Rick Steves' Europe Video

Sitting on the sunny side of the Alps, Slovenia feels almost Tyrolean. In Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital and largest city with over 300,000 people, festivals fill the summer, sophisticated cafes thrive, and people enjoy Sunday strolls any day of the week. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information o...

In the mid nineteenth century, Bulgaria underwent a cultural revival. Bulgaria's new-found wealth led to ornate buildings complete with fine furnishings and opulent sitting rooms. Today, folk groups keep traditional Bulgarian culture alive through dance and music performances. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating station...

While visitors to Wales are greeted with bi-lingual signs and English-speaking locals, the Welsh language and culture remain alive and vibrant through the many songs and poetry composed and recited in the native language. A trip to Wales isn't complete without a jaunt into the beautiful countryside where dogs tend sheep and happy travelers leave with woolly sweaters. For more information on the Ri...

Made up of 3 lakes spanning more than 20 miles in length, the Caledonian Canal slices Scotland in half, and provides a shipping route through, rather than around, the country. The canal's most famous stretch, Loch Ness, thrives on tourism surrounding the lake's famous so-called resident Nessie. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, par...

In 1812, after Russia won Finland in a battle against Sweden, the capital moved to Helsinki. Just over 100 years later, Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917 and began developing into what would become a crowning highlight of the Baltic coast. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on...

The only surviving wonder of the ancient world, Egypt's pyramid of Cheops takes up 13 acres of land, and overlooks the neighboring pyramids belonging to this pharaoh's son and grandson. Experts speculate it took one hundred thousand laborers roughly 20 years to build the pyramid of Cheops alone. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, pa...

Jerusalem's most important site to those of the Jewish faith, Temple Mount operates as an open-air synagogue. The Western wall of Judaism's most sacred site is actually an extension of Solomon's original temple, rebuilt by King Harod in 31 b.c. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinat...

Spending a day in Tangier might not be the ideal way to experience Morocco, but at just an hour's crossing by boat from Spain it makes for a day full of adventure. To make the most of your time in Africa, consider a reliable and well organized tour out of Tarifa, Spain that will cover sights and activities in and around Tangier. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including...

13th Century Ehrenburg castle was located strategically along the Via Claudia Augusta, a thoroughfare which connected Venice to Germany by way of the Alps. Today, the stark and brooding ruins of Ehrenburg Castle provide a striking contrast to King Ludwig's fantastical Neuschwanstein. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating...

Tourists and adventurers alike flock to Switzerland's ultimate perch - the Jungfraujoch. At 11,000 feet, the station sits between two of the region's highest mountain peaks. 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.

Copenhagen offers a peek at Denmark's Royal Family, an up-close look at the Danish underground resistance, and a photo-op with one of the most famous women in Northern Europe, the Little Mermaid, all while maintaining its values of freedom, prosperity and a distinct way of life. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stati...

Lined with some of the city's finest sights, Oslo's Karl Johans gate boulevard is an easily-navigable pedestrian zone made for people-watching and tourists. While street musicians line the way, helping give the city a youthful pulse, the best opportunity to mingle with locals, and experience the work of the greatest European sculptor since Rodin, can be found in Vigeland Park. For more information...

Much enjoyed by visitors, the five villages of the Cinque Terre are connected by a series of scenic trails. What some fans of the region don't know is that the villages, Corniglia in particular, produce more than just breathtaking views. Perched along the hillsides, small family vineyards are tended with care; the white wine produced is just another reason to visit Italy's most famous back door. F...

Built in the early 20th Century as a romantic tip-of-the-hat to Sweden's past, Stockholm's city hall is an impressive mix of eight million bricks, and local pride. Today, city hall is not only a government building meant to remind officials of their Viking past, but it is also the site of the Nobel prize banquet each December. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including e...

In the 13th Century, engineers built a dam on the Amstel River and the community which gathered there would be named for the Amstel Dam, or what we know as present-day Amsterdam. Today, the city's sprawling and lively Vondel Park offers a fun look of locals at play. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel i...

Commissioned in the 14th Century by the Holy Roman Emperor, the Charles Bridge in Prague offers one of the most pleasant 500-yard strolls in Europe. A gauntlet of sights, shops, and restaurants lead from the bridge to Wenceslas Square, but for many the top Czech tourist attraction is beer. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, particip...

Since ancient times, the Rhine has been one of the world's busiest rivers and major trading routes. Robber-baron castles placed strategically along the Rhine collected taxes that helped towns get rich. Today, under the watchful eye of once-mighty castles, barges carrying thousand-ton loads and busy trains transport goods and tourists along the river. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe...

Five hundred years ago, Dubrovnik was a major power with the third biggest navy in the Mediterranean. Today, Dubrovnik is the pearl of the Adriatic, jutting confidently out the sea. The city's 15th Century walls, kid-friendly squares, and traffic-free old town are just some of the chrams Dubrovnik has in store for travelers. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including epi...

Rothenburg once one of Germany's largest cities with a population of 6,000 residents, is today a charming tourist destination. For great views and a good orientation, hike Rothenburg's mile-long wall and climb the city's tower. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — v...

With its sea-front promenade, fine museums and sunny coastline, Nice is the enjoyable, big-city highlight of the Riviera. Much loved for its blues seas and blue skies, since the Nineteenth Century, Nice is the place for Europeans to socialize, gamble and escape the dreary weather. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating sta...

The Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral top tourists' lists as the great icons of Paris. Built in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the Eiffel Tower is a marvel of the Industrial Age and trumpets progress and man's ingenuity. Meanwhile, centered on the Isle de la Cite, Notre Dame sits atop what centuries ago was a Roman temple. Construction began in 1163 and laste...

The Black Forest is a hit with holiday goers, city folk, and families. Fresh air, great views, and wide-open spaces attract travelers looking for a bright and sunny vacation spot where local dialects still survive, and traditions are strong. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destination...

With its strategic bridge over the Rhone River, Arles was a key stop on Roman road from Italy to Spain. By the 1700s, Arles became a sleepy town of little importance, but today Arles thrives again with Roman ruins, an assortment of museums and welcoming pedestrian zones. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, tra...

At the foothills of the Alps, King Ludwig of Bavaria's fairy-tale castles attracts thousands of tourists each day. 'Mad King' Ludwig built the castle of his dreams, Neuschwanstein, a mere fifteen minute walk from Hohenschwangau, his boyhood castle home. Shortly after setting into Neuschwanstein, Ludwig was declared mentally unfit to rule and eventually found dead; the circumstances of his death re...

The Orsay Gallery, famous for its much-loved collection of Impressionist masterpieces, fills a magnificent building once used as a train station with art from 1848 to 1914. Old World meets the modern world in these halls, resulting in conservative and revolutionary pieces side by side. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participatin...