Great Continental Railway Journeys

Michael mounts a valiant defence against latter-day gladiators in Pula's amphitheatre.

Ably assisted by Lila, an expert labrador, Michael Portillo hunts for truffles.

Michael’s railway adventure reaches Zadar, a centre for the production of cherry liqueur.

Michael traces the fateful last journey of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.

Michael Portillo enjoys a journey on the historic line from Sarajevo to Mostar.

Michael Portillo embarks on a Scandinavian railway adventure from Bergen to Copenhagen.

Michael Portillo’s rail journey continues towards the Norwegian capital of Oslo.

Michael is in Larvik in southern Norway, famed for the blue rock larvikite.

Michael Portillo’s Scandinavian rail adventure reaches Denmark’s second city, Aarhus.

Michael Portillo concludes his epic rail journey, crossing an 18-kilometre bridge.

Michael Portillo visits the tiny village home of Switzerland’s most famous child, Heidi.

Michael Portillo ventures into the bowels of an immense hydroelectric dam.

In Zurich, Michael has a brush with the absurd in the anarchic paintings of the Dadaists.

Michael Portillo scales the Swiss Alps on one of the steepest cog railways in the world.

Michael wends his way in style down mountainsides from Interlaken to the Swiss Riviera.

Michael Portillo’s rail travels take him to the north west corner of France.

Michael's journey reaches the naval port of Brest, home to France’s oceanographic fleet.

Michael Portillo’s railway adventure reaches Rennes, capital of Brittany.

In Bayeux, Michael Portillo admires the 70-metre-long Bayeux Tapestry.

Michael discovers how Calvados has been distilled since 1865 at the Pierre Huet estate.