Great Continental Railway Journeys

Original version

BBC Two Scotland

Documentaries

Factual: Travel

Michael Portillo retraces the journeys from George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Guide.

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Michael Portillo

Dave Minchin

Alison Kreps

FremantleMedia

Great Continental Railway Journeys: Series 6: Episode 2: Batumi to Baku

Batumi to Baku

Episode 2

Episode 2: Batumi to Baku

Series 6

BBC Two - Great Continental Railway Journeys, Series 6, Batumi to Baku

Michael finds a surprise 19th-century tea plantation in the West Georgian countryside.

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

Steered by his 1913 Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo travels one of the most stunning rail routes of the world, through the former Russian empire from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, taking in present-day Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Following the historic Trans-Caucasus Railway, Michael begins in the port of Batumi on the dazzling Caucasian Riviera. He savours the soul of Georgia in its wine and discovers a surprise 19th-century tea plantation in the West Georgian countryside. The seat of power beckons in Kutaisi, home to the wonderful glass dome built for the Parliament of Georgia when it moved here from the capital, Tbilisi, in 2012. At the medieval convent of Gelati Michael sees how magnificent frescoes are being painstakingly restored and finds out about the most powerful king in Georgian history.

The daring rail line, built in the late 19th century to haul oil across the Caucasus from Baku to Batumi, reveals grand views from viaducts and passes through a 4km-long tunnel blasted through mountain rock. Arriving in Tbilisi, Michael is struck by the warm welcome of Georgians and is invited to a wedding, where he experiences the legendary feast known as a supra. At a private museum dedicated to the life of the most infamous Georgian, Joseph Stalin, Michael asks how Georgians today feel about the former dictator of the Soviet Union.

From Tbilisi Michael takes a trip along the 120-mile Georgian Military Road, built by the colonising Russian army in the early nineteenth century. Skirting disputed Georgian territory occupied by Russians today, Michael discovers that a Briton was the first to conquer the highest mountain in the Caucasus range. To capture his own view of the mighty Mount Kazbek Michael boards a helicopter to soar above the 5,000-metre peak first climbed in 1868.

Great Continental Railway Journeys: Series 6

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Bradshaw's 1913 Guide in hand, Michael Portillo embarks on another rail journey.

Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo embarks on another rail journey.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great Continental Railway Journeys

Series 6

Episode 2: Batumi to Baku

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC Two Scotland

About BBC Two