Michael Palin's latest voyage of discovery sees him venture into territory once forbidden - the new Europe previously shrouded behind the Iron Curtain.

Now that the Iron Curtain has lifted and the Cold War is over, Michael can enjoy a new freedom to roam unhindered across an unexplored swathe of his own continent.

From Estonia in the north to Turkey in the south, where Europe reaches out to Asia across the Bosphorus, Michael's journey takes him through twenty countries, some Central European, some Eastern European, some straddling continents, and all utterly compelling.

En route he encounters the White Brotherhood in Bulgaria and discovers new career possibilities on the catwalk in Budapest. He meets the Dracula Cult in Transylvania and strips off for blood-sucking leech therapy in Viinistu. In the former East Germany, Michael puts a Red Army tank through its paces and, in Poland, transports passengers on the 8:58 AM steam locomotive from Poznan to Wolsztyn.

Packed with wit, incident and insight, the seven episodes of Michael Palin's New Europe reveal a reunited, rich and diverse land as warm and welcoming as it is unknown.