Milan and Lake Como
After you’ve taken in the city’s renaissance art treasures, people-watch in Milan’s high-fashion shopping zone to see Italy’s 21st century prosperity on parade. An hour away by train, Lake Como is my favorite of Italy’s northern lakes, with the best mix of accessibility, scenery and offbeat-ness — with a heady whiff of aristocratic romance. For more information on the Rick Steves’ Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Arcos de la Frontera, Spain: Queen of Andalucia
The route of the Pueblos Blancos, or white towns, is a charm braclet of characteristic towns perched in the hills and mountains of Andalucia. The queen of the hill towns, Arcos de la Frontera, smothers its hilltop and tumbles down its back like the train of a wedding dress. Towns with de la Frontera in their names, like Arcos, were established on the frontier during the battle to reclaim Spain from the Muslims. As the Moors retreated into Northern Africa, the frontier towns, though no longer on the frontier, kept the de la Frontera as part of their names. For more information on the Rick Steves’ Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.