Michael Portillo's Long Weekends (2024- )

Join Michael Portillo for tips and tricks to enjoy a fabulous long Weekend in the stunning Swedish capital of Stockholm with a mid-winter expedition brimming with Nordic hospitality and adventure.

On an action-packed weekend of discovery, Michael braves the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, gets swept up in a clash of the icemen, seeks royal approval at a banquet fit for a king, reinvents himself as a glacial Michelangelo, investigates a mighty warship raised from the depths, and tackles meatballs and the humble herring.

Michael's weekend exploring this breath-taking archipelago begins on the island of Södermalm, where he jumps straight into local life by accepting a blind taste test to identify a variety Sweden's most famous food staple – meatballs - including wild boar, elk and reindeer.

Gamla Stan is home to the Royal Palace, and Michael's helps prepare for the imminent state visit of President Macron of France. Dripping in opulence, he's bowled over to see one of the world's largest banqueting tables that's been set to seat a palace record of 170 VIPs.

Feeling adventurous, he travels to Vaxholm where a brave Michael takes an icy plunge by kayaking on a partially frozen Baltic Sea, before he joins thousands of fans at a game of bandy. Similar to ice hockey but played with a ball rather than a puck, Michael's enthralled by this lightning fast contact sport.

Continuing his exploration of this winter wonderland, Michael helps a group of courageous ice divers trawling the city's seabed for rubbish, enjoys a cocktail at the Ice Bar where he also sculpts a leaping fish from a block of Arctic ice, and discovers the ill-fated ‘Vasa' warship, Sweden's greatest warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628.

He also finds time to cook up feast of herring, sample delicious oysters and visit Stockholm Cathedral where he's finds an unforgettable fifteenth century sculpture of St George and the Dragon.