Travel with Rick Steves

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...

Just in time for Halloween and Day of the Dead, meet some of the famous residents of Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery. Then take an armchair expedition to some of the spookiest places in the Atlas Obscura catalog. And hear what an Episcopal deacon has learned about how people around the world deal with death. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program...

Find out about the ruthless 15th-century prince behind the Dracula legend, still a major source of tourism for Romania. Then get introduced to some of London's more sophisticated establishments, where you can dine and dress like a real gentleman or lady. And enjoy a taste of Diwali, India's "festival of lights" — plus hear from other listeners about unforgettable people they've met in their...

American-born tour guides who've settled in Tuscany tell us why it's an ideal region for experiencing the essence of Italy. And the curator of mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History tells us what scientists are learning about the fantastic beasts that used to roam the Earth — as they investigate why they went extinct. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including e...

British travel writer Dan Richards describes his hike to the remote post in Washington's North Cascades where Jack Kerouac spent two months as a fire lookout. Then author and naturalist Terry Tempest Williams describes how the processes of erosion define the Utah desert landscape she calls home, and how understanding them can provide a helpful perspective on our civic and social territory, as well...

Historian Michael Wood discusses how Westerners might better understand China, the world's new superpower, by learning more about its monumental achievements over the past 4,000 years. We'll also get time-tested advice from author Ashley Steel for taking the kids to Europe. Plus, Rick's son, Andy Steves, shares his favorite phone apps and other tech tips for travel. For more information on Travel...

The co-author of Rick's Eastern Europe guidebook and a Ljubljana-based tour guide discuss the laid-back charms of Slovenia's capital. Then a tour guide from Munich explains how to become a temporary Bavarian at Oktoberfest. And an adventure traveler shares why even the creepiest critters deserve a little respect. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, pro...

Find out why Portugal isn't jumping on the Magellan 500th-anniversary bandwagon like their neighbors in Spain are. Then, guidebook author Julie Meade tells Rick which neighborhoods of Mexico City are the most fun to visit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Travel writer Seth Kugel offers eight tips for enjoying global travels with minimal expense. Then author Pico Iyer tells Rick how he keeps discovering new things about Japan and its people, even after living there for more than 30 years. And tour guides from Ireland share what's new in Dublin. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and re...

Cartoonist Sarah Glidden shares the insights she gained while getting to know the Kurdish people of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Then a Dutch "language spotter" recommends interesting foreign words we English speakers might want to borrow. And tour guides from Prague explain how sharing a beer is an important part of the social fabric in the Czech Republic. For more information on Travel with Rick Ste...

Author Cassandra Overby relays expert tips for exploring Europe's long-distance hiking trails. Then Greek tour guides discuss what's new in Athens' neighborhoods. And botanist Christopher Wood digs into the world's most interesting contemporary gardens. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.