Imposing strongholds across the rugged Scottish landscape housed royalty and defended against many sieges throughout a turbulent history with England. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Ruins tell the story of the splendor and sophistication of a region whose cities were thriving centers of commerce, culture, engineering, and design. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

England is dotted with impressive medieval fortifications — many built on the site of Norman or Roman bastions — that stayed in use for centuries. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

All around Europe are chances to observe artisans at work, practicing traditional crafts with passion and expertise passed down over many generations. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Rick enjoys smørrebrød in Copenhagen, meze in Turkey, pesto and anchovies in the Cinque Terre, artichokes in Tuscany, and a farmer's feast in Romania. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Four churches dotted around France — in Burgundy, the Loire, Lyon, and atop an island off the Norman coast — offer a sense of peace and inspiration. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Some of Scandinavia's best museums feature top-notch art collections and up-close encounters with history — especially its days of maritime greatness. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Syracuse's 18th-century cathedral and piazza were inspired by the Baroque style of Rome, but amped up with a Sicilian architectural razzle-dazzle. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

Munich, Würzburg, and Vienna are home to a wealth of opulent royal residences featuring lavish architecture, expansive gardens, and grandeur fit for the gods. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.

In southern Italy — once the western edge of Classical Greece — visit Paestum, and Sicily's Agrigento and Siracusa, to thrill at their Greek temples.

For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.