Smart Travels--Europe with Rudy Maxa

Rudy discovers surprising and fresh takes on Europe as he sets out on a music lover’s tour. Live performances by the Sicilian folk band Diascouri, and by Groupo Emiliano, a zany, classically-trained quartet from Emilia Romagna, are the backbone of this offbeat trip. Rudy also visits folkdance groups in Greece, Sweden and Norway and delights in the classics in Italy and Austria.

Rudy shares his personal picks for travelers seeking fun adventures in Europe. Occasionally, tourists wanting to break up serious sightseeing with hot-air-balloon trips, mountain luge rides, country hikes or days at an amusement park. They’re seeking new adventures in Europe—flights of fancy—spiced with great meals and local libations, of course.

Rudy takes a whirlwind tour of four cities that represent both "old" and "new" Europe. Rudy shows how to make the most of one-day visits to Copenhagen, Berlin, Munich and Rome.

Europe’s best kept secret, the Croatian coast of Dalmatia dazzles with stunning white stone cities and azure waters. Rudy begins in Dubrovnik, then island-hops up the coast, snorkeling, swimming, sunning and reveling in the scenery. In Split, he visist a Roman emperor’s palace and makes excursions to ruins, timeless towns and fortresses.

Rudy travels the famous Appian Way to explore the environs of Rome. First, he enounters Emperor Hadrian’s magestic villa and the wine and lakes of the Alban Hills. Along the way to the ancient seaport of Ostia (Rome's Pompeii), he watches olive-oil pressing, stops at the ancients' favorite beach and visits a medieval hilltop town.

Rudy finds plenty of good cheer in the bright Christmas markets and toasty ski lodges of Switzerland. He takes in Zurich's glittering trees and festive music before veering off the beaten path to Bremgarten for a visit with St. Nicholas. Finally, he discovers a winter paradise in glamorous St. Moritz ski resort.

The Swiss Alps reverberate with cowbells, accordions and laughter. Beginning in Interlaken, the “town between two lakes," Rudy sails across glacial Lake Brienz, takes a heart-stopping gondola ride in Lauterbrunnen Valley and hikes past flower-filled meadows and mountain chalets. In Zurich, he savors Swiss chocolate and cuisine.

Rudy samples the best Bordeaux then cruises the Dordogne and Lot rivers, with stops at chateaux, ancient watermills, and perched villages. Cooking classes and an underground adventure to see pre-historic cave paintings round out the trip.

From a fairy tale fortress to the gentle Pyrenees, Rudy takes in the castles and peaks of this magical region. He tours the largest fortress in Europe (Carcassonne), samples Cassoulet, gallops through the countryside, and takes in romantic castle ruins and the artwork of Toulouse Lautrec. Then, he visits one of the world’s natural wonders – a mountain amphitheatre with cascading waterfalls.

The Spanish capital Madrid welcomes with grand plazas and sparkling fountains. Rudy's stops include: Prado museum, El Palacio Real (the seat the Spanish empire) and the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, a fascinating hoard of art treasures. After dark, he loses himself in Madrid’s pulsating nightlife then roams the twisting streets and narrow alleyways of this historic center.

A Mediterranean marvel, Barcelona simmers with beautiful beaches, medieval mazes, eye popping art and hypnotic architecture. Rudy feasts on Barcelona's tapas bars, surrealist art and Modernist structures. Highlights include: rambles along La Rambla, Gaudi’s treasures, a neighborhood festival, designer shopping and waterfront fun. He basks in the best beaches on the Costa Brava.

In Edinburgh, Rudy climbs the ramparts of this city's famous castle, shops for kilts, visits mysterious Rosslyn chapel and thrills to a spooky ghost tour. Then, he practices his golf swing at historic St. Andrew’s. In the Scottish highlands, he tries skeet shooting and falconry, tours the Dewar’s whisky distillery, strolls the battlefields of Braveheart and sets sail on legendary Loch Lomand.

Rudy visits the Georgian city of Bath and follow tales of Camelot into South Wales. In Bath, he marvels at ancient Roman spas and peeks into the high society of Jane Austen’s day. He stopis in Wells to admire its cathedral before questing for the Holy Grail in Glastonbury. In Wales, he investigates Caerleon’s claim to King Arthur and explores a ruined abbey that inspired poet William Wordsworth.