Rick Steves' Europe Video

The Camino de Santiago — literally the "Way of St. James" — is Europe's ultimate pilgrimage route. Since the Middle Ages, pilgrims have walked hundreds of miles across North Spain to pay homage to the remains of St. James in the city named for him, Santiago de Compostela. And in our generation the route has been rediscovered, and more and more pilgrims are traveling this ancient pathway. For more...

Istanbul is a city of experiences and one of the most memorable is enjoying a Turkish bath. Turks brought the steam bath with them from Central Asia, blended it with the Roman bath culture they found here, and created the Turkish bath. Today, baths welcome tourists and give a peek into a rich tradition. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scr...

Helsinki is set in a natural wonderland, and the several-hundred islands of its archipelago provide a delightful playground for a boat tour. We also visit a sauna, which, for the Finns, is a lifestyle. Popular year around, it's especially appealing in the long cold winters. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations,...

While there are many higher mountains in the Alps, Zugspitze is unique — standing alone with a view of over 400 peaks in four countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and even Italy. The mountain marks the border between the German state of Bavaria and the Austrian state of Tirol. And today, no passports are necessary to enjoy this high-altitude resort destination on what feels like the top of Eu...

Wedged on a ledge under the mountains and over the sea, spritzed by lemon and orange groves, Sorrento is an attractive resort; well-located both as a springboard for regional sightseeing and as a fine place to simply stay and stroll. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and mo...

French fries, called Flemish fries in northern Dutch-speaking Belgium, are a local specialty. They taste so good because they're deep-fried twice — once to cook and once to brown. To eat like a local add mayonnaise, not ketchup. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more —...

Honfleur escaped the bombs of World War II, and feels as picturesque as it looks. For over a thousand years, sailors have enjoyed Honfleur's ideal location, where the Seine River meets the English Channel. The town was also a favorite of 19th-century Impressionists and artists still come here to catch the light playing on the harborfront and reflecting in the water. For more information on the Ric...

Oslo's Bygdøy neighborhood is a thought-provoking and exciting cluster of sights on a park-like peninsula just across the harbor from downtown. Within a short walk you can visit many museums exploring Norway's maritime history, including three Viking ship museums. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel inf...

Slovenia's Karst region — a high, fertile, and windblown plateau — is honeycombed with a vast network of caves and underground rivers. The most dramatic cave to tour is Škocjan, with a breathtaking footbridge 150 feet above a crashing river. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destination...

Andalucía's rich heritage is alive in today's culture and it expresses itself in iconic themes. The town of Jerez is famous for three of them: dazzling horses, velvety sherry, and a spring fair that brings out the entire city for a week long party. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on dest...

Like the rest of the Croatian coast, Rovinj was part of the Venetian Empire for centuries. And Istria remained part of Italy until after WWII. That's why this region is enthusiastically bi-lingual and an engaging mix of Croatia and Italy. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations a...

Sicily's most spectacular resort, Taormina, hangs high above the sea with handy cable car access to the beach. Taormina was a favorite aristocratic escape in the 19th century. Today its main drag is made to order for good living. Enjoy the views, great people watching, and a freshly-filled cannoli. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts,...

London's greatest collection of European paintings is in the National Gallery. From medieval to Renaissance to Impressionist, you can tour the sweeping story of European art without ever crossing the Channel. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves...

While most visitors to Greece's Peloponnese enjoy the same tourist stops, a three-hour drive takes you off the beaten path to the timless and rustic south coast. Its southernmost point, the Mani Peninsula, still harbors remote corners where centuries-old art is tucked away, and where the curious traveler can be alone with a bit of bygone culture. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV...

Portrush is North Ireland's favorite resort, filled with family-oriented amusements, fun eateries and cheap and cheery B and Bs.

Claude Monet, the father of the Impressionist movement, spent his last 40 years in Giverny finding inspiration in these gardens. He diverted a stream, made a pond, filled it with water lilies and built a footbridge which eventually became overgrown with wisteria. Today, museums all over the world bloom with these garden paintings. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — includi...

The Residenz was the palace of the Wittelsbach family, who ruled Bavaria for more than 700 years. The Wittelsbachs were always trying to keep up with the Habsburgs — their Austrian imperial rivals — and this extravagant, rococo palace was designed for maximum "show off." For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, tra...

Oban, the "Gateway to the Isles," is a busy little ferry terminal. The wind, boats, gulls, layers of islands, and the promise of a wide-open Atlantic beyond give a shiver-and-bustle vitality to this classic Scottish port town. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — vi...

Our storybook image of the Ottomans — sultans, harems, eunuchs — is best experienced here, in the Topkapı Palace. Built in the late 15th century, this was the power center of the Ottoman Empire for almost four hundred years. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visi...

Mürren is a good starting point for mountain biking, popular here in the Alps. Small service roads and well-marked intersections make biking easy. Follow Rick on his loop trip down into the valley floor where he passes through Lauterbrunnen, Trümmelbach Falls, a cozy campground, and takes a funicular ride back up the mountain. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including e...

Cortona has a history that goes back 2500 years to Etruscan times. It grew to its present size between the 13th and 15th centuries, when it was a colorful and crowded city. And while an extremely popular travel destination for Americans today, Cortona's rustic and gritty personality survives. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, parti...

Shimmering above its breathtaking bay, elegant and prosperous San Sebastián — or Donostia as locals call their town — is your best home base for exploring Basque country. It boasts one of Europe's loveliest stretches of sand, an elegant promenade, and a fascinating culture. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations,...

Santiago, the final destination of an ancient pilgrimage route, has long had a powerful and mysterious draw on travelers. Strolling across its squares and under its grand churches, you can imagine a time when the city was a religious and cultural powerhouse. But, apart from all the pilgrim action and its venerable architecture, Santiago is a work-a-day town. For more information on the Rick Steves...

Tallinn is a mix of east and west. Its Nordic Lutheran culture and language connect it with Scandinavia's Stockholm and Helsinki. But two centuries of Tsarist Russian rule and nearly 50 years as part of the Soviet Union have blended in a distinctly Russian flavor. Tallinn has modernized at an astounding rate since the fall of the Soviet Union, while also remaining one of the best-preserved medieva...

Djurgården is Stockholm's lush island fun center and has several of the city's top museums, including the Vasa Museum. This is where the Vasa is housed, a 1628 war ship that sank to the bottom of the harbor just minutes into its maiden voyage. Rescued after 300 years under the sea, it's now the best-preserved ship of its kind. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including e...