Passport to Europe with Samantha Brown: France & Italy

“If you want to get to know people in a different country, buy a bottle of wine and start pouring,” says Samantha Brown, perky host for this compilation of eight programs from the Travel Channel-aired series Passport to Europe. Each of the episodes here—four on France, four on Italy—follows a fairly straightforward format, with Brown mixing general tips (Parisians appreciate English-speaking visitors who have learned at least a little bit of French; travelers to the City of Light should expect to spend two-plus hours over dinner), quick looks at major attractions (in Paris, the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero, a stop at Sacre Couer at Montmartre, and a stroll along the over-commercialized Champs-Élysées), and brief visits with locals (such as a French fashion expert who shares tips on the best times for discount buying). Except for the luxury hotels she routinely plugs, Brown comes across as a down-to-earth guide, though she is neither as helpful, advice-wise, as Rick Steves, nor as entertainingly edgy as, say, the Lonely Planet hosts or Anthony Bourdain. Still, for simple, friendly intros to Nice, Paris, Côte d'Azur, Florence, Rome, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast, this is the ticket. Recommended. [Note: also newly available in the Passport to Europe series are: Seven Fabulous Cities and Germany, Switzerland & Austria.] Aud: P. (R. Pitman)