NEW YORK – Greek-Australian construction magnate Peter Maneas continues his mission to step foot on all the inhabited Greek islands through his landmark television series My Greek Odyssey as series 5 launches at 6 PM East Coast time on July 23 via Vimeo On Demand: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/mygreekodysseyseries5.

For viewers in the U.S., the first four series are also available via Curiosity Stream. Viewers in Greece can watch series 5 which is airing on Cosmote and ERT and will soon be showing series 1 to 4.

Maneas hosts the show aboard his beautiful boat Mia Zoi and in series 5 explores the southern and central Cycladic islands and Crete. From the little-known Anafi and Donousa to the well-known Santorini and then on to Crete, this is a culturally diverse part of the country with dramatic landscapes, rich history, and wonderful people. Maneas spoke with The National Herald about series 5 in which he delves deep, from the mountaintops to the seafloor, into the story of the islands to unearth what makes them so special.

TNH: What can we look forward to in My Greek Odyssey series 5?

Peter Maneas: We visit the largest island in Greece, Crete, twice the size of the next largest island, which in turn is twice the size of the next largest island. So, effectively Crete is like a country itself, which it once was. You see Crete was where civilization in Europe began… We meet best-selling author Victoria Hislop and talk about the leper colony at Spinalonga.

Another well-known island that we visit is Santorini, other than the well-known spots, we uncover parts of Santorini that most people would know little about, including its little sister island of Thirassia, which is the diametric opposite of its big brother; quiet, few people, much like Santorini would have been half a century ago.

We visit the southern and central Cycladic islands known for their white cubic dwellings and blue church domes that together with the sea make for unforgettable cinematography. We visit the smaller islands very few tourists see like Anafi, Amorgos, and Donousa amongst a plethora of others.

TNH: How much has the experience of filming in Greece changed since the first season of the show?

PM: The Greek government is very strict with what you can see and film, after several series they have come to know us well and we have built a trust that is evident in the access we have to places never filmed before that you will see in series 5.

TNH: What are some of the challenges you faced?

PM: Travelling through the peak of COVID was very demanding. But thankfully we could be more mobile with the advantage of having our beautiful Mia Zoi and her fine crew to escort us around.

TNH: What was your favorite moment of series 5?

PM: There were so many favorites from trekking through the Samaria Gorge (Europe’s largest) to the mouthwatering food in remote villages was exquisite with flavors from the fresh local produce was unforgettable. Not to forget the beaches of Ios and the picture perfect sunset of Folegandros.

TNH: Will there be a season 6?

PM: Yes, in postproduction as we speak, series 6 completes the Cycladic islands we started in series 5.

Watch the trailer for My Greek Odyssey series 5 on Vimeo: https://bit.ly/3PrLMpi.