Great Continental Railway Journeys: Series 5

Michael Portillo embarks on six memorable railway journeys across Europe armed only with his 1913 Bradshaw s Guide and sporting his trademark colourful jackets!On his travels, Michael visits towns and villages along the way exploring the sights and sampling local traditions while telling the story of what happened in continental Europe in 1913, when everything changed as the world went to war.TRANSYLVANIA TO THE BLACK SEAMichael travels to Romania, where he encounters bloodsucking vampires and wild brown bears before visiting a fairytale castle with mod cons, striking oil in the world s oldest refinery and loading cargo from a 100-foot crane.ZERMATT TO GENEVATravelling from the Swiss Alps to the shores of Lake Geneva, Michael is caught up in a war zone with the Red Cross and rescued from an avalanche by a St Bernard puppy; having taken to the skies to celebrate the epic achievement of a Swiss aviation hero, he tries his hand at watchmaking.TANGIER TO MARRAKECHMichael leaves Europe behi