Rick Steves' Europe Video

Portugal's Douro Valley is the birthplace of port wine, and its steep and twisting valleys have been laboriously terraced over the centuries. Stop by a family owned winery for a peek at local life — and a taste of some fine port. More info about travel to Douro Valley: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal/douro-valley

Fire up memories of the Industrial Revolution in its birthplace, the Severn River Valley. And no trip to England's heartland would be complete without a pint at the local pub — where it helps to know the rules. More info about travel to Ironbridge Gorge: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england/ironbridge-gorge

In Warsaw, experience Polish culture by trying some traditional vodka and taking a stroll through the city's idyllic 18th-century park, which features a monument to one of Poland's favorite sons, composer Fryderyk Chopin. More info about travel to Warsaw: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/poland/warsaw

Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Today, there's plenty to see and do on a visit to Oxford University, from punting on the River Cherwell to marveling at historic colleges and important artifacts. More info about travel to Oxford: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england/oxford

Coimbra is home to Portugal's oldest and most prestigious university. When school's in session, Coimbra bustles with a youthful energy. As a traveler, it can be fun to drop into this venerable academic world and revel with students. More info about travel to Coimbra: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal/coimbra

Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, is Europe's most active volcano. Today, the slopes of Etna are renowned for their fertile soil — and the finest vineyards in Sicily. More info about travel to Sicily: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sicily

Kraków is the Boston of Poland, buzzing with history, college students, and tourists. Even though Warsaw became Poland's political capital centuries ago, Kraków remains the country's cultural and intellectual epicenter. More info about travel to Kraków: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/poland/krakow

Bosnia was the former Yugoslavia's cultural crossroads, home to its three major ethnic groups: Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks. Each group adopted a different religion, brought to Yugoslavia by various emperors, missionaries, and sultans. Sadly, these differences led to the region's violent conflict in the 1990s. More info about travel to Bosnia: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/bosnia-herzegovina

Bern's pointy towers, colorful fountains, and arcaded streets make it one of Europe's finest surviving medieval towns. And as the seat of the Swiss government, Bern is a fascinating study in modern, pragmatic policies. More info about travel to Bern: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/switzerland/bern

Monaco is one of the world's smallest and most luxurious countries. Along with the Monte Carlo casino, high-end stores, and Grand Prix racetrack, travelers to this principality can enjoy its medieval hilltop, where the Grimaldi family has ruled for over 700 years. More info about travel to the French Riviera: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/french-riviera

The Sítio district of Nazaré overlooks a stretch of the Atlantic that's famous among surfers for some of the biggest waves in the world. After hitting the beach, you can enjoy fresh seafood washed down with a refreshing glass of vinho verde (Portuguese green wine). More info about travel to Portugal: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal

In addition to being Sicily's most spectacular beach resort, Taormina is home to tasty, traditional cannoli and an impressive 2,500-year-old Greek theater. More info about travel to Sicily: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sicily

Lisbon is a great foodie destination. Create your own food crawl by hopping on one of the city's famous funiculars to explore everything from modern market halls to traditional bakeries to hole-in-the-wall bars. More info about travel to Lisbon: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal/lisbon

Nice offers grand examples of the belle époque — literally, the "beautiful age." Travelers can step into an age of refinement at the Hotel Negresco, or visit Czar Nicholas II's gift to the city: the exquisite Russian Orthodox cathedral, which claims to be the finest this side of the Volga. More info about travel to Nice: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/nice

The Highlands’ rich history stretches back 4,000 years. In prehistoric times, Highlanders lived in homes built out over lochs, called crannogs, and buried their dead amid mystical stone configurations, or cairns. Thanks to the efforts of modern Scots, you can still admire crannogs and cairns today. More information about travel to Scotland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/scotland

Warwick Castle is England’s most spectacular castle, with a lush, grassy moat and fairy-tale fortifications. This medieval masterpiece, which has been turned into a virtual theme park, is historic and fun, and may well be Britain's most kid-friendly experience. More information about travel to England: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england

Coimbra is the Oxford of Portugal — home to the country's oldest and most venerable university. When school is in session, the city bustles with exuberant students. And with a charming old town reflecting its Roman and Moorish history, Coimbra invites exploration any time of year. More information about travel to Coimbra: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal/coimbra

Paris dramatically changed during the Enlightenment and the French Revolution: The Panthéon was built, cemeteries were moved underground to the catacombs, and churches were turned into “temples of reason.” More information about travel to Paris: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france/paris

In the 11th century, when the Muslim Arabs were tossed out by the Christian Normans, the Normans made Sicilian civilization grander yet — building monumental Norman churches. More information about travel to Sicily: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sicily

Ravenna is on the tourist map for one reason: Its 1,500-year-old churches, decorated with best-in-the-West Byzantine mosaics. For more information about travel to Ravenna, visit https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/ravenna

One month ago, another treasured Paris church — Saint-Sulpice — was touched by flames. Fortunately, the brief fire caused only minimal damage, and Saint-Sulpice's impressive pipe organ remains intact.

Somerset House, a grand 18th-century civic palace, now houses several fine galleries and museums.

Montmartre — a Parisian hill crowned by the dramatic neo-Byzantine Sacré-Cœur church — was famous for the ambience captured by the Impressionists.

Because so many great 20th-century artists chose to live and work here, the Riviera is studded with world-class modern art museums. Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and many others raved about the region's light and vivid colors. They were charmed by the simple lifestyles of fisherman and villagers.

Glasgow's rough urban-scape — with its many blank walls — provides an inviting canvas for city-approved street artists. This clip comes from "Glasgow and Scottish Passions," a brand new episode of Rick Steves' Europe Season 10. Check your local public television station for this new episode or watch it on https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/glasgow.