Curious Traveller
Curious Traveller is a TV show on SBS ONE. The program has been available since 2025. A total of 34 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in August 2025.
Last episode
25:59
25:59Curious Traveller
Why does George IV's Royal Pavilion look so different from other British royal palaces? What happened at the Seven Sisters Cliffs? What is a Smugglers Pub? Who wouldn't sit under a dragon? Where did Sherlock Holmes retire? And what does the Guinness family have to do with a medi...
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25:58Who stole the famous Ghent Altarpiece, and who recovered it? And who is restoring it? What is Prinsenhof, and why is it so pretty? Where did the famous Ghent Dragon fly in from? Why is Ghent so famous for its lace? Why is St. Peters Abbey so important to Ghent history?
25:52Why is Dublin known worldwide for its pubs? Where did traditional Irish music come from? Why are there always flowers decorating a pub? What does the word 'pub' mean? What is a 'snug'? A Brian Boru harp? And how did a fella named Arthur Guinness become so important?
25:39Who were the Flemish Masters, and how did they leave their mark on art history? Who stole Michelangelo's Madonna of Bruges? And who rescued her? Why does Bruges look the same as it did in the Middle Ages? What is a Beguinage? And 'Blind Donkey Alley'? And why are all the colourful buildings surrounding the market the same ...
25:54Today, we get curious about the stunning natural landscape of Wales. We visit Brecon Beacons National Park, Pembrokeshire National Park, St. Davids (the smallest city in Britain), Hay-on-Wye (Wales' Town of Books), the Victorian seaside resort town of Tenby, and lots and lots of curious castles.
25:38How did Hong Kong get its name? What is so junky about a junk boat? We get curious about the Big Buddha, the Po Lin Monastery, and the Wisdom Path on Lantau Island. Then, we head to the Kung Wo Tofu Factory to learn a centuries-old tofu-making technique. Christine also takes you inside a Tin Hau Temple, the Man Mo Temple, ...
26:00How did Manchester kick-start 'Railway Mania' in the Industrial Age? What is Manchester's Water Palace? What is so curious about the architecture of the John Rylands and Chetham's Libraries? Why is a bee the symbol of Manchester? Which pub owner shooed her patrons out with a broom? And why is the National Football Museum i...
25:59Why is there a giant wall in the middle of Cardiff? Who built Cardiff Castle? And Coch Castle? Why does Cardiff have so many Victorian and Georgian arcades? What is a bara brith? And laverbread? (Seriously, what is it?) Where did Princess Diana give her first public speech in Welsh?
26:01Why is La Grande-Place so gilded? How did Brussels' chocolate legacy begin? Where can you walk through the pages of a comic book? How did Flanders become such a source of master artists?
26:01England's Great West Way follows the ancient path from London to Bristol. We take the train and get curious at stops along the way: Stonehenge, Bath's masonic architecture, the Roman Baths and the S.S. Great Britain. We also sample some curious pub pies, learn some cockney rhyming slang, and visit a few charming villages.
Season 3
25:29
25:29After nearly 500 years, French is still the official language of this North American city. How has this UNESCO World Heritage Site retained its 'Frenchness' after all this time? Why does the Chateau Frontenac hotel look like a French castle, and what does it have to do with the Canadian railway? What's so curious about Rue...
25:22Why did the English choose Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, Virginia as their early American settlements? Why did King William III and Queen Mary II establish a university here? What was life like for the colonists here? What crazy concoctions are to be found in a colonial apothecary?
25:02Who is buried under Glasgow Cathedral and why? Who is Saint Mungo and why is he so big? Why does Glasgow City Chambers look like a palace? How did this seaport town become a centre for Scottish Enlightenment? And how did the creativity of one man, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, leave a permanent mark on this city?
24:43You may not be able to live like a royal, but wouldn't it be nice to shop like one? In this episode, we explore the curious world of Royal Warrants, a special designation given to only the best shops and services, literally fit for a king (or queen, or prince or princess). From the royal dressmakers to tiara makers, we tak...
25:08Why is a European Christmas Market also called Weihnachtsmarkt or a Christkindlmarkt? And what do these markets have to do with the Holy Roman Empire? Why do you find Christmas Markets mostly in German-speaking countries? And what is the curious history of the Advent Wreath, of Silent Night, and a creepy Christmas characte...
25:22Why is there a stone giant holding a flame, high in the hills overlooking the town? How did silver help shape this Mexican town? Why are its streets and alleys so winding, and what happened to the Guanajuato River? What does the town's main church have to do with the King of Spain? And why does the town's marketplace look ...
25:28Why did the Scottish kings live in Edinburgh, and why don't we have Scottish kings anymore? Why was Edinburgh Castle built high upon on Castle Rock? What's the connection between Edinburgh and Harry Potter? And where are the real-life inspirations for Harry Potter locations? What is so royal about Edinburgh's Royal Mile? W...
25:04How did this UNESCO town in Mexico get such a curious name? And what do a duck and a dog have to do with it? Why are there so many grand mansions in such a small town? Why do postcards have to do with its soaring Gothic church? Why is there an art school in a former convent? And how did San Miguel de Allende become a magne...
24:58This beautiful region of England is full of picture-perfect rolling hills, quaint stone cottages, sprawling country estates. Why are country estates named Castles and Abbeys? Why is one of the largest medieval Gothic cathedrals in Europe in the small town of York? How did the Quakers and chocolate shape York's history? Whe...
25:17Who were the Habsburgs, Maria Theresa, Franz Joseph and Sisi? And how did they shape Vienna? What is the Ringstrasse, and why are there so many oversized, ornate public buildings dotting it? Where did Mozart perform as a six-year-old prodigy? When and why did Austria shrink to a tenth of its size? And why are Vienna's coff...