Original subtitles

(THEME MUSIC)

In the first four series of My Greek Odyssey,

we visited islands of the Saronic, the Ionian, the Dodecanese,

the Western Cycladic, and the Northern Aegean.

In series five,

we're seeing the Southern and Central Cycladic.

Islands you've never heard of like Levitha, Anafi, Donousa,

and ones you know well like Santorini,

and the big one, Crete.

PETER (VOICEOVER): In this episode, I'm exploring

one of Crete's prettiest cities, Rethymno.

From its Venetian fortifications and mix of architecture

to the awesome food

and countless artisans practising their craft

in this beautiful medieval town,

there are plenty of reasons why it's a favourite with tourists.

This is an Old World city

full of fascinating stories and wonderful characters.

These are my final days on Crete,

which means there's a lot to see and do

before I'm back with the crew aboard Mia Zoi.

So, let's get stuck into it.

With a population of 30,000 people,

Rethymno is the third largest city in all of Crete.

And it doesn't really feel like a city.

It's actually quite provincial.

When you first come in,

you see this endless beach that seems to go forever.

And on the other side is the beautiful old medieval town.

And it's only second to Rhodes old town

in all of Greece, in my opinion.

Most people come here and will go to the old town

for breakfast in the morning, have a walk around.

And when the sun heats up, they'll come to the beach.

And then in the evening, they'll go back

to the old town when it's buzzing.

I'm really looking forward to walking through all of Rethymno

and seeing as much as I can.

To get here, we had the best part of 80kms

of Westward cruising from Heraklion.

It's a long transit for us,

because normally we hop between islands,

and in Greece,

they're typically pretty close together.

But Crete is massive,

and there can be long stretches between major ports.

Arriving in Rethymno, the history is immediately present.

You can see the centuries of differing rulers in the skyline.

What's also instantly obvious

is that this is a popular tourist spot.

The beaches are covered in deck chairs and umbrellas,

where thousands of visitors

spend their days lounging about in the sun.

It's about a half a kilometre between the marina

and the entrance to the medieval town.

And for the whole length of that road,

it is taverna, after taverna, after taverna.

There must be up 30 or 40 of them.

Speaking of tavernas and food, I'm getting hungry.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

The standard day the beach

for people visiting this part of the coast

is to alternate between baking in the sun,

cooling off in the water, and sitting in a taverna.

They basically go from sand to sea

to sipping on a cold drink from mid-morning to sunset.

It's a leisurely lifestyle, but the thing is,

the port is just a stone's throw from here.

So, the water isn't as clean as you get

if you venture just a little bit further

down the coast.

But it does mean you're right near the entrance of the old town.

They've been building on top

and around this medieval town for 800 years.

And in this bookshop, there's not just books.

There's something that you never expect

to find in a bookshop.

There's a 250-year-old fountain,

still here with like a washbasin underneath it.

Now, why is it here?

We're going to go outside to have a look.

Here we go.

There's a mosque with a minaret in the backyard of the shop.

And that cistern was used to wash their hands

before they prayed in the morning, of midday and evening.

The wonderful mix of architecture

is a physical example of this city's cosmopolitan culture.

Both mosques and churches have their place,

with all faiths welcomed.

The narrow laneways

with their colourful bougainvillea and stonewalls,

are flanked by both Ottoman dwellings

and 16 century Venetian buildings that are still lived in today.

It's a fascinating place to take a stroll

and admire the rich history told through the varied designs.

The era that has left the greatest mark on the city

is the Venetian period.

The grand archways of the walls they built

still bear the ornate stone relief artwork,

albeit having been restored in parts and given some colour.

It was a period of prosperity for the city and island as a whole.

And the result can be seen in the extensive works

built by the Venetian occupiers.

The best example of the importance

they placed on the city is the citadel,

with its thick ramparts and fortifications.

It's the most dominant man-made structure in Rethymno

and no doubt had an impact on anyone

who thought they could invade the city.

This is Fortezza,

the largest fortress in all of Crete,

sitting in the walls of the medieval town

here in Rethymno.

There's 1.3 kilometres of this high stone wall,

surrounding this whole fortress.

It was built in 1573 by the Venetians,

but it only lasted 150 years

because the Ottomans laid siege to it,

and eventually the inhabitants surrendered,

as a result of starvation and disease.

But this is not a story about this specific fortress.

After the Ottomans had taken over, they really made no change.

And in their period on this island, they really didn't do much.

And in Greece during Ottoman rule, they built very, very little.

The Venetians, however,

built a hell of a lot during their time.

And in that time, like this castle, they used the local Greeks,

the Cretans here, like slave labour.

Here, 100,000 Cretans in seven years,

40,000 animals over seven years,

were used to build this fortress, and it was the same all over Greece.

People talk about the tyranny of the Ottomans.

They forget about the tyranny of the Venetians.

History has always been written by the conquerors.

Those that win the wars become the ones that document them.

Meaning they can erase atrocities and create heroes from villains.

Similarly, they can use their position of power

to shape the future.

In the case of the Venetian empire,

when they seize control of Crete and other Greek islands,

they use the islanders as labour to build their fortresses,

ports, houses and other buildings.

While it served to keep the populous controlled

and enable them to construct huge fortifications,

it was also a point of conflict and disdain.

It gave those who were forced into servitude

a platform to band together.

Instead of creating people that accepted their occupies,

it made them want to keep fighting against them.

I got up early this morning

because I wanted to spend the whole day

going through this beautiful old medieval town

that has little streets and shops and architecture

that you won't see in very many other places.

And I'm looking forward to seeing

some of these really authentic shops

and maybe buying something.

But my first stop is the fournos, the bakery.

I haven't had breakfast.

There has to be more bakeries per square kilometre in Greece

than any other place in the world.

We love our morning pastries and more so our bread,

as we dip it into anything and everything,

especially olive oil.

Can I get one of these striftos please?

Yeah.

And I've heard about your paximathia

with oregano and olive oil.

I'll get those too as well.

Now, I'm doing this something that's sacrilegious.

I'm not getting a cheese pie or spinach pie,

I'm getting one with bacon and cheese.

Quick.

Have a look. It's called a strifto, a twirly.

That's the one, yeah.

Perfect.

And these are the Greek biscuits that have got oregano and olive oil.

These are for later.

There you go.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Fantastic.

Like many of the shops and other establishments in Crete,

and all over Greece for that matter,

tradecraft businesses and properties are handed

down through the generations.

You can find places

that have been held by the same family

for hundred years or more.

In this case, Stefano bought this bakery from his father,

and the shop dates back to the 1800s.

He learned his skills from his dad.

And now, just like his father did,

he rises before sun up to bake fresh bread,

biscuits, and other pastries

that generally end up in the hands of locals.

There are several other bakeries throughout the medieval town.

And so after a savoury starter at Stefano's,

I made my way to another well-known one

to satisfy my sweet cravings.

And of all the Greek treats,

loukoumades has to be one of my favourites.

These deep fried dough balls are lathered with honey,

cinnamon, and nuts.

It's a tasty combination.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Oh, they look so good, but they're gigantic.

They're normally half the size of that.

I'll be lucky to have five or six.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

She uses honey like Kyriako uses sugar.

Oh.

Cinnamon.

Thank you, Yeorgia.

Thank you. Look at that.

Look at that.

(SPEAKS GREEK) Let's have a look here.

I normally take these in whole, but they're just too big for me,

these guys.

First time I've eaten one with knife and fork.

Yeorgia.

Thank you.

Wow.

I can't help myself.

Hang on.

I have to look after my mate, the cameraman.

Here, buddy.

There you go, mate. Alright.

Is that good? Alright, eh?

That's just like the people at home having one.

Oh, oh.

Can't take me anywhere. (LAUGHS)

As simple as loukoumades might be,

not everyone can get the combination right.

I can say with confidence

that this place was up there with the best.

Next stop was one of Rethymno's most iconic shops.

It's a family run business that's been operating since 1958.

George started his apprenticeship in 1946 at the age of 12.

And by 1958, he opened this shop.

He ran it with his wife Katrina for almost six decades

and has now passed it on to his son Paraskevas.

He's one of the few remaining traditional phyllo makers.

And despite being incredibly busy,

they always welcome people into their workshop.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

For 75 years, George has been doing what he's doing here.

Unbelievable. (SPEAKS GREEK)

You were learning back then. Yeah, yeah.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Well, we're going to go out and have a look now

at the phyllo pastry being made.

They're specialists at it

that he's been making it for decades and decades and decades

because here, they make baklava and kadaifi.

Have a look at it. It looks fantastic.

Look at this stuff.

Let's go and have a look at how they open it up.

The art of making phyllo by hand is slowly dying out.

And these few remaining craftsmen are being replaced by machines

that work 24 hours a day.

But can this technology replicate the skills that Paraskevas

and his father have spent decades honing?

There are some things that only a human touch can create.

Just have a look at this.

How easy it could rip.

Paraskevas is an artist.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Yeah.

What Paraskevas was saying

is if you did that with the phyllo

that's made by the manufacturers through automation,

it would've broken up.

This is real phyllo.

This is the traditional phyllo that if you do that, it's fine.

It won't break up.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Look at that, look at that.

Wow.

And that's why their baklava and their kadaifi is the best.

There you are.

There you go. You can read the whole thing.

That's amazing.

That is amazing.

Before following in his father's footsteps,

Paraskevas studied civil engineering and practised it for many years.

We actually had a lot in common,

and the time passed quickly as we chatted,

all the while this cellophane-like fabric

of phyllo pastry was being unfolded in front of my eyes.

It was mesmerising to watch.

These guys are master craftsmen,

using all their senses to create something

that not only looks beautiful but tastes just as good.

They're incredibly methodical in their approach,

churning out sheet after sheet of pastry,

each identical to the one prior.

To most, the idea of doing the same

relatively simple task day in, day out,

for years on end would seem like a chore.

But for this father and son, it's an honour.

They take immense pride in their work,

and it shows in the outcomes of their toil.

It reminds me of the Samurai notion of the pursuit of perfection.

Well, these guys have achieved it.

This man has lived through a world war,

a civil war, hunger and more.

He started a business, raised a family, and through it all,

he has loved his work.

It's a passion, not just a means to an end.

He gave this community pride

and food that has no doubt provided comfort.

In return, he was given purpose,

which motivated him to work his whole life

with a passion for the task.

His eyes hold no malice or resentment,

just honesty and love.

Walking through this medieval town

and meeting so many skilled workers,

making and selling their product under the one roof

made me realise just how blessed we are

to be watching such a variety of artisans

using skills passed down for centuries.

Few places possess such a mix of crafts,

men and women.

There's everything from bakers and painters

to jewellery makers and stone masons.

This is truly an experience.

And one that I'm not too sure will be around

for many more years to come.

Cost-cutting, automation, and the loss of skills

will eventually see these gems disappear.

The humble leather worker, the passionate phyllo chef,

and the creative wood turner will be things of the past.

And in their place will be soulless machines

churning out carbon copies in their thousands.

Personally, I like the bespoke stuff

that's been made by hand

and filled with the love

that only the human touch can instil.

The only way these things will remain,

is if we embrace the shop local mentality.

If you buy it directly from the people making these things,

their businesses remain sustainable.

And the next generation of bakers or craftsmen and women

will see that the pursuit of their forefathers

is still a viable source of income

and perhaps an inspiring way to spend their days.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

30 years ago, Katerina and her husband

had a wonderful vision

of turning an old abandoned noble's house into a hotel.

She, along with many other locals

have bought life back in Rethymno's medieval town.

By taking advantage of its seaside location

and the fabulous architecture,

they've cleverly and sustainably restored the town,

adapting it tastefully to the wants and needs of the 21st century,

without losing the historic fabric of its medieval past.

So, what is special about Rethymno over anywhere else?

Why should anyone come to Rethymno?

Rethymno is adorable. It's cute.

It's beautiful.

It has great history behind.

It's not something,

like the archaeological eras that go...

It's a living history. Yeah.

It's a living tradition, and it's a living culture.

Also, it's in the middle of Crete,

that means that you can travel on the one side

or the other side of Crete very easily.

Yes. Also, the food is amazing.

And also, there is...

But the food is good everywhere in Crete, isn't it?

I think it's much better in Rethymno.

It's better in Rethymno. Yeah.

Yeah. Really.

Really, I think it's better in Rethymno

because Rethymno was the poorest province of Crete.

Right.

That means that people,

they have to be very clever and very inventive.

Right. That made the necessity.

Yes. Because it's the number three city.

After Heraklion, Chania, it's Rethymno.

Now. At that time, it was the last...

In economical sizes, it was the last.

Right.

Because Heraklion was always a rich town.

Chania was the capital of Crete,

and it was the economical strength and a political city.

From Chania, we have three prime ministers of Greece.

Right. Yes, of course.

You know? Rethymno was the more poor.

The poorest. But today...

Today it's different because of the tourism.

At that time, the motive,

the poorness gave them a motive first to be clever and inventive

and second to be really educated.

Are you happy here? Yes. Yes.

The only thing I can tell you

is that even after 30 years,

it's something that I really enjoy...

Yeah. ..that I'm here.

I have the opportunity to meet people,

to talk with them.

I'm like a small ambassador of my culture.

I misjudged Rethymno's old town.

You need way more than a single day

to truly absorb the unique experience

of seeing all that this place has to offer.

There's so much to see, taste, and do,

all tucked away in back alleys and hidden squares.

I love these little antique stores,

and there's a couple of them in Rethymno.

But what's special about this one is there's a bit of history here.

These are all door knockers from the Venetian times.

And you'll notice there's a couple differences,

but the ones I like are the hands.

Because the hand, you know that there's a young lady

staying at that house.

Now, when there's no ring on the finger,

it means she's vacant.

But when you see one like this one where there's a ring on the finger,

you know, that she's married, and there's no joy there.

But have a look at this shop. It's absolutely awesome.

It's packed at the moment. There's people all through it.

Kind of just trying to get in there somehow.

I think I might wait.

These little shops are a must to visit.

They're like tiny museums or time capsules.

The place was full of widgets,

trinkets, knickknacks, and instruments.

Everything you could imagine.

There were everyday items

previously owned by locals and heirlooms

that someone would've once cherished.

They're from a bygone era, each possessing stories of the past.

The shop owner, George, is a great guy

and, well, honest too.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

Yeah.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

I was keen to buy a gift for a friend.

What I was after was something that not only had historic value

but could easily fit into my suitcase.

I left the helmet behind,

but I found something that's very rare.

Hitler actually printed a couple of books

with pictures of the paratroopers

landing in 1941 here in Crete.

It's a very rare book.

Have a look at it.

And I've bought it for a good friend of mine

and one of our researchers.

He's an expert on the battle of Crete.

Have a look at that.

An original book.

Look at that. Amazing.

Nick, this is for you, mate.

All the hard work you put in for My Greek Odyssey,

our Greek Odyssey.

I'll go and get it wrapped.

George's son, Nikos, has his own shop up the street.

It's a workshop where he makes musical instruments,

in particular, the traditional Cretan lyra.

He also imports them to sell to tourists,

but it's not so much his craftsmanship

that I was interested in.

It was his talents for playing the instrument

that I was keen to experience.

The lyra is the Cretan traditional instrument of Crete.

Only in Crete. Only in Crete.

Originated here.

You can find it all over the world

but used to start from Crete.

OK? OK.

It's quite similar, like a violin. We have three strings.

The violin has four,

but we have the same tuning as a violin.

We play always with the bow.

The difference is we keep it up to our knee

when we're playing.

The lyra is three pieces of wood. OK?

We have the backside, always is one piece.

We can make it from rosewood.

We can make it from mulberry.

We can make it from walnut.

Also in front, we always use the cedar.

The cedar is amazing.

It comes from the old town when the Venetians were here,

before 600 years old.

So, 600 years old.

And that's why it's good

because when the wood is getting older and older,

it gives you a better sound.

(LYRA MUSIC)

On your travels through Crete,

you'll come across two particularly important sites

that you should pay a visit to.

The cemeteries for the soldiers who fought and died here in 1941

in what's known as the Battle of Crete.

Here lie the remains of soldiers from both sides of the conflict.

The peaceful setting is a fitting resting place

for people whose final moments were spent in utter violence.

It's a powerful contrast and quite surreal to walk around.

On the morning of May 20, 1941, the Nazis arrived in force,

with a massive airborne invasion of Crete.

Defending the island were Greek and Allied soldiers,

as well as local Cretans

who took arms to protect their homes.

They managed to inflict huge casualties.

And after the first day,

the Germans were somewhat on the back foot.

However, thanks to communication issues

and hesitation from the Allies,

the Nazis were able to seize control of Maleme Airfield.

This meant they could land reinforcements.

And soon after, the north of the island fell.

The Allies retreated south, evacuating Crete in haste.

Those who remained were either captured

or joined the Crete resistance.

Tragically, in the weeks that followed,

there were several massacres

inflicted on locals by the German occupiers.

Costas, we're talking about the Battle of Crete

and Greece and the Cretans.

Why did you bring me to Knossos?

Knossos. We made in Knossos.

What's the story? Yes.

So, Knossos in the beginning

of the century, 20 century,

was excavated by Sir Arthur Evans.

In the beginning of Evans's excavations,

a wonderful person, John Pendlebury,

a British archaeologist arrived here and continued Evan's work.

Parallel with his archaeological experience

was another experience,

which is a position in the British secret services,

being an archaeologist and being a spy.

Really? Yes.

Before the war, expecting the war, World War II,

he managed to pre-organise

a wonderful net of important Cretans.

At those days of the '30s,

some schools were arriving in Knossos.

There were no tourists those days,

and they were training in gymnastics.

Those archaeologists, Pendlebury as well,

were arriving here watching the students being trained,

and during the break, they were talking with them

in the Cretan dialect...

Right.

..asking, "Where do you come from?

"Where does your family live?

"Do you have shepherds in your family?

"Do you know the mountains?

"Does your father walk up there?" And they were keeping notes.

This is all data to possibly recruit later on.

They knew the war was coming.

They knew the war was coming,

and they were evaluating persons.

During the occupation,

secret service agents arrived with vessels.

And in few days, they managed to contact

and find those people they knew from before the war.

From the gymnastics that was happening here.

Exactly. 10 and 15 years earlier.

Exactly. Wow.

The story reads like a movie script.

Something only Hollywood would dream up.

But as they say, truth can be stranger than fiction.

It's as though I was thumbing through an Ian Fleming spy novel.

It's such an intriguing story.

And the tales Costas had to tell only got better from here.

Leaving the ancient palace of Knossos,

we headed south, around ten kilometres

to a town called Archanes.

Here, a band of partisans

and two British offices attempted the impossible.

What they did was never again repeated

throughout the war

and has now become part of the Cretan legend.

It's a drama filled event

that Costas has a personal connection to.

Costas, the only German general

to be abducted and captured in World War II

happened here in Crete,

and your uncle was part of that team.

Tell me what happened that night.

The night of the 26 April 1944,

German General Heinrich Kreipe left his bureau as every day.

His headquarters. His headquarters.

And drove to his residence in Knossos in Villa Ariadne

where he stayed.

That was the night that it was decided to be abducted.

So, the very well-trained group of two British officers,

Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor, Stanley Moss, and three Cretans.

You're uncle being one of them. As well.

Stop the car, threw out the driver, the German driver.

Gave him to the rest of the Cretan group

and took the general in the car.

They drove through Heraklion, up in the mountains,

to places that I can take you and show you.

18 days of extremely difficult hide and seek.

Wow. Wow.

I'd love to go and see where they went through.

Yes. Let's go.

Amazing, amazing.

A kilometre or so from the former German headquarters

is this roundabout,

which was the location of the abduction.

Until a few years ago, this spot was lost to history,

but thanks to the tireless efforts of local historians like Costas,

they worked out the precise location the event took place.

Thankfully, it will never be forgotten again

as a memorial has now been placed here.

When it comes to the many heroes who did brave deeds here,

the people whose names have been etched in this marble slab

are just the tip of the iceberg.

So many made the greatest sacrifice of all

to help others during this terrible period.

Well, the abduction group with Kreipe's car,

they drove north heading towards Heraklion.

They had to drive through Heraklion.

And after 22 checkpoints... That's Heraklion over there.

Yes. Yes.

After 22 checkpoints in the city,

they escaped out heading to the west.

On Ida Mountains, they abandoned the car

on the north feet of Ida Mountain,

to confuse the Germans.

And they zigzagged on the mountains 2,500m high.

All the way over there. Yes. Yes.

They walked.

And after 18 days,

they managed to approach the south coast

and embark on a torpedo boat and leave for the Middle East.

Wow.

So, all this time, there were Germans chasing them.

Germans were trying to find them,

walking on the mountains,

dropping leaflets

and in aeroplanes searching for them.

Wow.

It's a dramatic story that played out over a few weeks,

spanning the mountainous heart of this island.

What you have to appreciate

is that not only did they cover vast distances,

they had to drive through 22 armed checkpoints.

Then there was the journey through the mountains,

which even today are a hard traverse.

Back then, there were few good roads

and much of their journey was on goat tracks.

Putting the terrain aside,

it was also the fact they were being pursued

by a battalion of soldiers.

But wait, the story has one final turn.

The fate of the man who helped start it all.

We follow the journey of John Devitt

String fellow Pendlebury,

from his time as an archaeologist digging at Knossos to moonlighting

as a spy for British intelligence,

and then finally working as a soldier

with the Cretans against the Axis forces here

in the Battle of Crete.

And then, his final destination,

here with 1,526 other brave men

that gave their lives for their friends,

family, and future generations, just like millions of others did.

That's the tragedy of war.

History is filled with wars.

Emerging from them are heroes and villains.

But the reality is,

whether you're on the winning or losing side,

there are no real victors.

However, it's only by remembering these terrible times

that we can possibly learn from them.

For decades,

the world has been talking about the Mediterranean diet

as being the best.

And I can tell you from experience that it is.

My grandmother lived to 102 on it.

My father lived to 100 on it.

And it's all based on the foundation of olive oil.

Cretans are the biggest consumers of olive oil in the world.

35 litres a year.

That's twice as much as the next nationality down.

I've come here

to one of the biggest producers of olive oil

and bottlers of olive oil in all of Greece.

And I'm meeting the third generation to understand the nutrition

and the quality of olive oil

and how it's made in this beautiful olive grove.

Like every Greek, I love my olive oil,

and Cretans are known for producing some of the best in the country.

Which I know is a huge statement.

There's one brand that my best mate, Terry,

who's Cretan, raves about.

So, I had to visit the place where it came from.

Nikos, you guys spend a lot of time

on making sure you get the best quality.

What is the difference between virgin olive oil

and extra virgin olive oil?

I mean the best.

Extra virgin olive oil

is the highest quality olive oil.

It should fulfil some parameters,

chemical parameters,

like acidity up to 0, 8% and many other factors.

And also regarding the taste,

the organoleptic characteristic.

It has to be fruitiness above zero,

and it has to be without any defect in the taste.

Wow, so there's all those technical requirements you need.

You can't just produce olive oil and say it's extra virgin.

Oh, no, of course. You've got laboratories.

Hmm? You've got laboratories.

Yes.

There are laboratories and panel tests

that they confirm that an olive oil is extra virgin.

It means that it fulfils some strict parameters

in order to be called extra virgin.

Well, let's take, for instance, out here.

There's no laboratory out here and here, we see some olives.

How can you tell me that these olives are good or not?

This is a green fruit, bright green fruit.

We can see that

it is not affected from the olive fly.

So, in three months, we can produce a very high quality,

extra virgin oil from this fruit.

So, Nikos, it's the end of October.

You've picked the fruit. What happens next?

Let's go and show you that process.

OK. That'd be wonderful.

You know, I love my olive oil.

I think I drink more olive oil than Cretans do, for sure.

These trees range in age

from around 20 years to as old as 100.

They're cared for as though they were family members.

And as a result, they bear perfect olives.

It's a beautiful, somewhat cliched Greek setting

with gently sloping hills,

covered in perfectly maintained olive trees.

You can see why the life of an olive farmer is so popular.

Nearby, they have their bottling plant.

It's a controlled environment

as clean and sterile as you could imagine.

The attention to detail throughout the process helps

to ensure the purity and freshness of the oil.

The freshness in olive oil is a really important factor,

as we have to keep the olive oil fresh

as it will be after the harvest.

During the months, the oxidation

decreases the quality of the olive oil.

So, oxidation decreases quality.

Yes, yes. Sure.

So, we have to be very careful during the storage,

in the storage tanks.

And also it is very important during the bottling of the product

to keep all the highest standards

in order to avoid the oxidation within the product.

So, does that mean when I've got the olive oil at home,

I should keep it closed all the time.

Sure, you have to keep it closed

and in a cool and dark place.

What sort of temperature?

I would say in room temperature.

Room temperature, OK. Room temperature is OK.

Like a bottle of fine wine,

you have to treat your olive oil with respect,

which is something they do here, from the tree to the dinner table.

The automation is incredible.

Even hypnotic.

It's a cacophony of sound, running to a steady beat.

It's a constant process, going all day, every day,

for many months a year.

It's a busy factory that employs a lot of local labour,

and they churn out huge volumes of oil,

which is then exported to the four corners of the world.

Wow, Nikos!

Look at the size of these tanks.

They're huge, mate.

So, how much storage have you got for your olive oil all up?

It is 6,000 tons. 6,000 tons. 6,000 tons.

So, that's basically your production.

Mm-hm. Yes. Oh, it's just wow, mate.

It's just wow. Let's have a walk through here.

To think that this family started with a small olive grove

producing just a few vats of olive oil for the local community

and now with this vast infrastructure

and these missile silo-like vats

send Cretan produce across the globe.

So, what are you expecting to happen now, change colour?

Yes. Yes.

A little bit orange or pink.

Something like that. Orange or pink.

And if it's orange or pink, it's good?

Yes.

This part of the quality control process

is about checking the acidity levels.

Who would've thought an olive factory

would have its own chemistry lab?

Most importantly though, they have a fantastic chef on site,

which means tasting their amazing produce

in the way it was meant to be.

But perhaps the most important ingredient here

is the great company to share the experience with.

The history of olive oil in Crete goes back to the ancients.

So, although my story about the subject has been brief,

it's up to you to fill in the gaps

and unearth the incredible depth to the tail.

However, there is one more village I want to show you

with a beautiful old lady that you must meet.

If you Google oldest olive tree in the world,

this old girl from Vouves in Crete, just outside of Chania comes up.

And she's slated as being between 2,000 and 5,000 years old.

They can't really check the actual age

because the heartwood has gone.

And I'm telling you, 5,000 years old,

how are you going to check?

There are a number of challengers that say

that they're the same age, if not older.

But this girl's famous because branches of her tree

have been used for the marathon winners

in a number of the Olympics.

But what's impressive is,

she's still alive and still fruiting these beautiful olives.

Imagine what she has seen.

It is just truly impressive to see a living being, like this,

still here after 5,000 years.

And she's got a mate just over there.

And we think he's about 1,000 years old.

They sit here alone in this square, just looking at everybody going by.

So, when you're sitting in front of your TV,

watching the wreath being presented to the marathon winner

in the next Olympic games, you now know where it comes from.

However, one thing we'll never know

is just how much fruit this incredible tree is produced

in its life and how many people would've enjoyed it.

To say it's remarkable is an understatement.

Close to the ancient trees is a small museum

dedicated to the history of cultivation and oil production.

It's a showcase of the age-old techniques

they used right up until just a few decades ago.

In actual fact, in some of the more remote villages,

they still use the same methods and tools

utilised over a century ago.

A visit to the grand old lady of the island

was a fitting way to finish my time on Crete.

To be honest, despite everything that I've seen and done,

I felt like I left the place having only scratched the surface.

I could have easily dedicated an entire series to the island.

Man, this just keeps getting better and better.

It gets pretty busy here.

How many walkers do you get a day here in summer?

Up to 1,000 a day...

Wow! ..during the high season.

You can see why.

It's a must-do thing.

Yes, it is a must-do thing when you come to Crete.

Exactly.

(SPEAKS GREEK)

There's not much effort, is there?

Oh, no. They're gliding.

They are taking the warm currents and they glide.

And they just glide. Look at them all.

Look at them all.

Yeah. Amazing birds.

After a month travelling around Crete by boat and car,

I left with a greater understanding of the wealth of experiences

it has to offer.

But I could have easily carried on exploring it for months on end.

It's obvious why this island is one of the most popular in Greece

and attracts people who keep coming back year after year.

Leaving Crete, I was heading to Naxos

to meet up with Captain Yianni and the crew

to continue our journey

through the Central Cycladic islands.

First stop was getting the hire car back,

with a ferry trip out of Heraklion.

It was a sombre final drive.

I loved my time here and was so sad to see the island

disappear in the rear view mirror.

Ahead was a seaward transit, which meant I could sit back,

relax, and enjoy some downtime.

I actually spent the whole journey

going through photos of my time on Crete

and reminiscing with the crew about all the awesome stuff we had seen.

So much for getting some rest.

In the next episode,

I'm headed to one of the world's most popular island destinations,

Santorini.

There, I'll be giving you a complete timeline of its history,

from how it formed after a massive volcanic explosion

through the earliest civilisations to call it home,

right up to the modern era

where Santorini has become a Mecca for those after luxury holidays,

where there's a selfie to be taken around every corner.

I'll give you a glimpse

of the well-known features of the island

but also dig a little deeper to show you that

there's plenty of substance

beyond the picture-perfect Santorini most people know.

Captioned by Ai-Media Ai-media.tv

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)