My Greek Odyssey

First stop in series three is Astypalia, which is a couple of hours cruising to the west of Kos. It's where the Cyclades meets the Dodecanese. It's the western-most island of the group and is shaped like a butterfly, and beautiful like one too! From there we turn Mia Zoi to the north east and the tiny island of Pserimos, but before arriving I get to explore an operating fish farm.

In this episode, I've arrived on the island of Kalymnos. It's one of the biggest islands in the Dodecanese, famed for its rock climbing. I'll also delve into the culture of it and the incredible story of the sponge divers that put Kalymnos on the map. When you learn about what they went through, you'll think they're more out there than the rock climbers!

In this episode I'm covering every inch of the tiny island of Telendos. It's only 600 meters from Kalymnos, but has a personality of its own, with great hiking and a fantastic dive site. From there I'm heading to Leros, which is a more lively island, with clichéd windmills, whitewashed houses and a stunning port.

In this episode I'm headed for Lipsi, a peaceful little gem that's well and truly off the mainstream tourist radar. But before getting to Lipsi, there's a spectacular island group called Macronisia that I just have to show you. Wait 'til you see the water!

This episode sees me on the island of Patmos, one of the most important locations in the Christian world. From there, I'm making a quick dash across to three barely inhabited islands to the east, hidden gems not often explored by tourists. No doubt you'll be adding them to your wish list!

In episode six I've arrived in Fournoi, and I know what you're thinking "Where in the Mediterranean is that!?" Well, it's a gorgeous slice of Greece, hidden between Ikaria to the west and Samos on the northeast. My plan is to take in the sites, from the mountaintops to the seafloor.

In this episode I'm finishing my visit to Ikaria by spending time meeting some of the locals. I want to understand why they live longer here than elsewhere. Is it the food? The lifestyle? Genetics?

In the final episode of the series we travel to a place that holds special memories for both Helen and I. It's one of the first islands we visited together, when we were young and seeking adventure. But it was an incredible time and those memories have kept us coming back, again and again. The island I'm talking of, is Samos!