Heading south again on the long journey to Reggio Calabria, Michael shares lunch on board with fellow British travellers before their train is loaded onto a ferry for the short sail to Sicily. Michael Portillo uses George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide to explore the dazzling cities of the pre-war Low Countries before tasting the delicacies of Brussels. He refers to a 1913 copy of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, as he describes how the places he visits have changed since Edwardian times. On his travels, he is trampled underfoot at the bottom of a Catalan people steeple and learns to make the perfect paella. He travels to Leipzig on a historic railway line, built by British engineers in 1839. At the Bolshoi Theatre, Michael performs an important role in one of Russia's most dramatic operas. Michael is piped aboard the frigate ITS Virginio Fasan to learn about naval technology today. Glinka: Travelling Song (The Train Song), 1840. Mit seinem Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide", einem Reisefhrer aus dem Jahr 1913, erkundet er eine ra des Optimismus, des Aufbruchs, eine Bltezeit der Technik, Wissenschaft und Kunst, die Belle . Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. On a railway journey from the capital, Palermo . Michael, mate youre a Tory on a jolly. Exploring the Acropolis and delighting in the tastes of moussaka and baklava, Michael discovers the many influences at play in the creation of modern Greece - from its classical past to the oriental Ottomans and the great European powers of Britain, France and Russia. He takes a detour to the island of Capri, before finishing his journey in the ancient hilltop town of Taormina. Then, as expected, the fourth episode will air on Wednesday, August 26th. In Zermatt, Michael learns how intrepid early 20th century British mountaineers turned Alpinism into a fashionable sport for the rich and famous and how one group of British climbers came to grief on the Matterhorn. Not so, as culture also has a part to play. At La Spezia, an important Italian naval base, Michael discovers how Italy's imperial ambitions put her at the forefront of modern aerial warfare. Prague to Munich. Great Continental Railway Journeys. After sipping sherry in Jerez, he traces Winston Churchill's tense diplomatic mission to Algeciras on Spain's Costa del Sol and finishes with tales of British espionage on the Rock of Gibraltar. Michael Portillo continues his railway adventure which takes him across the heart of Europe. His journey ends at the gateway to the former French empire, Marseilles. Boarding one of the narrowest gauge railways in the world, the Little Train of Pelion, Michael travels to the village of Milies, where he learns about the place of the Orthodox church in Greek national life. Put some tweed and some Churchs brogues on and relax. Great Asian Railway Journeys. The deeply shocking piece now has pride of place in the gallery of the Belvedere Palace, painted between 1907 and 1908 during his golden period. Now he embarks on the sixth series of Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC Two), beginning in Spain and this time guided by the 1936 edition of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, which was . Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Following in the footsteps of Bradshaw's travellers, Michael explores the cradle of the Renaissance through Edwardian eyes. Aboard the high-speed Sapsan to St Petersburg, Michael discovers the history behind the line, once the longest double-tracked railway in the world. The temperature varies from 33F to 66F. Michael Portillo braves the freezing temperatures of the Baltic Sea and finds peace paddling a canoe on the Lakes of Finland. Heading north to Gargnano, Michael discovers the romantic hideaway of one of Britain's most famous writers, DH Lawrence, whose affair with his professor's wife scandalised his home country. Michael takes the helm to explore the port of Siracusa by boat and enjoys a sumptuous picnic of Sicilian specialities before visiting a controversial monument, which depicts a dark chapter in Italian history. After braving one of the world's oldest rollercoasters in Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Gardens, Michael takes the train across the Oresund Bridge linking Denmark to Sweden, where he retraces the tracks of a train which carried a revolutionary Russian passenger on an epic voyage. Michael discovers from a British engineer how the leaning tower of Pisa was rescued from near collapse. Michael concludes his Sicilian journey on the circular railway around Mount Etna, aboard the sleek, futurist-inspired train inaugurated by Mussolini in 1937, La Littorina. In Carrara, he finds out how the marble used by Michelangelo is still quarried today and is invited to chip away at a contemporary sculpture. His father fled to Oxford and got to know his future wife, who was looking after refugee children. From Wroclaw it's on to the ancient capital of Poland, Krakow, where Michael lunches in a milk bar and takes a tour in an iconic vehicle of the communist era. In a caf popular with artists of the time he discovers the dance craze of the day - the tango - and gamely gives it a go. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators. Airs Sundays, July 20 - August 10 & Sept. 7, 2014 at 7 p.m. on KPBS TV. There he seeks the protection of a local historian as he traces the story behind this notorious mafia hideout of the 1930s. In Avignon, Michael savours the scent of Provence in the region's lavender fields before relaxing with a glass of the city's famous tipple, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. He then travels south along the tourist trail of the castle-studded Rhein river and ends his journey in the Rheingau to taste the wines of its age old vineyards. After a 14-year hiatus, a further three series were broadcast between 1994 and 1999, using the shorter series title. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators. Overview: York to FrizinghallArmed with his Edwardian Bradshaw's guide, Michael Portillo conducts important research in an historic tea room, built by an Edwardian immigrant to the city of York. Following in the footsteps of early 20th century travellers, on the second part of this journey Michael Portillo uses his 1913 railway guide to explore Switzerland, whose remarkable railways helped make it a favourite with Edwardian tourists. Following in the footsteps of Bradshaw's travellers, Michael explores the cradle of the Renaissance through Edwardian eyes but learns in Florence that the tourists' 'Italietta' was far removed from the new Italy envisaged by the futurists of the time. At Kiev's beautiful St Sophia Cathedral, Michael seeks to understand the history behind Ukraine's current conflict with its vast neighbour and discovers how Ukraine adopted Orthodox Christianity. As of 2021, series 1-6 of Great Continental Railway Journeys have been released on DVD by FremantleMedia under licence from Boundless and the BBC. Crossing the border again into Norway, Michael discovers how in 1913 this young nation expressed its own distinctively modern identity in plays, paintings and polar exploration. Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo makes a grand tour of a favourite Edwardian destination - Italy - where he experiences first-hand the nation's need for speed in a state-of-the-art Maserati sports car. 7.673. Michael Portillo travels from the chateaux of the Loire Valley to the heart of the Champagne region at Reims. Among the spectacular Renaissance palaces and fortresses of the River Loire, Michael is intrigued to discover a castle much modernized during the 1930s, which became a refuge for a British royal couple embroiled in scandal. Were you still up for Portillo, a hundred years ago in 1997? In Salamanca, the millions of records kept by Franco on his potential enemies a potent symbol of the scale of the nationalist movement and atrocities committed, and potentially a window into our own increasingly surveilled and right-moving state were paid lip service before Portillo homed in on that of his father. There he wrote music that posed a threat to the established order as surely as Bolshevism. The first series is notable in that it featured the first television travelogue by comedian and comic actor Michael Palin ("Confessions of a Trainspotter"), who would go on to become as well known for his travel series (such as Pole to Pole and Sahara) as for his comedy. From Agrigento he heads inland to Enna and the picturesque but remote village of Gangi. He learns how an aristocratic English poet became a Greek national hero and relives Greek athletic victory at the first modern Olympic games. [8] A third series followed in January 2012, including five episodes on railways in Ireland. Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? One of the most spectacular events I have witnessed was a Thracian classical dance in the Roman Theatre in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv. As he embarks on a new series, Portillo selects some of his favourite trips and cultural highlights, drawn from the five series of railway journeys. In high spirits, with the help of the local liquor, Michael says 'Nosdraviya' to Slovenia and heads south. Michael uncovers the Celtic roots of the Galician people and tries to master the bagpipes but finds himself upstaged by a six-year-old. In Tallinn, seasoned members of the Tallinn Ice Swimming Club introduce Michael to their sport. The climate provides a pleasant environment for sightseeing. Great Continental Railway Journeys is a British television documentary series presented by Michael Portillo. Michael celebrates Midsummer in Marielund, learns to decorate a Dala horse in Mora and takes an icy dip in one of the countrys 96,000 lakes. Great Continental Railway Journeys is now a firmly established series on BBC2, following in the illustrious tracks of its predecessor - Great British Railway Journeys. Arriving in Istanbul, Michael orients himself with a boat trip on the Bosphorus, samples some Turkish delight and crosses from Europe to Asia on the Marmaray metro line which now joins the two continents. Michael makes his movie debut. The point of no return came at 3.10am with a return no one had been expecting. Now he embarks on the sixth series of Great Continental Railway Journeys (BBC Two), beginning in Spain and this time guided by the 1936 edition of Bradshaws Continental Railway Guide, which was a big year in that particular pais and for Portillos pa, a don and leftwing activist at the University of Salamanca, who was three years away from needing to flee Franco. Michael embarks on a rail journey through Germany, steered by a Bradshaws Continental Railway Guide published in 1936. For the younglings among you, this was the question that burst exuberantly from leftist lips in the days and weeks after Labours landslide electoral victory. Starting in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, he travels via Bratislava in Slovakia to the beautiful and elegant city of Vienna, where he immerses himself in pre-war decadence. Great Continental Railway Journeysis now a firmly established series on BBC2, following in the illustrious tracks of its predecessor - Great British Railway Journeys. A humbling master class in carving cuckoo clocks shows him how the nation's reputation for quality and reliability in manufacturing was established from the early 18th century. The first series, which used the longer title, was broadcast on BBC2 in 1980. Immagini degli episodi (Great Continental Railway Journeys - Stagione 6 Episodio 2) Il regista e la squadra dietro Great Continental Railway Journeys Stagione 6 Episodio 2. Season 1. After a 14-year hiatus, a further three series were broadcast between 1994 and 1999, using the shorter series title. . In Stockholm, Michael braves a precarious tour of the city from its rooftops, before boarding a heritage tram to get the lowdown on 1930s Sweden from an expert. At Prague Central Station, Michael meets a woman who, as a young girl, travelled by train to safety in London. Along the way, Michael discovers the parlous state of Greek finances at the time of his guidebook. His journey begins in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, and includes stops in the ancient city of Plovdiv, the region of Rumelia, and former capital of the Ottoman Empire Edirne. Great Continental Railway Journeys continues on Tuesdays 9pm BBC2. The Atlantic coast of France and Spain, Bordeaux, claret, trams. With his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo ventures east to a land which a century ago was part of the Russian Empire and today is the independent state of Ukraine. Similarly, his main comment when standing before Picassos Guernica in Madrid was that without that event the bombing of civilians by Nazi and fascist troops that drew worldwide outrage Michael would never have existed. In GREAT CONTINENTAL RAILWAY JOURNEYS, British broadcaster and journalist Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes . Steered by his 1913 railway guide, on the second part of this train journey through Germany, Michael Portillo continues through the industrial Ruhr Valley to learn how imperial Germany was war ready before traveling south to Cologne and along the tourist trail of the castle-studded River Rhine. [1] Using an 1899 copy of Appleton's Guidebook to the railways of the United States and Canada, Portillo explores historic Canadian railways and learns about the places along the way. English musician and sound artist Chris Watson worked as an audio recorder for the fourth episode "Los Mochis to Veracruz" of the fourth season. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, on the second part of this journey Michael Portillo continues to explore the once-great empire of Austria-Hungary, domain of the famous Habsburg monarchs. Both series are fronted by ex-politician Michael Portillo and in this European odyssey he travels around continental Europe, using George Bradshaw's1913 . He visits the beautiful country estate of Yasnaya Polyana, where Tolstoy wrote his masterpieces, and learns how the author's life and works were inextricably entwined with the railways. He encounters mummified monks in a medieval monastery and works out alongside two of the strongest women in the world. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. After sipping sherry in Jerez, he traces Winston Churchill's tense diplomatic mission to Algeciras on Spain's Costa del Sol and finishes with tales of British espionage on the Rock of Gibraltar.