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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
