Michael Portillo's Long Weekends

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.

Michael spends a midwinter weekend in the Swedish capital, braving the icy waters of the Baltic Sea and helping prepare the Royal Palace for a state visit by France's president Emmanuel Macron. Michael helps a group of ice divers trawling the city's seabed for rubbish and visits Stockholm Cathedral, where he's finds an unforgettable 15th-century sculpture of St George and the Dragon