Rick Steves' Europe Video

The ancient, free-spirited land of the Basques straddles France and Spain. These proud, industrious and independent people occupy a small yet diverse region between the Atlantic coast and the mountains. Insulated from outsiders for much of their history, Basques are united by unique traditions including the fast-paced sport of jai alai, men's gastronomic clubs, and their bewildering language — one...

Salzburg and its residents — at least its tourism industry — hum happily along to Mozart and The Sound of Music melodies. Thanks to its charming old town, splendid gardens, Baroque churches and fountains (the town's nickname is "Rome of the North") plus a mighty fortress rising above it all, Salzburg is made for visitors. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episod...

Florence's landmark Duomo (cathedral) is crowned by Brunelleschi's majestic dome — the first Renaissance dome and the model for many domes to follow (climb it for a glorious view). Nearby the Baptistery features Ghiberti's magnificent bronze doors, which Michelangelo called the "gates of paradise." These creations help define the Renaissance, when Florence blossomed and classical arts were reborn....

When traveling in France, seek out local specialties. Normandy, the region NW of Paris is known as the land of the four C's: Camembert, cider, cream and Calvados (apple brandy). Savor all four flavors and pamper your palate in the hedonistic ritual of fine French dining. Bon appetit! For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating...

The peaceful, green Valley of the Boyne, just northwest of Dublin is the place to commune with the ancient soul of the Emerald Isle. This area boasts impressive historical and spiritual sights including the Hill of Tara — the evocative seat of Ireland’s Celtic kings and nearby Monasterboice with its round tower and stone crosses. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — includin...

Little Balestrand on the Sognefjord is dwarfed by the surrounding mountainous scenery and serves as a springboard for local adventures. Balestrand has a long history of hosting tourists and its landmark Kviknes Hotel serves a classic Norwegian-style all-you-can-eat smörgåsbord in fine style with a dramatic fjord vista. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode d...

Rick drives a 20-mile Lake District loop through pastoral valleys, over rugged mountain passes and beside peaceful lakes. Stops along the way include a family-run sheep farm which doubles as a B & B, a tour through a still-functioning slate mine, and a local's lesson in the bewildering game of cricket. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scri...

Nyhavn ("New Harbor") is Copenhagen’s recently gentrified sailors' quarter. Wooden sailboats bob in the water next to trendy cafes, jazz clubs, and tattoo shops. The younger crowd hangs out drinking their cheap beers dockside while older, more affluent types look on from comfier cafes. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participatin...

Picasso spent his formative years (from the ages of 14 to 23) in Barcelona, and this museum, housed in a palace in the Old City is the best collection of his early works anywhere. By experiencing his youthful, realistic art, you can better understand his later more abstract periods and more fully appreciate his genius. Always restless, ever prolific, Picasso delved into many styles including Cubis...

Rick meets one of his tour guides, Francesca, for Rome's ritual evening stroll — the passeggiata — on a walk that laces together its top after-dark hotspots. After the sun sets, the city cools down and the illuminated streets, squares and monuments take on another personality. This is people-watching at its best. Grab a gelato and join in! For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series...

Paris' trendy Marais district serves up a moveable feast of fashion boutiques, quiet cafés, art galleries, narrow streets, leafy squares like the Place des Vosges, Jewish bakeries, aristocratic châteaux, nightlife, and real Parisians. It's the perfect place to appreciate the zest and flair of this great city. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode description...

Travelers dine like royalty at an "antipasto extravaganza" in one of Rick's favorite Florentine restaurants. Today the chef recommends a parade of plates including an assortment of salami, cheeses, fava beans and bruschetta, all paired with local wines. Top it off with a glass of sweet vin santo and biscotti. Buon appetito! For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including epis...

Greenwich is England's maritime capital. Visitors come here for all things salty, including the Cutty Sark clipper ship, the area's premier attraction. The town is synonymous with timekeeping and astronomy, and at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, you can learn how those pursuits relate to seafaring. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts...

Most tourists never get beyond Venice's touristy main drag. Savvy travelers escape the center and its crowds to explore this city's unique labyrinth of picturesque alleys and canals. Don't worry about getting lost — you're on an island! If you reach the edge of town, stop to enjoy a drink while studying your map. Or practice your Italian and ask a local! For more information on the Rick Steves' Eu...

For nearly a thousand years, pilgrims have set their sights on Durham's great cathedral. Built around the year 1100 to house the bones of the great missionary monk, St. Cuthbert, this medieval church stands like a mighty fortress and offers perhaps England's best and purest look at Norman (Romanesque) architecture. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descr...

The Père Lachaise cemetery offers a stroll through a vast garden of permanent Parisians. The final resting place of many of the city's most notable citizens (Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison, to name a few), its peaceful lanes and paths encourage meandering and contemplation. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating...

For a peaceful and local-feeling respite from the intensity of the big city, try one of my favorite restaurants in Rome: Ristorante il Gabriello. Claudio serves with charisma, while his brother Gabriello cooks Roman cuisine with a creative twist — using fresh, organic products from the market and his wife's farm. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descrip...

One of Europe's great thrills is seeing Michelangelo's David in the flesh at the Accademia Gallery. Seventeen feet high, gleaming white, and exalted by a halo-like dome over his head, David rarely disappoints, even for those with high expectations. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on dest...

The historic core of London is a compact district known as "The City." This is Britain's Wall Street, thriving with big time commerce and packed with banks and Sir Christopher Wren's churches. His masterpiece is lofty St. Paul's Cathedral, the symbol of London’s resilience. Climb its 30-story dome for a commanding view. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode...

For a sightseeing break and a fun meal in Venice, explore the back lanes and pop into a rustic bar serving cicchetti — Venetian-style tapas. There's quite a variety, so try something new — and unusual! Wash it down with a good regional wine. A cicchetti crawl is a tasty ultra-local way to eat cheaply with friends old and new. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including ep...

For poets, William Wordsworth's Dove Cottage is the top sight of the Lake District. Wordsworth — whose appreciation of nature and a back-to-basics lifestyle put this area on the map — spent his most productive years in this well-preserved stone house. The adjacent museum displays original writings, sketches, and personal items that give another peek into the life and world of the poet. For more in...

Built by Louis XIV in the 1600s as a veterans' hospital, the Hôtel des Invalides complex now houses Europe's greatest military museum. Under a grand golden dome lies the tomb of Napoleon, the "Emperor of Europe". This charismatic leader took France from revolutionary chaos to military glory and then to ruins. Today his legacy includes infrastructure, education system, and legal code. For more info...

Built in the 1st c AD when the Roman Empire peaked, the Colosseum represents Rome at its grandest. This colossal structure is a massive marvel of engineering. Ancient Romans, whose taste for violence exceeded even modern America's, came here to unwind. Gladiators, criminals, and wild animals fought to the death providing 50,000 roaring fans with a festival of gore. For more information on the Rick...

Kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066 here in this most historic church in the English-speaking world. Filled with the remains of people who put the Great in Britain — saints, musicians, scientists, and soldiers — gloriously Gothic Westminster Abbey is the national church and the religious heart of the nation. English literature lovers find strolling through the memorials in Poe...

Lucca is still contained within its massive Renaissance ramparts, which locals treat like a circular community park. A 2.5 mile path atop the walls is ideal for a loop on foot or by bike. Lacking "must-see sights," Lucca's appeal is its relaxed old world ambiance, elegant streets and pristine piazzas. The church of San Giovanni hosts nightly concerts featuring the music of home town opera composer...