Great Canal Journeys

Timothy West and Prunella Scales explore the historic Naviglio Grande Canal in northern Italy, stopping along the way to take in the scenery. Their itinerary includes a visit to the Swiss lakeside town of Locarno and a stroll through the gardens of Isola Bella.

The television offering titled North Italy is presented as a single programme episode. It falls under the generic label of “episode” and forms part of a series that highlights locations in the northern part of the country. The format follows a straightforward travel‑documentary style, with two familiar presenters guiding the viewer through each segment. In this particular edition, veteran actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales take the lead, embarking on a journey along the Naviglio Grande Canal. Their itinerary is centred on the waterway itself, using the canal as the backbone for the episode’s narrative. As they move from point to point, the pair provide commentary that ties the various locations together. Their progress includes a stop in Locarno, a town that lies on the edge of a Swiss lake. While there, they pause to highlight the town’s setting and its relationship to the surrounding landscape. The itinerary then carries them onward to the gardens of Isola Bella, where they again break from the canal’s course to examine the horticultural site. The episode’s structure therefore alternates between travel along the canal and brief visits to these two distinct places. By weaving together the canal’s route with the stops at Locarno and the Isola Bella gardens, the programme offers a concise yet varied glimpse of the region’s waterways and adjacent attractions.