Portugal with Michael Portillo
Portugal is fast becoming the go-to location for Brits to explore and spend their holidays. Not just resorts, villas and golf courses, Portugal's rich and varied locations are attracting millions of us with its year-round sunshine and generous welcome. Now Michael takes us in search of its heart and soul, revealing the secrets of places we know well, and taking us to discover those we don't.
Episodes
Michael explores highlights and hidden secrets of the country, starting out in the cosmopolitan second city of Porto, whose chic shopping boulevards and tourist hotspots hides a proud industrial past making it the 'Manchester of Portugal'. In Braga, he finds the awe-inspiring Bom Jesus shrine, built into the side of a mountain, visits one of Portugal's biggest festivals, the Feiras Novas, where a million revellers enjoy three days of singing and dancing, and discovers a network of busy canals in Aveiro, reminiscent of Venice.
Michael explores Braga and Ponte de Lima, enjoying folk music at the Feiras Novas festival. He then climbs the Bom Jesus shrine, cooks with chef Renato, and ends up with belly dancers!
Michael explores the Algarve beyond its beaches, uncovering history, visiting Silves's castle and Faro's bone chapel, meeting a fisherman who risks his life for barnacles, and enjoying fresh oysters in Olhao.
Michael Portillo's journey through Portugal continues on the stunning island of Madeira, a subtropical paradise 500 miles off the Algarve coast as he explores its extreme landscapes, historic levadas, and unique toboggan rides. He enjoys a traditional espetada BBQ, discovers the island's water mill, learns about Madeira's British connections and wine history, and explores a local market in Funchal where he samples exotic fruits.
Michael Portillo's journey continues in two cities. He begins in Aveiro, a city of canals and brightly decorated boats, renowned as the Portuguese Venice. He enjoys the local food and discovers a historic connection between the city's patron saint, Princess Joanna, and England's King Richard III. He then drive to one of the country's most important cities, Coimbra. Portugal's first capital in 1139, it was once the centre of a mighty Roman province.
Michael Portillo embarks on an exploration of the authentic Portugal, starting in Sintra, a town once cherished by the Portuguese monarchy. His adventure kicks off aboard a swift tuk-tuk, navigating the town’s steep and twisting roads, leading him to the remarkable 19th-century Pena Palace, a symbol of Portugal's Romantic era. Along the way, he hunts for Sintra's famous pastries, follows the route of King Manuel II to Ericeira, and visits the grand yet seldom-used Mafra Palace. Michael concludes his journey by participating in a cacao ceremony at a wellness retreat and foraging for wild food along Portugal’s rugged Atlantic coastline, close to its westernmost point.
