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.

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.

The Falkirk Wheel speeds up the locks along Scotland's spine while the nearby Kelpies recall Celtic lore and the horses that once towed canal barges. For European travel information, visit https://www.ricksteves.com.