announcer; american public television presents the splendors of the world in the lifelike reality of high-definition television. rudy maxa: sparkling glacial lakes, medieval towns, alpine valleys, and italy's most powerful city: we're living in style in northern italy. next up, milan and lake como on smart travels. announcer: smart travels is made possible in part by expedia.com, a travel web site that offers travelers a variety of ways to find the trip they're looking for, including flights, hotels, and vacation packages. 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. [music playing] [man singing opera in italian]

maxa: italy's richest city, high-tech, fast-paced milan, bustles with confidence and style. the milanese work hard, and they play hard, and theirs is one of the most bewitching playgrounds in italy. and that playground extends from the shores of lake como to the alpine heights. the region of lombardy has a little of everything to offer. it is, in the words of william shakespeare, "fruitful lombardy, the pleasant garden of great italy." our journey begins in milan. then we drink in the delights of lake como and make forays to the city of bergamo and the majestic alps. location, location, location: that's what's made milan the commercial and financial capital of italy. over the centuries, milan's position at the foot of the alps on the route between italy and northern europe created wealth and an entrepreneurial spirit that persists today.

finance and fashion, industry and innovation: milan combines business and art with dazzling results. the city is famous not for ancient ruins or quaint streets, but for shopping, design, and style. that's not to say milan is entirely without artistic treasures. one of the largest cathedrals in the world, the dramatic duomo, rises over the city like an alpine peak. hundreds of spires, thousands of saints, and a pack of gargoyles adorn the building. over the centuries, the milan duomo kept generations of stonemasons and sculptors busy. begun in 1386 and still in progress in the 19th century, the duomo combines different styles from different time periods. to this day, when a project is running over schedule, the milanese call it a duomo.

the vast interior can hold 40,000 people. 52 massive pillars divide the church into sections. stained glass illuminates the church with dazzling reds and blues-- much of it from the 15th and 16th centuries. take the lift or a set of stairs to the roof of the cathedral and walk among the saints and spires for a fine view of milan. up here you can truly get inside and all around the lacy gothic architecture. another cathedral of sorts adjoins the piazza del duomo. the galleria vittorio emanuele houses elegant shops, cafes, and restaurants under an enormous glass canopy.

built in the late 1800s, the galleria followed on the heels of similar indoor malls that were all the rage in london and paris. the galleria opens out onto another famous piazza-- the piazza del escala, which holds the grand opera house la scala. tickets are notoriously hard to come by for the opera. book them several months in advance. in italy, if you're looking good, you cut a bella figura. in milan, bella figurabound. italians come here to shop, to look good, and to be seen. it's the fashion capital of italy. [man singing opera in italian] wander the elegant shopping streets and watch the runways. you'll get an eyeful of fashion. the fashion industry exploded here in the 1970s, when milan took over florence's dying fashion scene.

increasingly, milan offers ready-to-wear fashion that attracts a broad clientele. beat out paris for fashion capital of the world. my friend anna has joined me for a shopping spree. first stop, the golden quad: a 5-block section of town famous for its designer fashion. the window displays and store interiors alone are worth the visit. we stopped in at brioni, a designer house known for outfitting men like clark gable and pierce brosnan of james bond fame. brioni's women's line debuted in 2001. but if the prices in the golden quad are too steep, don't despair-- milan has plenty of alternative shopping areas. discount stores called stock houses sell last year's surplus for cut-rate prices.

i found this store-- salvagente-- by searching for milan stock houses on the internet. so the retail price here is $715, and they are selling it for 285. i would say that's a markdown. maxa, voice-over: it's helpful to come knowing your european clothing and shoe sizes. many web sites offer conversion charts. oh, delightful. isn't it great? i really like that. is that ok? it's perfect. maxa, voice-over: bring cash. salvagente accepts very few american credit cards. for an in-depth look at italian design, check out the triennale exhibits at the palazzo del arte. the rotating international exhibits, like this one on eyeglasses, explore design and how it interacts with technology,

history, and art. here's the fascinating story of sight and how glasses evolved from vision aids to fashion accessories. furniture, lights, high-tech gadgets, even the most mundane of household objects take on a new look at the the triennele's permanent collection of italian design. "from the spoon to the city," an italian architect once said, describing how design should permeate all of life. in the 1950s, italy's postwar boom created jobs for industrial designers, and many of italy's elite architects and artists found work designing everything from seltzer bottles to tv sets. from a sleeping bag armchair to an homage to baseball's joe dimaggio, the collection reveals the great imagination and style put into everyday objects.

design, fashion, and style don't stop in the shops and museums. even the food stores in milan are showrooms. be a great gift for my dad. he likes sausage. and it's legal. you can bring it back into the country, too. it's not sausage. it's salami. we're taking a break at peck's deli, near the duomo. in addition to the mind-boggling assortment of foods, peck's also boasts a gourmet restaurant with a limited but impeccable menu. after lunch, you can stop downstairs to browse through the extensive collection of fine wines. one fashion accessory that's a must in italy is the cell phone. aside from cutting a bella figura, it can really come in handy for everything from dinner reservations to tickets to museums or events. and you'll need to make a reservation by phone for a 15-minute look at milan's premier cultural attraction: the cenacolo vinciano, or the last supper, by leonardo da vinci.

the newly renovated painting captures the dramatic moment when jesus announces to his disciples that one of them will betray him. there is an extreme immediacy to the work; a sense of being there watching the reactions as the stunning news dawns on each of the apostles in different ways. now, as any milanese will tell you, the stylish thing to do when you've had your fill of the sights and the shopping is to head out of town for an impossibly romantic villa by a beautiful lake. lake como, milan's lovely backyard, is an easy hour by train and a perfect counterpoint to the busy city. lake como is shaped like a running figure with the town of como on the left foot; the resort--the villa d'este-- a bit further up the left leg; and the most spectacular scenery centered around the waist. lake como, one of the prettiest of the northern italian lakes,

has lured ancient romans, stirred the romantic poets, and inspired operas. [man singing opera in italian] composers bellini, rossini, verdi, and liszt all sang lake como's praises. romantic poets byron and shelley fell captive to these verdant shores. lake como continues to enchant visitors with its majestic villas, misty sunsets, and small towns sprinkled all along its steep shores. nowhere is there a better spot to drink it all in

than the luxurious villa d'este. the hotel might well be called one of the wonders of the world. located on the sapphire waters of lake como, the villa was once home to a succession of people including a british queen, a russian empress, a napoleonic general, and now me. you can take a swim in the indoor pool or the pool outside by the lake; dine in or dine out-- in style, of course... and fall asleep to the sounds of waves lapping on the shore. to sample the villa's charms without spending the night, you can visit for lunch and then wander in the extensive park and gardens. a quick ferry ride from the villa d'este, the town of como has a pretty view and a charming old town with narrow, straight streets and peaceful piazzas. as is fitting for such a soft, gentle town, the local industry is silk.

due to a profusion of mulberry trees and abundant lake water, the town of como once raised silkworms and produced silk. today, como factories import silk thread, then design and produce the garments. the mantero factory gave us a tour. man: it arrives from, uh, from china--the thread, and then it's checked and then weaved and then printed. we sell, uh, ties and scarves and fabrics for all the most important professional designers all over the world. maxa, voice-over: while mantero doesn't sell directly to the public, you'll find plenty of silk shops back in the streets of como. they're well-stocked with como's colorful silk scarves, ties, and blouses. how do i tell a good quality silk scarf?

well, when, first, when you touch the scarf, you feel the quality, and you have to look how it hangs also. hmm. but there are two qualities-- chiffon silk and razzle. let's see this razzle. it's a little bit heavier, and also, when you touch it, you feel it. oh, yes. maxa, voice-over: all streets in como lead to tduomo. the cathedral mixes a variety of architecture, from gothic to the later renaissance style. seated on either side of the main entrance are two local romans who owned villas here some 2,000 years ago. pliny the elder, who compiled huge scientific texts, and his nephew, pliny the younger, who is known from his letters that paint a vivid picture of life in the ancient roman empire. from como's lakeside piazza cavour, you can hop a ferry and explore the watery paradise these romans knew well.

numerous boats wind from town to town. commuter ferries make the long 28-mile trip up the lake. take the servizia rapida to cut the ferry ride in half. you could also rent or charter private boats. though none remain, villas clung to these rocky shores in ancient roman times. many of rome's elite vacationed here. pliny the younger actually had two villas on lake como. pliny called his waterside villa comedia. here, he wrote to a friend, "you may fish yourself, "and throw your line out of your room, and almost from your bed, as from off a boat." one of the highlights of a visit here is exploring the villas on lake como. many open their spectacular lakeside grounds and gardens to the public. lake como's most romantic villa... has its main entrance on the water.

built in 1787 by the catholic cardinal angelo maria durini, the villa was a retreat where intellectuals and spiritual thinkers wrote and debated. the interior can be visited by appointment, but the grounds are the highlight. built to follow the natural terrain, the gardens cling to the promontory in terraces. the italian-style garden revolves around proportion. the width of a path or the height of a wall is all part of the design. protected by the mountains and warmed by the sun, the micro-climate of lake como fosters lush, verdant gardens. more than 50 small towns line the shores of lake como. each is unique with its own villa, waterside promenade, and cafe for lunch. and once a week, the local market. [indistinct chatter]

you can spend days here, hopping on and off the frequent ferries. one memorable stop on the ferry route takes in stately villa carlotta. like many of the villas on the lake today, villa carlotta dates from the 18th century and was built as a vacation home for a wealthy milanese family. the interior of villa carlotta is worth a peek for its statues... and for the chance to experience a villa as it was when inhabited by its noble owners. the extensive gardens in back of the villa are splendid at any time of the year... but especially in the spring when they are ablaze with color. across the water from villa carlotta lies one of the most splendid lake towns. [intercom rings]

[man speaking italian over p.a.] oh so belbellagio, with its steep lanes, peach-colored houses, and dazzling waterfront invites you to spend all day, or your whole life for that matter. carving olive wood into decorative and household items is a tradition in bellagio. we stopped in at mario tacchi's shop to learn more about this bellagio craft. this is a long story. about 200 years ago, somebody start to work the olive tree. we cut the tree this way, and then we make a plank. and from the plank, we do the bowl. this is a hard wood, first. it lasts for many, many years. and it is nice grain to look. mm-hmm. each one is different. you will never get two pieces the same, eh? impossible. my great-grandfather started in 1855... and so, he always worked the olive tree, and my grandfather, my father, me, now my son, carry on the trade.

maxa, voice-over: best of all in bellagio is a drink along the lake at sunset, watching the ballet of boats. romantic poet shelley wrote of the view, "the lake exceeds anything i ever beheld in beauty. "it is long and narrow and has the appearance of a mighty river winding among the mountains and the forests." i've been so inspired by the beauty of lake como, i thought i'd try a little poem myself. you want to hear it? "i'd like to chuck it all and forever stay "at the lovely lake resort villa d'este, "but the tv crew is forcing me to go

onward to the ancient town of bergamo." actually, it sounds a little better in italian. all right, ok, i'll stick to travel writing. how's this? an easy day trip from lake como takes in a medieval, lombard city: bergamo. ancient, proud, resilient. through centuries of attacks by huns and lombards, the french and the holy roman empire, bergamo weathered the storm inside the walls of its upper town, or citta alta. after centuries of strife, bergamo became part of the venetian empire in the 1400s. with peace came prosperity, and some of the loveliest piazzas in italy came into being. [bells ringing] the bell in the torre del campanone in the piazza still tolls 100 times at 10 p.m. to announce the ancient curfew. the colorful colleoni chapel is named for the mercenary general bartolomeo colleoni, who served the venetians valiantly

and put his wealth toward improving bergamo. keep an eye out for the lion, the symbol of venice and a tribute to bergamo's benevolent rulers. another bergamo treasure is the cuisine. just a stroll down the dark, old main street uncovers the sweets and salamis particular to the area. my friend and food expert, daisuke utagawa, found this restaurant, the trattoria da ornella, which specializes in polenta dishes. how did you learn about polenta? how'd i learn about it? by eating it. whenever i visit north-- especially when i go skiing in north, everybody's eating polenta. mmm. i mean, to the point that you get sick of it by the end of the week, but, you know, when you come back, it's great. it's just cornmeal, basically. people up north, they eat more polenta than pasta.

takes long time to make. it's not difficult, but you have to attend to the pot so it won't stick to it, and it's low heat, and, you know, you stir it forever, pretty much. you gotta smell this, this is where it's at. maxa, voice-over: known as the meat of the poor, polenta has nourished the people of this region since the early 1700s. [inaudible conversation] stylish milan, idyllic lake como, ancient bergamo-- what more could northern italy possibly offer? narrator: dramatic, spectacular mountains with endless hiking possibilities in the summer and skiing in the winter. a festival or two... regional wine and cheese... and natural hot springs, that's what. these are the alps. covering 80,000 square miles, they separate italy from the rest of europe and provide the source of many of europe's major rivers.

two hours from milan and northeast of lake como, the valtellina winds through the alps. side valleys reach into the mountainous countryside. first stop, the val malenco. chestnut forests, glacial lakes, and astonishing peaks all make this excursion worthwhile. in the summer, this is a hiking and rock climbing paradise. funiculars often do the climbing for you. then you can hike through alpine meadows and stay in refuges along the way. if you happen to visit at the end of september, be sure to catch the festa dell'alpeggio, which celebrates the beginning of autumn. it's the time when alpine farmers descend from their summer pastures with all kinds of food and wine for the winter. narrator: this is warm milk, and this makes-- this is a milk that the local cheese is made from as well, and it's very good. mmm!

the festa celebrates a lifestyle that's been carried on for centuries. [speaking italian] narrator: traditional specialties, like the local cheese, developed because of the necessity to preserve food through the winter months. we got cows, we got porcini, we got wine, we got warm milk, we got local cheese, we got the accordion player. i call this a festival. buono, eh? molto buono? buono. buono. for you? you? yep. mmm! oh! grazie mille! thank you! maxa, voice-over: just west of the val malenco, another stunning valley, the val masino, winds into the mountains. the curative waters at the hotel and spa at the end of the road, bagni masino,

have been known since ancient times. pliny the elder extols the virtues of the mountain waters in his encyclopedic volume on natural history. here we are. ah, the mountain water. oh, it's lovely. woman: a lot of people started to drink this water because they found and they had benefit for the elder-- eh, for the stomach, the liver, the circulation. they drink it. do they also bathe in it? they drink it, and also they bath in this water. it makes your skin like silk. oh, now, where does this water come from? it comes from the deep earth of the--- way down under, where the fires are. down, down...yes. ha ha ha. does it grow hair, by any chance? uh, that i don't know. maybe. maxa, voice-over: drinking in the thermal mountain waters and the scenery, i take my cure and reflect on the wonders of lombardy.

in the words of yet another romantic poet, william wordsworth, "you have left your beauty with me, a serene accord of forms and colors." it's a landscape that inspires poetry. when next you regard your rudy fair, i may have grown a head of hair. from the italian alps, ciao. announcer: all videos and dvds of smart travelare $24.95 each plus shipping. call... for the two-episode dvd or video on milan, lake como, and sicily. details of all of our travel videos, dvds, and best guide books are on the web at... please have a credit card ready and call... or visit us on the web.

captioning made possible by u.s. department of education captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- smart travels is made possible in part by... a travel website that offers travelers a variety of ways to find the trip they're looking for, including flights, hotels, and vacation packages.