Smart Travels--Europe with Rudy Maxa

Culture Series / 2 Seasons

From the neon night life of Paris to cozy village churches in Tuscany, SMART TRAVELS — EUROPE WITH RUDY MAXA delivers the best of what Europe has to offer. Each half-hour episode features hassle-free ways of traveling to great destinations. Maxa highlights the changes in Europe's millennial spirit and visits treasured, historic sites as he ventures to a local hot spot or enjoys trendy cuisine.

Get KCTS 9 Passport to watch

Donate to watch

Music Lover's Europe

S4 E413 / 26m 46s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Europe Just for Fun

S4 E412 / 26m 56s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Donate to watch

Croatia's Dalmation Coast

S4 E410 / 26m 55s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Out of Rome

S4 E409 / 26m 55s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Christmas in Switzerland

S4 E408 / 26m 45s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Switzerland & the Alps

S4 E407 / 26m 56s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

France's Bordeaux & Dordogne

S4 E406 / 26m 55s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

France's Carcassonne & Pyrenees

S4 E405 / 26m 56s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Madrid

S4 E404 / 26m 46s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Barcelona & Costa Brava

S4 E403 / 26m 46s / TV-G

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.

Donate to watch

Edinburgh & Scotland

S4 E402 / 26m 46s / TV-G

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.

Bath & South Wales

S4 E401 / 26m 47s / TV-G

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.

Supported by