The third series had six journeys, in one of which Portillo went further afield to travel on the railways in modern-day Israel. To think that there is now a generation to whom such a question means nothing more than whether you stayed up to watch that television presenter with the terrible wardrobe take another of his train trips across a miscellany of countries is quite a thing. 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'. Along the way, our man of the match discovers how an Edwardian Briton brought 'the beautiful game' to the historic port of Genoa. Great Continental Railway Journeys continues on Tuesdays 9pm BBC2. 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. 2022-12-27 06:12:03. To hear the story, Michael hitches a ride in the famous marque's most modern counterpart, a gleaming new convertible Dawn. Michael visits the University to hear of opposition to the fascist takeover of Spain by General Francisco Franco and gains access to the generals archive of enemies of the state. Research of a more sombre kind leads Michael to the roots of our modern welfare state in the work of an early 20th-century . Season 2. Michael Portillo travels by rail throughout Continental Europe. With his 1913 guidebook in hand, he discovers in Tangier how this once proudly independent nation fell under the control of the French as rival European powers scrambled to extend their empires in Africa. And I like your trousers. No, she didnt say the last bit. In Bucharest, Romania's leading violinist, Alexandre Tomescu, introduces Michael Portillo to the music of his countrys greatest composer, George Enescu, in a private recital with his Stradivarius. He finds that the first constitution of the Netherlands was signed here and hears what the locals think about Dutch tolerance today. 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. In the Romanian capital Bucharest, the nation's leading violinist Alexandre Tomescu introduces Michael to the music of his country's greatest musician and composer, George Enescu, in a private recital with his Stradivarius. But the interwar guidebook also tells him that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini. 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. Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. 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. Michael then boards the train that runs from the Caspian Sea to Moscow, where he performs an important role in a dramatic opera at the Bolshoi Theatre, before exploring the beauty and history of St Petersburg and riding on the first railway ever built in Russia. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) This song completes a trio of great "message s Continue Reading 7 1 6 Quinn Cooper A performance of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty at Odessa's exquisite opera house rounds off his journey. Bram Stoker had never visited Bran Castle, home of the fearsome Vlad the Impaler when he wrote Dracula, but he studied images in the British Library carefully enough to describe it well. Michael discovers how the leaning tower of Pisa was rescued from near collapse. Read about Gbrj Opening Theme by Great British Railway Journeys soundtrack and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Michael Portillo, the treasury secretary with the curiously collapsed yet labile face and shoo-in for next Tory leader, lost the seat he had held comfortably five years before, to a Labour unknown, Stephen Twigg. Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. Heading south west from Warsaw, Michael's fellow passengers come to his rescue with a crash course in Polish pronunciation. Show less. 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. He visits the Reichstag and the city's Olympic stadium, site of the 1936 Summer Olympics. Among the golden onion domes and icons of Tula, Michael is moved by the sound of a Russian Orthodox choir. Number of seasons: 7 Number of episodes: 37. Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures to the northernmost reaches of Europe. The point of no return came at 3.10am with a return no one had been expecting. 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. In Brunswick, he learns how the arrival of the railway added its own flavour to the local beer before moving on to Hamburg, where he discovers model railway making on the grandest of scales. In high spirits, with the help of the local liquor, Michael says 'Nosdraviya' to Slovenia and heads south. At Prague Central Station, Michael meets a woman who, as a young girl, travelled by train to safety in London. Aboard a beautifully restored tram built in 1901, Michael finds that Riga in 1913 was one of the Russian empire's most important cities, where industry was booming. Overview: Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Great Continental Railway Journeys, Portillo, Michael, Used; Good Book at the best online prices at eBay! Without Guernica, said Portillo to the art historian who had talked him through what could legitimately be considered to be the greatest, most harrowing painting of the 20th century, they would never have met. There was a pause. 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. He learns how an aristocratic English poet became a Greek national hero and relives Greek athletic victory at the first modern Olympic games. Michael goes to the movies in Potsdam and discovers the success of the Babelsberg Studios, where directors such as Fritz Lang and stars such as Marlene Dietrich worked. Great Continental Railway Journeys Der britische Journalist und Ex-Minister Michael Portillo reist mit der Eisenbahn quer durch Europa. playing music by George . Jon Wygens [ Music ] John Comerford [ Executive Producer ] Programma televisivo della stessa categoria. I was at university and in bed, but heard the cheers going up from streets around. 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. Led by his 1913 railway guide, he then heads west via the picturesque Harz Mountains to the industrial Ruhr Valley to learn how imperial Germany was war ready. He encounters a bloodsucking vampire in Transylvania and brown bears in the Carpathian forest before visiting a fairy tale castle with modern conveniences in Sinaia, striking oil in Ploesti. After visiting Potsdam, he explores Weimar in central Germany, a city that has twelve buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The night soil man told me as I emptied my chamberpot, I seem to recall. 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. Presenter: Michael Portillo, Executive Producer: John Comerford, Series Producer: Alison Kreps, Production Company: Boundless Productions. Prague to Munich. He also visits the forest of Compiegne, to hear how, after four years of conflict, the Armistice was finally signed in a railway carriage. With Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo penetrates the eastern extreme of Europe to journey through the vast country of Russia. 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. Great British Railway Journeys Opening Theme, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 01 - Recovery, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 02 - Mother Nature Coming Back, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 03 - Nature Rebound, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 04 - Cod, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 05 - Panama Canal, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 06 - Great Barrier Reef, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 07 - Alien Trees, Jon Wygens - The Age Of Nature (Music From The Series) - 08 - Bialowieza Forest, Jon Wygens Film and Television Composer's likes, Jon Wygens Film and Television Composer's playlists, Jon Wygens Film and Television Composer's tracks, Jon Wygens Film and Television Composer's comments. The scenery was unrelentingly, heart-swellingly beautiful the golden sandstone of Salamanca; the best of Roman, Christian and Islamic art and architecture poured into Zaragoza; the enclosed medieval citadel of vila seemingly glowing with centuries of stored sunlight. "Chief Minister is Interviewed for Popular BBC Show", "UNESCO World Heritage Sites Thuringia", Article by Michael Portillo - 25 Oct 2013, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Continental_Railway_Journeys&oldid=1132138884, 2010s British documentary television series, 2020s British documentary television series, Documentary television series about railway transport, Television shows set in the Czech Republic, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The assassination attempt at the royal wedding of the British princess, One of the world's oldest roller-coasters in Copenhagen's. Athens to Thessaloniki A hundred years ago, Latvia, Estonia and Finland were part of the Russian Tsar's vast empire but, as Michael discovers, each country had a vibrant identity and culture of its own. He had a go at slicing an ibrico ham, while the seller hovered anxiously in the background watching his livelihood literally being shredded. Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of E >. Over the border in the former imperial territory of Slovenia, Michael discovers how an earthquake in Ljubljana encouraged its citizens to assert their national identity in architecture and art. 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. From Agrigento he heads inland to Enna and the picturesque but remote village of Gangi. 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. In Rotterdam, Michael finds the great commercial activity mentioned in his guidebook has reached epic proportions through the port's automated terminal. On a railway journey from the capital, Palermo . Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael journeys through a prosperous prewar Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. 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. 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. Leaving London behind, armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. Amongst others, their inspirational leader Francesc Ferrer was imprisoned and executed by firing squad. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. There have been 10 series of Great British Railway Journeys, in which he used George Bradshaws 1863 tourist handbook to investigate the sociopolitical impact of the age of steam on Britain, and several spin-offs (including journeys through Asia, Australia and Alaska) since. A humbling masterclass in carving cuckoo clocks shows him how the nation's reputation for quality and reliability in manufacturing was established from the early 18th century. 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. Rotterdam to Utrecht 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. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo explores Germany, the powerhouse of today's European Union, and learns how tourists in the early 20th century would have been visiting quite a new country, which they admired and envied but also feared. Transylvania to the Black Sea A fourth series aired in January 2013, also with 25 episodes, with the last five episodes focused again on railways in Ireland. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. Michael Portillo travels across the European continent with his handy Bradshaw guide book. Striking south to historic Cordoba, Michael dances with an unusual partner and enjoys all the fun of the feria. 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. Michael learns how diplomacy brought Britain and Spain closer together and rides on a hair-raising scenic railway. Striking south to historic Cordoba, Michael dances with an unusual partner and enjoys all the fun of the feria. Forsaking the saddle, Michael takes to the skies and pilots a light aircraft as he learns of one of France's pioneering aviators. A fifth series following in January 2014 with 20 episodes, making a total airing of 115 episodes across the five series. Michael's journey through the Balkans - the powder keg of Europe - follows the route of the historic Orient Express. Read about our approach to external linking. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. At the Bolshoi Theatre, Michael performs an important role in one of Russia's most dramatic operas. Michael Portillo travels to Spain, the country his father fled during the bloody civil war. Michael travels through Austria and the Czech Republic, exploring a dark era in history. Great Continental Railway Journeys, written by Michael Portillo, was published by Simon & Schuster UK in October 2015.[5]. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo travels the Habsburg imperial line from Vienna across the awe-inspiring Semmering Pass, a handmade railway line blasted through the Alps.