Bettany Hughes follows in the footsteps of 18th century aristocrats going on a Grand Tour as she travels through France and Italy to see how travel, the arts and culture and the finest foods can enrich and inspire our lives.
DirectorEwen Thomson
WriterBettany Hughes
Paris
Sep 30, 2022
The presenter travels through France and Italy to discover how travel, the arts and culture, and the finest foods can enrich and inspire our lives. She starts this journey in Paris. With special access to the Louvre Museum, Bettany comes face-to-face with the 2,000-year-old Venus de Milo, before checking into five-star boutique L'Hotel, where playwright Oscar Wilde spent his final days.
Venice, Bologna and the Bay of Poets
Oct 7, 2022
On her travels, Bettany encounters the stunning beauty of Venice's canals, visits the sumptuous Lake Como and cruises down the Seine in Paris — all in her search for the good things in life. This is a rich treat-filled adventure revelling in all that makes life worth living. Bettany Hughes continues her pursuit of the good life on a grand tour of Europe. Arriving in Italy, Bettany's first stop is Venice, the culturepacked ‘Queen of the Adriatic'. Exploring must-see sights like St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace, Bettany reveals why this city has proved so inspirational to travellers, artists and writers for centuries. Meeting the art collector and socialite Peggy Guggenheim's granddaughter and taking to the Grand Canal on a gondola, Bettany learns about living the Venetian dream and discovers where the locals head to for the best canal-side aperitivo. Heading west, Bettany stops off in Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, which has been dubbed the breadbasket of Italy.
Florence, Lake Como, Milan
Oct 14, 2022
On her travels, Bettany encounters the stunning beauty of Venice's canals, visits the sumptuous Lake Como and cruises down the Seine in Paris — all in her search for the good things in life. This is a rich treat-filled adventure revelling in all that makes life worth living. Bettany's third foray to discover the secrets of the good life begins in Florence, one of Italy's most beautiful cities. Bettany comes face to face with one of her favourite paintings, Botticelli's masterpiece The Birth of Venus, and she indulges in a classic Florentine chocolate treat at Cafe Rivoire. Paying homage to Michelangelo's David, Bettany reveals how the artist tricked the statue's commissioners with sleight of hand and a handful of marble dust when they questioned its perfection. She discovers the delights of the spectacular sanctuary that is the beautiful Boboli Gardens. And as the sun sets, Bettany sees for herself just how delicious Italian life can be as she enjoys a sumptuous dinner date overlooking
Amalfi Coast, Capri, Rome
Oct 21, 2022
The final leg starts on the glorious Amalfi Coast. Visiting flourishing lemon groves and taking in the beauty of this iconic stretch of coastline, Bettany explains how artists and writers have been lured here for inspiration before visiting somewhere she's never been before - Capri. Before waving goodbye, Bettany gets special access to the Pantheon, one of Rome's most iconic monuments.
