Greece! The Islands

In this premiere episode, we experience Easter in the city Corfu - the most important holiday of Greece. We fly over lush green islands and discover remnants of the Venetian empire everywhere. And a soap maker tells the secret of his soaps made from olives after a recipe handed down over 5 generations.

Today we head to Ammouda, where Georgios brings us to edge of the Greek underworld in his boat and in Levkada, Ilias takes us fishing in a lagoon.

Alexis takes us on a ride with 'his' narrow gauged mountain railway. Passing narrow tunnels, we reach the inner part of the country via delicate bridges. In the ancient stadium of Nemea we meet Amalia, who is preparing for an Ultramarathon to Olympia. In golden Arcadia we meet Olga, a young beekeeper, who returned to her grandfather's native village, to build a future.

This part of our journey takes us to the Peloponnese, the biggest and youngest of all Greek islands. In Corinth, bungee enthusiasts jump into the canal. In the midst of the amphitheatre of Epidaurus, Maria introduces us to the world of the Greek drama. It is her first time on the most important stage in all of Greece. In Nafplion, we learn about the importance of the "Komboli". Rallou listens to the sound of these, allegedly meditative pearls. We meet a local weaver who practices this ancient handicraft in Greece. And in Leonidi, we see how hot-air balloons are built for the Easter vigil.

Today we visit the real cradle of Europe: Crete, Zeus' birthplace. Right next to the dream beaches of Crete, Crissanthi shows us some sites where she finds a true treasure of the sea: Salt of exceptional quality. Up in the mountains we meet Kostas and his fellow shepherds who are celebrating the day of sheep benediction. On the northern coast, the location where the classic "Zorba the greek" was shot, former cameraman Walther Lassali tells us why Stavros was the ideal place to shoot this film.

Together with Marianna, we collect the herbs she uses to make tea and oil and also learn about nature’s healing power. In Knossos, elaborate palaces teach us about a time when most Europeans still lived deep in the woods. In Matala, on the southern coast, a local fisherman shows us some caves - just like he did over forty years ago when sought out by hippies. Meanwhile, we meet a local taking care of a grove of huge olive trees that are over 3,500 years old.

We begin our journey from the pearl of the Mediterranean: the volcanic island of Santorini and then we head north to Naxos. In Santorini, we meet Margarita and her unique wine. In Naxos we witness the curious magic exuded by its marble quarries, learn how sometimes donkeys end up on the roof and why young Greeks seem to be able to dance before they learn to walk.

We travel to Tinosvia via Delos and then to Amorgos. In Tinos we trace the feeling in the sculptors' fingertips. We accompany the Skopelitis, the Mediterranean's most famous ferry, and end the round trip in Amorgos with Abbot Spiridon.

We visit the eastern part of the Aegean. At the famous monastery of Patmos we visit a grotto in which Saint John wrote the “Apocalypse”. Beyond the walls of the monastery Anastasia is expecting us on her research vessel. On Kalymnos, Apostolos introduces us to the art of free diving, which is used for sponge fishing.

On the island of Rhodes we pay a visit to the mother of all European coffee bars. Before the cobbler Jannis explains to us, why his handcrafted boots are still in demand - even by young people - in his tradition-steeped home island Karpathos. Then Sofia shows us, what crucial roles women play in "windmill village"- and how they, traditionally, still pull the strings.