AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION PRESENTS...

THE SPLENDORS OF THE WORLD IN THE LIFELIKE REALITY OF HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION.

HI, I'M RUDY MAXA.

THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE BRISTLE WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS, GREAT RESTAURANTS, SPECTACULAR MUSEUMS, AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

BUT SOMETIMES WE ONLY HAVE A DAY TO VISIT ROME, MUNICH, OR BERLIN.

SO WHAT TO DO?

WELL, HOLD ON, IT'S 4 GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE ON "SMART TRAVELS."

MAJOR CORPORATE SUPPORT FOR "SMART TRAVELS" IS PROVIDED BY EXPEDIA.COM, A TRAVEL WEB SITE THAT OFFERS TRAVELERS A VARIETY OF WAYS TO CREATE THE TRIP THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, INCLUDING FLIGHTS, HOTELS, AND VACATION PACKAGES.

EXPEDIA.COM.

DON'T JUST TRAVEL; TRAVEL RIGHT.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Announcer: "SMART TRAVELS" IS A GRAND TOUR OF THE OLD WORLD-- THE PEOPLE, PLACES, SIGHTS, AND DISTINCTLY EUROPEAN FLAVORS.

OUR HOST IS TRAVEL WRITER AND COLUMNIST RUDY MAXA, PUBLIC RADIO'S ORIGINAL SAVVY TRAVELER.

NOW, TIPS, TRIPS, AND SECRET PLACES ON "SMART TRAVELS."

Maxa: MOST OF EUROPE'S MAJOR CITIES ARE NOW SERVED BY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, AND THE SMART TRAVELER CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN INEXPENSIVE WEEKEND FLIGHT, A 24-HOUR LAYOVER, OR AN EXTRA DAY ADDED ONTO A BUSINESS TRIP.

HAPPILY, THE EFFICIENCIES OF MODERN AIR TRAVEL PUT THE JET-SETTER WITHIN EASY REACH OF THE CULTURE, FOOD, SITES, AND PEOPLE OF EUROPE.

I USUALLY STICK TO THE CITY CENTER AND USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DURING SHORT TRIPS.

ESPECIALLY WHEN TIME IS LIMITED, I'M DETERMINED TO ENJOY AND LEARN FROM EVERY MOMENT.

I TRY TO SEIZE THE DAY, I EXPECT TO HAVE FUN, AND VOILA, I ALWAYS DO.

700 YEARS AGO, PILGRIMS, THE MEDIEVAL PREDECESSOR OF THE MODERN TOURIST, WALKED ACROSS EUROPE VISITING SIGHTS, BUYING SOUVENIRS, AND TAKING REFUGE FROM THEIR WORK-A-DAY LIVES.

THERE'S MUCH TO BE ADMIRED ABOUT THEIR LEISURELY PACE AND REVERENT PURPOSE, BUT WE LIVE IN THE JET-AGE.

WE FLY TO EUROPE IN A DAY AND CAN VISIT 4 CITIES IN LESS THAN A WEEK.

SO WHEN TIME IS CRUNCHED, SOMETIMES YOU ONLY HAVE ONE DAY TO VISIT.

HOW CAN YOU BE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL JET SET AND STILL GET A TASTE OF THAT "OLD" EUROPE?

IN THIS HALF HOUR, WE'LL VISIT 4 CITIES THAT STILL HAVE THE CHARM AND THE SITES OF OLD EUROPE AS WELL AS THE EXCITEMENT AND VITALITY OF THE NEW EUROPE.

WE'LL START OUR WHIRLWIND TOUR IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, MOVE SOUTH AND VISIT THE OLD AND NEW CAPITAL OF GERMANY, BERLIN, THEN TO MUNICH IN THE HEART OF BAVARIA, AND FINALLY ON TO ROME, THE ETERNAL CITY THAT MANAGES TO STAY ETERNALLY YOUNG.

OUR FIRST STOP IS COPENHAGEN.

SITUATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE DANISH ISLAND OF ZEALAND, THIS SCANDINAVIAN CITY IS CLOSER TO SWEDEN THEN TO MAINLAND EUROPE.

COPENHAGEN IS THE CAPITAL OF DENMARK, EUROPE'S OLDEST KINGDOM.

ONCE THE HOME OF THE DREADED VIKINGS, TODAY DENMARK IS THE VERY IMAGE OF A CIVILIZED COUNTRY, ENJOYING ONE OF THE WORLD'S HIGHEST STANDARDS OF LIVING.

COPENHAGEN IS STEEPED IN HISTORY WITH ITS SHARE OF CHURCHES, MUSEUMS, PALACES, AND A QUEEN.

IF THIS SEEMS A LITTLE BIT STUFFY, DON'T BE FOOLED, BECAUSE THE DANES ALSO KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN.

AND FOR ME, THE FUN STARTS WITH BREAKFAST.

THIS COUNTRY HAS ELEVATED A FLAKY, FRUIT-FILLED PASTRY TO SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF PERFECTION, IT'S KNOWN THE WORLD OVER AS A "DANISH."

LATER, I'LL BURN OFF SOME OF THOSE DELICIOUS DANISH CALORIES WITH A BRISK DANISH WALK...

BUT FIRST, WE HAVE A BOAT TO CATCH.

IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO RUSH, TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SHORT STAY IN COPENHAGEN, RELAX.

A GREAT WAY TO GET A FEEL FOR THIS HARBOR TOWN IS A TOUR BOAT RIDE THROUGH NYHAVN.

ONCE THE HOME OF ROWDY SAILORS AND MERCHANTS, THIS SEA-GOING NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN A PROSPEROUS PART OF DANISH LIFE FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS.

WOODEN SAILBOATS STILL ANCHOR AT THE DOCKS NEAR HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S HOME.

AFTER YOUR TOUR, HEAD UP STROGET STREET, A PEDESTRIAN MALL THAT LEADS FROM NYHAVN TO THE CITY CENTER.

STROGET IS ONE OF COPENHAGEN'S BEST PLACES TO SHOP, SNACK, OR JUST PEOPLE WATCH.

STROGET LEADS RIGHT TO THE TOWN HALL SQUARE AND THE CENTER OF THE CITY.

SOME TRAVELERS HAVE A SEAT RIGHT IN HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S LAP.

THE AUTHOR OF "THE UGLY DUCKLING" AND "THE LITTLE MERMAID" DOESN'T SEEM TO MIND AT ALL.

PERHAPS YOU'VE NOTICED THE DANES HAVE A KNACK FOR DESIGN.

WHETHER IT'S IN ARCHITECTURE, LIKE THE BLACK DIAMOND ADDITION TO THE ROYAL LIBRARY OF COPENHAGEN, OR IN EVERYDAY THINGS.

TO SEE WHAT A COFFEE POT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, SPEND AN HOUR IN THE DANISH DESIGN CENTER NEAR THE TIVOLI GARDENS.

THE MUSEUM SHOWS HOW DANISH DESIGNERS ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL FAME BY PRODUCING FURNITURE AND EVERYDAY OBJECTS THAT ARE FUNCTIONAL, GRACEFUL, AND COMFORTABLE.

FOR AN EVENING IN COPENHAGEN, WE'VE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST-- TIVOLI GARDENS, A MUST-SEE DESTINATION.

TIVOLI'S A ONE-OF-A-KIND AMUSEMENT PARK RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY.

FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS, TIVOLI HAS OFFERED TRAVELERS AN EASY PLACE TO TOTALLY UNWIND.

HERE, YOU CAN RELAX OVER DINNER, TAKE A ROMANTIC STROLL, DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY, OR CAP YOUR 24-HOUR ADVENTURE WITH A BIT OF PYROTECHNICS... A PERFECT END TO A PERFECT DAY IN COPENHAGEN.

NEXT UP, A ONE DAY VISIT TO BERLIN.

THE ONCE AND FUTURE CAPITAL OF GERMANY IS RISING LIKE A PHOENIX FROM THE ASHES OF A WORLD WAR AND THE COLD WAR.

FEW CITIES HAVE BORN THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY AS BERLIN HAS.

FEWER STILL HAVE SHAKEN OFF THE BURDENS AND STRIFE OF THE PAST TO BE BORN ANEW.

BERLIN BUSTLES WITH ENERGY, YOUTH, AND EXCITEMENT WHILE REMEMBERING A DIFFICULT AND TROUBLED PAST.

NOW BERLIN IS THE CENTER OF AN EXUBERANT REVIVAL IN THE ARTS, FINANCE, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT.

BUT WITH ONLY 24 HOURS, HOW CAN WE GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT BERLIN IS TODAY... AS WELL AS A SENSE OF ITS PAST?

WHEN I'M IN BERLIN-- EVEN FOR ONE NIGHT-- I LIKE TO BE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY, AND FOR ME THAT MEANS THE HOTEL ADLON NEAR THE BRANDENBURG GATE.

WHEN IT FIRST OPENED IN 1907, THE ADLON BECAME THE HOME OF KAISER WILHELM II AND THE MEETING PLACE FOR RICH AND FAMOUS.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE ADLON WAS IN EAST BERLIN.

AND BY THE 1970s, THE MOST LUXURIOUS HOTEL OF THE ROARING TWENTIES WAS A BOARDING HOUSE FOR APPRENTICES.

SINCE REUNIFICATION, THE HOTEL HAS BEEN LOVINGLY RESTORED, AND TODAY, THE HISTORY-STEEPED ADLON RECALLS ITS GLORY DAYS.

FOR A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF THE NEWERLIN, STOP FOR A MORNING CAFE IN POTZDAMER PLATZ.

JUST EAST OF THE OLD BERLIN WALL, THE SONY CENTER AND THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER BUILDING ARE THE CENTERPIECES OF A CIVIC TOUR-DE-FORCE.

JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO, THIS AREA WAS A WASTELAND STREWN WITH THE RUBBLE OF WAR.

A SHARP CONTRAST TO THE OBSESSION WITH CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE IS THE GERMANIC FASCINATION WITH ANTIQUITY.

DURING THE 19th CENTURY, GERMAN ARCHEOLOGISTS SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE ANCIENT WORLD, BRINGING HOME EVERYTHING THEY COULD CARRY.

MANY OF THEIR FINDS CAN BE SEEN AT THE PERGAMON.

IF YOU HAVE TIME FOR ONLY ONE MUSEUM IN BERLIN, MAKE IT THE PERGAMON.

DATING FROM THE 6th CENTURY B.C., THE ISHTAR GATE WAS BUILT BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR II AS ONE PROMINENT ENTRANCE TO HIS ROYAL CITY OF BABYLON.

IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE MOST IMPORTANT GODDESS IN THE BABYLONIAN PANTHEON.

LOOKING AHEAD SEVERAL CENTURIES, NEBUCHADNEZZAR WROTE, "UPON THIS GATE, HUMANKIND IN ITS ENTIRETY WILL GAZE IN WONDER."

THE CENTERPIECE OF THE MUSEUM IS THE ALTAR OF PERGAMON.

IT WAS RECONSTRUCTED FROM FRAGMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE BUILT AROUND 150 B.C.

IN WESTERN TURKEY.

THE FRIEZE DEPICTS AN EPIC BATTLE BETWEEN THE GIANTS AND THE GODS.

MORE THAN 100 LARGER-THAN-LIVE-SIZED STATUES BRING LIFE TO THIS ANCIENT MYTH AND REALITY TO THE HORROR OF BATTLE.

GERMANS ARE NOT STRANGERS TO THE HORROR OF BATTLE, BOTH AS AGGRESSORS AND AS VICTIMS.

BERLINERS ARE DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THAT MEMORY "LEST WE FORGET."

THE JEWISH MUSEUM HOLDS ECHOES OF TERRIBLE EVENTS THAT MUST BE HEEDED TODAY.

IT'S A MOVING TESTAMENT TO THE SUFFERING OF A PEOPLE AND A STRONG INDICTMENT AGAINST WARS OF IDEOLOGY AND CULTURE.

THE JEWISH MUSEUM NOW CELEBRATES A CULTURE THAT THAT WAS NEARLY DESTROYED.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN BERLIN'S RECENT HISTORY WAS THE DIVISION OF THE CITY BETWEEN EAST AND WEST.

THE SOVIETS ERECTED THE BERLIN WALL IN 1960 TO STOP THE DEFECTION OF THOUSANDS OF EAST GERMANS TO THE WEST.

CHECK POINT CHARLIE BECAME A FOCAL POINT OF CONFRONTATION.

THE MUSEUM AT CHECK POINT CHARLIE CHRONICLES THE HISTORY OF THE BERLIN WALL AND HOW OVER 5,000 BERLINERS ESCAPED TO FREEDOM USING SECRET COMPARTMENTS IN CARS AND LUGGAGE, BY DIGGING TUNNELS, OR FLYING HOMEMADE AIRPLANES OR HOT AIR BALLOONS.

SADLY, ESCAPE ATTEMPTS DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS; MORE THAN 60,000 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AND AT LEAST 170 WERE KILLED BEFORE THE WALL WAS TORN DOWN IN 1989.

TODAY, THIS MUSEUM IS A MOVING TESTAMENT TO THEIR QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND TO THE SPIRIT THAT REUNITED BERLIN.

FOR ME, WHERE I EAT DINNER IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT DECISION.

TONIGHT I'M IN THE MOOD FOR A TRADITIONAL BERLIN MEAL, AND NOTHING IS MORE TRADITIONAL THAN WIENER SCHNITZEL AT LUTTERAND WEGNER.

IT'S A DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE-- WORTH THE ENTIRE TRIP.

THAT'S GOOD.

NEXT, WE'RE HEADED SOUTH TO ANOTHER GERMAN CLASSIC.

MUNICH IS THE CAPITAL OF BAVARIA IN SOUTHERN GERMANY AND IT'S KNOWN FOR ITS RELAXED ATMOSPHERE, TEAMING BEER GARDENS, TRADITIONAL FOLKWAYS, AND HEARTY MEALS.

MUNICH HAS LONG BEEN A FAVORITE VACATION SPOT FOR NORTHERN GERMANS IN SEARCH OF SUNSHINE AND A GOOD TIME.

MONKS FOUNDED MUNICH AND QUICKLY DISCOVERED IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO MAKE BEER.

IT'S STILL A GREAT PLACE TO MAKE BEER AND ENJOY THE TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN CULTURE, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE.

MUNICH IS AN UPSCALE, HIGH-TECH, COSMOPOLITAN CITY THAT BOASTS A TERRIFIC CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO IN AND AROUND MUNICH THAT IT'S EASY TO FILL UP A DAY WITH A BIT OF TRADITION AND A BIT OF THE MODERN.

THE FIRST THING I DO IS HEAD TO THE CENTER OF THE CITY.

THOUGH MUCH OF THE CITY WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED DURING WORLD WAR II, MANY OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY RESTORED TO THEIR PRE-WAR CONDITION.

A GREAT EXAMPLE IS MUNICH'S CITY HALL.

CALLED THE "NEW TOWN HALL" BECAUSE IT WASN'T COMPLETED UNTIL 1909, IT'S A NEO-GOTHIC BUILDING THAT DOMINATES MARIENPLATZ, THE CITY CENTER PLAZA.

AT 11:00, NOON, AND 5:00 EACH DAY, VISITORS CAN VIEW THE FAMOUS GLOCKENSPIEL CLOCK, OR CARILLON.

THE MECHANICAL FIGURES PERFORM SCENES FROM THE TOWN'S HISTORY, SUCH AS THE COOPER'S DANCE WHEN BARREL MAKERS CELEBRATED THE END OF THE PLAGUE IN 1517 OR A JOUSTING TOURNAMENT HELD IN THE HONOR OF WILHELM II AND RENATA VON LOTHRINGEN IN 1568.

ON THE EAST END OF MARIENPLATZ IS MUNICH'S MOST RECOGNIZABLE LANDMARK, THE FRAUENKIRCHE, OR CHURCH OF OUR LADY.

COMPLETED IN 1525, THE DISTINCTIVE DOMES HAVE SERVED AS A MODEL FOR MANY VILLAGE CHURCHES THROUGHOUT BAVARIA.

MUNICH HAS SOME OF EUROPE'S BEST ART MUSEUMS, SO YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE FROM THE LAST 500 YEARS OF ART HISTORY.

FOR THE OLDEST WORKS, TRY THE ALTE PINAKOTHEK, OR "OLD ART GALLERY."

IT WAS BUILT IN THE 19th CENTURY AND FEATURES WORKS BY THE EUROPEAN OLD MASTERS-- FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE EARLY 18th CENTURY.

ACROSS THE STREET, THE NEUE PINAKOTHEK, OR "NEW ART GALLERY," IS THE CHOICE FOR EUROPEAN ART FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE 18th CENTURY THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY.

FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, CROSS THE STREET AGAIN TO MUNICH'S PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE.

THIS MASSIVE GALLERY FEATURES SUCH MASTERS OF THE 20th CENTURY AS PABLO PICASSO AND SALVADOR DALI AND DISPLAYS CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

EVEN ON A SHORT TRIP, MUNICH HAS AN ART MUSEUM WORTH SAVORING.

NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I VISIT, I ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING NEW AND ENGAGING HERE.

EARLIER I PROMISED A BIT OF OLD EUROPE, AND IN MUNICH ,THAT MEANS A VISIT TO THE HOFBRAUHAUS.

[SINGING IN GERMAN] BAVARIANS ARE NOTHING IF NOT FUN, AND THE VERY BEST WAY TO ENJOY YOURSELF IS WITH A STEIN OF BEER, MAYBE A PLATE OF SAUSAGE, AND A TRADITIONAL BEER HALL SHOW.

[BELLS RINGING] [SINGING] MUNICH IS CLOSE TO THE ALPS AND THE CULTURE OF THE WOODSMAN-- ALPINE DANCING AND MUSIC-- ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF LOCAL TRADITION.

OUR FOURTH GREAT EUROPEAN CITY IS ACROSS THE ALPS AND 500 MILES SOUTH.

ROME IS BOTH THE OLDEST CITY ON OUR TOUR, AND THE HIPPEST.

IT SEEMS TO BE A MODERN HAZE OF PERPETUAL MOTION, BUT IT ALSO SEEMS TIMELESS.

ROME IS CALLED THE "ETERNAL CITY."

ETERNALLY ON THE MOVE IS A MORE ACCURATE DESCRIPTION.

THERE IS NOTHING ANCIENT ABOUT THE VITALITY, ENERGY, AND LUST FOR LIFE OF THE MODERN ROMAN.

ROME NEVER SEEMS TO STAND STILL, SO IT'S BEST TO JUST HANG ON AND GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

THE VITALITY THAT BUILT THE ANCIENT EMPIRE STILL RADIATES ON THE STREETS AND ENERGIZES THE MODERN VISITOR TO ROME.

WHEN ROME RULED THE WORLD, THIS WAS A BUSY PLACE.

TODAY, IT'S STILL NEW AND EXCITING.

AS THEY SAY, "ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY," AND IT'S CERTAINLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ALL OF ROME IN A DAY.

SO, DON'T EVEN TRY TO SEE EVERYTHING.

TAKE A WALK; FOCUS ON THE ANCIENT CITY.

THE FORUM IS A QUIET ENCLAVE IN THE CENTER OF THE MODERN CITY-- AN IDEAL SPOT FOR A QUIET STROLL TO REFLECT ON THE POWER AND GLORY THAT WAS ROME.

THE VIA SACRA LEADS INTO THE ROMAN FORUM, THE HEART OF ANCIENT CITY.

HERE IS WHERE THE EVERYDAY BUSINESS OF EMPIRE TOOK PLACE.

CLOSE TO THE FORUM, AND ACROSS A BUSY STREET, IS THE COLOSSEUM, WHERE THE DARK SOUL OF ANCIENT ROME SHOWN FOURTH.

THEN, THE COLOSSEUM HOSTED BLOOD-SPORTS.

HERE, GLADIATORS BATTLED WILD BEASTS AND EACH OTHER IN LIFE-AND-DEATH STRUGGLES.

FORTUNATELY FOR US--AND THEM-- MODERN ROMANS HAVE FORSAKEN THE BLOODLUST OF THEIR ANCIENT ANCESTORS AND BECOME SOME OF EUROPE'S MOST OPEN AND FRIENDLY BIG-CITY DWELLERS.

A WALK THROUGH A ROMAN NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOOD WAY TO GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE AND TO FEEL THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MODERN CITY.

ALONG THE WAY, YOU'LL FIND BUSY SQUARES AND PEACEFUL PIAZZAS, MANY WITH BAROQUE OR RENAISSANCE FOUNTAINS FED BY ANCIENT AQUEDUCTS.

EVEN WITH JUST ONE DAY IN ROME, I RECOMMEND YOU TAKE TIME TO ENJOY THE SIGHTS, THE SOUNDS, AND THE SMELLS OF A NEIGHBORHOOD PIAZZA.

OF COURSE, A STOP FOR A CAPPUCCINO IS DE RIGEUR.

MY WALK HAS BROUGHT ME TO TEATRO MARCELLO, AN ANCIENT THEATER THAT WAS CONVERTED TO A PALACE IN THE 16th CENTURY AND IS NOW A LUXURY APARTMENT COMPLEX.

ROME HAS NO SHORTAGE OF LUXURY APARTMENTS OR GOOD HOTELS.

WE'RE STAYING AT THE SHERATON ROMA.

JUST A 10 MINUTE TAXI RIDE FROM ROME'S HISTORIC CENTER, THIS BIG, CLASSY HOTEL APPEALS TO BUSINESS TRAVELERS AND JET-SETTERS.

A BIG PLUS: IT OFFERS EASY ACCESS TO LEONARDO DAVINCI AIRPORT.

[SINGING IN ITALIAN] IF YOU FANCY A TRIP TO ANOTHER COUNTRY--AND HAVE THE TIME-- HOP A BUS TO VATICAN CITY, AN INDEPENDENT STATE IN THE HEART OF ROME AND THE SEAT OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

OF COURSE, THE VATICAN IS THE SITE OF ST. PETER'S BASILICA AND THE HOME OF THE POPE, BISHOP OF ROME AND SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE WORLD'S ROMAN CATHOLICS.

WITH A DOME DESIGNED BY MICHELANGELO AND A PIAZZA AND COLONNADE DESIGNED BY BERNINI, ST. PETER'S HAS A BLUE-RIBBON RENAISSANCE AND BAROQUE PEDIGREE.

IT NEVER FAILS TO IMPRESS.

IF YOU WANT TO TOUR THE CATHEDRAL, BE SURE TO DRESS MODESTLY.

EVEN IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER, SHORT PANTS AND SLEEVELESS SHIRTS AND BLOUSES ARE NOT ALLOWED.

AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ROMAN'S SWEET LIFE, OR "LA DOLCE VITA," IS FOOD.

ROMANS LOVE TO EAT AND RELISH EVERYTHING FROM PIZZA ON-THE-GO, TO GELATO-- THAT'S ITALIAN FOR ICE CREAM-- TO PASTRIES AND ESPRESSO.

I PREFER TO GET OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH AND FIND A PIZZERIA FORNO A LEGNO.

I'M A FAN OF THE TRADITIONAL THIN CRUST ROMAN PIZZA COOKED IN A WOOD OVEN.

THE MARGHERITA, OR A PLAIN CHEESE PIZZA IS ROME'S MOST POPULAR.

SINCE I COULD HARDLY GO WRONG WITH ANY PIZZA ON THE MENU, I TRIED ORDERING IN ITALIAN JUST TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO END OUR WHIRLWIND TOUR OF 4 OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN EUROPE.

SURE, IT'S GREAT TO TAKE YOUR TIME AND SAVOR THE MOMENT, BUT WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE 24 HOURS, DO AS THE ANCIENT ROMANS ADVISED: CARPE DIEM; SEIZE THE DAY.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M RUDY MAXA.

CIAO.

Announcer: ALL VIDEOS AND DVDs OF "SMART TRAVELS" ARE $24.95 EACH PLUS SHIPPING.

CALL 800-866-7425 FOR THE 3-EPISODE DVD ON "EUROPE JUST FOR FUN, 4 GREAT CITIES II, AND A MUSIC LOVER'S TOUR."

DETAILS OF ALL OF OUR TRAVEL VIDEOS, DVDs, AND BEST GUIDEBOOKS ARE ON THE WEB AT SMARTTRAVELS.TV.

MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED.

TO ORDER, CALL THIS TOLL-FREE NUMBER OR VISIT US ON THE WEB.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org-- MAJOR CORPORATE SUPPORT FOR "SMART TRAVELS" IS PROVIDED BY EXPEDIA.COM, A TRAVEL WEBSITE THAT OFFERS TRAVELERS A VARIETY OF WAYS TO CREATE THE TRIP THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, INCLUDING FLIGHTS, HOTELS, AND VACATION PACKAGES.

EXPEDIA.COM: DON'T JUST TRAVEL; TRAVEL RIGHT.

TRANSATLANTIC AND EUROPEAN FLIGHTS PROVIDED IN PART BY bmi, AN AWARD-WINNING FULL-SERVICE AIRLINE BASED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

WITH MORE THAN 2,000 FLIGHTS A WEEK TO OVER 35 DESTINATIONS, bmi FLIES MORE THAN 9 MILLION PASSENGERS A YEAR.