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Private Notes
Part one of three shows on the Eternal City, this episode resurrects the rubble and brings back to life the capital of the ancient world. Focusing on the grandeur of classical Rome, we'll admire the groundbreaking architecture at the Colosseum and Pantheon, and the empire's exquisite art at the Capitoline Museum. Then we'll head out on a bike ride along the ancient Appian Way and take in nearby marvels of Roman engineering.
This second of three shows on Rome reveals a city busy with life and bursting with Baroque. We'll ramble through the venerable heart of Rome, admire breathtaking Bernini statues, ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and mix and mingle with the Romans during an early-evening stroll. Following an exquisite Roman dinner, we'll join locals after dark, lacing together the Eternal City's most romantic nightspots.
In this third of three shows on the Eternal City, we'll explore this grand metropolis — so rich in art and culture — on a more intimate scale, delving into its back lanes and unheralded corners. Venturing through the crusty Trastevere district, visiting the historic Jewish Ghetto, and enjoying art treasures in a string of rarely visited churches, we uncover charms of hidden Rome that compete with its marquee sights.
Fifteenth-century Florence was the home of the Renaissance and the birthplace of our modern world. In this first of two episodes, we'll gaze into the self-assured eyes of Michelangelo's David, enjoy Botticelli's Birth of Venus, delve into the 3-D wonders of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, appreciate Fra Angelico's serene beauty, and climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance. Then we'll cross the Arno to where Florentine artisans live, work, and eat…very well.
In this second of two episodes on Florence, we'll enjoy more of the exquisite artistic treasures of the city that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages. Then we'll side-trip to a couple of rival cities and cultural capitals in their own right, Pisa and Lucca, where we'll marvel at a tipsy tower, circle a city on its ramparts, and enjoy some Puccini in his hometown.
In Paris, amidst all of its grandeur, the little joys of life are still embraced. In this first of two episodes on Paris, we'll cruise the Seine River, visit Napoleon's tomb, and take in the Louvre. Then we'll feel the pulse of Paris — shopping in village-like neighborhoods, attending church in a grand pipe organ loft, and celebrating the mother of all revolutions with a big, patriotic Bastille Day bang.
In this second of two episodes on Europe's "City of Light," we'll ride a unicorn into the Middle Ages at the Cluny Museum, take a midnight Paris joyride in a classic car, get an extremely close-up look at heavenly stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle, go on a tombstone pilgrimage at Père Lachaise Cemetery, and savor the Parisian café scene. Few cites are so confident in their expertise in good living — and as travelers, we get to share in that uniquely Parisian "joie de vivre."
In many-faceted London, we’ll ponder royal tombs in Westminster Abbey, discover treasures in the British Library, enjoy the vibrant evening scene in Soho, uncover Churchill’s secret WWII headquarters, join the 9-to-5 crowd in the new London, shop where the queen shops, and straddle the Prime Meridian in Greenwich.
Hiking through the Cumbrian Lake District — England's green and pristine mountain playground — we'll admire idyllic lakes, discover misty waterfalls, tour a slate mine, and conquer stony summits. And we'll meet the locals — and their beloved dogs and sheep — everywhere. Then we play a little cricket, hike Hadrian's Wall, and get dazzled by Durham's Norman cathedral.
Venice, more than any other European city, has an endlessly seductive charm. For centuries, it was nicknamed La Serenissima, "The Most Serenely Beautiful One" — and for good reason. After sorting through the monuments of Venice's powerful past, we'll cruise the Grand Canal and be dazzled by masterpieces of the Venetian Renaissance. Along the way we'll feast on Venetian treats, get a splash of modern art, then glide on a gondola through this city of elegant decay.
Join us as we trace the life of Venice, once Europe's most powerful city, from its early beginnings to its superpower heyday to its hedonistic decline. We'll start by cruising its lagoon, stopping in fiery Murano for glass, pastel Burano for lace, and murky Torcello for a sense of where Venice was born. Along with sampling the sumptuous art treasures and exploring its back-street wonders, we'll luxuriate in a venerable café and savor fresh fish canalside with Venetian friends. Get intimate with the decadent city of Casanova as we become as anonymous as possible in this city of masks.
In this first of three shows covering travel skills, we'll visit the Netherlands and Germany to learn about transportation by train and car within Europe, changing money, and settling in upon arrival. How well you're able to enjoy the delights of Europe depends upon how well you plan and how skillfully you travel.
In this second of three shows focusing on travel skills, we'll visit Venice, Siena, and the Cinque Terre in Italy to learn about trip planning, packing, safety, and — perhaps the most rewarding skill of all — connecting with the locals. Going beyond the sights, Rick shares some practical tips to help make European travel fun and hassle-free.
In this third of three shows focusing on travel skills, we'll visit the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London while covering tips for finding the best accommodations, getting around in big cities, and enjoying Europe's cuisine. This information is key to making the most of your travel time and, if you're on a budget, can help you cut the cost of your travels in half.
