Fortified by railway wine and Swiss fondue, Michael makes his way to the capital, Bern, where in a 1930s bi-plane, he follows in the slipstream of the Swiss pilot Oskar Bider, first to fly across the Alps. Michael begins an emotional rail journey that takes him deep into his familys past and reveals the tentacles of the regime which forced his father into exile. Great Continental Railway Journeys (2016), Zermatt to Geneva His 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guidebook under his arm, Michael Portillo continues his journey through the borderland where Europe meets Asia and fulfils a personal lifelong ambition to visit the Black Sea port of Odessa. 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. Both series are fronted by ex-politician Michael Portillo and in this European odyssey he travels around continental Europe, using George Bradshaw's1913 . ere you still up for Portillo, a hundred years ago in 1997? Its a heady journey, although a tweed jacket wouldnt go amiss. Were you still up for Portillo, a hundred years ago in 1997? Michael Portillo's 1936 Bradshaw's Guide brings him to the Italian 'treasure island' of Sicily, full of natural beauty and 'scenery of the greatest charm'. He then heads over the rail bridge across the lagoon to Venice, where he finds a microcosm of pre-First World War Europe in the Venice Biennale art exhibition. Please download one of our supported browsers. Heading to Bilbao, he explores the industrial ties between France and Spain and learns to cook a traditional Basque dish. . His first stop is Paris where he absorbs the atmosphere of La Belle poque, before travelling south to the Cote d'Azur. 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. His journey ends in the Rheingau to taste the wines of its age old vineyards. Michael hears how one British tourist above all was welcomed by Hitler to Germany, the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. At Coimbra, Michael is moved by the mournful strains of the fado sung by students of the university, then boards the high-speed train to the Portuguese capital Lisbon. 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. At a time of imperial plumes and white tie balls, it celebrated raw savagery. Among its cobbled streets and classical buildings Michael discovers the seeds of Ukrainian nationalism in song. He had a go at slicing an ibrico ham, while the seller hovered anxiously in the background watching his livelihood literally being shredded. In one of the areas elegant cafes, Michael learns about dada and the avant garde during the Crazy Years after the First World War. The first series, which used the longer title, was broadcast on BBC2 in 1980. Title screen for most episodes from Series 2 onward. Michael's journey ends with a spectacular ascent by train to Europe's highest station, perched atop Switzerland's dramatic Jungfraujoch. To capture his own view of the mighty Mount Kazbek Michael boards a helicopter to soar above the 5,000 metre peak first climbed in 1868. Along the way, Michael discovers the parlous state of Greek finances at the time of his guidebook. Travelling through the Corinth Canal, Michael finds out about the surprisingly ancient origins of the modern railway. In Haarlem, Michael goes behind the scenes to see how 21 million stems and 2 million potted plants are auctioned every day from a vast complex roughly the size of Monaco. Genres: Chamber Music, Television Music. And I like your trousers. No, she didnt say the last bit. Michael then crosses the separation barrier between Jerusalem and the West Bank in the company of his Palestinian guide and meets the embroiderers of the Arab Women's Union in Bethlehem, before finishing his journey in the Negev desert. [1] In the early series, Portillo explores the railway networks of continental Europe, but in later series he also ventured further afield. 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 embarks on a rail journey through Germany. Series 1 - Reversions: London to Monte Carlo (1), Series 1 - Reversions: London to Monte Carlo (2), Series 1 - Reversions: Hungary to Austria (1), Series 1 - Reversions: Hungary to Austria (2), Series 1 - Reversions: Amsterdam to Northern France (1), Series 1 - Reversions: Amsterdam to Northern France (2), Series 1 - Reversions: Berlin to the Rhein (1), Series 1 - Reversions: Berlin to the Rhein (2), Series 2 - Reversions: Madrid to Gibraltar (1), Series 2 - Reversions: Madrid to Gibraltar (2), Series 2 - Reversions: Turin to Venice (1), Series 2 - Reversions: Turin to Venice (2), Series 2 - Reversions: Dresden to Kiel (1), Series 2 - Reversions: Dresden to Kiel (2), Series 2 - Reversions: Copenhagen to Oslo (1), Series 2 - Reversions: Copenhagen to Oslo (2), Series 2 - Reversions: Prague to Munich (1), Series 2 - Reversions: Prague to Munich (2), Series 3 - Reversions: Tula to St Petersburg (1), Series 3 - Reversions: Tula to St Petersburg (2), Series 3 - Reversions: Rome to Taormina (1), Series 3 - Reversions: Rome to Taormina (2), Series 3 - Reversions: Warsaw to Krakow (1), Series 3 - Reversions: Warsaw to Krakow (2), Series 3 - Reversions: La Coruna to Lisbon (1), Series 3 - Reversions: La Coruna to Lisbon (2), Series 3 - Reversions: Lyon to Marseille (1), Series 3 - Reversions: Lyon to Marseille (2), Series 4 - Reversions: Sofia To Istanbul (1), Series 4 - Reversions: Sofia To Istanbul (2), Series 4 - Reversions: Vienna to Trieste (1), Series 4 - Reversions: Vienna to Trieste (2), Series 4 - Reversions: Pisa to Lake Garda (1), Series 4 - Reversions: Pisa to Lake Garda (2), Series 4 - Reversions: Athens to Thessaloniki (1), Series 4 - Reversions: Athens to Thessaloniki (2), Series 4 - Reversions: The Black Forest to Hannover (1), Series 4 - Reversions: The Black Forest to Hannover (2), Series 5 - Reversions: Transylvania to the Black Sea (1), Series 5 - Reversions: Transylvania to the Black Sea (2), Series 5 - Reversions: Zermatt to Geneva (1), Series 5 - Reversions: Zermatt to Geneva (2), Series 5 - Reversions: Genoa to Brenner Pass (1), Series 5 - Reversions: Genoa to Brenner Pass (2), Series 5 - Reversions: The Netherlands (1), Series 5 - Reversions: The Netherlands (2), Series 6 - Reversions - Kiev to Odessa (1), Series 6 - Reversions - Kiev to Odessa (2), Series 6 - Reversions - Batumi to Baku (1), Series 6 - Reversions - Batumi to Baku (2), Series 7 - Shortened Versions: Episode 10. This episode offers beautiful views along the Rhine and also shows various cities in the area including Colonge and Koblenz. Michael learns of the role it played during the Second World War and hears about its forthcoming new lease of life. He finishes in Stuttgart, where an ambitious engineering project is underway that will integrate the city into a high-speed train route connecting Paris with Bratislava. At the Bolshoi Theatre, Michael performs an important role in one of Russia's most dramatic operas. 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 ends his journey in futuristic style with a high speed boat trip across Lake Garda. . Michael is in his element, stoking the boiler on the footplate of the enormous locomotive. Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide Michael Portillo resumes his rail journey through the former Russian empire from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, taking in present-day Georgia and Azerbaijan. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Michael Portillo travels across the European continent with his handy Bradshaw guide book. Using his 1913 railway guide, in the second part of his journey through the low countries and France, Michael Portillo travels to the French sector of the Western Front, where from 1914, the trains carried a new cargo of artillery shells, and the Edwardian tourists of 1913 were replaced by soldiers, facing the horrors of the trenches. The first series was originally broadcast on BBC Two in 2012. Great Continental Railway Journeys: Dresden to Kiel: Part Two Great Continental Railway Journeys (2012) . Great British Railway Journeys soundtrack music, videos, stats, and photos | Last.fm Search Live Music Charts Log In Sign Up Great British Railway Journeys soundtrack Play artist More actions Listeners 6 Scrobbles 501 Join others and track this artist Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account Sign Up to Last.fm Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo visits Italy, where he experiences first-hand the nation's need for speed in a state-of-the-art Maserati sports car. This is one of the world's most-covered songs, meaning both artists and audiences love it. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo travels from the Swiss Alps to the shores of Lake Geneva. Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. Great Continental Railway Journeys is now a firmly established series on BBC2, following in the illustrious tracks of its predecessor - Great British Railway Journeys. as the hour and the miles unfolded. Great Railway Journeys, originally titled Great Railway Journeys of the World, is a recurring series of travel documentaries produced by BBC Television. Michael Portillo ventures once more on to the European rail network to retrace journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 publication Continental Guide, beginning by travelling through Russia. We dont have any upcoming events for this artist right now. Boarding the fast train to Lviv, Michael reads in his Bradshaw that the city was formerly known as Lemberg and at the time of his guidebook it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Michael takes a spin around the track at Le Mans in a French-built car, which won two endurance races during the 1920s. The Atlantic coast of France and Spain, Bordeaux, claret, trams. He starts in the centrally located capital Madrid, Europe's highest and until a century ago uneasily accessed, focusing on the monument for a Spanish king's tragically bombed wedding to an English princess. Portillo made five separate journeys across France, Germany, the Low Countries, Switzerland, and the countries whose land made up the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. But the interwar guide book also tells Michael that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini. From Tbilisi Michael takes a trip along the 120-mile Georgian Military Road, built by the colonising Russian army in the early nineteenth century. Travelling with author Julia Boyd to Nuremberg, Michael discovers that despite the First World War and the Third Reich, Britons and Americans loved Germany and German culture in the 1930s. 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. Beginning in historic Orleans, Michael follows his Bradshaws guide to the magnificent stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, which tell the story of the heroine of France, Joan of Arc. 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. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo embarks on a journey from the Swiss Alps to the shores of Lake Geneva. In Cordoba, Michael dances with an unusual partner and enjoys all the fun of the feria. After visiting Potsdam, he explores Weimar in central Germany, a city that has twelve buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list. He starts in the beautiful golden city of Salamanca, where his father was happy as a young left-wing professor. Backstage at the legendary Folies Bergere, Michael asks the 'enfant terrible' of fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier, about his homage to the black American dancer, Josephine Baker, and goes backstage to meet the stars of the show. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Michael Portillo travels by rail throughout Continental Europe. I shall not easily forget his bow and Stradivarius whirling close to my head as the gorgeous music poured forth. Zaragozas modern tram network takes Michael to a factory where he is invited to test-drive new rolling stock destined for Britain. 8.6 (19) Rate. I joined in. Journeys are mainly focused on Great Britain, and is presented by the ex-politician and broadcaster Michael Portillo. In his view they marred the gothic style, and can be dispensed with thanks to modern construction techniques. In Verona, Michael discovers the 'House of the Capulets', bought to attract Edwardian tourists to the scene of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) To hear the story, Michael hitches a ride in the famous marque's most modern counterpart, a gleaming new convertible Dawn. 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. 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. Transylvania to the Black Sea Javascript is required to view shouts on this page. An attempt to make Portugal's national sweetmeat proves challenging, but help is at hand. 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. The first series detailed four railway journeys following an 1840 Bradshaw's guide, split into a run of 20 separate episodes.