Somewhere Street

Orvieto in central Italy was settled in the 9th century BC by the Etruscans, an ancient naval kingdom believed to have ruled all of Italy. A city older than Rome, its location was chosen due to its strong defensive position. An underground cave network was dug beneath the city with over 1,200 passages spread like a maze, wells that supplied water and storage areas for food. It's an entire city beneath the city! With its history hidden deep underground, Orvieto is an ancient city full of mystery.

About a three-hour train ride from London, Newcastle is the largest city in North East England. It's an industrial town that helped build Great Britain into a world recognized power. Newcastle's numerous coal mines supplied the coal both in Britain and beyond during the Industrial Revolution. The city fell into decline in the mid-20th century when coal was replaced by oil as the world's energy source, and the mines were closed. In the 1990s the city redeveloped, becoming famous for its vibrant arts and nightlife as well as a being a soccer town with friendly locals who enjoy music and drinking.

Known as the film capital of the world, Hollywood is on the West Coast of the US in Los Angeles, California. The world's popular film trends, music and entertainment are birthed here. It's the place where stars are born and dreams come true ... for a lucky few. It began as a small agricultural community, but in the early 1900s film professionals on the East Coast, attracted by the perfect weather and warm temperatures, decided that it would be a great place to build a film industry. Now a thriving metropolis, Hollywood is home to many famous television and movie studios and record companies.

Arcos de la Frontera is located on a cliff top in southern Spain. It's the gateway to the Route of the White Villages. For centuries, Arcos was the border where the Islamic Moors and Christians battled for control of the town. The Moors took control in the 8th century and built fortresses and narrow winding streets in the town. Temperatures in Arcos reach as high as 42 degrees Celsius during its 300 days of summer. The city's white walls deflect the sunlight keeping the inside rooms comfortable.

The port city of Marseille is the oldest city in France. Located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, it's been a thriving trade hub since 600 BCE. The port evolved and during the 19th century Marseille boasted Europe's largest stockpile of oil. Those made rich by the oil trade opened soap factories and Marseille thrived. Soap is still a famous local product. Due to shipbuilding and the chemical industry, the economy still prospers, encouraging people from all over to relocate here for work.

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It's a city with a past that is rich in culture and history. Located in the center of Europe, it developed as a major trade and transportation center. During World War II, the city was not hit by any massive air raids, so a mix of architectural styles from different eras still remain in the city, including the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. Some consider it a "museum of architecture." Prague's Old Town is a World Heritage Site.

Three years ago, in 2019, this program was filmed, featuring Ukraine's capital, the city of Kyiv. We were able to film the fascinating cityscape and document the peaceful lifestyle of people enjoying the city before Ukraine was subjected to war. The appearance of the city has now changed drastically. In order to reveal the city to our viewers as it used to be, we are broadcasting this episode of Kyiv as a special edition.

An hour and a half from Paris, the city of Troyes is in Champagne, a region in the northeast of France. The pride of the city is its collection of half- timbered houses, called "colombages." These traditional buildings have been built in Europe since the Middle Ages and there are many remaining in Troyes. From the 12th to the 13th centuries, Troyes thrived as a center for trade. These days, a local specialty, andouillettes is a popular treat as well as wine tasting in a cellar from the 13th century.

Belgium's third-largest city, Ghent is located at the confluence of the Lys and Scheldt rivers. Known as the "City of Art," it's a town created by merchants who prospered and poured their riches into the arts after amassing great wealth due to the wool trade. One of Ghent's richest citizens commissioned two luminaries of the Northern Renaissance, Jan and Hubert Van Eyck to paint "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb." The painting took over six years to complete and was donated to a church in the city.

Monsanto, "The Sacred Mountain" is the stunning rock village of Portugal. Perched high atop a mountain bordering Spain, the village consists of rock houses sandwiched among the boulders. Over 2,000 years ago, after a shrine was erected on the peak of the mountain, people gathered and established homes there. The buildings are granite. Rather than breaking the boulders up, the villagers leave them as they are and build around them. 90 people are still living in Monsanto, in homes nestled among the rocks.