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. To hear the story, Michael hitches a ride in the famous marque's most modern counterpart, a gleaming new convertible Dawn. 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. Back in the city again, Michael meets former Russia correspondent Martin Sixsmith to discover how the strikes, mutinies and massacres, which took place shortly before Bradshaw's 1913 guidebook was published, were to unfold and the part the railways were to play in those tumultuous events. 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. Amongst others, their inspirational leader Francesc Ferrer was imprisoned and executed by firing squad. A romantic stop at the ruined Schloss in Heidelberg follows before Michael gets an insider's guide to share dealing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In the northern town of Huesca, Michael meets the son of author George Orwell, who fought against Franco on what was the front line between Nationalist and Republican forces. In Delphi, he discovers how at the turn of the 20th century an entire village was removed in order to excavate the site of the oracle. He pays homage to the genius of Barcelona's most famous architect and meets the man responsible for finishing off Antoni Gaudi's life's work. Home. Put some tweed and some Churchs brogues on and relax. En route, he is caught up in a war zone with the Red Cross, takes to the skies in a vintage bi-plane and tries his hand at watchmaking, James Bond style. You might also like: Michael Portillo on going from politics to riding the rails. Travelling through what was, at the turn of the 20th century, one of Europe's youngest nations, Michael sinks his teeth into a Victorian gothic best seller and uncovers an unlikely fellow fan of his Bradshaw's. Great Continental Railway Journeys. Braving the force of the Goettingen wind tunnel, Michael investigates the track where model trains are fired at up to 360km per hour. In high spirits, with the help of the local liquor, Michael says 'Nosdraviya' to Slovenia and heads south. At the time of his guidebook it was a magnificent terminus, but today it stands ruined and derelict. [8] A third series followed in January 2012, including five episodes on railways in Ireland. They are now long out-of-print, but occasionally are offered from online sellers. 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. 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'. In some cases, the narrator did not partake in the train journey, and simply recited the writing of that episode's producer. Read about Gbrj Opening Theme by Great British Railway Journeys soundtrack and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. [1] In the early series, Portillo explores the railway networks of continental Europe, but in later series he also ventured further afield. In GREAT CONTINENTAL RAILWAY JOURNEYS, British broadcaster and journalist Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes . A fourth series aired in January 2013, also with 25 episodes, with the last five episodes focused again on railways in Ireland. Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Without access to a smartphone, though, I had to wait until the morning to find out precisely why. His destination lies close to his heart: the ancient kingdom of Spain and land of his father. With Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo ventures east through Romania. Steered by his 1913 railway guide, today Michael journeys through a prosperous pre-war Europe of emperors, kings, pomp and elegance. He encounters mummified monks in a medieval monastery and works out alongside two of the strongest women in the world. Heading to Bilbao, he explores the industrial ties between France and Spain and learns to cook a traditional Basque dish. The new series starts in Romania. Michael boards an early 20th-century yacht to experience the thrill for himself and learns how British yachtsmen spied on the German navy. It took Portillo to Bulgaria, Turkey, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Germany, and Spain. 2012-11-08. With his 1913 Bradshaw's in hand, 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. [2] To avoid offending Spanish sensitivities, the line was built concluding in Algeciras, a town in Spain on the opposite side of the Bay of Gibraltar, rather than at the Gibraltar border. Starting in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, he travels via Bratislava in Slovakia, to the beautiful and elegant city of Vienna where he immerses himself in pre-war decadence. Leaving Paris behind, Michael travels south to the Cote D'Azur to learn why the area attracted the rich and artistic alike and samples the Edwardian highlife before ending his journey at the gaming tables in glamorous Monte Carlo. He takes a detour to the island of Capri, before finishing his journey in the ancient hilltop town of Taormina. 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. 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. Cycling in tandem with his guide, Michael discovers Lyon's role in the country's most famous sporting event, the Tour de France. Research of a more sombre kind leads Michael to the roots of our modern welfare state in the work of an early 20th-century . 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 Portillo travels on the great train routes of E >. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo travels from the Swiss Alps to the shores of Lake Geneva. Michael Portillo follows his Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide to continue his journey through the Netherlands. He finds that the first constitution of the Netherlands was signed here and hears what the locals think about Dutch tolerance today. Among its cobbled streets and classical buildings Michael discovers the seeds of Ukrainian nationalism in song. The temperature varies from 33F to 66F. His journey ends in the Rheingau to taste the wines of its age old vineyards. Striking north, Michael boards the long-distance train which runs from the Caspian Sea to the capital. He will end his epic journey in the forest of Compiegne to hear how, after four years of conflict, the Armistice was finally signed in a railway carriage. 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. 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. From the from the Italian Riviera to the Austrian Alps Michael visits remote villages of the Cinque Terre he then heads to Parma next up is the Alps stopping off in Rovereto he ends his trip at the Brenner Pass home to on of the world's longest rail tunnels. Michael is in his element, stoking the boiler on the footplate of the enormous locomotive. Then, as expected, the fourth episode will air on Wednesday, August 26th. In Tallinn, seasoned members of the Tallinn Ice Swimming Club introduce Michael to their sport. Beginning in Dresden, Michael explores the city of one of his favourite opera composers, Richard Wagner. Michael ends his journey in Thessaloniki where, in 1913, Greece's King George I was assassinated. We dont have any upcoming events for this artist right now. 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. Great British Railway Journeys - Season 9 Episode 12. Michael embarks on a rail journey through Germany, steered by a Bradshaws Continental Railway Guide published in 1936. At the birthplace of Germanys first democracy, Weimar, Michael investigates the beginning of Bauhaus design and visits the movements first building, a family house encapsulating a vision of how people might live in the 20th century. Despite it having no direct connection to the European railway network, a chapter was devoted to Gibraltar in the 1913 guidebook.[3]. 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. That gave way to a red jacket, orange shirt and yellow trousers. 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. Striking north, Michael boards the long distance train which runs from the Caspian Sea to the capital. This early 20th-century handbook opened up an exotic world to the Edwardian tourist. 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. Packing tip: The springtime climate can feel cold at times. Here he visits the emperor's Austrian summer house at Bad Ischl, where in 1914 European history changed course forever. He then ends his journey as he arrives at the gaming tables in glamorous Monte Carlo. Need help? [1] In the early series, Portillo explores the railway networks of continental Europe, but in later series he also ventured further afield. He then heads to Poznan and rides one of the few remaining steam-powered commuter trains, visits a factory in Wroclaw that manufactures car bodies for locomotives, and ends his journey in Krakow, where he takes a tour in an iconic vehicle of the communist era. Outside the city he crosses swords with Cossack warriors and gains an insight into Ukrainians' national identity. . He begins in the truly international city of Basel and travels east to visit industrial Zurich. 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 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. Production of a second series included filming in Spain and Gibraltar in May and June 2013, following the RondaAlgeciras railway line, built in the 1890s by British interests under the Algeciras Gibraltar Railway Company, for the benefit of British officers stationed in Gibraltar wanting to travel to Spain and the rest of Europe. 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. In a vast stadium in Berlin, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games in 1936. Following in the footsteps of early 20th-century British tourists, Michael tours this compact country, which boasted a mighty navy and a global empire to rival that of Britain. Along the way, he recreates the famous Italian Job on an historic Fiat test track and follows fashion in Milan before investigating the early 20th century British love affair with Lake Como in a seaplane. 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. 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. He learns from the buffet car cooks how to prepare a supper of meat-filled dumplings - Dagestani specialities called pylmeni. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. Genres: Chamber Music, Television Music. Featured peformers: Jon Wygens (composer). Great British Railway Journeys, an Album by Jon Wygens. After breakfast on board Michael sets out to explore a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with French, Italian, Russian and Jewish influences. This will follow Michael as he journeys from Berlin to Stuttgart, soaking up all of Germany's history. 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 uses George Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide to explore Switzerland, whose remarkable railways helped make it a favourite with Edwardian tourists. Michael Portillo sports a modern edition of his Bradshaw's Handbook as he heads for Spain. Leaving London behind, armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo follows the most popular route of the Edwardian traveller through France. BBC Two Great Continental Railway Journeys Home Episodes Clips Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913. North of Helsinki, in Tampere, Michael takes to the water again to explore one of Finland's 180,000 lakes. / Great Continental Railway Journeys. Often available in a six-pack of programs, though also out-of-print, they are commonly found for purchase online. The title Great Continental Railway Journeys has led some to believe that the series is designed solely for train spotters. After arriving in the German capital, Berlin, Portillo is reminded of its turbulent past. Today, the route remains a chequered one but for a happier reason - a new European railway network is being constructed and engineering work is underway. 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 learns of the role it played during the Second World War and hears about its forthcoming new lease of life. 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. 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. He then heads west via the picturesque Harz Mountains to the Industrial Ruhr Valley to learn how imperial Germany was war ready. Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo returns to his native Spain to discover what the intrepid tourists of the Belle Epoque experienced on their travels through the fading Spanish empire. 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. Its a heady journey, although a tweed jacket wouldnt go amiss. His rail journey takes him from the grasslands of the Steppe to the shores of the Black Sea. Michael Portillo uses his 1913 copy of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide to explore Poland. From the Grand Hotel, Europe, advertised in his Bradshaw's, Michael explores the beauty and history of St Petersburg, from the great Nevsky Prospekt to the magnificent Winter Palace with its Hermitage Museum, then rides the first railway ever built in Russia between the city and the Tsar's village - Tsarskoye Selo. 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 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. 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. Great Canadian Railway Journeys is a BBC travel documentary series presented by Michael Portillo and aired on BBC Two. Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? Airs Sundays, July 20 - August 10 & Sept. 7, 2014 at 7 p.m. on KPBS TV. At Goettingen University, Michael discovers two sides of student life at the turn of the 20th century - the duelling fraternities and the groundbreaking scientists who laid the foundation for Germany's world class transport technology today. In Palermo, Michael takes in the art and architecture of the futurists. 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! In Ploesti, he helps out in the world's first oil refinery and at Sinaia, he discovers a fairy tale castle with the most modern conveniences. 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. 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. He takes a water taxi along the Nieuwe Maas river to the windmills of Kinderdijk to see how the Dutch conquered the waters which threaten their land. 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. Athens to Thessaloniki 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. His unique window on Europe between the world wars takes him through a tumultuous period in German history, when the nations first democracy and its vibrant culture of art, design and decadence were swept away by fascism, nationalism and the increasing likelihood of war. Michael's journey through the Balkans - the powder keg of Europe - follows the route of the historic Orient Express. Were you still up for Portillo, a hundred years ago in 1997? No one would. Great Continental Railway Journeys continues on Tuesdays 9pm BBC2. The latest series of his travelogue sees the politician-turned-presenter delve into his fathers life in Spain. In Vienna, he encounters a pre-Cold War spy and hears for himself the concert that caused a riot in 1913. Glinka: Travelling Song (The Train Song), 1840. But 1936 was a turbulent time in Spain, with political upheaval descending into a brutal civil war. Season 2. But the interwar guidebook also tells him that the head of government in Italy is the fascist leader Signor Benito Mussolini. 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. He discovers a nation fractured at the time by social tensions and regional loyalties, which today offers a rich diversity of cultures to delight the tourist. 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. Great Continental Railway Journeysis now a firmly established series on BBC2, following in the illustrious tracks of its predecessor - Great British Railway Journeys. When The Rite of Spring premiered, there was pandemonium. He starts in the beautiful golden city of Salamanca, where his father was happy as a young left-wing professor. Today he experiences the dazzling cities of the pre-war Low Countries and tastes the delicacies of Brussels before travelling 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.

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