Curious Traveler

- It's the land of myths and legends, the first Olympics, and some of the most stunning natural beauty in the world.

(speaks Greek) to Greece.

(soft cheerful music) - [Narrator] "Curious Traveler" is made possible by the following.

- [Announcer 1] At Regent Seven Seas Cruises, we believe that personal space is essential to the luxury travel experience.

With no more than 732 guests, our ships allow you to explore the world and discover the freedom of having space at sea.

- [Announcer 2] Over 300 tours across all seven continents, over 40 years of serving travelers, you can experience effortless fun vacations, and authentic experiences with GET.

GETours.com - [Announcer 3] Windstar Cruises.

Intimate, private yacht-style cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Tahiti, and more.

We look forward to seeing you on board.

WindstarCruises.com.

(soft adventurous music) - [Announcer 4] When you travel with us, you are not the typical tourist.

(soft Grecian music) - With its crystal blue waters and ancient myths and legends, this Mediterranean country has more than 6,000 islands.

And today, we are visiting just a few of them.

It is time to get (speaks Greek) about Greece.

Ah Greece, surrounded by those deep blue and green waters and immersed in tales of gods, goddesses, ancient epic battles, and the many cultures of East and West.

And the first thing you need to know about Greece is that it wasn't always Greece.

In ancient times, the peninsula and the archipelago was made up of many different city states.

And this part of the ancient world was focused on fascinating mythology, worshiping the gods of the skies and seas.

And back down on Earth, one island in particular became such a crossroads of civilizations, empires, and cultures.

That today you could walk across the ancient and Renaissance world in just a few steps.

(soft Grecian music) To explore all that curious history, today we are visiting Kefalonia, ancient Olympia, and Chania, Crete.

So here's what I'm curious about in Greece.

Who left some ancient treasures at the bottom of this magical cave?

Where can you find a bit of Egypt and Venice in Greece?

Why is an olive wreath put on the head of a champion?

When were these streets the homes to Christians, Ottomans, and Minoans?

And how did a lion get all the way up here?

It's time to get curious about Greece.

(soft Grecian music) Our first stop in Greece is an island with a curious connection to a lion and some pirates.

This is the beautiful island of Kefalonia.

And of course being Greek, there has to be a little bit of a legend to it.

It is believed that Kefalonia was named after the mythological character of Cephalus.

Well, in its non-mythological history, this area was part of the Venetian Republic for hundreds of years.

That is why we have the giant Venetian fortress above us to protect this port below.

But my favorite part which might be your favorite part as well, are all of these beautiful multicolored houses.

The ones that you see behind me here are painted only to match the beautiful blues of the Greek Sea and the pinks and yellows of the shells and sands.

This mountaintop fortress overlooking Kefalonia is the Venetian castle of Assos.

Built in the 16th century to guard against Turkish pirates, this used to be the capital of North Kefalonia.

The mighty walls used to run more than 6,500 feet long with four grand gates, with nearly 150,000 square feet inside.

Plenty of space for the governor's home and a chapel or two.

And there was another resident up here too, a winged lion just like this one used to greet visitors over a gate.

Why?

Well, because this is the winged lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of Venice.

Venice?

Yup.

In the 16th century, the Venetian Republic stretched all the way over here to Greece.

In fact, we will see an even bigger symbol of Venetian strength on another curious Greek Island soon.

But now, it's time to go from a cute lion in castle high on a hill to visit a Greek god in an underwater cave.

(soft Grecian music) We continue on the island of Kefalonia and travel from Assos to Sami, and the village of Karavomylos, where just past those beautiful blue waters tucked into the hills is a giant hole in the ground big enough to trip a Greek god.

(soft serene music) Looks spooky, right?

Perfect.

Let's investigate.

So we know that Greece is known for its great gods of the sky, but what about some gods of the underworld?

No, not Hades or anything sinister or spooky.

In fact, the setting for this Greek myth is quite beautiful and rather magical and it is all about love.

(soft serene music) This is the beautiful Melissani Lake and Cave, an amazing geological site full of stalactites and one really big hole in the roof that lets in all that gorgeous Greek sunshine that then falls on the Greek waters and makes all those different color blues that Greece is known for.

But believe it or not, that is just the tip of the iceberg of what makes this site so curious.

So we know it's called Melissani Cave, but it is actually known as the Cave of the Nymphs because of a wonderful Greek legend.

So the story goes that Melissanthi was in love with the god Pan.

But sadly, he rejected her.

And because Melissanthi was of a very dramatic nature, sadly, she drowned herself here in this lake because of a broken heart.

So because of this love story and story of sacrifice, this lake became a sacred site during ancient times.

And how do we know all this?

Well, partly from ancient artifacts that were found here at the bottom of the lake by scientists in the 1950s and 1960s.

The ones you see here at the cave entrance are replicas.

How did the scientists find the real thing?

Well, this roof had to collapse first which it did naturally and then this amazing site was revealed.

Archeologists date those artifacts to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC giving clues that this cave was a sanctuary to the god Pan.

Historians believe that ancient, let's just call them fertility rituals took place right here for years.

Clearly, this was a clothing-optional swimming spot.

(soft serene music) But it's not just the mythology that makes Melissani Cave so magical.

Just look at how the sun dances on the surface of these blue-green waters.

And then inside the darker section of the cave.

This is so beautiful here where you got, yeah, the silhouette and then the light.

Nature's magic continues.

The cave is nearly 500 feet long, 200 feet wide, and the lake is 65 to 90 feet deep.

The walls were carved and hollowed out over the millennia by a natural process, simply water eroding the rock.

And this giant islet in the middle of the cave was formed by the stalactites dripping down from the ceiling.

It's easy to see why this place was considered sacred and magical.

(soft serene music) But don't get too carried away by the beauty of Melissani Cave because there's one thing you shouldn't do here.

Do you ever go swimming or have you ever fallen in accidentally?

- No, I don't like the cold.

- It's too cold?

(chuckles) So falling in's not or jumping in.

- [Guide] The passengers fall in every day.

- Passengers do?

I shouldn't laugh at that.

(soft Grecian music) Next, we go from a sacred cave dedicated to the god Pan to a sacred grove dedicated to the god Zeus which also happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the most important archeological sites in the world and contains one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

This, my friends, is ancient Olympia, where the ancient Olympics began.

(soft orchestral music) This is the original, the ancient Olympic stadium.

Back in 776 BC during the very first Olympic Games, we had events like wrestling, the discus, and the javelin throw.

And of course, the decathlon.

And isn't it amazing that all these years later, we still participate in those same events in the modern Olympics?

But back to ancient times and the original stadium, you may notice something missing here.

There are no stadium seats.

The 40,000 spectators would just sit directly on the ground to cheer on the games.

You'll also notice a little rectangular area on the opposite side of the stadium.

That is where the judges would sit.

But then back on this side of the stadium, you see a little pedestal thing there.

You would think, "Maybe, oh, that's where the trophies go."

But no, that is where the only female who was allowed to observe the games would stand and that's only because she was the Priestess of Demeter.

Demeter was the daughter of Zeus and sister of Hercules and one of the 12 gods of Olympus.

As in Mount Olympus, the mythological home to the Greek gods.

Not to be confused with ancient Olympia which was named after Mount Olympus and it's real.

All right, now that we've got that all figured out, let's move on to the how and why the Olympics began in the first place.

Well, according to mythology, Hercules founded the games in honor of his father, Zeus.

But archeology and history tell us a different story.

It is believed that the Olympic Games were created as a sacred truce.

The truce was called the Ekecheiria, which literally means holding of hands.

So just like today, the games were a way for all nations to gather and at least try to be friends for a little while.

But why at this particular spot?

Well, at first just like in Melissani Cave, this natural area, a grove, called the Altis, just seemed the perfect spot for a sacred site.

It is believed that the Altis was a place of worship to Zeus since the 10th century BCE.

Which brings us to one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

This building behind me is perhaps the most important building here on the Olympia site.

This was the temple of Zeus.

Now, you can see one column still standing there.

There used to be six across the short side and 13 along the long side.

This made it the largest temple in all of the Peloponnese.

Now, inside the temple was this massive statue of Zeus.

It was nearly 40 feet tall and it took 20 tons of gold to make.

This made it one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Now, it wasn't just gold, but also ivory.

Which brings us to a rather curious part of its history.

Just at the foot of Zeus was always a little vase full of olive oil.

Not because he liked to eat pasta, but because the olive oil was good for the ivory.

Ah yes, that sacred Greek olive oil.

Olive oil has been used for all sorts of religious rituals and ceremonies, including the ancient Olympics.

These urns held olive oil that the athletes used to clean themselves with.

No deodorant back in those days.

Ever wonder where the Olympic olive wreath comes from?

Well, that goes back to Hercules again.

Because according to myth, Hercules planted a sacred olive tree here at Olympia, and then went on to invent the Olympic Games.

Of course, he did.

So the winners of the Olympic Games were awarded the kotinos or olive wreath.

The wreath was placed on their head like a halo for achieving a god-like status through their physical feats.

And by the way, those wreaths were about the only thing Olympians wore because those Olympians competed in the nude.

In fact, the word gymnasium comes from the phrase to train naked.

And this was completely normal in the ancient Greek world for all athletes, except for one particular group.

So as we've learned, the original ancient Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus.

But did you know there was an entirely separate set of games that were held in honor of Zeus's wife, Hera.

In fact, just behind me here, this is the temple of Hera and her games were called the Heraia.

And just like the Olympics, there were sporting events and feasting, but guess what?

In these games only women allowed, no boys.

Very little is known about the women's games other than the participants were unmarried girls, who, unlike the boys, had enough sense to wear tunics, and historians know that the only women's event was a foot race.

It is believed that both Hera's games and Zeus's games were held in the same stadium.

And fortunately, nearly 3000 years later the entrance to that history making stadium is still here.

This set of pedestals behind me served a very curious purpose back in ancient times.

If you come a little closer, you can still see the inscriptions here.

You can pick out words like Olympia, and victor, and honor.

Well, you know, if you speak ancient Greek, like I do, these were for the hall of fame.

That's because this area here used to be a long tunnel that the athletes would run through to get all excited before they entered the stadium.

Just on the other side of that archway that you see behind me.

Now, so we have the hall of fame on this side to the victors.

Then we have the hall of shame on this side.

Now, the hall of shame is not about losers.

Losing is okay, but cheating was definitely not okay back in ancient times.

If somebody was caught cheating, they would have their names inscribed on these pillars here, and guess what else?

They had to pay for these giant statues of Zeus, made in bronze to be put on top of the pillars with their names inscribed below.

So the moral of the story, one does not want to be included in the hall of shame.

And it just makes sense that truth and honor were so highly regarded in these ancient Olympic Games.

Because of course, these were the earthly games that celebrated the men's and women's physical strength.

And of course, the mind strength as well, to do all that training all in pursuit of immortality and god-like status.

(soft Grecian music) Let's come back down to Earth a bit from lofty ancient Olympia to our final stop in Greece's largest island, Crete.

And one of its most historic port cities at the crossroads of many cultures.

This Greek town has a colorful and curious history.

From the Minoans, to the ancient Greeks, the ancient Romans, the Byzantines, the Ottomans, the Venetians, and more during ancient times it was called Kydonia.

But today, it is called Chania.

Chania or Hania was once the capital of Crete.

Today, you can wander its magical winding street plan bursting with color, its cobbled roads, narrow little passages, and tempting shops and cafes, where you can experience Hania's multicultural history.

And one curiously tall nightlight.

This is the famous Chania lighthouse.

One of the oldest lighthouses in the world.

Some people call it the Venetian lighthouse.

Other people call it the Egyptian lighthouse.

And guess what, they are both right?

That's because the base is Venetian and the tower or the obelisk is Egyptian.

It was built in the 16th century when this used to be a very important Venetian port.

And today, it stands as the jewel of Chania.

Circling from the port, you enter this picturesque labyrinth of streets, and you also enter Hania's old town or palia poli which once contained the different quarters of Chania, including the Turkish quarter, the Jewish quarter, and the Christian quarter.

This old town street plan is medieval, some sections even ancient.

So you are walking along paths that are centuries old.

(soft Grecian music) One of the most amazing things you will come upon here is you're wandering the beautiful picturesque streets of Chania are gorgeous buildings like this one here and this one back there with that archway.

They will definitely stand out as something a little bit better and a little bit older than the rest of the buildings.

These were actually the mansions of the Creton Venetian noble families back during the Renaissance.

Now, as beautiful as these entryway are though, those weren't the real entrances to the home.

Just behind those beautiful doors, there was actually a courtyard or a garden.

And then behind that were the actual front doors to the family's home.

Why?

Well, back during the Renaissance, these very wealthy noble families had to worry about pirates.

Pirates?

Yep.

Turkish pirates of the Ottoman Empire.

As the mighty Ottoman Empire grew the Venetian Republic which ruled over Chania decided to build this giant Venetian wall around the city in the 16th century.

But if you look closely, you will also see remnants of an older wall a Byzantine wall built in the 7th century.

The layers of history still visible here in Hania are incredible.

In fact, if you're ready for some truly ancient history that also is just around the corner.

(soft Grecian music) Chania's beauty is not just skin deep.

It is chock-full, and I mean chock-full of history.

Just a few minutes ago, just west of here, we were standing up on top of the Venetian wall.

And way in the background there, if you can see it, those are the remnants of the Byzantine wall.

And right here, wouldn't you know it, this is the archeological site for the ancient Minoan town.

This incredible site here on Kastelli Hill which people just casually parallel park in front of, covers 5,000 years of history.

These buildings showed archeologists that Hania was one of the wealthiest, and most powerful Minoan civilizations in Crete.

What is amazing is that you can easily make out the outlines of the homes, the streets, and even the interior walls in rooms.

Can you see the town water well here?

And this room, maybe a bedroom?

Dozens of wonderful artifacts, including jewelry, pottery, and even the remains of some peas, someone supper have all been found here.

Those are carefully preserved in a museum, but this site is open for all to see.

(soft Grecian music) To learn more on the history of Curious Hania.

We climb the Firkas Fortress and its tower, where the Greek flag flies to chat with our pal and local guide, Maria Latinaki.

We've got Minoan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Venetian.

It goes on and on and on.

- Chania is like the crossroads of civilizations in the Mediterranean Sea, and Crete in general.

Everybody would pass through the island to go anywhere else, and what was known world back then.

So it all starts from the hill we're standing in front of.

It's a gold hill, and that's where the first city was built.

In just a little bit after 3000 BC.

- Oh wow.

- Yes.

- Just yesterday, just yesterday.

(both laughing) - And since then we have 5,000 years of people continuously living here from the hill expanding outwards to the modern city of Chania today.

- And fortunately, all those different empires, nations, and cultures left little souvenirs of sorts to put their stamp on Hania.

The thing I love about your beautiful town is as you walk along you see a Mosque, but then you see a church, and then you see something Egyptian, and then you see something Venetian.

It's like a melting part of the Mediterranean.

- It is.

It is.

That's what I love about it as well.

You will find marks of any civilization that pass from the Mediterranean here in Chania.

The Venetians left their marks everywhere with the beautiful buildings and walls in harbor.

- So the Venetians ruled for 400 years from the 13th through the 17th centuries, then the Ottomans ruled from the 17th through the 19th centuries.

And then after a period of independence, Crete joins Greece only very recently in the early 20th century.

Which is why you see the Greek flag proudly flying above the Firkas Fortress today.

Yet another chapter in Hania's curious and oh, so colorful history.

(soft Grecian music) So from a sacred truce that honored the gods performed in one's birthday suit to a very important port which over time has been occupied by just about every civilization the Mediterranean has ever known.

And also just happens to have the most gorgeous old town streets.

(soft Grecian music) To a magical underground lake and cave, full of myth and mystery.

And those beautiful blue and green waters that Greece is known for.

But as tempting as they are, don't dive in.

From Zeus, to Pan, to Minoans, to Creton Venetians, and crazy athletes who had no shame unless they were in the hall of shame.

Greece has so much to be curious about.

Thank you for joining us on our educational journey.

And hopefully now you're even more curious about the who, what, where, why, when, and hows of the beautiful Greek islands.

As they say here in Greece (speaks Greek).

(soft Grecian music) Here?

- [Cameraman] No, no.

- I won't stand up here.

Sorry.

Sorry.

No, sorry.

I didn't say that.

I meant down here.

I'm nervous.

It just goes.

All right.

(soft Grecian music) - [Narrator] "Curious Traveler" is made possible by the following.

- [Announcer 1] At Regent Seven Seas Cruises, we believe that personal space is essential to the luxury travel experience.

With no more than 732 guests, our ships allow you to explore the world and discover the freedom of having space at sea.

- [Announcer 2] Over 300 tours across all seven continents.

Over 40 years of serving travelers.

You can experience effortless fun vacations, and authentic experiences with GET.

GETours.com - [Announcer 3] Windstar Cruises.

Intimate, private yacht-style cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Tahiti, and more.

We look forward to seeing you on board.

WindstarCruises.com.

(soft adventurous music) - [Announcer 4] When you travel with us, you are not the typical tourist.

- [Announcer 5] And closed captioning provided by Tap Air Portugal.

- [Narrator] Still curious, go to curioustravelerTV.com, and follow us on Facebook, @CuriousTravelerTV.

On Twitter, @CuriousTravTV, And on Instagram, @CuriousTravelerTV.

(giddy music) (bright music)