Original subtitles

(laid back music)

- 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.

So far this series,

I've been back aboard my beautiful boat, Mia Zoi,

and travelled through a region of Greece

I haven't spend much time in.

We've skipped between the islands,

taking in the sights of the northern Aegean.

It's been a journey of discovery

where I've dug deeper into the fabric

that makes Greece so unique and immersed myself

in a centuries-old culture unlike anywhere else on Earth.

I'm now heading into the second leg of the journey.

The next stretch sees me

moving down to the Western Cyclades.

It's a region of the Mediterranean

that doesn't often have a light shined on it

which is all the more reason

why I was so keen to check it out.

The first port of call is Syros

where my plan is to show you a real mix of the things

that makes this part of the country so awesome.

It's a place where there's plenty of that old world charm

and scenery to die for.

However, before getting there,

I had to make a short stopover

to an island you've no doubt heard of, Mykonos.

We're in transit from Chios to Syros,

and we had to stop off here in Mykonos to refuel.

Mykonos, the island where the rich and famous

come in their aircraft carriers

and blend in amongst the beautiful people.

Me, on the other hand, in my $10 outfit,

I look like a dodo amongst the flamingos.

But have a look at that thing.

It's huge!

It makes my little baby look like a dwarf.

I gotta get outta here.

Mykonos is, without a doubt,

the cosmopolitan capital of Greece.

So along with being a halfway stop between Chios to Syros,

it's just an awesome place

for our hardworking crew to relax.

When we're travelling, the days are long,

so a bit of time in a beautiful part of the world

is just what the doctor ordered.

Plus the next transit was gonna be a bumpy one,

so a well rested crew was essential.

- Last year, we (mumbles) the Ionian Sea

that the weather usually is good

and it's flat and not too much wind.

But here at Cyclades Islands,

there is always too much wind,

almost always.

Very seldom you found the weather calm here.

For us, this weather is not bad because we are a big boat.

For a small boat, it's difficult,

and people will get seasick and many things can happen.

But of course, here we have Kiryakos.

And he worries about the weather and nobody gets seasick.

- Syros lies about 40 kilometres directly west of Mykonos

but it's certainly not smooth sailing.

The winds hail through this part of the Med during summer,

which just so happens to be the time

when most people plan their holidays here.

We've just had a fairly rough voyage

coming from Mykonos to here.

It's windy this time of the year.

They're called the meltemia.

And I was feeling a big queasy,

but thankfully, I had a (mumbles)

and it's just rejuvenated me.

I carry 'em all the time.

Have a look at this, always in my bag.

Anyway, we're here in Syros.

This is Ermoupoli,

which is the capital of the Cycladic group of islands,

probably the most popular islands in Greece.

And Syros has a lot of history,

and I just can't wait to explore it all.

See captain.

He's hosing down there because there's a lot of salt.

So I'll go away while he cleans up the boat

and I'll be back soon.

Thanks, captain. (speaks in foreign language)

- Yes.

- First impressions are that it's a busy city

alive with heavy industry in the form of shipbuilding.

But don't let that fool you.

The modern trappings and maritime operations

only add to the melting pot of this busy hub.

Tourism might play second fiddle to industry here,

but it's still a major part of the area's economy.

I keep coming to these islands

expecting to see the same thing,

but they all have their individual personalities.

Syros, the only place in Greece

that has 50% of its population being Catholic

and 50% of the population being Greek Orthodox.

Up there is the Catholic church,

and behind me is the Greek Orthodox church.

But there's so much more, the rebetiko music,

it was the commercial hub of the 19th century.

There's so much to see in just such a short time,

so I'm gonna get moving.

Dominating the skyline of Ermoupoli

is the Church of the Resurrection.

It occupies the highest point,

overlooking the city and harbour.

So naturally, it's one of the best spots for views.

The blue dome commands attention,

and even the most undevout of visitors

are taken aback by its presence.

About 12,000 people live here,

mostly working in the shipyards,

tourism sector and general commerce.

Being the capital of the Cycladic group of islands,

there's quite a bit of business and administration

that goes on in Ermoupoli.

At one point, it was the main port

and commercial centre of the country.

The time is mid to late 1800s,

and the refugees from Psara, Chios and Lesbos

have been here for about 50 to 70 years.

They've built up massive trade and commerce,

a lot of wealth.

This was the time when they invited Italian, German

and even Greek architects to create an architecture

that would become the neoclassical style of Syros.

This town hall, 22 years to build,

and it's absolutely magnificent.

I've only seen it in photos, and I'm really excited.

I'm thinking marble was pretty important material

for this neoclassic architecture. (laughs)

Greeks are well known for their love of marble,

but this place takes it to another level.

The grand entrance sets the scene

for the opulence of what's inside.

Here, I met Miss Anna Marouli.

She works for the local council and is a wealth of knowledge

about Ermoupoli and Syros in general.

- The important thing is that Ermoupolis

is a town of refugees,

refugees that came here to find refuge.

But these refugees were well educated

and successful businessmen who worked hard

and established this city and dedicated to Hermes.

- Hermes, Ermoupoli.

- Hermes, Ermoupoli.

- The god of trade. - And it was named after him.

- Fantastic.

And it is a beautiful town.

- It is, it is, and it still preserves

the highlight of that era of 19th century.

That's why everybody that lives here and works here

I think feel blessed and lucky because (mumbles)

to feel the energy (mumbles) of that era.

- Yes, wonderful.

Anna's passion for her hometown is clearly evident.

A short walk with her through the galleries of the town hall

gave me an insight into what the capital is all about.

From humble beginnings through a migrant influx

that led to development and wealth,

to economic collapse and a recent rebirth,

this town and its people have been through a lot.

The refugees that arrived here in the 1800s

came from war-torn countries,

bringing with them their skills

and a hunger to create a future for their families.

This drove them to achieve remarkable things.

They founded successful businesses

and constructed magnificent buildings.

But most importantly,

these immigrants established homes and a healthy community

that was a world away from their place of origin.

The architecture around town

is a testament to their success.

The neoclassic mansions, shops, churches and halls

are glorious examples of this period.

One of the highlights is the Apollo theatre.

The grand old building was built in the 1860s

and through the years has seen the greatest names

of Greek theatre on its stage.

It too has had a tumultuous life

with wars and economic downturn

leading to the need for renovation and restoration.

Today though, just like the city of Ermoupoli,

it has a new lease of life.

(laid back music)

(women vocalising)

There's a special sweet that Syros is known for.

You probably know them as Turkish delight.

Here, they're known as loukoumia.

And when it comes to making this delicious treat,

the master is Giannis Vamvakousis.

Loukoumi came from Chios in the 19th century

and they brought it here.

And they've been making loukoumi here for how long?

For many, many years.

- A lot of years, yes. - Yes.

- About 130 years here in Syros.

- And how much loukoumi do you make a year here?

- Our firm?

- Yeah.

- About 60 tonnes a year.

- 60 tonnes a year of loukoumi.

And I love loukoumi.

I'm looking forward to tasting your loukoumi.

It's something, I think, that the Turkish people,

the Ottomans brought to Greece, and we've made it better.

I think we make it better than the Turks.

- Yes. (chuckles)

- But they are the original people that made it.

We thank them for that.

Thank you very much all of Turkey.

- [Giannis] We put the sugar.

- [Peter] Okay.

- About 35 kilos of sugar.

- Okay, I'll give you hand with this too.

- Ah, thank you.

- I'm gonna make this loukoumi.

Can I put this one in?

- Thank you.

- I'm gonna do some work today.

We pour in the starch solution with the water,

and that will basically thicken up

the emulsion of the loukoumi that's being made right now.

Look at that.

Ooh, look at that.

Looks like milk.

After an hour of mixing, the colour is added.

In this case, rose, but it can be other hues

depending on the desired flavour.

The next step is the addition of the secret solution.

This is where the magic really happens.

So we put the colour in and the aroma's gonna go in next.

And here it is, here's the special solution.

We don't want anyone to see this.

You can't watch this.

I'm sorry. (Giannis chuckles)

You can't watch this because this is confidential.

You can't even see how much he put in there.

Almonds are then stirred through the mixture.

And 20 minutes later, it's time for the pour.

Look at it just swirling around.

Man, look at that stuff go!

Have you ever seen anything like that before?

Wow, that looks fantastic.

Man, that's a lotta loukoumi.

You don't understand.

I didn't have breakfast this morning

and my mouth is watering.

I'm salivating at the moment just looking at this stuff

and I've been dying to try.

We've been here for an hour and a half making this stuff.

- So from the other side now. - Okay.

I'll get around you here. - From the other side.

- [Peter] Beautiful, beautiful.

Look at them.

They look fantastic.

- [Giannis] So it's small cubes, yes.

- Small cubes.

Oh, man.

It's so good.

- So good.

- Have a look at that.

Ah, look at it.

I can't leave you alone.

Beautiful.

I better try another one.

- Another one.

- The producer's over there.

No, not yet.

And the mic.

No, you're not getting any yet, mate.

I'll give some to the cameraman

'cause he carries his camera.

You guys do nothing.

There you go, buddy.

Sorry, mate.

Awesome.

You're gonna have to wait, okay?

(Giannis chuckles) Okay.

We'll give one to you.

Giannis has been making loukoumia for over 30 years.

And in that time, he's clearly mastered it.

For him, this isn't just a means to generate an income.

Giannis is truly passionate about what he produces,

and his sweets are famous not just here in Ermoupoli

and across Syros but throughout all of Greece.

I'm in the sacred Temple of the Assumption

and the work and detail that's gone into this church alone

is worth visiting, but I've come for something else.

This is one of the most important sites in Ermoupoli

for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it's the second oldest church on the island,

built in 1828,

its opulent, to say the least, with vibrant paintings,

green marble columns and crystal chandeliers,

but the craftsmanship and contemporary frescoes

are paled into relative insignificance

by a small work of art they've got on display

for all to enjoy.

The church is funded

by this absolutely magnificent piece of art from El Greco,

the famous Renaissance artist.

It was brought here by the refugees of Psara,

and they actually didn't realise

that it was an El Greco until the 1980s.

Just check it out.

You could look at this all day.

With a name like Domenikos Theotokopoulos,

it's no wonder it was shortened to El Greco.

He rose to prominence

during the Spanish Renaissance in the 16th century.

In that time, he was seen as somewhat of an outlier.

The dramatic expressions, vibrant colours

and disregard of proportion

were different to the style of his contemporaries,

but it gave his work a certain grace and distinctiveness

that centuries later became widely appreciated.

Visiting the Church of the Assumption

was the beginning of me

unravelling the story of religion on Syros.

Just like everywhere in Greece,

the place has several churches.

The fascinating thing here

is in a country that some consider secular

and heavily influenced by religion,

there are two faiths living side by side.

To find out more, I made my way to Ano Syros,

a town that's perched on top of a mountain,

overlooking the bay.

Needless to say, it's a beautiful part of the island.

(laid back music)

(women vocalising)

(men sing in foreign language)

Looking at the skyline of Ermoupoli,

there are two churches high above the port.

One is the blue-domed Church of the Resurrection of Christ

and the other is St. George's Cathedral,

the former being Greek Orthodox and the latter Catholic.

This is relatively unheard of in Greece.

After all, Orthodoxy is by far

the main dogma in the country.

But Syros has been given the nickname

the island of the Pope for a reason.

(men sing in foreign language)

The walk to the cathedral in Ano Syros

is a bit of a workout,

but what really takes your breath away

is what you discover at the top.

They reward is well worth the effort.

Apart from the grand cathedral, there's a quaint town

with whitewashed homes and a peaceful atmosphere.

Completing the picture are stunning views.

But first, a history lesson.

The block of land that I'm standing on

epitomises the history of Syros.

In 1204 AD, the Venetians came to Syros

and they built a church right here.

As a result of a number of disasters,

they've since built four or five churches.

This is the fifth, and it's a Catholic church,

the Catholic church of St. George,

and you can see St. George up there.

Unlike the Greek Orthodox church of St. George

where he sits on a horse,

he's standing there with his sphere into the dragon.

But what's significant is that

the Ottomans held all of the Aegean except for Syros

because they had an agreement with the Venetians.

The Venetians withheld it.

Following the revolution of 1821,

refugees from Psara and Chios and Lesbos

and other islands had nowhere to go,

but they came here because they knew it was a protectorate.

And it's from that point on these hungry refugees

that wanted to create a life for themselves

built Syros and the trade in Syros,

and it became a commercial behemoth

of all of the Aegean right here.

(woman sings in foreign language)

Syros is a fantastic example

of how those with very little in the way of wealth or power

can overcome adversity and turn their lives around

through passion and hard work.

This was an island made up largely of refugees.

Yet, in a matter of decades,

it became the economic lifeblood of the region.

Today, the lane ways of Ano Syros seem deserted.

It's a peaceful place with whitewashed homes

adorned with blue doors and windows.

It's the cliched image for this part of Greece.

You could spend hours lost in the cobblestone walkways

that snake their way through the maze of buildings.

It's somewhat of a labyrinth

with countless stairs and narrow paths.

Some lead to beautiful views while others are dead ends.

One thing's for sure.

A walk up here means you've earned a big lunch.

We're in the heart of Syros.

I couldn't be any more of a Syrioti, as they say.

I'm wearing their glasses.

I'm having a loukoumi, which you know as a Turkish delight.

And loukoumi is what they have in Syros.

This is what they're known for.

Awesome.

And down below me is Ermoupoli, the capital of Syros.

And in actual fact, it's the only real city

in the whole of the Cycladic island group.

It's pretty magnificent.

You can see the shipping in the background,

absolutely awesome.

The cafe culture here is alive and well.

After all, it's a place where you move slowly,

take in the scenery, and plan to do very little.

And there's no better way to do exactly that

than by sitting at a caffenio,

sipping on a coffee and watching the world go by.

The thing is when in Syros, there's no need to rush.

You'd probably be the only person on the island doing so.

If you're late for something, no stress.

Whoever you're meeting will probably be late too.

One thing you'll quickly discover here

is that it's a carefree lifestyle.

The daylight hours are spent

relaxing on the beach or strolling around town.

Then as night falls, people start rousing,

emerging from their homes or offices

and heading out for a bite to eat

or to socialise over a drink.

Many of the taverns liven up

with their traditional rebetiko music,

a star that Syros is famous for.

It too has origins tied in with the refugees.

It came about as a result of the mix of cultures

from Asia Minor and the Eastern Mediterranean

that occurred early in the 20th century.

It was the music of the poor

with lyrics of passion and pain.

It galvanised the lower classes

and is the foundation of modern Greek music.

(group sings in foreign language)

I have to admit, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship

with the Mediterranean way of life.

I'm all for chilling out and minimising stress,

but that's after I've spent the day

exploring and seeking adventure.

The crew on my boat will tell you

that I don't make the grade when it comes to sitting around

on a lounge in the middle of the day.

I also don't mind an evening out with a bit of live music.

However, it's a once a week thing.

And my idea of a night on the town finishes early,

and I'm generally in bed by nine p.m.

Yes, that's what I said, nine p.m.

Here, that's when people are just sitting down for diner.

Who knows, maybe if I lived in Greece for a few years,

it would rub off on me.

(upbeat music)

(audience applauds)

(laid back music)

(women vocalise)

I'd heard about the industrial might of Syros

wherever I went.

It's known as the Aegean's powerhouse.

And coming here, there's no escaping

the heavy industry of the island,

so I had to learn a little bit more about it.

Some say that the industrial revolution for Greece

started right here in Syros, and absolutely, it did.

123 factories in 1863,

it started with tanneries right through to textiles,

and they even made their own stockings here.

But more importantly, they built internal combustion engines

for the fishing boats of all of Greece.

They built boats, ships (mumbles).

They even built electric cars, 200 of them,

80 of them going to Sweden.

Ha, amazing, eh!

Like much of the world,

the industrial revolution arrived in Greece with a bang.

Suddenly, fishing boats could travel further and faster.

Farming went from using animal power to tractors

meaning more land could be utilised.

And many of the jobs that have been done by hand

for centuries were replaced by machines.

It also led to huge advancements in shipbuilding.

Bigger, heavier vessels capable of carrying huge loads

were now in demand,

and someone had to build them and maintain them.

That's where Syros came to the fore.

For decades, Syros has housed

the largest ship maintenance yard in all of Greece.

The global financial crisis shut the yard down

for over a year as the owner was in financial strife.

But what's important is the senior staff

and the union delegate hung around and tried all avenues

to reinvigorate and possibly find a new owner.

They were caretakers and proud Syriots

that didn't want to see their pride and hard work

go down the drain.

Their persistence paid off when a local industrialist

purchased the yard and brought it back to life.

To show us around was one of the key players

in this turnaround, Antonis Chatzantonis,

crane diver and president of the shipyards labour union.

- [Antonis] This is the main shop.

- The main machine shop. - The main machine shop.

- Right.

What's this thing?

It's huge.

What is it?

- This is a shaft from the propeller of the ship

that hit a rock, and we came here to repair it.

- Right, so it's a drive shaft.

The propeller goes on there. - That's right.

- That's massive.

The propeller shaft is on a lathe,

the largest lathe in all of Greece.

The shaft comes from an Egyptian freighter

that hit a rock and came in for repairs.

It'll be back in the water in two weeks

which considering the size of everything to do

with these ships, it's quite incredible.

What's even more remarkable

was seeing all these experienced tradesmen

working in the machine shop so diligently

and alongside the management.

What's important to the local economy

was that these skills weren't lost

as a result of the global financial crisis.

It was a disaster that really had nothing to do

with these workers and this business.

This disease we refer to as the GFC

could have wiped out an industry here forever.

I can only imagine how much industry and unique skills

have been lost in not only Greece but throughout the world

as a result of those trying times.

Now, I'm gonna tell you.

I'm a little bit scared because it's been a while

since I've been up in a crane box.

Now many people go up in crane boxes,

but I was up in crane boxes when I was in my 20s.

Now in my 50s, I'm shaking a bit, right?

Tell me, Antonis, behind me, as we turn around here,

I see three floating docks.

This is the biggest one, isn't it?

- This is the biggest one.

It's our number one, as we say, in the shipyard.

It's the largest floating dock in Greece.

- [Peter] In Greece?

- [Antonis] Yes, it can lift about 25,000-ton ships.

- 25,000 tonnes.

Now it's not working at the moment.

You're repairing it, aren't you?

- Yes, it needs repair.

This is number two.

They're loading it.

It's about 15,000 tonnes.

- Right.

- And the small one, that is about 2,500.

- [Peter] The shipyard was closed for how long?

- [Antonis] For one year.

- [Peter] For one year.

And you were here.

Were you being paid?

- No, no, no.

- Mate, that's fantastic.

I mean, you stuck it out to make sure

through the Greek crisis to see if you could get it working,

which is awesome, Antonis.

And now, the new Greek owners have taken over.

That's being repaired, isn't it?

- Yes.

- And already, how many people are working here now?

- About 320 people.

- And you're bringing in another loading dock,

another floating dock.

- Yes, in a few months, another floating dock

bigger than the two of them.

- So that means how many workers

will you have here in a year's time?

- About 1,000.

The limit, the goal for us is 1,200.

- And so this will be, without a doubt,

the biggest ship maintenance facility in all of Greece.

- That's right.

- It's a good thing.

Greece is coming out of the crisis now,

and I see all these guys working here.

I see happy faces too, which is impressive.

I noticed that you were talking to the management guy

like there was, you've been together,

you've known each other for a while.

- For many years.

- And the relationship is good.

- Yes, very good.

- Many people think it's otherwise, but I see,

I walk around here and I see hard workers

working next to management.

It's fantastic.

And I see that you're efficient.

How many ships in the last month have you been working on?

In the last five months, about 30 ships.

- [Peter] 30 ships in and out.

- [Antonis] In and out, yes.

And we are expecting about 10 in the next 35 days.

- [Peter] You should be proud.

It's very good.

This is fantastic, yes.

- [Antonis] We are very much.

- [Peter] I mean, it goes back to Greece's

ship maintenance and building history, doesn't it, you know.

- [Antonis] Yes.

- [Peter] I noticed there was an Egyptian ship here.

Where was that?

- It had an accident outside of Egypt.

- Yes.

- In the Mediterranean. - Yeah.

- And with that boat, they brought it here.

- They brought it here from Egypt.

- Yes.

- So you're already getting a reputation again

for being a very good shipbuilding,

ship maintenance facility.

- Everybody knows that we have the best workers here.

That's why they bring their ships here.

- Greeks. - There's a lot of history.

- Is there anything we're not good at, Greeks?

(Antonis and Peter laugh)

(soft music)

(Peter speaks in foreign language)

- [Antonis] We're gonna replace about five to 600 tonnes of--

- [Peter] Of the steel platform.

- [Antonis] Yes.

- This is massive, huge.

Syros might be an industrial powerhouse,

but it has a population of only 21,000 people.

I think it's because it has such a tight-knit community

that they were able to get through a crisis

that others faltered in.

Currently, there's 320 jobs here at the yards.

However, with expansion plans,

there's another 1,000-odd to come.

But more importantly, this business is a core

from which other companies and jobs are spawn.

For every job at the shipyard,

there's probably another few in town.

This has rebuilt the island's economy

which had been stuck in a slump for many years.

I can honestly say that if these young and old Syriots

hadn't banded together to work through their problems,

Syros probably wouldn't be as vibrant

and commercially progressive as it is today.

It's a lesson for how common people

from the community can get together

and make significant changes to local commerce.

(laid back music)

(women vocalising)

I've visited Syros before,

and on this occasion, I really enjoyed seeing new things.

Last time, the industry was just a curious backdrop,

but now it means a lot more to me.

However, this journey isn't all about me.

We can't visit an island without pleasing my wife, Helen,

and it had been a long time between swims.

So I asked captain to pull out the map

and save a marriage again.

When we first looked at Syros as part of our journey,

we didn't think about the beaches

'cause it's not known for its beaches.

It's known for its commerce, its history

and being the capital of the Cycladic.

But Captain Yianni who has been travelling the Aegean

for 20 years said to me, "Pete, there's plenty of beaches."

How many beaches are here, Yianni?

- About 10 under the island.

- Under the island, from the south coast going forward

up to the north coast.

And we're going to,

which beach is this?

- This, they call it Vari.

- Vari.

So this is one of the first beaches as you leave Ermoupoli.

It looks like it's hidden from everywhere.

You gotta go into a bay.

Is that right?

- Yeah, correct.

- So we're just coming into it right now.

And you can see a bit of a settlement over there as well.

So it appears like it's a coastal retreat.

Let's go and have a close look at it.

- Our port side now at the moment,

there is one very nice taverna that when you're eating,

your feet is inside the water.

- Wow.

See those people in the water in the beach over there?

I guarantee you they're all Greek

'cause nobody knows about this beach.

Hidden beaches, lost alcoves and little known towns,

this is what a Greek island holiday is all about.

This is where local knowledge can make the difference

between an ordinary experience and something really special.

We could have easily just cruised on by,

totally unaware of the fantastic coastline

that was begging to be explored.

Man, I've got the best captain in the Mediterranean.

- There are many beaches.

Komito is inside there.

Kutelo is this one.

Possidonia is this one, and Finikas is that one.

Now this one, very nice villas.

- Right, okay.

Well, let's head into Finikas.

I mean, we can't see all the beaches.

The problem we've got is there's a weather front

coming through tonight, and we need to move to Kythnos.

So we're gonna head straight up to Grammata

where there's something special to see,

and we're just gonna have a quick look here

and at the next beach.

But you know, you could see

there's 10, 15 beaches along here.

It reminds me of what the Mykonoses

and the Paroses of the world

would have been like 30 or 40 years ago.

And it's reasonably priced.

You don't need a boat like this to come here.

Put it that way, you know.

Let's go and have a closer look, captain.

Yianni, I really like this part of Syros.

The road is so close to the beaches.

I think you can come here by big boat or by sailing boat

as you see behind me, but you could also go and hire a car

in Ermoupolis south and drive along the south,

along the west coast, all the way north

and just stop at these villages all the way along,

and stay at a hotel for the night

and then move on and see all the beaches.

It's pretty impressive.

And this area, this part of it is obviously protected

from the meltemia, the northerly winds.

- Yes, it is.

- All the way up, the way that Syros is slanted.

So it's pretty much made for beaches.

So we're gonna head up to Galissas now

and have a look at a nice church in a cave,

have some lunch and relax a bit.

Well, I've done my job.

I scout the beaches,

and now Helen was off for her two-hour swim.

That gave me a chance to investigate a story

I'd read about earlier.

Now, Greece is known for its theology and myths.

And I shouldn't say this, but the two often come together.

And here, there's a local legend that I had to chase.

It reminded me of the famous Jules Verne classic,

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

So we've come out, what, about five minutes

from Galissas beach, about five minutes.

- [Boat Driver] Yup.

- And just around the corner here,

a fisherman got thrown off his boat

and was attacked by an octopus, mate,

a giant octopus, buddy.

Yeah, it's a giant octopus.

Now, as it had the tentacles around him,

he prayed to Saint Stefanos, Saint Steven.

He was saved, mate.

He got out of the tentacles,

and as a result, he built this church,

this church in this cave.

It's got no ceiling.

It's got no floor.

That prayer saved his life, mate.

Now, I don't know if it's an urban myth or not,

but it looks pretty cool.

I'll go and have a look and say a quick prayer.

- [Boat Driver] Say one for me.

- [Peter] I'll say one for you, buddy.

Ooh, yeah, awesome.

Thanks, buddy.

- [Boat Driver] No worries.

- Amazing.

(bell rings)

wow.

So a nice little balcony here.

Someone's been having a barbecue.

But have a look at it, will you?

Who in their right mind would build a church here?

Well, if I was a fisherman

in the tentacles of a giant octopus

and I prayed to Saint Stefanos to save me and I was saved,

I'd probably build a church as well.

Well, mister fisherman, rest in peace.

This is an awesome view.

It's an awesome spot.

I think this fisherman

wasn't the tallest bloke in the world.

How this so-called fisherman,

who most probably worked six to seven days a week

to keep his family fed, found the time to build this church,

now, that's commitment to your beliefs.

Would you see that happening today?

Nah.

People would prefer

just to put a few coins in the collection bag.

Regardless of the truth to the legend,

this tiny church hidden in a cave

is a testament to the faith of the people that built it.

That said, I can't imagine

they get too many people at the Sunday service.

It's not the easiest to get to.

(Peter sighs)

(bell rings)

These little side trips are often the most rewarding.

You see places few get to explore,

away from the major sites where crowds gather

to simply tick a box and post a photo online.

I'm all for checking out the major landmarks,

but it's the small and quirky things

that I remember most fondly.

For now, it was time to head back to Mia Zoi.

No doubt, Helen would have finished her swim,

and I have a feeling lunch is on its way.

The last thing I want is a hungry crew on my hands,

plus we had another special spot

I wanted to show you before leaving Syros.

(laid back music)

(women vocalising)

Travelling along the south coast of Syros,

we've seen beaches I never knew existed.

And normally, most stretches of sand

are pretty much one dimensional.

You go there for a swim and to relax.

But our last group of beaches

are amongst a trilogy of bays

that have a lot more to them than just that.

These protected coves have fascinating stories to tell

gathered over many years.

The bays of Grammata on the northwestern peninsula

have been a sailors' safe haven for centuries.

The name itself in English means writing.

It's earned this title

because during long periods of inclement weather,

sailors would come ashore

and carve inscriptions in the rock faces.

It became common practise from antiquity

all the way to the present day.

Yianni, I can see one here from 1859.

- [Yianni] Oh, yeah.

- From the 19th century, 1859.

- [Yianni] Yeah, yeah.

- Look at that, 1859, 1874.

- [Yianni] Yeah.

- So this is modern history.

I had a little read about it too, Yianni,

and there's stuff that's here from ancient times

that's been taken up by the museums.

Is that right?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- [Peter] But look at that, 1859.

What does that say, Yianni?

What does that say?

- [Peter And Yianni] Georgos, Georgos.

- George.

There's more up there up on the--

- Yeah, there's more.

- There's stuff here.

There's stuff everywhere, mate.

Amazing.

There's more.

I could see an archaeological sign over there

that says don't touch. (chuckles)

There's stuff here from recently.

I can see stuff here from the 1950s and the 1960s as well.

My suggestion is that if you come up here

and you wanna emboss the rock, do it somewhere else.

Don't do it around here

because we need to protect our history, you know.

Let's get going, Yianni.

- [Yianni] Yeah.

- The more you look at the rock faces,

the more the graffiti becomes apparent.

The sailors that have etched their name onto these stones

have achieved a certain amount of immortality.

It'll take thousands of years

for erosion to completely remove their marks.

And no doubt, in that time, others will add their carvings.

It's an ever evolving palette

that tells the story of those that visit.

Here's one.

1908.

What does that say?

An--

- Andreas.

- Andreas, 1908, eh.

And what's that say?

Arcapo.

- Arcapo.

- Yeah.

Well, interesting visit,

and the good thing is you can have a swim afterwards.

So there's a couple of sailing boats here.

And it seems to me that sailors have been seeking sanctuary

from the weather here for over 2,000 years

and leaving their mark.

So if you wanna have a day with a read and a swim,

come to the northwest coast of Syros.

Come to Grammata.

Beautiful.

(speaks in foreign language)

(Yianni speaks in foreign language)

Let's go.

Beyond the carvings, it's a beautiful spot

and well worth stopping as you travel around the island.

Personally, I would avoid the temptation

to add your own mark.

It's a historical site and should be left as is.

If you do feel the need to etch your name in history,

at least do it away from the old carvings

and make it subtle.

After circumnavigating on,

we docked in Ermoupoli for one last time.

Ahead was a long cruise,

so we took on provisions, refuelled, and of course,

I wanted to bid my new friends farewell.

I really enjoyed my time in Syros.

It's a beautiful island that's full of surprises,

from the heavy industry of the shipyards

and mixing of religions,

to the stunning architecture and old world charm.

It's a unique destination that has something for everyone.

I didn't think they'd let the ugly boats next to mine,

but they have, the little plastic ones.

Mine's aluminium.

I've got an awesome boat.

These things, they're like runabouts.

Most shots you see around the islands

are used mainly for weekends.

Tourists do two- or three-day island hopping

and then return to Athens.

Mia Zoi, on the other hand, really gets worked.

We're out for months at a time.

It's the only way I'm gonna see

all 227 inhabited Greek islands.

And at last count, I'm at 87.

Or is it 88?

You see, they're clapping.

They're clapping 'cause they got in.

Like a lot of Greece, during summer,

this port is extremely busy.

So to avoid chaos and accidents, there's a harbour manager.

Having been to plenty of islands over the years,

I've met my fair share of them,

and there's one trait they all have in common.

They're characters.

I guess you have to be to deal with

all the different personalities coming in the port.

Here, the larger than life person

controlling the madness is Thanasi.

His quirks are many,

but the one that stands out is his fashion.

He somehow manages to colour coordinate his wardrobe

from shoes to sunglasses.

He even matches his folder to this theme.

Apparently, he has a different outfit

for every day of the month.

Now, that's dedication.

Our crew are dedicated too.

Captain Yianni had been watching Thanasi

and was begging on a day

where they would both be fully synchronised.

Sure enough, that day arrived.

Another great character I met was Andonis.

He's a retired barber who spends his days

giving free haircuts to the elderly up on Ano Syros.

Many of them are too frail to walk down the hill to the city

so he gladly lends a hand.

He asks for nothing in return

other than a bit of friendly conversation.

It's the folks like Andonis, Thanasi

and the workers at the shipyard

that give a destination colour and charm.

They're the people who tie a community together

be it through their infectious personalities

or their contribution to society.

I'd go as far to say

that they're the lifeblood of islands like Syros.

The scenery might be stunning and history rich,

but it's the people that complete the picture.

In the next episode of My Greek Odyssey,

I'm heading west to Kythnos.

It's only 100 kilometres from Athens,

which makes it a popular destination for mainland Greeks.

Go there in summer and it's really busy.

But late in the season,

you'll discover a peaceful and ruggedly beautiful island

dotted with secluded beaches.

It's the kind of place you go to relax away from the crowds

where little has changed throughout the centuries.

I'll show you what makes

a favourite weekend escape for locals,

but also dig a little deeper

to unearth a few lesser known highlights,

from thermal bars and ancient ruins,

to hidden coves and sunken treasures.

It's an episode that will take you above and below the water

to discover yet another fantastic piece of Greece.

(laid back music)