I’ve always been passionate about Greece and travelling in general. But in 2020 the happiness I get from spending time in the islands and sharing the journey with friends and family was taken away from me. Thankfully we had already filmed series four of the show, so I tasked the production team with completing it as quickly as possible, so we could give people somewhat of a distraction from the everyday. My hope is that by experiencing a slice of Greece vicariously through me, I may be able to bring a small amount of joy to those stuck at home and longing for a holiday.
Series four of My Greek Odyssey sees me travelling through the southern islands of the Dodecanese. From Kos to Symi and Rhodes, all the way down to Kastellorizo. It’s a region of Greece with significant influence from Asia Minor, and landscapes quite unlike other parts of the Mediterranean. The history is as dramatic as the scenery, and of course, the cuisine is unforgettable. There’s the clichéd beaches and wonderful people, plus unique cultural elements that give each destination its own personality. Once again we will be cruising through the islands on the magnificent Mia Zoi, and along the way chef Kyriako will be cooking local delicacies, while Captain Yianni will makes sure I don’t miss any of the regional highlights.
At the moment the show is available to view on Vimeo on Demand. The team are also working on making the series available on Amazon Prime, with a likely launch in mid 2021.
Episode 1
In the first episode, I’m arriving on the island of Kos. It’s the third largest island in the Dodecanese, and the second most populous. So apart from there being plenty of landmass to explore, there’s also loads of interesting people to chat to along the way. I’ll be covering every inch of the island, by foot, bike, boat and car, so it’s going to be a busy few days.
Episode 2
In this episode, I make my way across to Nisyros. After spending the first few days of this trip to Greece exploring the busy hub of Kos, it was time to go somewhere a little more relaxed, which Nisyros sure is. Despite being known for it’s volcanic heart and quaint towns, it doesn’t have the infrastructure and resorts that draw in the masses. So that means things move just a touch slower.
Episode 3
Now I find myself headed to the tiny island of Tilos. It’s one of those ‘off the beaten path’ destinations, that remains relatively untouched by mass tourism. From there, I’m making my way to the picture perfect island of Symi, which unlike Tilos, gets its fair share of holidaymakers. Both islands have their charms and unique stories, and we`ll do our best to bring them to life for you.
Episode 4
Join me as I continue my time on Symi. I’d already spent a couple of days here, but with so much to see and do, the team decided to stay the week. I’m also going to visit one of the smaller nearby islands, Alimia, abandoned for just on 50 years. This little gem has some great stories that have sat under the radar for way too long!
Episode 5
Episode five sees me making my way to Chalki. It’s another one of those beautiful islands that most folks have never heard of. It’s a place of contrasts. The seafront in the port area is alive with people and energy, but the interior of the island is a barren landscape with very few inhabitants. From Chalki we’re then heading to Karpathos, where I will be experiencing it’s unique culture, in more ways than one.
Episode 6
In this episode I start my time on Karpathos. I had never been to this huge island, so naturally I was keen to see as much as I could. This episode picks up where I left off, with a couple more days to explore the place, before heading south to another island I’ve never visited – Kasos. So prepare to see me a little more excited than normal!
Episode 7
In this episode we’ve arrived on the Island of the Knights, Rhodes. It’s one of the most well known destinations in the world, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a place that constantly amazes, with grand architecture, dramatic history and even more spectacular landscapes. I’m going to show you all the major sites, but also some of the unique experiences that locals have kept to themselves.
Episode 8
In the final episode of the series, I’m leaving the largest island in the group, Rhodes, and heading east to one of the smallest, Kastellorizo. It’s in the farthest corner of Greece, sitting just off the coast of Turkey. We’ll actually be popping across to the Turkish mainland while there, to show you a great little fishing town. We will also break up the long journey with a visit to the tiny island of Ro where I’ll tell you about the “Lady of Ro”. She embodies a spirit of pride, determination and resistance with which many Greeks identify.