's really.

You start mixing it, look, I'll do this,

now let me do something, let me do something,

you get mixing, okay?

Let me have a go at this, awesome.

Yeah, that's it.

Okay, the maca powder, that's a key.

You don't wanna lose that.

You can use different nuts and fruits and things, but...

Can you just get that out there, thanks.

But when it comes to the maca powder,

you need the maca powder.

(cheerful music)

We don't put the apple in too early,

'cause if we put the apple in too early, it'll bruise.

It looks a bit bruised 'cause it's been sittin' there

for a while.

Cameramen took forever to prepare.

Don't laugh.

All right, okay, you ready?

And then we put the apple in,

and a bit of cinnamon, oh, is that too much?

Sorry, man. - No, no, no.

- Sorry, sorry.

I'll blame you when it doesn't taste good,

but then again, I'm the one eating it,

and the cameramen, and our production assistant,

and the soundie, and if they don't like it, tough.

It's the way it is, all right?

Now have a look at this.

This, can we just show?

- Yes. - Have a look at that.

Look at that stuff.

(sniffs) Ooh.

Wow, this is easy.

After this, after he flattens it out,

it's gonna go in the oven for, at 160 degrees,

for about 20 minutes.

And we don't want it to cook, do we?

- (speaks in foreign language) I've got no idea

what that means, but we don't want it to cook.

- No. - (laughs) Thank you,

thank you, thank you.

Do you know the English translation?

- No. - No, no, well, there you,

Oh, oh, sorry.

And we put this on top now?

- [Peter] Awesome stuff.

- I'm gonna take Kyriakos home to Australia with me.

Eh, do you wanna come to Australia with me?

- (laughs) Course. - Yeah, of course, of course.

I don't think you have any choice.

I think Kyriakos will fit in my bag.

You'll fit in my bag.

Yeah. - I don't think so.

(both laughing)

Okay, we good.

- All right, now we put it in the oven?

I'll put it in the oven, okay.

- [Kyriakos] Okay.

- So it's been 20 minutes,

and we're gonna pull it out of the oven to let it cool.

(sighs) Wow, that looks good.

So we're gonna turn it over?

- Let's turn it over.

You're gonna do this by yourself?

Ooh, this is very professional.

It's like a pancake.

(groans) I think we've broken it a bit, though.

But it's not a big deal, 'cause the broken bit on the side,

I'm just gonna take, ooh!

Ah, that is awesome, man.

That is so good.

Oh, man.

You're the best, mate, you know that?

That's so good, yep.

There are people in the bleachers,

so we want them to taste it as well.

Specifically, Paige, who helped with the recipe.

So, whaddya think?

- Well, it has to be pretty good if I did it.

- Yeah, I suppose.

C'mon, Jen.

Ioanna, our production assistant here, manager.

Whaddya think?

(women moaning)

- Amazing. - Pretty cool.

- Very tasty. - We love 'em.

I'm goin' up the mountain now.

(women laughing)

One of these Kyriakos bars and a bottle of water

sustains me for a good three or four hour hike.

We might have to get these things into the supermarkets.

They could be the next big thing

in natural sport nutrition.

(water splashing)

From the confines of the ship's kitchen,

to the wide open spaces of the island's interior.

With one of Kyriakos' bars in my pack,

I took to the trails for a rainforest walk

with the Vice President of Sustainable Samothraki,

Giorgos Maskalidis.

Giorgos, when someone told me there was rainforest

in Greece,

I did not believe them.

But now, I look at this, this is paradise, man.

- It is paradise.

Here, the north side of the island is so unique,

so different from the south,

all the humidity is kept by the mountain at the north,

and you see those giant plane trees,

and the fern in the openings.

It's really amazing.

The water creates a completely different landscape here.

- It's completely different to the other side of the island.

- Yes. - Unbelievable.

We've got three or four ecosystems here in 17 kilometres.

- Yes, yes, microclimate is dominant all over the island.

- So, Giorgos, I understand that the running waters here,

from the mountain,

are only one of three within a kilometre radius,

is that right?

Three different waters?

- Yes, yes, yes.

We have the running water from the mountain,

we have the volcanic water to the thermal springs,

and then we also have the salt water from the sea.

- Is that right? - Yeah.

- So you've got three different waters literally

between a kilometre radius?

- Exactly.

- That must be a very rare ecosystem.

- I think so, yeah, yeah.

- Should we keep goin'?

- Yeah. - Let's go.

- Let's go. - This is awesome.

(gentle music)

(water crashing)

Oh, Giorgos, wow.

Five or 10 minutes into the walk and we've got this.

It's fantastic, isn't it?

- It is, it is.

- Let's keep moving, I wanna see more.

- Yes.

- There are countless hiking trails across the island.

Each varying in their difficulty

and the landscapes that they explore.

In this instance,

I opted for a more casual route.

As much as I like challenge,

sometimes it's nice to be able

to just really absorb the scenery.

It was an incredibly peaceful setting

with a bubbling stream,

and the sound of the wind in the trees filling the air.

I can understand why Giorgos comes up here

on almost a daily basis.

Man, and you can drink this water, right?

- Yeah.

- Let's test it out, and see what it's like, eh?

(sighs) So soft, the water's beautiful here.

So if you wanted to trek,

you could trek right through there.

- Yes, yes, yes, you can.

But it's better now, we have to take our clothes...

- No, no, we're not gonna do that, mate.

- No, no. - We're not gonna do that.

For many, many reasons. - Yes, yes.

- But this is more than just a hike.

This is a real trek, isn't it?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Fantastic, man.

So, let's do the easy way up there, eh?

(both laughing)

I'm not usually the kind of guy that takes the easy option.

But in this instance, I had a camera crew to think about.

At least that's the excuse I'm going with.

To be honest, the mountain water wasn't exactly warm.

(upbeat music)

(water babbles)

The goats here,

the goats here are not just mountain climbers,

they're tree climbers,

'cause they're looking for food wherever they can.

I'm no scientist,

but I think I've worked out the reason

why the best restaurants

in Athens serve Samothracian goat.

These mountain dwellers have become gymnasts,

and have obviously developed far superior DNA,

which makes them taste better, too.

Hey, boys.

Hey, boys, hey.

Even after we've gone out of the canopy,

we're comin' up here into the open,

and it's still very lush.

It's beautiful.

- It is, it is.

- (gasps) And here's the sea.

- Yeah. - You know what?

Let's just stop here for a moment,

'cause it's starting to get warmer.

I might take my jacket off, whaddya think?

- Me, too.

- And just enjoy the sea.

Yeah, and the view.

- The view is amazing. - It's spectacular, isn't it?

- It is lush, but you see the fern?

Although it adds to the scenery,

it hides risk for the regeneration of the forest

because it comes so dense and then the seedlings

from the trees cannot survive easily.

As you can see, we have old trees here that died,

and we can't see new trees coming up.

- And this is part of your work, right?

- Yes. - As, you know,

you're a forestry professional,

and you are the Vice President

of the Sustainable Samothraki.

- Samothraki Association. - So you're looking

specifically at this sort of stuff?

- Yes, yes.

I mean, for the environment, everything is important,

and everything has its place.

But you really want to recognise the places

where there you have a risk or it is okay,

there you should do something,

there you should leave it grow, continue,

evolve by itself.

It's just an indicator so you know how to manage

the ecosystem sustainably.

- Man, you have a big responsibility, buddy.

It's awesome.

- It is a big responsibility, but is--

- Someone's gotta do it, mate.

- Someone's gotta do it, yeah. - If you don't do it,

God knows what'll happen.

Giorgos gives more than just his time to preserve

this pristine environment.

He puts his heart and soul into it.

To him, maintaining this habitat is just as important

as preserving the archaeological sites around the island.

The ruggedness of Samothraki,

the amount of water that comes down these mountains,

constantly changes the landscape.

Giorgos gone up front ahead to just have a look

to make sure it's safe.

It's not the sort of place you wanna come on your own

and follow a trail,

because the trail has to change all the time.

And I tell you what,

I'm shit scared.

(peaceful music)

The constant rain eroded the trail.

In some parts, it had completely vanished due to landslides.

I'ma go down that way.

You had to carefully pick your way through the rubble.

One wrong step, and you'd end up in the gorge below.

The local residents, meaning the goats,

are actually part of the problem.

They eat almost everything which in turn destabilises

the earth so it simply washes away.

How many goats do you think there are on Samothraki?

- [Giorgos] At the moment, it's difficult to estimate,

but I would say something within 50 to 60,000 animals.

Goats and sheep.

- Goats and sheep, 50 to 60,000?

- Yeah. - Man, that's a lot of goats.

Wow.

Giorgos, it's so rugged, and yet so quiet.

There's nobody here.

- Yeah. - It's amazing.

It's almost romantic, you know?

It's the sort of place you bring your wife,

or if you're not married, your lover, you know?

I can understand now why Alexander the Great

was conceived in this region.

Eh? (Giorgos laughing)

- Yeah. - Amazing, man.

The ruggedness, you know,

the ruggedness of Alexander the Great,

and that romance here, it's awesome.

Almost think I should bring Helen here tomorrow.

Whaddya think? - Yes.

- I can come here without you now,

eh? - Yes.

- Look at this.

- It's amazing. - It is amazing, man.

It's amazing.

(upbeat music)

(water babbling)

Hey, Giorgos, you wanna share a Kyriakos bar with me?

- [Giorgos] Yes, I would love to.

- [Peter] It's very natural, mate.

Here you go, that's what's left of it.

Take it, take it all, mate, take it all,

I've eaten the rest of it.

Look at that.

And I'll have the crumbs.

This is the life, man. - Yeah.

- This is the life.

A short walk back and we found

the third source of water in the area,

and these ones were a stark contrast

to the cold mountain streams.

After long day of walking through the forest,

nice to come and get the thermal waters.

Now, I could have gone to the commercial job,

the big building around the corner that's covered,

and all set up for the five star-ers,

but I like to be out here with everybody else

in that little small one.

I'm in this 35 degree, warm water,

from the volcanic, subterranean,

God knows what, coming up here, but it's awesome.

It feels great.

This is where Alexander was conceived.

Alexander the Great, around here, in these thermal waters.

Two-and-a-half thousand, well, 2,200 years ago,

something like that anyway, beautiful.

I couldn't think of a better way to end a day of hiking

than with a soothing bath

in one of Mother Nature's hot springs.

(upbeat music)

The tallest mountain in the Aegean is Mount Saos.

Here in Samothrace,

not only can you see it from every part of the island,

but it pretty much is the island.

Clouds frequently cloak the summit

providing the rain that gives the island its tapestry

of streams and waterfalls.

As a result, there's an abundance

of green wherever you look.

We're on the south part of the island,

and behind me is a spot called Tapalias Kyrias,

which is The Clothes of the Old Lady,

and in front of me is Kremastos, a waterfall.

There's that much water coming off the mountain

all year round,

the water's running down this little waterfall.

And it's summer, and it's still coming down.

Come winter it's just gushing down.

And a lot of guys canyon down here.

Bit crazy.

But if you come here in July and August,

come round here for a swim,

and have a shower under the beautiful fresh water

of the mountain,

while you're sitting in salt water.

It's awesome here.

Now if I was a bit younger and a bit stronger,

I'd be climbing up there.

In my dreams, anyway.

Way up there.

(metal clanking)

Travelling further along the coast,

we made our way to one of the most popular beaches

on the island, Pachia Ammos.

But going for a swim was secondary to the real reason

for dropping anchor here.

I'd heard about a lookout that couldn't be missed.

And while a swim was on the agenda,

I had some exploring to do first.

Most of these people were oblivious

to what was on the mountain behind them.

You need inside info to find the best spots in Greece.

That said, relaxing on a beach on the island's drier,

southern coast is a pretty good way to spend your day.

(engine roaring)

(Peter banging)

Wow, I just had to stop and show you this view.

Have a look at that, eh.

Isn't it beautiful?

But we've got a long way to go

to see something very special.

(gentle music)

(Peter speaks in foreign language)

I didn't have transport planned,

so I asked a couple of locals.

In no time at all,

Tharnassi, a goat herder, volunteered to take me up.

He went out of his way for absolutely nothing in return.

It's the type of unconditional kindness you often encounter

on small Greek islands.

We call it (speaks in foreign language).

When you travel around the world,

the best real estate is generally left for hotels,

high class restaurants, or luxury homes.

But in Greece, we reserve these for churches.

Have a look at this beauty.

Perched on the edge of sheer rock faces,

the aptly named Panathea Karmiotissa,

is a sight to behold.

The name translates to Virgin Mary on the cliffs,

the cliffs that surround it.

It's not much of a walk from the car,

but I tell you what,

it's worth the drive up here.

I better pay my respects and light a candle though.

Wow, it's a beautiful little church.

Let's see if it's open.

We're in luck.

Every church in Greece has a story.

Many of them seem strangely similar.

Legend has it,

shepherds found the icon of the Virgin Mary

near the beach below.

To protect it, they placed it in a cave.

But when they returned the following day,

the icon was on a rock at the edge of the cliff.

So it was decided that this

should be the location of a chapel.

I think I've heard this one before.

You know, it's a warm day,

but what's good about this church is

the best beach on the island, Pachio Ammos,

is right down there, that's where I'm going right now.

Have a dip.

(cheerful music)

At just over 300 metres high,

the views from the church no doubt inspire awe

in the visiting faithful.

The journey up is well worth the effort.

And also a great way to work up an appetite.

And what's good is,

when you're finished at the Panathea Karmiotissa,

you can come down just 10 metres,

the coffee shop Manoli's,

and you'll have some of his Myzithra with honey,

which is ricotta cheese.

- Let's see what it's like.

He reckons it's good, he makes it himself.

He makes the honey himself, and the cheese himself.

And I'll tell you now, Manoli.

- Oh, that's awesome.

It gets you straight away.

- That's great.

That's fantastic, man.

It might seem simple,

but the Greek go-to snack is a strong coffee,

fresh Myzithra cheese, with a drizzle of honey.

But I needed a bit more to ease my hunger,

and knew just the place.

(water crashing)

Like the church,

it took local knowledge to discover this little gem.

It came recommended by Giorgos,

who took me hiking the day before.

It's where the locals go for a bite,

so it must be good.

I looked at your menu,

and I saw a number of goat recipes.

How many different goat recipes do you serve here?

- It's more to 25.

- 25 goat recipes? - Yeah, yeah.

- And I love the honey goat. - Thank you.

- And the plum goat's good, and the stuffed goat,

we're gonna have the stuffed goat tonight.

- Tonight, yes.

- We're supposed to come here just to see the stuffed goat,

but we couldn't help it.

We had to eat as well, you know?

So this is the provincial dish of Samothraki,

which is stuffed goat with rice and all sorts of herbs,

and it's also got all the guts in there as well.

Intestines, you name it.

Now Miss Dina is opening up so we can have a look inside.

Because they've started cooking it.

We're a bit here late, we're a bit late.

- Four or five hours, 200 degrees,

and we're gonna be eating this tonight.

Awesome, man.

- She's gonna turn it later on.

I'm starved now, let's go and have something to eat now,

even before lunch.

(upbeat music)

The sun was setting low in the sky,

which meant only one thing.

Dinner would soon be served.

- He's saying the colour the key, the colour is,

you know, there is nothing like this.

It's awesome.

And, you know, as the Greeks say.

(sighs) I can't wait.

(Peter laughs)

- Okay, I just gotta check it to. (gasps)

(Peter moaning)

- Oh, man, this is awesome.

That's my piece.

She's asked me if I want 'em, said of course I want 'em.

They're the best bits, man, look at those guys,

look at those guys, there.

They're awesome.

Look at that, it's comin' off.

It just peels off.

It just peels off.

That is so nice.

90% of what you eat here is grown or raised

by the owners of this fine establishment.

The goats, chickens, vegetables, olives,

and even the olive oil come from the pens and fields

surrounding the restaurant.

It doesn't get any fresher.

Waterfall walks, I love them, man.

I love the waterfalls, they're the best.

While there are over 28 goat recipes at the tavern,

which is perfect for a carnivore like me,

they also had a smorgasbord of vegetarian dishes

that more than satisfied Helen.

The tastes, colours, textures,

and aromas were something I'd never experienced before.

It was all washed down with a local wine

amidst banter and laughs that filled the air.

(upbeat music) (guests chattering)

Oh, man, so good.

The honey goat was my pick of the menu.

Then again, I only managed to try

a few of the numerous options available.

There's another 20 or so goat recipes left for me to taste.

So I guess I'll have to come back.

And I did.

The honey, the honey, the honey.

Yeah, you can.

The honey, the honey, the honey, the honey.

(traditional Greek music)

(Giorgas singing in foreign language)

Fantastic food and wonderful company to share it with.

There are few better ways to end a day.

Completing the picture of an authentic Greek dinner,

Giorgos serenaded us.

The sounds of bouzouki and singing

took me back to my childhood,

visiting Greece with my parents,

or celebrating special occasions.

It's a perfect setting,

and the whole experience reinforced why I'm doing this.

Sharing these intimate experiences with my family,

and giving my son the type of cultural influences I too had,

fills me with pride and joy.

I coulda sat there all night, gorging myself on goat,

chatting, singing and dancing,

but I had an early start the following day.

(wind rustling)

On my final morning in Samothrace,

I sat gazing at Mount Saos,

thinking of all those who would have done

the same before me.

For thousands of years,

others, too, would have marvelled at nature's creation.

And to this day,

very little in this scene would have changed.

If you like lots of beaches, five-star hotels,

all those commercial stores,

Samothraki is not the place to come to.

But if you like adventure, and you like to walk and hike,

and you wanna see people in their raw state,

and their food is absolutely awesome here.

It's not just organic,

but you feel like you've gone back 150 years.

This is the place to come.

I will definitely come back to Samothraki.

It's not for everybody.

I don't know if it's for you, but it's definitely for me.

(gentle music) (waves crashing)

From a small, almost unknown island,

we travelled around 50 kilometres south

to a large well-established one, Lemnos.

Our first stop was the northern end of the island,

at the bay of Kotsinas.

It's a quiet anchorage with a small fishing fleet

and barely a soul in sight.

You can immediately see a stark difference

between this place and Samothrace.

The towering Mount Saos had been replaced by a much flatter

terrain dominated by farm land,

and where one island was famed for its goats,

this one is known for the grain that's grown

in the fertile soil.

There's also plenty of other things that make Lemnos

a great place to visit,

and I've got the best part of a week to unearth them.

Overlooking the bay is a church named Zoodochos Pigi.

It was built in the 1950s where a fortress once stood,

and later, I'll show you something special below it.

They call this the windy island, and I like that,

because during the heat of summer,

there's always a breeze to keep you cool.

We've just travelled 30 miles south from Samothraki,

all the way to Kotsinas in Lemnos.

Lemnos has a large military presence.

As a result, tourism has slowed down,

but I think that's why it's kept its old world charm.

It's primarily volcanic,

and has one of the oldest cities in all of Europe.

They also say that when you come to Lemnos,

you cry twice.

Once when you arrive, and once when you leave.

Now, I've been here for about an hour,

and I've been told some stories that may get me there.

This town, population of only 10 people,

so it doesn't take long to hear the stories.

This statue of an 18-year-old girl, 1478.

Her father, a General, defending this bay from the Turks,

was killed with a sword.

She held him in her arms, pulled the sword out,

and then went and attacked the Turks.

She inspired the villagers around her.

They ended up defeating the Turks.

Now, if that doesn't bring a tear to your eye,

I don't know what will.

(gentle music)

In no way am I trying to demonise the Turks.

Those were different times,

and we now talk of forgiveness as we move forward

in a more peaceful world.

However, while most of Greece is free from the impacts

of our neighbour to the East, here in Lemnos,

there are constant reminders of the tension

that still exist between the two nations.

This in part is the reason why stories like this

are still relevant to the people of the island.

And this gonna be not easy because not only do I suffer

from heights, but I also suffer from closed spaces.

(tranquil music)

I'm glad they turned the lights on.

Deep in the bowels of that church I mentioned earlier

is a well.

Locals visit it to drink the Holy Water.

I feel like the whole place gonna fall in on me.

This is all that remains of the 13th century fortress

that once stood here.

(water pail clattering)

(Peter slurping)

It's quite sweet.

Hope I've been blessed.

(Peter slurping)

Well I've done my good deed for the day.

Better put it back

(pail clattering)

and get out of here.

'Cause I feel like they all could close in on me.

Let's go, go, go, come, come, come, you go.

Let's go.

(upbeat music)

(cheerful music)

This morning we got up early and left Kotsinas,

heading north east to come around to Myrina.

But we saw this beautiful beach, Gomati Beach,

and we just had to stop here.

In actual fact, there's a lot of sea life here.

As we pulled the anchor up, we got a lobster on the anchor,

it was absolutely magnificent.

I'll tell ya, I wanna stay here,

but we're really busy and we gotta move on.

Look it, it's beautiful.

These unexpected discoveries are often

highlights of a journey.

But here in Greece, they occur all too frequently.

Around every corner, there's something to explore,

which leads to the schedule going out the window,

and the crew in a panic.

However, it's generally worth it,

because what you unearth can be incredibly memorable,

and totally change your perception of a place.

Take these old fortifications for example.

They're remnants from the 1970s,

when tensions between Greece and Turkey were at their peak.

They were built around the coast line

out of fear of invasion,

and eventually abandoned when the conflict subsided.

They're a powerful contrasts to the peace and serenity

of the landscape that surrounds.

A short distance from the beach and military ruins

was another awesome site,

only this one, I knew about.

The sand dunes in Gomati,

known as Pachies Ammoudies,

cover an expanse of about 14 acres.

Yeah, they're not quite as grand as the Sahara,

but I'm told still the largest desert in Europe.

Can't believe this, sand dunes in the middle

of the beautiful blue Greek Islands.

Now, if I didn't film this,

no one would believe me.

Check it out, it's unbelievable!

And here I was, gonna spend the morning on the beach,

this is awesome.

Didn't have to travel far either.

Down in Australia, you gotta travel 1,000 kilometres

to get this stuff.

What's fantastic is that the sand gets finer

as you get further inland.

What's even more amazing is there's people over there.

People walking through this.

There's a beach back there,

and they're walking through this, can you believe it?

It's a unique environment,

and one that's not lost on tourists and filmmakers alike.

It's often used as a movie location and for fashion shoots,

or in the present day, for Instagram photos.

The cool weather made for a comfortable stroll

around the dunes.

In the depths of summer,

it would be scorching out here,

with temperatures reaching well in excess of 30 degrees.

The winds that constantly shape this mini desert

also drain it of moisture,

leaving a parched and desolate surface.

It's quite a sight to behold,

and a dramatic difference to the blue sea water,

and rolling green hills in the distance.

Walking through this unusual landscape felt like

I was in a foreign country.

I thought Samothrace had diverse micro climates,

however, one day in Lemnos,

and I knew that I was commencing a journey

into a geographical kaleidoscope,

from beaches and mountains, to desert and fertile farmland.

A vast array of environment shapes this island.

(tractor rumbling)

Samothraki is just over the horizon, not far away.

The big mountainous, beautiful island.

Lemnos is also volcanic,

but it has its own personality,

just like most Greek Islands.

These beautiful rolling hills, the greens,

the yellows, the reds, it's absolutely magnificent.

Here is the heart of her personality.

Two things that Samothrace has in abundance

and Lemnos lacks,

are rainforests and olive trees.

In their place is fertile farmland covering

almost all the arable space available.

From coast to coast, across the rolling hills and plains,

are fields of brown, green, and gold.

Crops of every type.

The harvest feeds the people of Lemnos

and the surrounding islands with every season

bringing with it different produce.

This has been the case for many centuries.

It's said to have been the grainery of the Byzantines.

Here they grew wheat, rye, and other grains,

that were shipped around the Empire.

Little has changed in this regard, even today.

This long, agricultural heritage has shaped

the island's culture and provided income

and identity for its inhabitants.

It's this character and uniqueness that I'll be delving into

over the coming days.

The contrasts of Greece aren't often showcased.

Most people know it as a land of beaches,

churches, and white walled houses.

They come here to party in Mikonos,

drink cocktails in Santorini,

or work through the ruins of the acropolis.

That's all good and well,

but it's these far away, lesser known islands,

that are the Greece of old.

This is where you can do all of that and so much more.

And what's even better is the quiet setting

you can enjoy it all in.

Mind you, I have to admit, that on occasion,

I do like a bit of action.

As interesting as the history and cooking lessons are,

I still like to get the heart-rate up on occasion.

In those instances, we drag out the weight board

for a bit of fun behind the tender.

Speaking of fun,

next instalment features a whole lot more of exactly that

as I continue making my way around Lemnos.

I'll be going from the new town of Myrina,

with its towering castle,

to one of the oldest settlements in Europe.

Through those experiences,

I'll tell you the story

that surrounds 7,000 years of history,

plus I'll be tasting the local cuisine,

and meeting the people that call this paradise, home.

Some of the locals I'll introduce you to lead lives

a little more thrilling than others,

but the common thread between them all,

is their passion for their life in Lemnos.

It's not hard to see why they're so fond of the place.

Hopefully, once I've shown you a little more of it,

you, too, might feel the same.

(upbeat music)

(flames whooshing)