"Tourism is sin, and travel on foot, virtue." -Werner Herzog

It begins with a bridge.

It can be a suspension bridge, a cantilever bridge, a log bridge. It may join cities and countries, even continents, or just the banks of a dried-out creek bed. The bridge is always the destination, what kicks The Pocket Mayors into gear. But as someone said once and has been countless times repeated, even more important than the destination is the journey. And as Mr. Herzog says, the best journeys are done on foot.

That is what propels The Pocket Mayors—not only to visit and cross these fantastic landmarks, but also to explore the historic cities surrounding them. Thus the Golden Gate Bridge draws us to San Francisco, but first we’ll visit the Mission District and Muir Woods. Istanbul features the Bosphorus Bridge, but it is also boasts the Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar. And Venice has the Bridge of Sighs, but it also has, well, Venice.

The Pocket Mayors is a reality show with an indie-film aesthetic, Jim Jarmusch meets Rick Steves, Fishing With John meets Gerry. There are no contests, no challenges, and nobody gets voted off. There are no phony stakes, no staged conflicts, and no awkward interviews full of scripted sound bites shot months after the fact. This is the travel show for the rest of us. It shows that great journeys are possible not just for the elite, for movie stars and celebrity chefs. The Mayors travel on a budget, skipping luxury hotels for backpacker hostels, passing the five-star restaurant on the way to the food truck. And what cheaper way is there to get around than to walk?