Andrew Graham-Dixon and chef Giorgio Locatelli travel through Italy exploring the country's history, culture, food, art and landscape. Their journey begins in Bologna, the capital of Emilia-Romagna, one of the richest regions in Italy. They find out why the city is known as la Dotta (the Learned), la Grassa (the Fat) and la Rossa (the Red), while visiting its shops, art institutions and the oldest university in the world. Andrew and Giorgio experience the social and friendly atmosphere of the region and meet fishermen casting huge nets at the mouth of the river Po. From there, it is a short journey to Ferrara, where they discover the legacy left by the famous dynasty d'Este, and to Modena, home of balsamic vinegar and Ferrari. Finally, Giorgio reveals the source of modern Italian cuisine; at the Palatina Library in Parma, he views an original copy of the first cook book of the newly united Italy - Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well by Pellegrino Artusi - while Andrew admires Correggio's magnificent fresco Assumption of the Virgin decorating the dome of the Cathedral of Parma.

The second leg of Andrew Graham-Dixon and Giorgio Locatelli's journey takes Giorgio home to Lombardy, a region brimming with engineering innovations and the influences brought by the proximity to northern Europe, always with an eye to the future. The first stop is of course Corgeno, Giorgio's hometown, where Andrew is the guest at a typical Sunday lunch at the Locatelli home. Andrew repays him with a visit to some very unusual frescos by Lorenzo Lotto, hidden in a private chapel. The Christ with long fingernails is one of Andrew's favourite frescos. And then it is time to reach Milan, the capital of the region, with its temples dedicated to the gods of religion, The Duomo; art, La Scala; and capitalism, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the surrounding streets which are full of luxury shops. At his restaurant inside La Scala, the chef Gualtiero Marchesi, father of the modern Italian cuisine, would intrigue his customers with a risotto made with saffron and gold. But Milan is not just about beauty and style, it has a dark centre. It is an arena of extreme political contrasts. Fascism was very strong here and so was the opposition to it. In Milan the futurist movement embraced the world of modern art and expressed the violence that would shape modern Italy under Fascism - a dark but fascinating story that Andrew and Giorgio investigate with a visit to the Museum of 900. More amazing art is waiting for them outside Milan in the gem that is Mantua, a town full of mesmerizing buildings. Among those, the diamond in the crown is Palazzo Te, a former hunting lodge built for the amusement of the Duke Federico Gonzaga and his guests, designed and covered in frescos by Giulio Romano, a disciple of Raphael. And to end this fascinating trip another well-kept secret: Cremona, hometown to the one of the most famous luthiers in the world, Antonio Stradivari, where Giorgio and Andrew have the privilege of witnessing a very private concert.

The final leg of Andrew Graham-Dixon and Giorgio Locatelli's journey moves north to Piedmont, a land of luxuriant forests and tall mountains. They visit an abbey along the Via Francigena, an ancient road running from Rome to Canterbury, to reflect with the monks who live there, and to admire the fresco in their chapel. Giorgio and Andrew go truffle hunting with Sandrino and his dog, and have a succulent breakfast with one of the precious nuggets, straight from the soil. There are many more gastronomic treasures to discover in this region, from the famous rice fields of Vercelli, to the Gianduiotti in Turin, the region's capital. Giorgio chats to the founder of slow food, Carlo Petrini. Andrew explores the baroque architecture all over Turin. Stupinigi, a former hunting lodge made for the Savoia dynasty, and the Castle of Rivoli, now a captivating museum and home to the artists of the Arte Povera, are highlights. Finally, another incredible pilgrimage site: Sacro Monte, Holy Mountains, in Varallo. A series of gruesome chapels on top of a mountain full of waxworks enacting scenes like the Massacre of the Innocents.