We discover that Dubrovnik is still the "jewel of the Adriatic" while nearby villages decorate their dreamy archipelago with small-town Venetian charm. Ljubljana is like Salzburg without tourists. The Julian Alps glisten with pristine lakes as Lipizzaner stallions are eager to strut their stuff.

We follow Rome's rise through its awe-inspiring art, starting at Rome's humble birthplace in the Forum. Soon Rome is graced with supersized monuments like the majestic domed Pantheon and the Colosseum, where gladiators battled to the death. We also get a glimpse of Rome's more intimate side: the colorful mosaics, luxurious frescoes, and realistic portraits of the solid citizens who made Rome great.

After its medieval struggles, Europe rediscovered the art of the ancients, led by booming Florence. We revel in the bold spirit of the Cathedral's lofty dome and Botticelli's sweet Venus. Leonardo da Vinci gives us the iconic Last Supper and enigmatic Mona Lisa. And Michelangelo — sculptor of David, painter of the Sistine, and architect of St. Peter's — takes the Florentine Renaissance to new heights.

From Italy, the Renaissance spread across Europe, revolutionizing art. We travel to Spain and Portugal where overseas plunder is transformed into lacy architecture and ethereal paintings by El Greco. In bustling Germany and Belgium, new technologies enable Durer's mass-produced engravings, Van Eyck's meticulous oil paintings, Brueghel's peasants at play, and the futuristic visions of Bosch.

The late-1800s saw old notions of beauty challenged by revolutionary artists. We enjoy pioneering Impressionist works — Monet's lilies, Renoir's ladies, Degas' snapshots and Rodin's statues — that capture the joie de vivre of the age. We trace the tempestuous travels of Van Gogh through his incomparable art. And we finish in Spain, with wild and crazy buildings that herald the dawn of a new century.

Europe's tumultuous 20th century spawned a kaleidoscope of cutting-edge art. From Spain to Hungary, Glasgow to Oslo, we seek out all that's wild, colorful, surreal, and just plain fun. The fascinating work of Pablo Picasso leads us through the century's major art styles. And in today's gleaming cities, we see how a persistent artistic spirit connects us with both our past and an exciting future.

Leaving Lisbon for the countryside, we eat barnacles in a salty old fishing town, march with pilgrims on the anniversary of a miracle, ponder the local Romeo and Juliet, sample university life, and rummage through the riches of Portugal's Golden Age.

Beautifully filmed on location, this 3-part, 90-minute special distills Rick's 25 years of travel experience into practical tips on: planning a trip, overcoming the language barrier, getting around, finding accommodations, staying safe, and more. 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.

Pulling on hip boots, we settle into the muck of Venice, then take a speedboat tour of the lagoon. On the mainland, we head for Padova to tour a once-illegal anatomy theater and track the restoration of Giotto's Scrovegni Chapel. In Vicenza, we admire elegant Palladian-style streets and villas. In Verona, we climb the Roman arena, jostle with tourists to rub the brass breast of Juliet, and taste-test grappa before riding the train to Ravenna for its dazzling 1500-year-old mosaics.

In red-bricked Siena, we tour the town's innovative medieval hospital, lavish cathedral, and a bakery that makes panforte (like fruitcake, only delicious). Exploring the Chianti region, we sip Brunello di Montalcino — with its makers. Spending the night at a farmhouse, we meet the family and its sheep, learn of the Slow Food Movement, and enjoy a homegrown dinner. In Assisi, we follow the footsteps of St. Francis, from his humble chapel to the Giotto-frescoed basilica that holds his tomb.

Bulgaria is a time warp of old and new — from chic shops in the city to donkey cars in the country. We hike to a mountain monastery, meet two sculptors (dad does Stalin, son does nudes), and enjoy a traditional dinner feast at a local home.

After a pilgrimage to Michelangelo's Pieta, we climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica. We seek out tucked-away Renaissance paintings and a cleverly-painted false dome. At the Borghese Gallery, it's exquisite sculptures by the master of marble, Bernini. Then we join the locals on an after-dark stroll, lacing together Rome's Baroque and bubbly nightspots.

Beautifully filmed on location, this 3-part, 90-minute special distills Rick's 25 years of travel experience into practical tips on: planning a trip, overcoming the language barrier, getting around, finding accommodations, staying safe, and more. 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 Istanbul, we’ll lose our way in the Grand Bazaar and munch our way through the famously fragrant Spice Market. We’ll follow the fall of the ancient capital of Byzantium and the rise of Islam at the city’s ancient wall, and wander among the treasures of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapı Palace. To escape the city bustle, we’ll cruise the churning waters of the Bosphorus, make friends over backgammon, and try a traditional Turkish bath.

In times of crisis and challenge, we ask ourselves: What is the true value of travel? Is it just hedonism…or something more powerful? After a lifetime of exploring Europe — and inspiring Americans to see Europe as the springboard for world exploration — Rick Steves shares his reasons why. This special episode is a sonnet to travel — an introspective love story, set in Europe, that vividly celebrates the rewards of exploring our world and the joy that awaits those who travel.

In the birthplace of the Renaissance, we look into the eyes of Michelangelo's David and Botticelli's Venus, learn tricks for touring the Uffizi art gallery, and climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance. Then we delve into the Florentine good life: visiting a fragrant 400-year-old perfumery, sipping Campari on a rooftop, chasing the sunset on a Vespa, and sleeping serenely in a converted monastery.

Experiencing the best of Portugal, we start in Lisbon, a ramshackle mix of glorious old and fun-loving new. Salty sailors' quarters and wistful Fado singers mix with ornate architecture to recall the glory days when Vasco da Gama and Magellan made Portugal a world power. Then we head for the south coast of your travel dreams-the Algarve. We explore the Land's End of Europe-windy and historic Cape Sagres before savoring pristine beaches and arm-wrestling octopi in the sleepy fishing village of Salema.

Naples is Italy in the extreme. We'll prowl backstreet fish markets, dodge fast-moving Vespas, and dine on pizza where it was invented. We'll climb to the top of nearby Mount Vesuvius, then wander through the amazing ruins of Pompeii, the Roman town it destroyed.

The small towns and rural charms of Tuscany give us a healthy dose of the "sweet life" as we hunt for truffles in an oak forest, nibble our way through an artichoke festival, share a farmhouse feast, and ride a classic convertible through the cypress groves of Mona Lisa's backyard.

The Dordogne River Valley — with its dramatic castles, evocative cave paintings, and prized cuisine — is an unforgettable blend of man-made and natural beauty. We'll take an idyllic canoe ride, and then visit a goose farm and savor the foie gras. We'll also wander through a lamp-lit castle, enjoy a country market, and visit the Sistine Chapel of the prehistoric world. Then we head south to Albi, home of Toulouse-Lautrec, and the imposing fortress city of Carcassonne.

Rome welcomes the new millennium spiffed up as never before. We tour Rome's ancient sights from the Forum and Colosseum to the glorious Pantheon. Then, after hiking the Appian Way and exploring the catacombs, we track down the best gelato in Rome.

In these five idyllic port towns, we sample village life: fishing for anchovies at midnight, savoring the best pesto, picking grapes, and cheering cliff divers as we hike the "walkway of love." Each pastel town is a delight, but my favorite is Vernazza - where Giovanni makes pasta and Granelli sells porcini mushrooms at the tiny street market. We side-trip to Carrara's historic quarries where Michelangelo selected his marble, then return to Vernazza to stroll its only street (with the entire village) as the sun sets.

Berlin is back, resuming its place as a great European capital. We climb the Reichstag's glass dome, sway at a modern-day cabaret, and pop a few chocolates in the now thriving eastern sector. Along with Germany's finest art, complicated Berlin also has hidden remnants of its fascist and communist past. In a city that's rebounding and rebuilding, we crane our necks at Potsdamer Platz, Europe's newest Times Square.

We whisper secrets across the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral and eat our way through Soho. Then we check out the treasures of the new British Library, roll with the drums at the Changing of the Guard, and cruise the Thames to Kew Gardens.

Sorting through the monuments of magical Venice, we trace its decline from Europe's most powerful city to its most hedonistic. We cruise its main street - the Grand Canal - then get lost in its back lanes. We drink-in the art of Titian, Bellini, Donatello, and the Doge's Palace. We luxuriate in a venerable café on St. Mark's Square, enjoy calamari with locals in a canal-side pub, then find our own private Venice: on a gondola, under the moonlight.