Nuoro to Macomer

Michael Portillo continues his Sardinian railway adventure, arriving in Mamoiada to investigate the town’s extraordinary pagan traditions. In a menacing mask, black sheepskin and 30 kg of cowbells, Michael embraces the role of a mamuthone, who wards off evil spirits.

Taking a 1950s diesel railcar, Michael journeys across the island to Macomer, where he discovers the railway’s surprising connection to a pioneering Welsh railway engineer. His adventure concludes at Italy’s largest cork factory, where a team of expert sniffers safeguard the integrity of the world’s finest wines.