Spain with Michael Portillo | Preview (5)

In the first episode of a brand-new 8-part series, Michael Portillo takes us on a journey deep into his Secret Spain, where he rediscovers one of its worst-kept secrets: Barcelona. Famously heaving with millions of visitors, Michael shows us a surprising side of the Catalan capital that lies well off the tourist trail.

His journey begins at an extraordinary house designed over 140 years ago by Barcelona’s most famous son, the architect Antoni Gaudí. Casa Vicens, in the little-known Gràcia district, was Gaudí’s first major commission and became the blueprint for his later designs. Today, it’s open to visitors without the lengthy queues of his other buildings.

A 10-minute stroll away, Michael visits a beloved local bar where he experiences the secrets of Barcelona’s surprising vermouth culture. As the sun sets behind the Montserrat Mountain, he heads to the nearby Sants neighbourhood and joins locals partying at the annual Festa Major. Here he learns a Catalan dance before taking part in a dizzying human tower, where one wrong move could spell disaster.

The following day, Michael heads into the Gothic Quarter in search of a cobbler where the iconic footwear, the espadrille, has been handmade for more than 80 years. He learns how espadrilles were made for the rich and famous, including Pope John Paul II and Salvador Dalí, before creating his own suitably bright pair.

Michael also reveals his tip for viewing the city’s most popular attraction, Gaudí’s epic Sagrada Família church, without queueing to get in, and he’s fitted for a shirt at his hotel, once the headquarters of the local cotton textile foundation when Barcelona was dubbed the Catalan Manchester.

He finishes his trip with a Catalonian feast in one of the city’s hidden neighbourhood food markets, sipping cava and enjoying local ‘botifarra’ sausages, tripe stew, and Barcelona’s answer to surf-and-turf.

Michael Portillo’s Secret Spain begins Thursday 8th January on 5.