Greatest Cities of The World with Griff Rhys Jones
Griff Rhys Jones gets under the skin of another three cities in the second series of Greatest Cities of the World.
Following the success of the first series Griff will be exploring a typical 24 hours in the life of Rome, Sydney and Hong Kong. Griff paints a landmark portrait of each metropolis revealing what gives each city its unique identity.
Griff takes viewers off the usual tourist trail and discovers the interesting, quirky and sometimes eccentric secrets and traditions that form the heart and soul of each city.
When in Rome he does as the Romans do, from discovering how everyday tasks are exalted beyond the mundane by being performed in a uniquely Roman way, such as drinking coffee, eating a meal, and going for a walk, to learning about directing the most dangerous drivers in Europe, farming Rome’s livestock and taking a late night scooter ride. In Sydney he discovers a city more than two millennia younger than Rome, but which is enjoying soaring confidence – and property prices - on the back of the 2000 Olympic Games. He goes shark spotting by helicopter, hosts a meat raffle, cleans swimming pools and tries to avoid being ‘up himself’, in line with Sydneysider etiquette. In Hong Kong, he discovers a shop that sells gifts for the deceased, finds himself bottom of a maths class, and sings a Maoist anthem to a group of bemused tourists. Griff comes to realise how important luck, superstition and fortune are to the people who live in a city where consumerism and spiritualism sit side by side.
From the historical grandeur of Rome, to a laid back lifestyle in Sydney and the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, Griff’s relentless curiosity and sense of adventure give him the opportunity to experience each city in a unique and inimitable style.
Armed with his trademark humour, Griff tracks down the individuals who epitomise the character of each city, and celebrates the infinite variety of life in these great cities.
