My Greek Odyssey

The journey begins where most Greek odysseys begin, in the capital, Athens. One of the oldest cities in the world, it features some of the most recognizable ancient ruins such as the Parthenon and Roman Agora. Peter explores its hidden secrets and meets the people who make it so extraordinary. He also delves into the foundations of the Orthodox religion and the importance of Easter.

Leaving Athens, My Greek Odyssey journeys across the Aegean to the oldest theatre in the world, Epidaurus and the ancient ruins of Asklepion the birthplace of modern medicine on the island of Kos. Peter visits the tiny island of Moni, home to dear and hundreds of peacocks before heading off to Spetses to discover the island's maritime and nautical history.

On Spetses, My Greek Odyssey joins the festivities of the annual Spetses Classic Yacht Regatta, established to honor the boat builders of the island and the seafarers who fought in the 1821 Greek War of Independence. Peter then cruises to Hydra where all the houses are 200 years old, as no new buildings are permitted by law, and the only means of transport are mules, horses, and water taxis.

In this episode, Peter continues exploring the island of Hydra and takes part in its biggest celebration, The Miaoulia Festival. This annual event illustrates the island's proud heritage which culminates in a dramatic re-enactment of the sinking of the Ottoman Empire flagship. He also visits the deserted island of Dokos to find the remains of a German plane that crashed during World War II.

My Greek Odyssey's journey through the Aegean continues, as Peter heads deep into the Argolic Gulf to the port of Nafplio on the Peloponnese. He then visits one of the oldest settlements on earth, Argos which has been inhabited for over 7000 years. His final stop is the medieval castle town of Monemvasia, founded around 550 AD.

In this episode, Peter explores Monemvasia's most important place of worship and one of the oldest and most important Byzantine churches in Greece, Agia Sofia which is 1000 years old. His journey then continues to another tiny island that punches well above its weight, Elafonisos. At only 19 square kilometres in size, it's a hidden paradise with its emerald water and sand dunes.

Peter's journey takes him to the island of Kythira, his family home. In this episode, he digs deep into his heritage and discovers his roots go back to the 15th century. He also learns the simple and ancient process of harvesting salt by hand and visits a hillside cave that houses frescos painted during the 13th century and a stalactite which is four million years old.

Peter discovers more of his island's heritage and looks at the world's oldest astronomical computer which was discovered on the nearby island of Antikythira. Made from bronze some 2,200 years ago it's called "The grand grandfather of all technology today". Moving onto Zakynthos, Peter docks in the bay of Navagio and visits an olive farm to learn about oil production.

In this episode, Peter visits the Turtle Sanctuary at Kalamaki on the island of Zakynthos where their work is crucial to the survival and protection of the loggerhead turtle species. He also visits the Museum of Underwater Archaeology on the island of Pylos and dives in the Shipwreck of Columns. Then My Greek Odyssey heads for the island of Kefalonia, home to more than a million olive trees.

My Greek Odyssey explores the stunning geological phenomenon, Melissani Lake in Kefalonia. Peter meets a couple of locals who spend their days at sea, forging a living as fishermen, and he catches up with a friend and tries his hand at beekeeping. He also visits Kefalonia's famous winery that produces Robola white wine.

Peter travels to Ithaki to see the 3000 year remains of the palace, where according to Homer, Ulysses started and finished his Odyssey. He then indulges in a local seafood specialty - red mullet preserved in oil, vinegar, and herbs, and finally visits Lefkada and the village of Englouvis which produces the best lentils in the world.

Continuing on the island of Lefkada, Peter learns the secret to Vertzami, the local fruity wine which uses a grape introduced by the Venetians four centuries ago. He is humbled when he's granted permission to visit the beautifully preserved, private and historic island of Skorpios, once owned by Aristotle Onassis. From there he heads to Paxos and indulges in the local olive oil.

The last episode in the series sees Peter head to Paxoi and the largely abandoned, Antipaxoi. He then explores the very popular island of Corfu to learn the secrets to making local white cheeses and Corfiot smoked pork fillet (noumboulo fumicado), also called Corfiot prosciutto. His very last stop is the northernmost island in the Ionian Sea, the cosmopolitan Othonoi with a population of 90.