Travel with Rick Steves

Get inspired to rediscover the world when it's safe to travel again with an episode that takes us to a number of special outdoor venues. We'll get more ideas for exploring the long-distance hiking trails of Europe, find out about improvements to the neighborhoods of Athens, and discover the world's most interesting contemporary gardens. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including e...

Tour guides from Spain explain the importance of saints to the Spanish national identity — and as a reason for holding a festival. Actor David Suchet tells us what he discovered about his faith when he filmed a documentary about the first-century travels of St. Paul. And Rick chats with art historian Miles J. Unger about the masterpieces Michelangelo created in Florence. For more information...

Find out why the Old-World town of Eger, in northern Hungary, is such a popular weekend getaway from Budapest. The head of the Young China Group updates us on how the millennial generation has been coping lately in China. And listeners remind Rick that you're never too old to travel. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related deta...

Author Terry Tempest Williams explains why she purchased oil leases near her home in the Utah desert to protest removing protections in a national monument. Travel writer Kiki Deere tells us why the Philippines is one of her favorite countries to visit. And a tour guide who mapped hiking trails in Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen Valley talks about the area's Alpine thrills. For more information on Tra...

Learn about the important role lighthouses played in the 19th century, and find out where you can visit interesting ones in the US and France. We'll also hear from a Welsh tour guide on the pride that comes from belonging to a distinctive corner of Great Britain, with its own language and traditions. And Rick visits England's Stanway House, a slightly eccentric version of Downton Abbey. For more i...

It's an all-Irish hour, as tour guides from Dublin and the West point out what you can find on a walking tour of the Irish capital and share why the rugged Aran Islands are one of the top sites to explore Ireland's traditions. And author Timothy Egan explains the legacy of the most famous Irish American immigrant of the 19th century. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including epis...

Discover why the city of San Miguel de Allende is attracting artists and retirees to Mexico, and why food in Italy is reliably good — even in restaurants you might find on a road trip. We'll also hear from a pair of pro-independence Scots on how Scottish nationalism is different by being left-of-center, and a Greek tour guide explains the origins of the Olympic Flame Lighting ceremony. For m...

Learn how Spanish became one of the world's most important languages, and get tips for enjoying your first trip to Spain and for tackling the massive art collection at the Prado in Madrid. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Learn why acqua alta episodes are flooding Venice more frequently — and what it was like to live through a week of near-record floods last November. Hear what it takes to hike across Papua New Guinea on the notorious Kokoda Trail. And discover the traditions behind the February "Carnaval" celebrations in the Basque Country of France and Spain. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves...

Learn why Monet created colorful gardens at his house near Paris from an artist who helped restore them. Hear how renovating a house on an island off the coast of Brittany can feed your wild side. Three Americans explain the expectations of being married to an Italian (and living next to the in-laws). And an adventure cyclist shares the story of a timely romantic surprise. For more information on...

Writer Elaine Sciolino explains how the legendary Seine River made Paris into the vital, romantic city you find today. We'll also hear from German tour guides on how their country views its important social issues, and we'll learn the differences between the Belgians and the Dutch. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related detail...

Writer Euny Hong explains how a Korean system of non-verbal social skills works, and how it can help in your travels and your life. We also get insider information on enjoying Italy's scenic Amalfi Coast without getting stuck in tourist crowds or traffic. And listeners check in with Rick about travel concerns for shoulder season and where you may need to look over your shoulder. For more informati...

The folks from Atlas Obscura tell us about many of the remarkable traditions they've encountered, including a few of the creepiest. We'll also discover the timeless character of Scotland's Hebrides islands — where you're more likely to overhear conversations in Scots Gaelic than English — and learn how to turn the blues into songs that make you feel better with the fado music of Portug...

We admire the seafaring prowess of the Polynesians and hear how a cultural faux pas led to Captain James Cook's fateful encounter with 18 th -century Hawaiians. Then tour guides from Athens and Thessaloniki recommend attractions to visit in northern Greece, and The New Yorker ’s "Comma Queen," Mary Norris, explains what an appreciation for Greek language and mythology can add to your own Gre...

On the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, journalist Catherine Porter tells Rick how the rescue of a 2-year-old girl brought hope to a desperate country — and changed her life, too. Plus, adventure traveler Christopher Solomon tells us what a recent trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge showed him about the forces battling over the largest wilderness refuge in th...

One of the top American travel writers of our time, Paul Theroux, tells us about his recent road trip across Mexico to see for himself what the situation was like on the other side of the border. We'll also look at Ukraine as an up-and-coming Eastern European tourism destination with a lot to offer, at bargain prices. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions...

Make it your New Year's resolution to travel well. Writer Seth Kugel recommends a few rules for a "travel mode" that helps us focus on the world around us, and not on our phones. A Dutch tour guide helps us avoid the lines in Amsterdam to better enjoy and appreciate the city. And listeners share their upcoming family travel plans to Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - includi...

Warm up your holidays by including time-tested traditions from the Old World, as Rick learns how friends in Germany, England, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and the Czech Republic celebrate Christmas. Potato salad and fish stew, anyone? For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why cod is an important comfort food in Portugal, and get a taste of the treats found in Naples and the Campania region of Italy. We'll also hear from listeners on what they enjoy about traveling overseas during the Christmas season, and Rick checks in with an innkeeper in Dingle to learn how the west coast of Ireland gears up for the holidays. For more information on Travel with Rick Ste...

Pico Iyer explains why autumn is the perfect season for understanding the soul of Japan, Robert Reid recommends how to amp up your next vacation by traveling like a travel writer, and tour guides from Sweden share tips on keeping expenses in check and enjoying Scandinavia like a local. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related de...

What is relying on GPS doing to your brain? We'll explore our innate "Wayfinding" abilities with a science reporter who's investigated how some people are able to navigate with only natural features as their guide. Plus, enthusiasts of hiking Europe's medieval footpaths share what it's like to walk Italy's pilgrim trails to Rome. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode...

The host of the TV show Lidia's Italy describes how the special of the day varies from region to region in the homes and restaurants of Italy. We'll also hear from a Madrid-based wine expert on tips to better enjoy what you're drinking, and listeners tell us what makes their hometowns feel special. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives a...

How much are we a product of our nation's history? Learn about the struggles between Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and US General Oliver Otis Howard in the years following the Civil War. We'll also hear about the growing number of older, "houseless" Americans living full time in RVs and camper vans: For some, it's the ultimate freedom; for others, it's all they have left. For more information on T...

We commemorate the big anniversaries in Germany for the fall of the Berlin Wall and the birth of the Bauhaus art movement. We'll also hear how Poland's port city of Gdańsk is an important historical center, and comes recommended as an up-and-coming visitor destination. And hear how the French like to relax in Provence, in the sunny south of France. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves -...

Tour guides discuss two of Europe's scenic and less-crowded peninsulas: Croatia's Istrian Peninsula and Ireland's Cooley Peninsula. Then a marine conservationist shares what he's discovered about the power of tides around the world — and how they affect you, even if you don't live near the shore. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archiv...