Hiking through the Cumbrian Lake District, we'll admire idyllic lakes, discover misty waterfalls, tour a slate mine, and climb up to a stony summit. Then we'll play some cricket, hike Hadrian's Wall, and be dazzled by Durham's cathedral.

In this first of three shows focusing on European travel skills, we'll visit the Netherlands and Germany to learn about transportation by train and car, changing money, and settling in upon arrival.

We enjoy Renaissance art in Florence, the city that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages. Then we visit two cultural capitals in their own right: Pisa, where we'll marvel at a tipsy tower; and Lucca, where we'll celebrate Puccini.

We'll ride a unicorn into the Middle Ages at Paris' Cluny Museum, get a heavenly look at stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle, go on a tombstone pilgrimage at Père Lachaise Cemetery, and savor the Parisian cafe scene.

Focusing on the grandeur of classical Rome, we'll marvel at the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Capitoline Museum before heading out on a bike ride along the ancient Appian Way.

In Florence, we'll revel in the genius of Michelangelo and Botticelli, climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance, and cross the Arno to take in modern-day artisan life.

Includes all 7 half-hour Rick Steves' Europe TV shows on Italy's great cities, produced from 2000 to 2012: Venice (serene, decadent and still kicking), Venice side trips (the best of Veneto), Milan and Lake Como, Florence (City of art), Caesar's Rome, Rome (baroque, after dark), Naples and Pompeii.

In this third of three travel skills episodes, we'll visit the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London while covering tips for finding hotels, using transit, and selecting restaurants.

We'll visit beautifully preserved Prague to experience its massive castle, evocative Jewish Quarter, thrilling history, infectious music...and perhaps the best beer in Europe.

While visiting Berlin's powerful sights - moving memorials, top-tier museums, surviving bits of communist and fascist days - we'll take time to revel in its vibrant social scene.