Rick Steves Audio Europe

Rick's guest is Matthew Karanian, co-author of a guidebook to Armenia. Visitors can experience eco-tourism in its untouched countryside, and connect with a culture that has persisted for 3,000 years, despite many adversities. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Two friends from Turkey describe the other-worldly landscapes and underground cities of Cappadocia. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Turkish tour guide Mehlika Seval tells us why she loves the traditional eastern half of her country, where deeply-rooted cultures carry on with little interruption from tourism. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Turkish tour guides Tankut Aran and Lale Surmen Aran take Rick to the eastern reaches of their country, where few tourists venture. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick chats with tour guide Tankut Aran and documentary filmmaker Tim Frakes about the journeys of the Apostle Paul, who traveled 13,000 miles to spread Christianity around the Roman Empire. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick talks with Turkish tour guide Mehlika Seval about the enduring appeal of Rumi, an Islamic mystic and poet born 800 years ago. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Tankut Aran and Lale Surmen Aran, tour operators based in Istanbul, suggest ways to get beyond the city's tourist hot-spots by delving into the back streets — from overlooked corners of the Grand Bazaar to the traffic-free islands just off the coast. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Gökalp Kasim and Taylan Tasbasi, two tour guides from Istanbul, chat with Rick about their ideas for enjoying a night on the town in Istanbul — even during Ramadan. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick learns about expat life from Julie Cascioppo, a jazz and cabaret singer who splits her time between Istanbul and Seattle. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick talks with an American Muslim woman who spent a year on her own in the Middle East and a gay travel writer who was surprised by what he encountered in Afghanistan and Iraq. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Tankut Aran and Lale Surmen Aran, two of Rick's friends from Istanbul, help him learn more about Islam, and how it is practiced today in modern Turkey. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides Tankut Aran and Lale Surmen Aran, accustomed to working with Americans, share practical advice on visiting Istanbul. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick and tour guide Mehlika Seval describe the best options for exploring small-town Turkey, including using the country's inter-city bus lines, renting a car to explore back roads, or making a quick journey while your cruise ship is in port. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Mehlika Seval, a Turkish tour guide, explains how nationalism has shaped her country's democracy, and discusses how Turkey deals with Kurdish separatists inside and across its borders. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Two tour guides from Turkey describe the customs they're observing as they get ready for their own wedding day. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

TV travel host Samantha Brown confesses that she loves to fly, and shares tips on how to enjoy your next long flight overseas. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Phil Keoghan, host of "The Amazing Race," describes how a near-death experience at age 19 convinced him to make his travel fantasies come true. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Andrew McCarthy returns to share more travel stories, and explains how actors on location find ways to connect with the locals. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rick provides a brief introduction to his Germany and Austria 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.

Playwright Peter Wortsman tells Rick how his Jewish heritage has drawn him to make Berlin his second home. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

When most Americans think of travel in Germany, they think of the clichés of the south — of the Black Forest and lederhosen. Rick explores a very different part of Germany: the lesser-known — and less crowded — north. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

Germany's most-livable city is both modern and built on a human scale. From the glockenspiel of Marienhof, we'll walk through pedestrian malls, Baroque churches, markets, beerhalls, and WWII history. Be sure to download the companion map, also available in this playlist. Find related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

By train, car, or boat, explore the best 36-mile stretch of the 800-mile Rhine River. It's a fairytale world of medieval castles, vine-covered hills, half-timbered towns, and soul-stirring legends. Find related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

The hills are alive with the sound of Rick's voice, as we visit the gracious city of Mozart, castles, baroque towers, pleasant cafes, and — everywhere you go — the Sound of Music. Find related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Vienna is rich in history, the cradle of classical music, and one of Europe's most livable cities. From the Opera House to the Cathedral and Hofburg Palace, we'll explore the city's shops, cafes, chocolate, and Sacher torte. Find related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.