Episodes
Thursday Dec 26, 2019
Paris Episode 04 Versailles and Louis the Fourteenth
Thursday Dec 26, 2019
Thursday Dec 26, 2019
A visit to the splendid palace just outside Paris which made Louis the Fourteenth the envy of monarchs all over Europe, yet whose very grandeur helped sow the seeds for revolution among his own people just a few generations later. A little history, some insights into the personality of a man who thought himself so deserving of pomp and extravagance and some pointers on what to look out for on a visit to the château and its glorious grounds.
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Paris Episode 03 Notre Dame and the Basilique St Denis
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
The fire which almost engulfed Notre Dame reminded Parisians and the world in general how precious the city's cathedral is and this episode will explain why, touching both on significant historical events which have taken place there and what to see when you visit. But before that, an introduction to Paris' other, slightly older, cathedral, the Basilique St Denis. It's less visited, being a little outside the very centre of the city, but it is a building of amazing peace and beauty in which almost every one of France's kings and queens is buried.
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Paris Episode 02 The heart of the city
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Surely every tour of Paris should start in the heart of the city, on the two islands which were where the very first settlers made their home, the Île St Louis and the Île de la Cité. We visit the city's oldest buildings, the Conciergerie and the beautiful Sainte Chapelle Church, linger a little on the Pont Neuf (actually the city's oldest bridge) and, finally, hear the poignant tale of Paris' best-known lovers, the 12th century philosophy teacher Abelard and the girl who stole his heart, Héloise.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Paris Episode 01 Introduction
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
So often top of the polls when people are asked what city they would most like to visit, Paris barely needs an introduction! But here is an overview of the city, geographically, historically and culturally, to whet your appetite for the remaining 21 episodes when we will tour all the main sites, telling you the stories behind them and introducing a wealth of colourful personalities who have influenced the city over the centuries. Bon voyage!
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
Seville Episode 13 Stories of Seville
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
Wednesday Nov 27, 2019
Hear stories about some of Seville's best known fictional characters. We start with Cervantes' low-life tricksters Rinconete and Cortadillo, operating in 16th century Seville. Then there’s Carmen, the fictional character originally created by Prosper Merimee, whose dramatic story so captured the imagination of 19th century readers that they thought she was real and came to Seville to meet her. And finally, Don Juan, whom no-one could 'outsmart in gambling, duelling or making love' and who was brought to life in stories, plays and operas by a number of writers. Discover too where to find traces of all three in today's Seville.
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Seville Episode 12 Travel Writers on Seville
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
First, some short quotations including one from Lord Byron, who famously praised the city for its ‘oranges and women’ and another from Jan Morris who wrote more poetically of the air which was ‘heavy with jasmine and orange blossom’. Then, time is devoted to writers of longer accounts. Enjoy hearing, for example, about Richard Ford’s ‘Handbook for Travellers in Spain’, written in the 1830s, Laurie Lee’s account of walking through Andalucia in the 1930’s and the writings of Jason Webster and Edward Lewine whose more recent travelogues focus respectively on a search for the country’s Arabic roots and its bullfighting tradition.
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Seville Episode 11 Gastronomia
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
A Spanish proverb says that he whom the gods favour will eat in Seville. (‘A quien Dios quiere bien, en Sevilla le da a comer’) This episode offers an overview of Andalucian food, from staples like olives and fish, to the delicious and seemingly endless array of little treats known as tapas. Hear about Arabic influences, sherry production and much more and savour the experiences of a number of travel writers who enjoyed what they ate and drank in Seville and then wrote about it memorably.
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Seville Episode 10 Art in Seville
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Many of Seville’s art treasures date from the ‘Siglo de Oro’, the ‘golden century’ when the city grew rich on its role as the hub of New World exploration. First, we visit the Hospital de la Caridad and the Hospital de los Venerables where there are works by acclaimed painters like Murillo and Zurbaran. After short biographies of three famous painters with very Sevillian roots, it’s off to the Museo de Bellas Artes, where many of the paintings are by Spanish artists and where the stated aim is to be ‘an essential element in the cultural identity of Seville’.
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Seville Episode 09 Flamenco
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Flamenco originated in Andalucia and has a long tradition in Seville. Find out about its roots in gypsy culture and about all the aspects which combine to make this colourful, dramatic art-form so unique: music, song, rhythm, dance, gesture and costume. Hear about the Museo del Baile Flamenco, Seville’s flamenco museum with its informative displays and concerts and discover how various travel-writers reacted when they came across this highly emotional art form.
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Seville Episode 08 Bullfighting
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Bullfighting is an integral part of Sevillian culture, whether you are for or against it. We look at the arguments on both sides, then learn a little history and some basic facts about bullfighting today. We also visit the Seville bullring – the oldest in Spain – and its museum and hear from travel writers, novelists and poets what they thought about it all.