Sofia to Istanbul - Part 1
Bradshaw's Guide in hand, Michael Portillo travels through the Balkans, following the route of the historic Orient Express. His journey begins in Sofia.
Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide in hand, Michael Portillo travels through the Balkans, following the route of the historic Orient Express. His journey begins in Sofia, where he discovers the then newly independent orthodox Christian nation, which had broken free of the decaying Ottoman Empire and found an ally in a British prime minister. In the ancient city of Plovdiv, Michael discovers a Roman amphitheatre built in the 2nd century AD and still in use today. Further east in the beautiful region of Rumelia, Michael picks roses with the flower girls to produce precious rose oil in a 100-year-old distillery.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Michael Portillo |
| Executive Producer | John Comerford |
| Series Producer | Alison Kreps |
| Production Company | Boundless Productions |
Broadcasts
Mon 20 Feb 2017 18:30- Tue 14 Nov 2017 19:30
Wed 20 Mar 2019 18:30- Thu 21 Mar 2019 18:30
- Mon 24 Jun 2019 19:30
Steam Railways
A collection of programmes from the 大象传媒 archives on the beauty of steam locomotives.