Greek Islands (Full Episode) | Europe from Above | National Geographic

These are the Greek islands of Europe, as you've never seen them before. From above, we'll reveal a region defined by its maritime position, where ancient history and a culture brimming with tradition thrive alongside unique farming and innovative engineering to create this most diverse of regions. In this series, we'll take an aerial tour across Europe, filmed over the course of a single year. And through the changing seasons, we'll uncover the culture, history, and engineering that built the great European nations we see today. Mainland Greece is surrounded by around 6,000 islands, and they're divided into groups. They include the Ionian Islands in the west, the North Aegean Islands, and the Sporades in the north. In the middle are the Cyclades and the Saronic Islands. The Dodecanese are in the southeast, while Crete lies at the very bottom. From the Bronze Age kingdoms of the Minoans to the spectacular rise of ancient Greece, these islands have been pivotal in shaping the very foundations of western civilization. Over the millennia, seafaring powers have jostled for control of the islands, leaving a mark on an area as varied in culture and architecture as it is united by a common language and the Greek Orthodox religion. While western islands like Cephalonia are lush with greenery, volcanic islands like Mylos and Siphnos are arid. In the southeast, Rhodes' dry landscape is punctuated by ancient ruins. But the islands are just as known for their famous sandy beaches and aquamarine waters, attracting sunseekers from all over the world in their millions. As winter ends, the tourist season kicks into gear, luring the first boats to Corfu's harbors. The onset of warmer weather drains the hills of Crete, and the lush winter greens dry out in the rising heat, attracting the first visitors. It's time for spring. In spring, visitors take advantage of the cooler climate to explore the island's architectural gems. Many chart the rise and fall of long-lost empires, like Chania in Crete. Here, colorful townhouses hark back to the bygone rule of the Venetian Republic. Buildings in Piraeus are covered with dazzling and intricate patterns. These are created by scratching off the white plaster to expose the black sand underneath. And there's one place that boasts perhaps the most famous island skyline of all. The Cyclades is a group of 220 islands east of mainland Greece. One island stands out from the From high above, it looks like a crescent moon dotted with snow-capped mountains. The frosty peaks are actually gleaming white houses and churches. This is postcard-perfect Santorini. Viewed from above, the residents of this iconic island appear impossibly perched on the edge of a volcanic rim, or caldera, which creates the steepest of drops. Each year, more than 2 million visitors flock here to stay in one of the island's vertigo-inducing apartments, or visit one of the many whitewashed churches that give the island its unique visual character. In spring, volunteers like Halleris Fagellis help to keep these holy sanctuaries looking fresh and white ahead of the busy summer season. I love this place very much, because I was born here. I feel proud to be high above the caldera, and it fills me with the power of the church. Today, Halleris' mission is to paint the exterior of the picturesque Achios Spyridonas church, in the hilltop village of Ia, in the north of the island. I love the church, and I do what I love. I'm having a great time, basically. Halleris starts at sunrise to make headway in the refreshing morning breeze. He uses a whitewash paint made from chalk or crushed limestone. It's designed to reflect sunlight and keep the insides of the building cool. Surprisingly, Santorini's white skyline only dates back to the start of the 20th century. Before then, these buildings were left unpainted to help disguise their presence from passing raiders, such as North African Barbary pirates. The limestone in the paint was believed to be a disinfectant against cholera. By painting buildings, locals sanitized their houses in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease. Santorini sits on the submerged caldera of a volcano that's still active and erupted as recently as 1950. Luckily, a ring of seawater protects the whitewashed houses from the heart of the volcano, which perches across the water as its own island. Santorini was initially a single volcano in the middle of the sea. Four thousand years ago, a violent eruption blew away the middle section, eventually creating the fragmented rim that we see today. Back at the church, it's been a long day in the rising springtime heat. Halleris has finished painting the underbelly of the dome, and Father Prasinos inspects his work. The churches of Santorini have come to embody the architecture of the island. The beautiful domes and magnificent bell towers make it special. We are very proud of this place and feel blessed here. After a successful day's painting, it's time to relax and enjoy one of the best sunsets the Greek islands have to offer. The people of the Greek islands have shown an astonishing ability to harness their environment since antiquity. These iconic old stone windmills on Mykonos were once used to grind wheat. Workers on Thassos have mined marble for thousands of years. It was shipped all over ancient Greece to build temples to the gods. Today, Greece is the world's fourth biggest exporter of marble. And on one small uninhabited island, another dazzling white material drives a surprising modern industry. The Dodecanese Islands sit just off the coast of Turkey. The name means 12 islands, and pushing through the clouds reveals one that looks unlike any of the others. It's shaped like a bow tie and is covered in mysterious patches of pure white. This is Yali. From above, its strange and mystifying landscape looks otherworldly. Giant snow-like sculptures protrude from the rock. These pale patches are quarries for a white volcanic rock called pumice. 200,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption on neighboring Nisyros deposited large quantities of pumice into the sea. As the seabed rose over the millennia, the island of Yali was created. Pumice is used as an aggregate in the construction industry to make lightweight concrete, and Greece is a leading global exporter. There are no permanent inhabitants on this ghostly outcrop. Instead, 27 workers cross the waters from Nisyros each day to work in the quarry. With 100 million tons of pumice coating its surface, this island is the country's main production hub. Antonis Kotsampasaglou heads up operations here. I can still remember the first day I arrived here at Yali, and it was an amazing feeling, and it was, I believe, the closest thing I could ever have in stepping on a different planet. Each morning on the island of Yali, four heavy-duty bulldozers set off in a convoy, ready to dig 6,000 tons of white volcanic pumice. With perfect synchronization, Antonis conducts his army of bulldozers in a graceful dance. They twirl about, feeding the extracted pumice onto an extraordinary five-kilometer-long web of conveyor belts, which transports it to a processing plant. Machines then crush the pumice to be used for mixing concrete. Extraction was first recorded on this island almost 11,000 years ago. Natives from the island of Nisyros came to dig for chunks of volcanic glass, which they used to create sharp-tooled objects. Trading these tools with neighboring islands was an important part of their economy, just as the quarry is today. Antonis and his team scoop up around a million tons of pumice each year. Bulldozers push the powdery piles towards the conveyor lines that extend out to the Aegean Sea. These will load the precious volcanic material into cargo ships that will transport it beyond the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic Ocean to the rest of the world. It's been a successful day for Antonis. His team of bulldozers has collected 6,000 tons of pumice, keeping a tradition that stretches back to antiquity alive and thriving in Yali. The mine is unique all around the world. Being a mining engineer and working here is like being an artist and working at the Museum of Louvre. As the days get hotter, a new wave of visitors work up a tan bronze enough to match Santorini's volcanic red beach. Tourists visit the famous shipwreck on Zakynthos, and old sea dogs fire up their boats, taking tourists on sun-drenched cruises into the Azure Sea. For locals, it's time for the crucial tourist season, as summer arrives in the Greek islands. In summer, tour guides on Crete welcome visitors to the palace of Knossos, the beating heart of the Minoan civilization, 3,500 years ago. The era of ancient Greece came later, around 3,000 years ago, and lasted for over 800 years. The ancient Greeks developed philosophy, dramatic theatre, and created the foundations of Western civilization. Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule all followed, and it was only in the early 19th century that the first seeds of modern Greek statehood sprouted. Each summer, that turbulent era comes alive in the most dramatic of ways. Around 600 years ago, the Ottoman Empire ruled over most of the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece and its islands. But in the 19th century, the Greek people fought back. This tiny island is the site of an extraordinary celebration of Greek independence. This is Spetses, one of the Greek islands most exclusive and expensive tourist hangouts. But for one weekend in summer, the locals clear the harbour of super yachts to celebrate a victorious sea battle against the Ottoman fleet 200 years ago. The celebration is called the Armata, and it commemorates the destruction by fire of the leading Ottoman ship. These days, it's fittingly celebrated with a huge display of fireworks. In charge this year is pyrotechnician Pavlos Nanos. For the Armata show, we use over 5,000 pyrotechnic articles. It's a show with over 2,000 queues. Today, islanders pack a converted fishing boat with fireworks to commemorate the victory. The event has added significance for Pavlos, because he's the direct descendant of local legend Bouboulina. She was Greece's first female admiral, and a key figure in Greece's fight for freedom, helping to rescue many Greek towns from Ottoman siege. Being related to Bouboulina makes me feel proud. On the same time, being part of this glorious family comes with great responsibility. A fleet of Greek ships set out in September 1822 to defend the island from the Ottoman fleet. They heroically set the Ottoman flagship on fire, and after three failed attempts to take the island, the invaders finally withdrew. Spetses' revolt inspired the rest of Greece to rise up, and it declared independence seven years later. Crowds gather around Spetses harbor to welcome nightfall, and boats circle the port in anticipation of the main event. Freedom fighters like Bouboulina used fire to great effect in their sea battles, and the opening display recreates how they would fill old ships with explosives and sail them into Ottoman craft. The climax of the evening is the burning of the Ottoman flagship. The skies erupt as Pavlos's rockets spark into life. Once aflame, it's time for Pavlos to dazzle the dark skies from around the boat. Bursts of fire illuminate the harbor, creating a kaleidoscope of color. For Pavlos, his job is complete, and he can enjoy the rest of the night with locals, friends, and family. I feel very proud to be part of this old tradition, contributing to the island and to the community of Spetses. For the Greek islands, summer is the most important time of the year, welcoming visitors from around the world to hot spots like Poros and Mykonos. Kefalonia draws nature lovers to its green valleys and picturesque beaches. Tourists seeking a sample of traditional life step back in time in communities like Hydra. On this tiny island, both locals and tourists get around its steep inclines entirely on hooves, as cars and bicycles are prohibited. But it's not just Hydra that preserves its local character. Even on more metropolitan islands like Crete, age-old traditions haven't been forgotten. Crete is by far the largest and most populous of the Greek islands. Its bustling capital, Heraklion, is home to 150,000 people, making it Greece's fourth most populous settlement. Away from the big city, traditional villages like Avdou host spectacular aerial sights that date back generations. Today, Avdou is the setting for a traditional Greek wedding, with hundreds of guests turning up to celebrate. Any wedding on Crete wouldn't be complete without a troupe of dancers. Choreographer and musician, Phanasis Mavrokostas, leads his team through the rehearsals in time for this evening's main event. Cretan dance is very important for us here in Crete, because it expresses our mind, our heart, and our character. Greeks have long celebrated their heritage through ritual dance and music. With different regions and islands displaying different styles, the dancers of Crete are renowned for being the most energetic, with swirling leaps and turns. The dancers use their partners to gain height as they leap. With rehearsals complete and the shadows lengthening, it's time for Phanasis to parade the groom through the village streets, playing his lyre and singing Cretan limericks, until they reach the tiny 14th century Byzantine church where the marriage ceremony takes place. As night falls, the village square is transformed as hundreds of guests fill the tables. Fireworks light up the night, signaling the festivities should begin. Phanasis and the musicians accompany the dancers as they perform their incredible exploits for the guests. Soon, the bride, groom, and guests join in, whirling in cyclical patterns that symbolize a strengthening of community and togetherness. Phanasis and his dancers have delivered an evening that will be remembered for a lifetime. As the vibrant colors of summer fade to the muted hues of harvest time, the tourist season comes to an end and beach clubs wind down for the year. On the lagoon of Lefkada, the first flamingos appear on their annual migratory trip north from Africa, as the Greek islands welcome autumn. When sun-seeking visitors disappear for the year, many islanders turn to more traditional ways to make a living. Livestock on Kefalonia outnumbers the locals by a factor of four. Others turn to shipping. Today, Greek ship owners control more than a fifth of the world's entire fleet, carrying staples essential to modern life, such as oil, gas, iron, and fertilizers. While some islanders prepare to close their hotels for the year, there's one rocky island that's gearing up for a late-season boom. The Dodecanese are made up of 165 islands. The most northerly is the island of Kalinos. From above, it appears covered in an unforgiving rocky terrain. But in autumn, this landscape attracts daring adventurers. As it welcomes the milder autumn sun, Kalinos turns into one of the world's most popular climbing hotspots. Aris Theodoropoulos is one of the island's principal climbing instructors. He came to Kalinos 20 years ago, and has spent the last two decades promoting it as a world-class climbing destination. Climbing is my passion. It's not just a sport that I do, but for me it's my way of life. Anchor points dotted along the island's steep limestone crags allow climbers to attach their ropes during their ascent. But they can deteriorate over time and become unsafe. Today, Aris and his assistants will tackle the Grandi Grotta, an extremely large cave with a steep overhang. They're on a mission to drill new, deeper holes and replace any old bolts. The final job of the day will be his greatest challenge. One of the many routes inside the cave has an anchor point 40 meters off the ground, and positioned almost upside down. The only way to get to it is to climb up the razor-sharp rock stratifications. Aris starts his repairs at the bottom of the route, drilling new holes for the most used anchors. Kalinos has over 4,000 climbing routes with established anchor points for attaching ropes. But this island wasn't always a climbing hotspot. In the 1800s, this barren and arid island drove the locals to sea for a living, as it became the sponge-diving center of the Mediterranean. But a catastrophic disease began decimating the sea sponges in the 1980s, and the islanders' main source of income plummeted. So locals took to the island's landscape. Its steep cliffs, salictite caves, limestone crags, and breathtaking sea views helped pioneer the island as a climbing hotspot. As the autumn sun starts to fade, Aris begins his final ascent over the jagged rocks. The climb doesn't get any easier, and there's no knowing if the new anchor points will hold. But he reaches the final anchor point. It looks good, but there's only one way to know for sure. It's been a successful day. Aris has repaired four anchors. Thanks to his efforts, this route will be safe for adventurers for years to come. When you're hanging from a rock, especially here in Kalinos, having the vast blue of the Aegean behind, you really feel like you're in heaven. As the Greek islands welcome the second half of autumn, the days become milder, and the year's crops begin to ripen, which means it's time for harvest. Corfu is Greece's leading harvester of kumquats, producing 100 tons a year of the golden fruit, and making a popular kumquat liqueur. 2.9 million olive trees line the Cretan countryside, which makes 450 olive trees for each inhabitant here. There's one Greek harvest that's unique to just one island in the entire world. The North Aegean islands stretch from Turkey to the mainland of Greece. The largest island is Lesbos, and the second biggest is Chios. A closer look reveals the island is split. The North is dominated by mountains, but the South has a sweep of flat arable land that's covered by a mysterious green stubble. At first glance, they could be olive groves, but the trees on Chios bear an otherworldly shadow of pure white. These are mastic trees, and the pale circles are patches of chalk dust. The chalk is there to help collect a gum-like resin from the bark of the trees. The resin has been cultivated here since the time of the ancient Greeks, around 2,500 years ago. For mastic farmer Michalis Lykorinas, autumn signals the last gum harvest of the year. I have been involved in mastic for the last 20 years. The work is all done by hand. We use a few tools, but no large machines. None of the work can be done by machine. To harvest the gum, Michalis and his team make five to ten incisions in the trunk of each tree to let the resin seep out. It forms a hardened skin almost immediately, creating lumps of gum known as tears of Chios. Each incision creates one tear, and each tree yields an average of 100 grams. Mastic was revered by the ancients as a chewing gum to help freshen their breath. Today, it's mainly used as a flavoring in things like toothpaste and ice cream due to its sweet taste and pleasant pine aroma. It takes around two weeks for the resin to dry completely. Once it's solidified, Michalis and his team will return to collect the tears. Chios is the only place in the world where mastic is grown commercially. In medieval times, mastic gum had a similar value to gold, and local settlements had to be fortified to protect their precious product from invaders and pirates. The nearby village of Mesta was one of the most important centers of mastic production. It was designed with narrow roads and dead ends to thwart pirates. Back at the mastic grove, hundreds of tears have solidified. Michalis rakes the drops of hardened resin from trees he made incisions in around two weeks ago. The chalk around the tree trunks keeps the tears clean and helps protect them from contact with the soil. He uses a traditional sieve to separate the resin tears from the chalk. It's like sifting gold. He puts the treasured resin into buckets ready for processing. The mastic is then carefully cleaned and packaged to be sold around the world. Mastic has been a valuable product for centuries. I feel proud that Chios is the only place on earth which produces this substance, giving the world a unique product. As autumn fades, locals take advantage of rising winds, breaking out their kites and wetsuits in the low-lying sun. Temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees, although the hilly hinterlands of places like Rhodes are sometimes draped in a light blanket of snow. Winter comes to the Greek islands. As the Roman Empire fell, Greece was ruled by the Byzantine Empire for around 1,000 years. The monastery in Patmos is a vivid reminder of this era, which ended due to a series of conflicts with the Venetian and Ottoman powers. The Venetians and Ottomans fought for command of the archipelago for over 200 years. The Castle of Hora on Kythera and Koules Fortress on Crete were built by the Venetians to protect their shipping routes. The Castello in Rhodes is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece and was taken over by the Ottomans as a command center. There's one fortress that bears particular witness to these years of conflict. Corfu is one of the largest of the Ionian Islands, which sit in Greece's northwestern corner. Pushing through the clouds reveals it's shaped like a miniature Mexico. A closer look at the old town uncovers a mysterious sight. A sharp horn appears to stick out of the town's side. This is the old fortress of Corfu. The fortress sits on a rocky headland that's perfectly positioned to guard Corfu's old town and harbor. It was first established in the 6th century by locals fearing attacks. But the existing structure was chiefly erected by the Venetian Republic, who used it in their centuries-long battle against the Ottoman Empire. For archaeologist Diamar del Rigacu, Corfu's peaceful winter days are the best time to explore a fortress that's been a source of endless fascination and discovery. When I see the old fortress from a distance, this magnificent rock that opens into the sea, I feel great awe and great love for it. The history of the last 12 centuries is concentrated here. Today, Diamardo corrals a small army of workers to tackle the flora that's sprouted in the fort's walls. Winter is Corfu's rainiest season. The rain causes weeds to grow in the stonework and their roots can cause fissures that weaken the structure. The team works together to get the wall in picture-perfect shape. Even at the height of the Ottomans' control of the Greek islands, Corfu stayed resolutely in the control of the Venetians. With its position as the gateway to the Adriatic, Corfu held a vital strategic position for the Venetians, protecting shipping routes. They rebuilt the old fortress as an impenetrable defensive bastion to withstand Ottoman attacks. The secrets of its ingenious design are revealed from above. The Venetians dug a moat that separates the promontory from the rest of the town. The moat transformed the fort into an artificial island that made it harder to conquer from land. The sloping angles of its defensive walls also helped deflect cannon fire. And even if invaders overcame those defenses, inner walls provided an extra layer of protection. The impenetrable design was a huge success. The old fortress repelled major Ottoman sieges across three centuries. And its success can be seen in the Venetian architecture of Corfu's capital. Kerkira. As well as its Italian-influenced cuisine based around old Venetian recipes. The Amado's team pulls out the last clump of vegetation, preserving the fortress for generations to come. Great battles were fought around the old fortress in the past. It has always remained impregnable. Despite centuries of Muslim-Ottoman and Catholic-Venetian rule, the main faith of the Greek islanders is Orthodox Christian. One of the most important religious gatherings is on Corfu, as bands parade to the beat of the Resurrection Festival. And locals perform botides, a custom where giant clay jugs are thrown from balconies. And in winter, there's one tradition that creates a particular splash. The Saronic Islands are Greece's smallest island group. They consist of six main islands. Moving closer in reveals a tiny isle that hosts a seasonal celebration vital to island culture. This is Hydra. It's early January, and this serene little island is ready to host one of the most meaningful festivals of the year. It's the day of the Epiphany. Katerina Maragou is one of many locals gearing up for this most holy of events. Epiphany in Hydra is a very, very big emotional ceremony for us. We are gathering all together on the island, in the port, and we are so happy to see each other on this day. Religion dominates life in this tiny community. Hydra is said to have 365 chapels, a church for every day of the year. This year, the Epiphany celebrations start at the Agios Nikolaos Cathedral near the harbour, where the island's faithful gather for a procession up to the wells of Kalapygadia at the top of the town. There, the priest will bless the island's water sources. Then the procession will make its way back down to the harbour, where across Greece, priests throw crosses into the winter waters. In a daring race for glory, a few hardy souls will brave the freezing temperatures to reach it first. The Epiphany celebrates the day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. But this ceremony echoes an even older era. The ancient Athenians would carry Athena's statue to the sea and dip it in the water to rejuvenate her powers. At the wells, the priest pours holy water into Hydra's natural springs, blessing the source of local life. And then the procession makes its way to the harbour for the grand finale. The priest blesses the water to sanctify it, and as the cross leaves his hand, the divers are off. The first person who reaches the cross receives a blessing from the priest. For Katharina and the locals on this traditional island, the joyous celebrations are the perfect way to welcome in the new year. I think I'm too shy, but we are hanging, we are kissing, we are saying many wishes for the new year. It's a very good connection between us in a small society. The Greek islands have a rich history, which reveals itself on every hill and shoreline. Its people thrive in challenging landscapes, turning the unique gifts nature has given them to their advantage. Singular farming and innovative engineering have helped forge an identity, reinforced by a vibrant culture, shaping the islands we see today.