Name: Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa
Uploaded: 2019-12-04T00:04:30.000Z
Description: With an investigative reporting background, Rudy Maxa uses his techniques in traveling the world. Join him as he discovers all sorts of countries and cities.

With an investigative reporting background, Rudy Maxa uses his techniques in traveling the world. Join him as he discovers all sorts of countries and cities.

GoTraveler

Deep in the heart of Naples, Italy is the ideal launching point for exploring some of Italy's great historic treasures. Marvel at the ancient city of Pompeii, and the eerily captured devastation of Mount Vesuvius. Hop a ferry to the isle of Capri, and drive the spectacular Amalfi Coast to take in some magnificent views.

Napels and the Amalfi Coast

Rudy is in the city where all roads lead - Roma. We begin in ancient Rome - the Forum, Palatine Hill, Colosseum, and Baths of Caracalla. Then we explore modern Roman life on the streets and in cafes, pizzerias and gelaterias.

Rome

The city of canals. Tour Piazza San Marco and the Basilica of San Marco. Visit a mask shop then boat to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Venice

We're off to the Italian Riviera seeking la dolce vita in one of the world's most romantic places. With death-defying cliffs and beaches that shimmer like jewels, the Riviera is as stunning a coastline as anywhere in Europe.

Genoa and the Italian Riviera

In this glorious city, rich in art, Rudy brings the Renaissance to life. We visit the great museums - the Uffizi, Bargello, and Accademia, as well as the landmarks of the Renaissance - the Duomo, Bapistery and Giotto's Tower.

Florence

Castles, vineyards, walled cities and a fierce medieval rivalry that lingers today - we're out for an adventure in the Italian hill towns.

Hill Towns of Tuscany and Umbria

Sun, olive trees and cicadas - we're in the heart of France. With our base in the sleepy town of St. Remy, we make forays into the villages, countryside and cities of Provence.

Provence

Rudy escorts us through Paris, the city of style, art and pastries. We experience extraordinary art - the Impressionist collection at the Musee D'Orsay and the garden sculpture at the Rodin Museum. Then we hit the sites from Notre Dame to the Pompidou Center to the Eiffel Tower.

Paris

London is a city that has come close to ruling the world. With a legacy that includes Shakespeare and the Beatles, London seems to have an endless capacity to reinvent itself. Here, we sip tea and savor traditional sights such as Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard.

London

The countryside outside of London echoes with storybook images. Around every hedgerow are mythic castles, ruined abbeys and prehistoric monuments. This time, we leave London and stop at Hampton Court, where Henry VIII wooed Anne Boleyn.

Out of London

For centuries, Belgium has been a sophisticated hub for gourmets and connoisseurs. In true Belgian style, we treat ourselves to superb chocolate and sample first-rate beer. We indulge our senses with folk music and Bruegel paintings, and investigate the people's passion for comic strips.

Brussels and Belgium

The country of the Netherlands inspired the Dutch masters and became a powerhouse that conquered the sea. We bicycle to Amsterdam's great art museums to see the works of Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Then we climb to the attic where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis. Later, we prowl windmills and check out Amsterdam's infamous red-light district.

Amsterdam and the Netherlands

Join Rudy in the wondrous kingdom of legend and fairytale - Denmark. Here Vikings plundered and Hans Christian Anderson spun children's stories. In cozy Copenhagen, we splurge on pastries, visit the Little Mermaid and dance till dawn at Tivoli Gardens.

Copenhagen and Denmark

While Athens sprawls, its historic core survives. After climbing the majestic Acropolis, rowing the Plaka, and cheering Greece's best folk dancers, we take some easy trips outside the city.

Athens and the Peloponnese

On the Greek Islands we get familiar with the ferries as we island-hop the Aegean. Sun-drenched, upscale and exotic, Santorini sits on the rim of an ancient, but still active, volcano. At one end of the island, the archeological site at Akrotiri uncovers a city frozen in time by the volcano's eruption 3,600 years ago.

Greek Islands

From Nice to St. Tropez, we drop in on the hot spots along the Mediterranean's famous Cote d'Azur. Based in lively Nice, we visit the local beaches and superb modern art museums featuring works by Matisse, Picasso and Signac.

French Riviera

The Burgundy region boasts top French wines, romantic canals, Romanesque churches and some of France's most renowned cuisine. We base in the small town of Beaune and learn about its history of winemaking.

France's Burgundy and Loire Regions

With world-class cultural sites, dynamic new architecture and unstoppable energy, Berlin is a city on the move. We visit the museums - the ancient treasures of the Pergamon and the Egyptian museum, German Expressionism at the Neue Nationalgalerie and the newly designed Jewish Museum.

Berlin

Munich's lively Marienplatz pulses with outdoor cafes, shoppers, street musicians and happy tourists. At the famous Hofbrauhaus, we sample Bavarian beer and kick up our heels with Schuhplattler dancers clad in lederhosen. Next stop is the Residenz, the family palace built by the Wittlesbachs, who ruled Bavaria for more than 700 years.

Munich and Bavaria

In musical Salzburg, we focus on Austria's easy approach to life. We visit the city's grand cathedral, take a funicular up to Europe's greatest medieval fortress, and shop along fine Baroque streets reminiscent of Mozart's time. We visit the house where the young Amadeus was born and where he composed his first masterpiece.

Salzburg and the Lakes District

Habsburg palaces, coffee houses, Strauss waltzes...all are symbolic of Vienna. Visiting elegant Schoenbrunn Palace, riding in carriages, sampling luscious apple strudel and listening to Mozart concerts, we see that Austria's capital still lives its elegant, proud past.

Vienna and the Danube

Milan symbolizes the powerhouse Italy of the 21st century--a European center for finance and fashion. We explore Italy's most extravagantly decorated Gothic cathedral, look at Leonardo da Vinci's famous Last Supper and shop, shop, shop. A visit to the Milan Design Museum shows how, for the Milanese, everyday life is art.

Milan and Lake Como

We wend our way across this largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Once the hub of the ancient world, Sicily offers up a vibrant, sun-soaked brew of history, tradition and intense cultural pride.

Sicily

Here's where we pull together some of Europe's most rewarding sites from the classical world. Ancient Greek and Roman remnants are more than cold stone. They hold centuries of stories. So we revisit some favorite classical sites around the Mediterranean, pick up some new stories and see what kinds of connections we can make.

Classical Europe Ancient Greece and Rome

Travelers adore Italy, and Italy adores the Renaissance. In this half-hour, we follow Western Europe's transition from medieval to modern times by exploring the arts and ambiance of that vibrant period.

Renaissance Europe

A key attraction of travel in Europe is that 30 minutes outside of any city there lurks a getaway, a quiet spot to catch one's breath. In this program, we explore a few such magic places.

Europe's Getaways

We're blessed with a bit of Irish luck as we take on Ireland's ruggedly beautiful west coast. We start in Galway, Europe's fastest growing city, shopping for Irish crystal and Celtic jewelry. Then it's a salt-sprayed boat trip to the fabled Aran Islands where we reach breathless heights at a Stone Age fort and ferret out traditional hand-knit sweaters.

Ireland's West Coast

Irish eyes are smiling when we explore Dublin, Ireland's urban core. There's history around every corner, and Dublin delights with Trinity College, the Book of Kells, the famous Guinness Brewery, and the infamous Kilmainham jail where Irish rebels spent their last days.

Dublin and Beyond

The Romantic Road winds through some of Germany's most picturesque countryside complete with medieval villages and Baroque Palaces. We start our journey in Würzburg where we visit the spectacular Baroque Bishop's Palace or Residenz and taste wine at one of Würzburg's many wine festivals.

Germany's Romantic Road

For centuries the Rhine has been a natural border and the main route for trade, people and ideas. We start in the ancient Roman city of Trier and travel up the Mosel River visiting vineyards and ancient castles.

Germany's Rhine and Mosel Rivers

Known the world over for its wheels of golden cheese, its sweet prosciutto and divine vinegar, this slice of Northern Italy is a feast. From our base in Bologna we eat our way across the region, taking in the glorious art and culture along the way: cheese and mosaics in Parma, Balsamic vinegar and racecars in Modena, ham, pasta and university life in Bologna.

Bologna & Emilia Romagna

Graced with charming cities, countryside villas and precious art, this corner of Northern Italy also features a playground of Alpine peaks and meadows. After a spectacular night at the opera in fair Verona's Roman arena, we set out in search of Giotto's colorful frescoes in Padua and architect Palladio's palatial villas in Vicenza and the surrounding countryside.

Italy's Veneto & Dolomites

We leave Western Europe behind as we venture to the exotic cities of Prague and Budapest. In Prague, we marvel at the startlingly beautiful old town and tour the labyrinthine castle that haunted writer Franz Kafka. Bohemian glass dazzles us as we browse the flourishing shops in this former Communist country, and we witness the scene of the "Velvet Revolution".

Prague & Budapest

Sweden is a natural-born beauty, winning us over with luxuriant landscapes and sleek Scandinavian style. We cruise through Stockholm's sun-dappled archipelago, visit a designer hotel and sip cocktails in the trendy Ice Bar (a lounge built completely of ice!).

Stockholm & Sweden

The grand panoramas of Norway prove irresistible to adventurers. In Oslo, we see testaments to maritime prowess in Viking Ships and the celebrated Kon Tiki raft. We "Scream" with painter Edvard Munch before heading south to the glorious vistas of Telemark country.

Oslo & Norway

The Champagne region of France bubbles over with fine wine, gourmet cuisine, picturesque towns and gothic spires. We base in Reims, home of the historic cathedral where French kings were crowned. From Reims, we tour wine country, visiting champagne producers both large and small.

France's Champagne Region

From a dramatic, historic coast to rural pastures, this sweet section of France abounds with apple orchards, enchanting villages, stunning abbeys and sparkling seaports. We base in the lovely seaside town Honfleur. At Giverny, and in the museums in Rouen and Honfleur, we discover the birth of Impressionism.

France's Normandy

The medieval world is one of the big draws of European Travel. Moody ruins, "tippy" towers, cobbled streets, sparkling mosaics, monasteries, castles, and cathedrals form the core of many a tourist's dreams. In this episode we revisit some favorite spots and toss in a few new sights as we make a little sense out of a fascinating 1000 years.

Medieval Europe

London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. A European city bustles--it's a hub of commerce and the arts, energy, surprise, and international flavor. Where do you start if you have just 24-hours?

Four Great Cities of Europe

We conjure a bit of magic when we visit the Georgian city of Bath and follow tales of Camelot into South Wales. In Bath, we marvel at ancient Roman spas and peek into the high society of Jane Austen's day.

Bath and South Wales

Friendly and feisty, Scotland makes us feel right at home. In Edinburgh, we climb the ramparts of this city's famous castle, shop for kilts, visit mysterious Rosslyn chapel and thrill to a spooky ghost tour. Then we head to historic St. Andrew's to practice our swing on the world's most famous golf course.

Edinburgh and Scotland

A Mediterranean marvel, Barcelona simmers with beautiful beaches, medieval mazes, eye popping art and hypnotic architecture. From tapas bars, to surrealist art, to Modernist structures, we'll feast on Barcelona's delights.

Barcelona and Costa Brava

The Spanish capital Madrid welcomes us with grand plazas and sparkling fountains. First stop is the Prado, one of Europe's great museums and home to Goya, El Greco and Velázquez.

Madrid

From a fairy tale fortress to the gentle Pyrenees, Rudy takes in the castles and peaks of this magical region. We tour the largest fortress in Europe, Carcassonne, and sample the local stew, Cassoulet.

France's Carcassonne and the Pyrenees

The world's finest wines, sweeping vineyards and fine food couple with a river valley dotted with castles. We sample the best Bordeaux then cruise the lovely Dordogne and Lot rivers with stops at chateaux, ancient watermills, and perched villages.

France's Bordeaux and the Dordogne

The Swiss Alps reverberate with cowbells, accordions, and laughter. We make our home base in the year-round playground of Interlaken, the "town between two lakes". We sail across glacial Lake Brienz, famous for its beautiful woodcarving.

Switzerland and the Alps

Hot-spiced cider and strains of "O Tannenbaum" warm our hearts as we head to Europe for Christmas. Switzerland has a special glow this time of year and we find plenty of good cheer in the bright Christmas markets and toasty ski lodges.

Alpine Christmas

We leave the eternal city behind by way of the famous Appian Way to explore the environs of Rome. First it's the majesty of Emperor Hadrian's villa and the wine and lakes of the Alban Hills. Next, it's south to the ancient seaport of Ostia, Rome's Pompeii.

Rome Day Trips

Europe's best kept secret, the Croatian coast of Dalmatia dazzles with stunning white stone cities and azure waters. We begin in Dubrovnik, then island hop up the coast, snorkeling, swimming, sunning and reveling in the scenery.

Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

We can jet to Europe in a day and visit four cities in less than a week. It's great to take your time but sometimes you only have a day to visit. How can you be part of the international jet set and still get a taste of "old" Europe?

Four Great Cities II

As more travelers return to Europe for multiple visits, many are on the lookout for another dimension in travel. Occasionally they want to skip historical sights and museums in favor of a trip--or a day--just for fun.

Europe Just For Fun

For a totally different view of Europe, Rudy shows smart travelers how to organize a trip around a theme. Rudy discovers surprising and fresh takes on Europe as he sets out on a music lover's tour.

A Music Lover's Europe

The cultures of the Pacific converge on the breathtaking islands of Hawaii. This trip Rudy begins on Maui, where he braves the twisting road to Hana with its cascading waterfalls and tropical splendor.

Maui & Hawaii's Big Island

Sunning, swimming, surfing and boating at Waikiki Beach are just the start in Honolulu. Rudy explores Hawaii's Polynesian roots at the venerable Bishop Museum, remembers WWII history at Pearl Harbor, and pays homage to King Kamehameha.

Oahu & Kauai

The port city of San Francisco revels in art, diversity and food. Chinatown is a feast for the senses, and the city's new Asian Art Museum a must-see. We get savvy on sourdough and tour notorious Alcatraz Island.

San Francisco

A hip, happening urban center surrounded by natural beauty, Seattle combines city life with the great outdoors. Rudy explores the vibrant downtown, samples microbrews and lattes, noses around Seattle's neighborhoods and hops aboard a ferry.

Seattle

As Canada's door to the Pacific Rim, Vancouver is a vibrant mix of European heritage and Asian cultures. In this vital, young and dynamic city Rudy explores the mix of cultures that inspires world-class cuisine, a spirited night life and modern Asian shopping centers.

Vancouver & Victoria, British Columbia

China's new powerhouse, Shanghai dazzles with fantastic skyscrapers, non-stop shopping and delicious dining. From traditional Tai Chi in the parks and teahouses to market madness and tumbling acrobats, Rudy explores tradition and modernity in this burgeoning city.

Shanghai

We get a Pacific Rim rush when we visit energetic, ever-changing Hong Kong. On a famous Star Ferry, Rudy savors one of the most majestic skylines on earth.

Hong Kong

Australia's stunning metropolis, Sydney seduces with its glorious harbor, carefree attitude and sunny beaches. From the Opera house to the Harbor Bridge to Circular Quay Rudy basks in the sights along the harbor.

Sydney, Australia

Sun-washed beaches, chic beachside towns, cliffs and rainforests and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland is the ultimate outdoor adventure.

Queensland, Australia

The South Island of New Zealand weaves Kiwi culture with scenic splendor. The vast vineyards of Marlborough helped bring this country's wines to the world stage.

New Zealand's South Island

With spectacular seismic activity, fascinating plant and animal life, and to-die-for natural beauty, New Zealand is a traveler's dream.

New Zealand's North Island

Guadalajara is alive with the music of mariachis, flowers, colonial architecture, and passionate artists. Rudy explores the rich history and culture of "The Most Mexican of Cities."

Guadalajara & Puerto Vallarta

Mexico City, the world's largest metropolis, is modern, crowded, cosmopolitan, and steeped in tradition. Rudy begins with Mexico's ancient roots just outside the city at pre-Aztec Teotihuacán.

Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa

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