The BEST episodes of Great Continental Railway Journeys

Every episode of Great Continental Railway Journeys ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Great Continental Railway Journeys!

All aboard! Armed with his trusty Bradshaw's guide, Michael Portillo explores Europe’s most beautiful, enchanting regions, uncovering how the railways have shaped the continent.

Last Updated: 4/3/2025Network: BBC TwoStatus: Continuing

8.40

10 votes

#1 - Vienna to Trieste

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/23/2015

Michael Portillo travels the Habsburg imperial line from Vienna across the Semmering Pass, a handmade railway line blasted through the Alps.

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8.29

7 votes

#2 - Stockholm to the Arctic Circle

Season 7 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/10/2020

Michael makes a scenic journey from Stockholm to Abisko. Michael celebrates Midsummer in Marielund, learns to decorate a Dala horse in Mora and takes an icy dip in one of the country’s 96,000 lakes.

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8.18

11 votes

#3 - Athens to Thessaloniki

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/13/2015

Armed with his 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo embarks on a Greek odyssey from Athens's port of Piraeus north to the city of Thessaloniki.

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8.17

12 votes

#4 - Pisa to Lake Garda

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/30/2015

Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo visits Italy, where he experiences the nation's need for speed in a Maserati sports car.

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8.14

7 votes

#5 - Kiev to Odessa

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/8/2018

Michael Portillo visits Kiev, described in his guide as the Jerusalem of Russia. At the St Sophia Cathedral he discovers how Ukraine adopted Orthodox Christianity.

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8.14

7 votes

#6 - Orleans to Reims

Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/5/2020

Beginning in historic Orleans, Michael follows his Bradshaw’s guide to the magnificent stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Sainte-Croix, which tell the story of Joan of Arc.

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8.08

12 votes

#7 - Barcelona to Mallorca

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/27/2015

Steered by his 1913 Bradshaw's Guide, Michael Portillo returns to Spain to trace the early 20th-century roots of the Spanish Civil War.

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8.00

9 votes

#8 - Rome to Taormina

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/12/2014

Michael Portillo takes the train down the spine of Italy from Rome to Sicily, visiting Naples, the island of Capri and the ancient hilltop town of Taormina.

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8.00

14 votes

#9 - Tangier to Marrakech

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/2016

Michael Portillo takes in the sights, smells and tastes of north Africa as he travels from the Mediterranean port of Tangier to the Berber city of Marrakech.

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8.00

4 votes

#10 - Batumi to Baku

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/15/2018

Michael Portillo travels from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. Michael discovers a surprise 19th-century tea plantation in the West Georgian countryside.

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8.00

8 votes

#11 - Salamanca to Canfranc

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/29/2020

Michael Portillo sports a modern edition of his Bradshaw’s Continental Handbook, dated 1936. His destination lies close to his heart: the ancient kingdom of Spain and land of his father.

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8.00

7 votes

#12 - Berlin to Stuttgart

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/19/2020

Michael Portillo embarks on a rail journey through Germany. In a vast stadium, Michael hears how new rail lines were constructed to transport crowds of spectators to the Nazi Olympic Games of 1936.

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7.93

14 votes

#13 - Prague to Munich

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/24/2013

Michael Portillo explores Bohemia and Bavaria, sampling the sulphurous waters of Marianske Lazne and riding a piece of German railway history made in Britain.

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7.89

9 votes

#14 - Tula to St Petersburg

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/5/2014

Michael Portillo travels through Russia, visiting the onion domes and icons of Tula and Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, before exploring the city of St Petersburg.

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7.78

9 votes

#15 - Warsaw to Krakow

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/19/2014

Michael Portillo journeys deep into central Europe to explore a country where east meets west: Poland. His voyage takes him to Warsaw, Poznan, Wroclaw and Krakow.

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7.70

10 votes

#16 - Sofia to Istanbul

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/16/2015

Michael Portillo travels east through the Balkans along the most exotic section of the Orient Express, heading for Istanbul. His journey begins in Sofia.

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7.70

10 votes

#17 - The Black Forest to Hannover

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/20/2015

Armed with his 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures deep into the Black Forest on a quest to discover the essence of Germany.

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7.69

13 votes

#18 - Amsterdam to Northern France

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/6/2012

Michael Portillo explores the Low Countries and Brussels en route to his final destination in France - where the 1918 Armistice was signed.

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7.67

6 votes

#19 - Haifa to the Negev

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/3/2014

Following his 1913 Bradshaw's guide, Michael Portillo ventures beyond Europe to the Holy Land, where he visits Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the Dead Sea.

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7.67

6 votes

#20 - Lyon to Marseille

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/10/2014

Michael Portillo follows a route recommended in Bradshaw's guide, journeying from the heart of France to the Mediterranean coast.

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7.58

12 votes

#21 - Berlin to the Rhein

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/22/2012

Armed with his 1913 guide, Michael Portillo travels from Berlin, through the picturesque Harz Mountains and on to Rheingau, renowned for its age-old vineyards.

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7.57

14 votes

#22 - Zermatt to Geneva

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/2016

Armed with his railway guide, Michael Portillo travels from the Swiss Alps to Lake Geneva. He is caught up in a war zone and rescued from an avalanche by a puppy.

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7.57

14 votes

#23 - Riga to Tampere

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/18/2016

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Guide, Michael Portillo ventures to the northernmost reaches of Europe, where he braves the freezing temperatures of the Baltic Sea.

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7.56

9 votes

#24 - Copenhagen to Oslo

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/17/2013

Michael Portillo explores Scandinavia, braving one of the world's oldest rollercoasters, sampling a smorgasbord and test driving a vintage Volvo.

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7.56

9 votes

#25 - La Coruna to Lisbon

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/26/2014

Michael Portillo retraces journeys in Spain and Portugal from the 1913 guide. He meets pilgrims from around the world on the trail to Santiago de Compostela.

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