Rick Steves' Europe Video

Oslo's vast Frogner Park is a perfect place to share a moment with Norwegian families at play. Strolling here, you feel a positive spirit — both rugged and pragmatic, celebrating life. The park showcases a lifetime of work by Norway's greatest sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, trav...

Most visitors to Tangier take a tour, daytripping in from Spain for a predictable series of experiences. But wandering through this delightfully disorienting town, at your own pace, is more fun. And to enjoy it with maximum understanding, you can hire a local guide. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel i...

Granada's dominant sight is the Alhambra, the last and greatest Moorish palace. For two centuries, until 1492, Granada reigned as the capital of a dwindling Moorish empire. As Christian forces pushed the Moors farther and farther south, this palace was the last hurrah of a sophisticated civilization. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, script...

Slovenia enjoys a 29-mile stretch of Adriatic seafront, and its best stop is the town of Piran. As with most towns on the Adriatic, Piran was long ruled by nearby Venice and retains its Venetian flavor. In fact, the town's officially bilingual: Slovene and Italian. Today, its town square is enjoyed by visitors and locals of all generations — savoring the good life where the Slavic world, the Alps,...

Mostar, straddling its beloved river, is the leading city of the southern part of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Its 400-year-old stone bridge was once a symbol of multi-cultural community but collapsed under artillery shells when Yugoslavia fell apart in the 1990s. Today, Mostar is rebuilding, and ethnic divisions are gradually fading. And the new Old Bridge, rebuilt using the original materials, is a promi...

One of Europe's top natural wonders is Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park. Imagine Niagara Falls sliced and diced and sprinkled over a vast and heavily forested canyon. It's a lush and unforgettable valley of 16 terraced lakes, laced together by waterfalls and miles of pleasant plank walks. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, par...

From about 18,000 to 10,000 b.c., long before Stonehenge and the pyramids, back when mammoths and saber-toothed cats still roamed the earth, prehistoric people painted deep inside caves in what is today the Dordogne region of France. These cave paintings are huge and sophisticated projects executed by artists and supported by an impressive culture — the Magdalenians. For more information on the Ri...

Bath has long been famous for its hot springs, and it was a popular spa town for the ancient Romans. When revitalized in the 18th century, local architects were inspired by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio to build a "new Rome." Bath's Royal Crescent and Circus are fine examples of this neoclassic style. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode description...

The historic town of Bacharach makes a fine home base for exploring Germany's Rhine River Valley. Like other towns along the river, Bacharach has a long tradition of vintners making wine and offering their label to the thirsty public. And its castle has become one of Germany's top hostels, with plenty of beds and a warm welcome. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including...

The dramatic Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland's most evocative sites. On this historic rock, you can stroll among the ruins in the footsteps of St. Patrick, and, wandering through Rick's favorite Celtic cross graveyard, feel the soul of Ireland. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destina...

In the Alps, get an early start when the peaks are clear. Gondola lifts take you to the high points effortlessly, where level trails are thoughtfully signposted, and dotted with tame cows and goats. 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.com.

Cefalù, dramatically situated on the north coast, is one of Sicily's many romantic port towns. Rick tours the medieval-walled town by Vespa, samples Mediterranean cuisine, and meets a local fisherman. 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.com.

Regardless of the weather, a tour of Iona and Mull offers the best one-day look at dramatic and historic Hebrides Island scenery. After bussing across Mull, it's a one-mile ferry ride to the sleepy island of Iona, a great place for a break from a busy itinerary. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel infor...

Often referred to as the "Gibraltar of Greece," Monemvasia is a virtual showcase of Byzantine, Turkish, and Venetian history dating back to the 13th century. Worth climbing: the steep zigzag path that leads up and up, out of the lower town, to ruins of the fortified upper town, and sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episod...

Budapest's Great Indoor Market Hall is a commotion of produce stands, butcher stalls, peppers and spices. Paprika — a dominant spice in Hungarian cuisine — is everywhere, in varieties ranging from very sweet to very hot. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit ww...

At their peak of power in the 1500s, the Habsburg family ruled Austria, Germany, northern Italy, the Netherlands, and even Spain. And Vienna's Kunsthistorisches (Art History) Museum offers great art from throughout the realm. The Italian collection is particularly strong. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, tr...

Coimbra is Portugal's third-largest city and home to the country's oldest and most prestigious university. Coimbra is a mini-Lisbon: everything good about urban Portugal without the intensity of a big city. 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.c...

To get a full and balanced appreciation for today's Istanbul, you must leave the old town and explore the lively, more cosmopolitan neighborhoods. Experience urban Istanbul by hiking the entire length of its main pedestrian boulevard, immersed in a fascinating sea of people: a melting pot of twenty or so different ethnic groups, with styles from the very traditional to the latest. For more informa...

Barcelona's ever-popular strolling boulevard is the Ramblas. While souvenir shops and crowds of tourists have diluted its former elegance, it still offers an entertaining introduction to the city. 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.com.

Switzerland's biggest city, Zürich, consistently ranks as one of the world's most livable cities. Its lake front is a spring board for romantic walks, and the old town is lively night and day with cafes, galleries, and a colorful cobbled ambiance. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on desti...

Modern Rome's main street Via Del Corso becomes a pedestrian boulevard late in the day. As the sun goes down, the people come out for their evening passegiata, or stroll. 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.com.

After eight centuries of producing salt, the remarkable Wieliczka Salt Mine is busy not with miners, but with tourists. They come to see the sculptures, 20 chapels, and enormous church, all carved out of salt by the miners themselves. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and m...

The Languedoc region's hard-fought past and independent spirit is evident in its old fortifications, fine art, and a culture distinct from the rest of France that survives to this day. Its fortified city of Carcassonne is a 13th-century world of towers, turrets, and cobblestone alleys. Visit early or late in the day to avoid the mid-day tourist crowd. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europ...

The eternal beauty of the Irish landscape is most breath-taking with a sweep around the Ring of Kerry. And a great jumping-off point for this tour is Kenmare, with its cozy feel and close proximity to the peninsula. See Rick's full show, South Ireland: Waterford to Ring of Kerry, on your local public television station. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode...

Munich is considered Germany's most livable city. While packed with history, it's also this country's Hollywood and Silicone Valley, all rolled into one. This city celebrates its traditions with gusto, and at the same time, it remains a modern cultural force. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel informat...