Rick Steves Audio Europe

Notre-Dame and Left Bank. Paris has been continuously inhabited for over 2,000 years, and this three-mile walk through the center of this cultural capital shows its rich history. We'll start where Paris did, on Ile de la Cité, dominated by the towers of cathedral Notre-Dame. Next, a foray onto the Left Bank, home to scholars, artists, and bohemians. We'll marvel at the colorful stained glass of St...

Iconic statues and paintings. Paris, the City of Light, is a beacon of civilization, and the Louvre Museum presents a full inventory of Western culture. To cover the entire museum — the world's largest — in a single visit is impossible, so let's focus on the Louvre s specialties — Greek sculpture, Italian painting, and French painting. We'll see "Venuses" through history, from scrawny Stone Age fe...

World's best Impressionism. The Orsay Museum, or Musée d'Orsay, houses French art of the 1800s, starring the Impressionists — the art of sun-dappled fields, bright colors, and crowded Parisian cafés. It's the best general collection anywhere of Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gogh, Cézanne, and Gauguin. If you like Impressionism, visit this museum. If you don't like Impressionism, visit this muse...

Ornate palaces and gardens. If you've ever wondered why your American passport has French writing in it, you'll find the answer at the Château de Versailles, Europe's greatest palace. Around 1700, Versailles was the cultural heartbeat of Europe, and French culture was at its zenith. Throughout Europe, every king wanted to be like Louis XIV, and everyone learned French. French taste in clothes, hai...

Mary Bouron, an American who married a Frenchman, explains what it's like raising her first child in Paris. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Author Sedaris, who has lived in Europe and Japan, talks about irritating tourists in Paris, staying in hotels, and reveals a dirty little secret about some flight attendants. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Jill Jonnes, author of "Eiffel's Tower," discusses the iconic structure, which debuted at the Paris World's Fair of 1889. At 1,000 feet tall, the tower was the tallest in the world — and the French despised it. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Two Parisians offer advice for enjoying Paris in the winter. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick talks with Elaine Sciolino, a New York Times journalist based in Paris, about some of her favorite hideaways among the many quiet, hidden gardens scattered around the city. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

With more than a hundred museums, Paris is home to much more than the Louvre. A Paris-based guide joins Rick to explore Paris' smaller museums, where you can experience great art without standing in a long line. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Arnaud Servignat, tour guide based in Paris, joins Rick for a virtual late-night stroll and dinner, after dark in the City of Light. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Paris-based guide Elisabeth Van Hest explains how to move beyond the Louvre to experience the art treasures of Paris. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Arnaud Servignat and Kristen Michel, two guides from Paris, explain how cafés work as a part of daily life for Parisians, and how visitors can enjoy them, too. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guide Patrick Vidal walks us through Paris, explaining the differences between Paris and the rest of France, and how to have a truly Parisian experience. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guide Patrick Vidal walks us through Paris, explaining the differences between Paris and the rest of France, and how to have a truly Parisian experience. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Parisian Arnaud Servignat talks about the art of the daily meal, the ritual of shopping for quality and freshness, and how to eat escargot and steak tartare like the French. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

In this excerpt from Rick's travel memoir, he shops for food with a lively restaurateur on a market street, visits Mona at the Louvre, and experiences a musical Mass from the organist's loft. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Two tour guides based in Paris suggest ways to best explore the city on foot — including how to avoid the crush of rush hour on the Métro. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick provides a brief introduction to his Turkey playlist, a collection of audio files designed to help you plan and enjoy your best possible trip. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

A Turkish guide joins Rick for a look at the monuments and legacy of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

A Turkish tour guide takes us on a tour of Turkey's less-touristed coast. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

One of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, Ephesus is among the world’s best ancient sites. We'll see stores where the ancients shopped, baths where they schmoozed, and a theater where St. Paul confronted the pagans. Find related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Turkish tour guides Taylan Tashbashi and Ayşegül Ünlü join Rick to offer a taste of what makes the west coast of Turkey such a popular destination, where the remains of classical cultures meet seaside fun on the Aegean. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Two politically savvy Turks explain the tricky political issues facing their country, including how to deal with deep-rooted ethnic conflicts and how to prepare for a formal relationship with the European Union. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Turkish tour guide Mehlika Seval explains to Rick why Turks revere Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkey's modern, secular republic. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.