VISIONS®: THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE gives viewers an overview of some of Europe’s most interesting cities – London, Amsterdam, the French Riviera and Monaco, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Dublin, Florence, Venice and Paris – for the ultimate tour.

From Northern Europe to the Mediterranean clime of Monaco to the Czech Republic, VISIONS®: THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE samples a variety of cultures like no guide book could. From the air we see the majestic architecture of Vienna, the incomparable coastline of the Côte d’Azur, the timeless monuments of Rome, and Mary Poppins’ view of foggy London.  Ground footage brings us a native’s view of Amsterdam’s bicycle culture and winding canals and Prague’s Old Town Square.  Unobtrusive narration is like a well-traveled friend giving you insider tips about where to go and what to see. The whirlwind journey begins in London, sweeping over Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Kew Gardens and more, then coming to ground level hoping for a peek at the Queen at Buckingham Palace.  Then it’s off to the Netherlands and forever young Old Amsterdam to linger in the quiet bustle of the easy going city where one could spend endless days people-watching in “the Dam” before a day trip to the dichotomous terrain of Budapest in Hungary.

Moving south, the helicopter-mounted camera looks for a change of pace, following the Mediterranean sun to the shimmering, opulent beauty of the French Riviera and a city that is not only great – it is also a country – Monaco.  VISIONS®: THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE spotlights the not-to-be-missed sites of these metropolitan meccas, as well as the more intimate moments that make a city personal, perhaps best realized in a visit to Rome. The Eternal City boasts timeless treasures like the Coliseum and Roman Forum along with historical landmarks with new modern focus, like the socializing and shopping surrounding the Spanish Steps. And night footage gives a taste of the local Roman café flavor after dark. A speed train moves the program along to Vienna, where landmarks like the Sacher Hotel, Belvedere Palace, and Karlsplatz are covered in typically Viennese three-quarter time before the VISIONS® series’ first visit to the Czech Republic in colorful Prague.

A tour of contrasts, VISIONS®: THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE offers the beguiling charm of old Dublin, followed by the pervasive culture of Florence, the hauntingly romantic Venice, and finally Paris, where we enjoy Quasimodo’s view from the bell tower, the Tour Eiffel, and even a little taste of the Moulin Rouge.

VISIONS®: THE GREAT CITIES OF EUROPE is the 22nd program in WLIW21’s popular PBS series of programs revealing the natural and cultural beauty of the world’s top destinations.  Past destinations include Greece, Germany, Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico and Austria. For additional information, visit visionsof.org

Dvds/cds of this program available when you support WLIW21.

A production of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Executive Producer: Roy A Hammond. Producer/Writer: Sam Toperoff. Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS. Available in HD. ST and CC.