Imposing strongholds across the rugged Scottish landscape housed royalty and defended against many sieges throughout a turbulent history with England. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Ruins tell the story of the splendor and sophistication of a region whose cities were thriving centers of commerce, culture, engineering, and design. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

England is dotted with impressive medieval fortifications — many built on the site of Norman or Roman bastions — that stayed in use for centuries. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

All around Europe are chances to observe artisans at work, practicing traditional crafts with passion and expertise passed down over many generations. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Rick enjoys smørrebrød in Copenhagen, meze in Turkey, pesto and anchovies in the Cinque Terre, artichokes in Tuscany, and a farmer's feast in Romania. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Four churches dotted around France — in Burgundy, the Loire, Lyon, and atop an island off the Norman coast — offer a sense of peace and inspiration. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Some of Scandinavia's best museums feature top-notch art collections and up-close encounters with history — especially its days of maritime greatness. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Syracuse's 18th-century cathedral and piazza were inspired by the Baroque style of Rome, but amped up with a Sicilian architectural razzle-dazzle. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Munich, Würzburg, and Vienna are home to a wealth of opulent royal residences featuring lavish architecture, expansive gardens, and grandeur fit for the gods. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

In southern Italy — once the western edge of Classical Greece — visit Paestum, and Sicily's Agrigento and Siracusa, to thrill at their Greek temples. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The Falkirk Wheel speeds up the locks along Scotland's spine while the nearby Kelpies recall Celtic lore and the horses that once towed canal barges. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

In Sicily's westernmost point, we visit workaday Trapani and remarkably preserved Erice, then eat our way through a classic Sicilian banquet. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Rick samples ravioli in Verona, cheese galore in the Loire, Scottish duck in Edinburgh, creamy sauces in Rouen, and seafood from the Venetian lagoon. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Enjoy the highlights of the Prado in Madrid, the Greco-filled Santa Cruz Museum in Toledo, Barcelona's Picasso Museum, and two key Dalí sights nearby. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The crypt below Palermo's Capuchin monastery houses whole bodies the monks have preserved for centuries, as stark reminders of our shared mortality. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

For centuries, Canterbury — these days a lively college town with a charming medieval center — has welcomed crowds of pilgrims to its grand cathedral. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Monster-peeping is hard to resist along Loch Ness, the largest of the lakes filling the vast fault line that slashes the Scottish Highlands in two. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Orkney's main town of Kirkwall may be more practical than pretty, but the locals who stroll its pedestrian-only main drag all seem to know each other. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

In Lyon's traditional "bouchons" — small, simple bistros that date back to Lyon's silk-industry heyday — each dish is an adventure. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

With evocative Celtic forts, ruined monasteries, and other remnants of its rich ancient and early-Christian past, Ireland is like an open-air museum. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

The prehistoric caves of Kaymaklı and Zelve, Greco-Roman Ephesus, and Roman Hierapolis and Aphrodisias are among Turkey's most fascinating sites. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Modern Age. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television listings.

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: Baroque. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television listings.

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Renaissance. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television listings.

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Middle Ages. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television listings.