Michael Portillo's Long Weekends

In this first episode, Michael visits one of his favourite European cities, the vibrant and bustling Spanish capital, Madrid.

Join Michael Portillo as he takes us on a Long Weekend in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic and city of a hundred spires.

Join Michael Portillo as he takes us on a Long Weekend to Italy's capital of fashion, design and industry: the dynamic, northern powerhouse of Milan.

Michael Portillo explores Palermo, dining with a duchess, investigating Sicily's links to the Mafia and going off-road to discover an ancient wonder. He also witnesses the transformation of a 19th century palazzo and toasts a Hollywood legend.

Michael spends a weekend in the Portuguese capital, beginning by taking a tram through the city's narrow medieval streets to the historic district of Alfama, where he discovers the catastrophic consequences of an earthquake in 1755. He tries unusual delicacies at the Campo de Ourique food market, designs his own tile at a decorative ceramics factory and takes the helm of a yacht to sail to the elite resort of Cascais.