In Avignon, he samples a glass of the region's famous wine Chateauneuf-du-Pape, before his journey ends at the Mediterranean port of Marseille, where he joins a pilot boat as it leads a supertanker to its berth. Michael's journey takes him through a patchwork of nations which a century ago formed part of the Austro Hungarian empire. North of Helsinki, in Tampere, Michael takes to the water again to explore one of Finland's 180,000 lakes. Steered by his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo continues his journey through Romania, tapping into the nation's musical soul in Bucharest and loading cargo from a 100-foot crane in Constanta. Great Continental Railway Journeys (2016), Zermatt to Geneva Michael learns how diplomacy brought Britain and Spain closer together and rides on a hair-raising scenic railway. Travelling through the Corinth Canal, Michael finds out about the surprisingly ancient origins of the modern railway. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. A spot of on-the-job training as a welder is a salutary lesson to stick with the day job. Fingers crossed there will be no more . . He finds out about the first railway to be built in the country, from Naples to Portici, around the base of Vesuvius and then plucks up his courage to venture into the mighty volcano's crater. Michael Portillo, I said, seemed slimy . Armed with his 1913 railway guide, in the second part of his journey from London to Monte Carlo, Michael Portillo follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. The bodies of two lovers are entwined and the female figure is clearly in ecstasy. Michael Portillo takes the train down the spine of Italy from Rome to Sicily. Although there have been no complete series of Great Railway Journeys released on DVD, Michael Palin's 1980 and 1994 programmes are available individually (BBCDVD1626) and as part of a box set of his collected travel documentaries, The Michael Palin Collection (BBCDVD2214). Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael journeys through a prosperous pre-war Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. Striking south to historic Cordoba, Michael dances with an unusual partner and enjoys all the fun of the feria. 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. Following in the footsteps of King Edward VII, who visited his cousin King Carlos in 1903, Michael explores the city from the Santa Justa lift to the harbour at Belem. Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Michael boards an early 20th-century yacht to experience the thrill for himself and learns how British yachtsmen spied on the German navy. Michael Portillo leaves Europe behind to take in the sights, smells and tastes of north Africa as he travels from the Mediterranean port of Tangier to the Berber city of Marrakech. Season 2. Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast. He learns from the buffet car cooks how to prepare a supper of meat-filled dumplings - Dagestani specialities called pylmeni. At Belorussky Station in Moscow, Michael hears how thousands of Russians journeyed to the capital in 1913 to mark the Romanov royal family's tercentenary year. 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. Transylvania to the Black Sea 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 Austria's second city, Graz, Michael ventures underground at the Lurgrotte Caves to find out about a famous turn-of-the-century rescue operation. Michael discovers how the leaning tower of Pisa was rescued from near collapse. At the Museum of Modern Art in Berlins Kreuzberg, Michael sees how a leading artist of the era, Georg Grosz, warned of the rise of fascism in a haunting self-portrait. He then heads west via the picturesque Harz Mountains to the Industrial Ruhr Valley to learn how imperial Germany was war ready. The first series was originally broadcast on BBC Two in 2012. Jon studied at the National Film & Television School graduating with a Masters degree in composing for Film and Television and lives between London and Madrid. Leaving London behind, armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. One newspaper commented that only Eric Morecambe was funnier. In Vienna, Michael Portillo encounters a pre-Cold War spy and learns about the concert that caused a riot in 1913. Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures to the northernmost reaches of Europe. A performance of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty at Odessa's exquisite opera house rounds off his journey. Skirting disputed Georgian territory occupied by Russians today, Michael discovers that a Briton was the first to conquer the highest mountain in the Caucasus range. In Kiel, Michael learns about the intense rivalry between Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and his uncle, British King Edward VII, at the Kiel Week yacht races. Released in 2013. Riga to Tampere Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo travels east through the rose fields of Bulgaria, celebrates that nation's early 20th-century independence with a traditional Thracian dance and discovers no holds are barred in one of the world's oldest sports tournaments - oil wrestling. In Versailles, Michael visits the opulent palace and neighbouring Trianon Palace hotel, where his Bradshaws describes the signing of the Peace Treaty at the end of the First World War. On this leg he heads for the glorious Alps and learns how astonishing engineering feats conquered the most challenging peaks before taking in the striking beauty of Lake Lucerne. (The smartest thing Spain ever did was stay out of the first world war.) There is always the slight impression that the involvement of other people even though they are usually archivists and experts there to unpack a historical moment or explain the significance of an artefact feels like an intrusion on his time. His journey ends at the gateway to the former French empire, Marseilles. Then, as expected, the fourth episode will air on Wednesday, August 26th. 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. Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account, Do you know any background info about this artist? Books have been published to accompany the first three series, with a chapter by each of the presenters on their particular journey: A similar book was also published on Great Little Railways: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On the first stretch of his journey from the Latvian capital, Riga, to Tampere in Finland, he braves the freezing temperatures of the Baltic Sea and encounters medieval knights. By the middle of 2021, 13 series have been made, totalling 245 episodes. On the shores of the Black Sea at Constanta, once the scene of intense pre-First World War diplomacy between Romanian and Russian royalty, Michael explores what is now emerging as Europe's largest grain port. Michael's journey begins in Sofia, where he discovers the then newly independent orthodox Christian nation, which had broken free of the decaying Ottoman Empire and found an ally in a British Prime Minister. In the British Isles uncover a country once connected entirely by steam, now enjoying stunning heritage rails as a tourist experience, and in America, the country once built on the back of railroads, enjoy the epic adventures that can take you from sea to shining sea. 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. In Delft, Michael learns how the city came to specialise in pottery and finds out the secrets of its success. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MOTIVATE :)Support me here : https://www.paypal.me/CSinha7This Will Enable me to Optimize my Creative Production to Showcase Journeys of. The beauty of the Carpathian mountains with their snow-clad granite peaks, gorges and lakes appears to him unchanged from their description in his 100-year-old guidebook and he is privileged to catch sight of some of the wild brown bears and wolves who continue to live in the region's last stretches of unbroken forest. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael journeys through a prosperous prewar Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. Michael Portillo sports a strikingly modern edition of his Bradshaws Continental Handbook, dated 1936. Michael hears how new rail lines transported spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games of 1936. Featured peformers: Jon Wygens (composer). From 2012, BBC Two has also broadcast series of Great Continental Railway Journeys, a documentary with the same idea as Great British Railway Journeys, also presented by Portillo. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael journeys through a prosperous pre-war Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. In high spirits, with the help of the local liquor, Michael says 'Nosdraviya' to Slovenia and heads south. Often available in a six-pack of programs, though also out-of-print, they are commonly found for purchase online. Heading further into Andalusia, Michael arrives in Seville, the city he has made his Spanish home and where, in the city's tobacco factory, he learns about a gypsy girl named Carmen. Armed with his 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures deep into the Black Forest on a quest to discover the essence of Germany and discovers how Hansel and Gretel helped to unify the nation. To cap off his journey, Michael travels to the Austrian border and the famous Brenner Pass, mastered by the railways in the 19th century and the scene today of a groundbreaking engineering project to build one of the world's longest rail tunnels. Michael Portillo continues his railway adventure which takes him across the heart of Europe. Hard on their heels in Madrid, he visits the scene of a grim assassination attempt at the royal wedding of a British princess and a Spanish king. Michael takes a spin around the track at Le Mans in a French-built car, which won two endurance races during the 1920s. We dont have any upcoming events for this artist right now. Armed with his trusty copy of Bradshaw's 1913 edition of the Continental Railway Guide, the elegantly attired MICHAEL PORTILLO continues to criss-cross the Continent leaving, it seems, no fascinating city unvisited. It took Portillo to Bulgaria, Turkey, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Germany, and Spain. Arriving in the Italian port of Trieste, Michael savours the imported coffee that fuelled a cafe culture. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael's journey through Germany begins in Berlin, which at the beginning of the 20th Century was a powerhouse of science and technology. Leaving Hungary behind, Michael begins this leg in the elegant city of Vienna, he continues his journey to Salzburg, before heading to the magnificent scenery of the Salzkammergut region. Michael Portillo embarks on a scenic thousand-mile rail journey from the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to Abisko in the northern reaches of the Arctic Circle, steered by his 1936 edition of Bradshaws Continental Railway Guide. I joined in. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw, Michael Portillo explores a very different Spain from the one he knows best and ventures across its border with Britain's oldest ally, Portugal. Michael Portillo uses his 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway guide to complete his journey through Switzerland. On the winding roads at Rovereto, he discovers how one of the world's best known carmakers sealed its international reputation by winning the 1913 Alpine Trial in a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. 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. In a vast stadium, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games of 1936. Rotterdam to Utrecht He then heads for the glorious Alps and learns how astonishing engineering feats conquered the most challenging peaks, before taking in the striking beauty of Lake Lucerne. , tracks: Arriving in Munich, he finds a blue horse created at the time of his guidebook and discovers an early 20th-century pioneer who laid the foundations for the city's pre-eminence in science and technology today. I was drawn to it because when Jonathan Harker first encounters the vampire he is reading "of all things an English Bradshaw's guide" (studying the timetable between Whitby and King's Cross, the line that will carry Draculas coffins of earth!). Like the railway traveller of a hundred years ago, Michael discovers a land full of surprises. The wedding of the former king, Edward VIII, and the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, at Chateau de Cande in the summer of 1937 was shunned by the British establishment. Beginning in Galicia, Michael discovers the elegant city of La Coruna, a fashionable destination for Edwardian Britons, for whom the principal attraction was the tomb of a British military hero. Michael, mate youre a Tory on a jolly. The night soil man told me as I emptied my chamberpot, I seem to recall. When The Rite of Spring premiered, there was pandemonium. His final stop is the industrial city of Stuttgart, where he visits the Porsche factory and learns of the origin of the Volkswagen Beetle. Michael Portillo embarks on a railway adventure which takes him across the heart of Europe. The first series, which used the longer title, was broadcast on BBC2 in 1980. In Lviv, Michael learns to make Vareniki, the sour cheese-filled pasta, which is so popular in Ukraine, and encounters a much loved 19th-century poet before boarding the overnight express to Odessa. From Tbilisi Michael takes a trip along the 120-mile Georgian Military Road, built by the colonising Russian army in the early nineteenth century. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Scandinavia and discovers the royal roots of early 20th century British travellers' close dynastic ties with the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. Striking north, Michael boards the long distance train which runs from the Caspian Sea to the capital. In 1983, the BBC made a further series on rail travel entitled Great Little Railways, this time exclusively featuring narrow gauge railways. About sixty singers and dancers gave a magnificent performance in astrakhan hats and colourful waistcoats and bodices. To hear the story, Michael hitches a ride in the famous marque's most modern counterpart, a gleaming new convertible Dawn. A trip in a works train to oversee the electrification and straightening of the new 300 million section of line between Parvomay and Svilengrad culminates in a chance to live the dream - driving the train on the tracks of the historic Orient Express. This article is about the BBC Two travel documentary broadcast in the 1980s and 90s. 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. 6 / 6 Michael Portillo samples the delights of the French and Spanish Atlantic coast. Michael's journey ends with a spectacular ascent by train to Europe's highest station, perched atop Switzerland's dramatic Jungfraujoch. Arriving in Geneva, Michael is thrust into tense conflict training at a military checkpoint as he explores the city's famously international character, beginning with the International Committee for the Red Cross. From Tallinn, Michael crosses the Baltic Sea by ferry to Helsinki, where he discovers the music of the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and learns how his masterpiece Finlandia spurred Finns towards independence. Michael Portillo follows in the footsteps of Edwardian travellers to trace a route recommended in his Bradshaw's guide from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast. Michael continues his railway journey from Sicilys capital, Palermo, through the ancient town of Agrigento and the port of Siracusa to Europes largest volcano, Mount Etna. 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. Season 1. 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 .
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