Rick Steves' Europe Video

Holland's polder land was once covered by the sea, but it was eventually encircled by dikes and dams, then drained. To pump out all that water, the Dutch used one of their leading natural resources: the wind. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Hear from an imam in central Turkey about his role as the caretaker of his mosque and a brief explanation of Muslim beliefs. “Imam” means “teacher”; he’d be the equivalent of a Christian pastor. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

London’s subway — fondly known as “the Tube”—is one of this planet’s great people‑movers, and easy to master. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The ruins at Ostia Antica in Italy rival those of Pompeii, and are just a half-hour train ride from downtown Rome. There's lots to learn about ancient Roman lifestyles at this well-preserved site. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The sanctuary at Epidavros, Greece, has the best-preserved theater in the ancient world and the scant remains of its city. Though it hasn't been in operation since 426 A.D., the theater still has perfect acoustics. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, home of Ireland's national beer, welcomes visitors — for a price — with a huge exhibit. And because good Irish beer comes with good Irish music, we're taking the Traditional Irish-Music Pub Crawl in Dublin's Temple Bar district. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more...

While it's overseen plenty of war, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, was designed as an arch of peace. From here, we travel through Berlin's historic axis, along the Unter den Linden, to the riches of Museum Island. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is one of the artistic highlights of Europe. It was built to showcase the art of the Dutch Golden Age. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The population of France is becoming increasingly diverse, and this is particularly true here in its cosmopolitan capital. The mission of the Arab World Institute in Paris is to build understanding between the Arab world and France. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Prague, Czech Republic, is home to Europe's most interesting Jewish quarter. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

About 25 miles of canals crisscross Venice, Italy, flowing like streams into the Grand Canal. Where the Grand Canal opens up into the lagoon stands one of Venice's most distinctive landmarks, the church dedicated to Santa Maria della Salute, Our Lady of Health. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more o...

The underground world of Kaymaklı, Turkey, provided an almost ready-made refuge for Turks during invasions and persecutions through the centuries. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The fabled Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, and locals rely on the water's minerals to keep their skin young. En route to the Dead Sea, Medjool dates are ripe for tasting in Jericho. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

In this special clip from Rick Steves' European Christmas special, we enjoy two pieces from two European choirs: "Joy to the World" sung by the Norwegian Girls Choir in Oslo, Norway, followed by "Da pacem Domine" sung by the Wilhelm-Loehe School Choir in Nurnberg, Germany. Scenic views of Europe in the winter accompany the music. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-g...

For a thousand years, Florence's Church of San Miniato — still part of a functioning Benedictine monastery — has blessed the city that lies at the foot of its hill. While San Miniato comes with commanding Florentine vistas, the nearby Piazzale Michelangelo, marked by its towering statue of David, is the city's most popular viewpoint. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, sma...

Located outside Paris, France, the ravishing Vaux-le-Vicomte gets Rick's vote for the most for the most beautiful château in all of France. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Even if you don't have time or money for a musical performance while in Austria, a visit to the Vienna State Opera house is a must. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Burgos is positioned along Spain's Camino de Santiago, and is dominated by an awe-inspiring Gothic cathedral. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

For a little early-Christian history, we're heading outside the city of Rome, Italy, for a look at the catacombs via the Appian Way — ancient Rome's gateway to the East. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz are two squares in Berlin, Germany, that have a dark past and a thriving present. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The port of Kuşadası is a good, low-stress place to start your adventure in Turkey. It's a fine example of the latest change in the Turkish cultural landscape - modern prosperity. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Prague's Wenceslas Square is the main square of the Czech Republic, and the natural assembly point when the Czech people need to raise their collective voice for change. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

A high point for Christians visiting Jerusalem, Israel, is the Via Dolorosa - the route it's believe Jesus walked as he carried the cross. The pilgrim's journey ends in the Church of the Holy Sepulcrhe, the most sacred site in Christendom. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Clos-Lucé, a small mansion down the street from the royal Château d'Amboise in Amboise, France, was Leonardo da Vinci's official residence for the last years of his life. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

While the fishing village of Marken, Netherlands, remains both traditional and idyllic to this day, it's a place where the past and the present mingle comfortably. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.