4320 http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086 en-us © 2009 Rocky Mountain PBS http://www.rmpbs.org/resources/files/programs/100x100/10086.jpg http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086 100 100 Iran's rich history goes back millennia, to the days when Persepolis was home to "the king of kings." In this episode, Rick Steves explores three historic capitals of Iran: Persepolis, with its splendid monuments; Shiraz, with the tombs of Iran's most beloved poets; and Esfahan, with its extraordinary mosques and endearing people. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-514/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-514/rss Fri, 20 Nov 09 01:00:00 -0700 In this episode we'll focus on an often overlooked side of Switzerland its urban charms. We'll get some exercise, from ringing a very big bell to floating down an urban river. We'll also enjoy a variety of eye-opening art, from Chagall and Klee to inmates of an asylum. Then we'll ponder a few Swiss innovations, from their open-minded drug policies to their hush-hush underground arsenals. And it'll all before a backdrop of Switzerland's stunning natural beauty. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-505/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-505/rss Fri, 20 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Madrid is studded with riches from its glory days. We tour the lavish Royal Palace, enjoy art-packed museums, and look deep into Picasso's greatest masterpiece. Experiencing Madrid at its fun-loving best, we' re mesmerized by flamenco dancers and munch on pigs' ears. Then, for a dose of Spain's dramatic history, we side-trip to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-301/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-301/rss Sat, 21 Nov 09 17:30:00 -0700 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 Padua 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 colosseum, 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. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-202/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-202/rss Sun, 22 Nov 09 01:30:00 -0700 For centuries, Vienna was the crown jewel of the rich and powerful Habsburg Empire. A century after that empire's fall, the Viennese appreciates their imperial legacy as a cultural wellspring and an excuse to live in style. We'll take in the city's wealth of elegant gardens, great art and fine music. Then we'll explore the city's surroundings, with a trip along the romantic Danube River and a hike up to the breathtakingly Baroque Melk Abbey. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-506/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-506/rss Mon, 23 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Few travelers venture beyond Prague to experience the Czech Republic's many cultural riches and offbeat delights. We'll get you started with a whirlwind of Art Nouveau, local pub music, stinky cheese-tasting, river-rafting, and peat-bathing in places like Olomouc, Moravsky Krumlov, Telc, Trebon and Konopiste. We'll also tour a remarkable memorial to the holocaust in Terezen, and the charming castle town of Cesky Krumlov. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-507/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-507/rss Tue, 24 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 The thriving capital of Greece sprawls out from the foot of its magnificent Acropolis. We'll tour the must-sees of ancient Athens, including the Parthenon, Agora, and amazing National Archaeological Museum. We'll take the fast-paced pulse of the modern city, but waste no time getting to my favorite side trip destinations: the ruins of the mystical oracle at Delphi, and a fast boat to the romantic, traffic-free Isle of Hydra. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-508/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-508/rss Wed, 25 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Island getaways are fun, but the real heart of Greece is found in the Peloponnese Peninsula. After enjoying the charming old port town of Nafplio, we'll time-trip through the ruins of Olympia, take center stage at the remarkably preserved theater at Epidauros, and explore the ancient capital of Mycenae. Then we'll wander off the beaten path along the rustic, rough-and-tumble Mani Peninsula, relax in the idyllic beach town of Kardymli and marvel at Greece's Rock of Gibraltar: the fortress town of Monemvasia. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-509/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-509/rss Thu, 26 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Denmark's capital is the most fun-loving in Scandinavia. As we get to know Copenhagen, we'll discover reminders of its Viking history and symbols of its proudly independent ways today. We'll stroll through Europe's first great pedestrian zone, ogle crown jewels in the palace and take a bike ride through a famous hippie squatter community, finishing at Copenhagen's full-time carnival, Tivoli Gardens. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-510/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-510/rss Fri, 27 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Using Copenhagen as a spring board, we'll visit the very best of Denmark. Aarhus welcomes us with its ruddy affluence, charming open air museum and eerily well-preserved ancient bog man. Roskilde impresses visitors with its royal burial church and the best Viking ship museum anywhere. And the delightfully quaint Isle of Aero beckons a bike ride among thatched cottages, "snooping mirrors", and cobbled alleyways that reminds us of the world of Hans Christian Andersen. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-511/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-511/rss Mon, 30 Nov 09 13:30:00 -0700 Where Europe comes face to face with Asia, we'll explore the fascinating, multilayered city of Istanbul. We'll lose our way in the Grand Bazaar and feast like kings with locals at a fisherman's wharf. We'll follow the fall of the Byzantium and the rise of Islam at the city's ancient wall, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. To escape the city bustle, we'll board a boat on the churning Bosphorus, make friends over backgammon, and try a traditional bath. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-512/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-512/rss Tue, 01 Dec 09 13:30:00 -0700 As he's done with previous programs on Israel, Egypt, and Eastern Turkey, Rick takes us beyond Europe to a place that's rich with history...and mystery. Visiting Tehran, Shariz, Persepolis, and a small village, we'll get a rare present-day look at of some of civilization's most important historical sites, and a sense of Iran's 21st century culture. From architecture and art to faith and everyday living, "Iran, Yesterday and Today" is all about the eye-opening gift of travel. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-513/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-513/rss Wed, 02 Dec 09 13:30:00 -0700 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. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss Sun, 06 Dec 09 07:00:00 -0700 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. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss Sun, 06 Dec 09 13:00:00 -0700 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. http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/program/10086-101/rss Sun, 06 Dec 09 19:00:00 -0700