Travel with Rick Steves

Humorist Maeve Higgins recommends places to visit in her home turf of Ireland's County Cork. Then tour guides from southwest England share their expert advice on where best to enjoy the coastal beauty of Cornwall and Devon — and the tourist traps to avoid. And guides from Scotland describe what makes Glasgow such a cool city to explore. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - inclu...

Travel writer Chris Baker returns with more ideas for fun day trips from LA and San Francisco, including his home base of Palm Springs. Then historian Laurence Cotton joins us to celebrate the 200th birthday of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, whose parks and civic projects have given so many American cities a lasting natural legacy. And a Rick Steves guidebook co-author describes the co...

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...

Tour guides from New Orleans examine the historical, musical, and culinary elements that make their city one of the most exceptional places anywhere in North America. They also share their top recommendations for exploring the city and discuss the merits of a pay-what-you-like model for city walking tours. And an associate conductor with the Seattle Symphony gives us a view from the conductor's po...

Actress Joanna Lumley details her 4,000-mile trek up the Nile River to the river's fabled source in Rwanda. Joanna shares what she learned from people she met while filming a documentary about the trip, and describes her ride to the pyramids on one very fine camel. And TV host Samantha Brown tells Rick how she keeps herself from stressing out over what could go wrong in her frequent travels. For m...

Rick checks in with Dylan Thuras from Atlas Obscura to discuss a few of their favorite small, sometimes eccentric museums around the world. Then author Peter Fiennes describes some of the real sites where Greek myths were set, and how they can speak to us today. And two historian tour guides share some of their top reasons to visit the Peloponnese, the giant peninsula just an hour's drive south of...

English tour guides share their enthusiasm for enjoying the riot of color and inspiration you'll find in England's best country gardens. Then author Catie Marron explains how she designed and planted a garden as a way to feel a sense of belonging in her new home. And physicist Alan Lightman explains why it's healthy to give yourself a little unstructured time every day just for goofing off. For mo...

Author Mark Adams shares what he learned about Incan history while trekking to Machu Picchu. Then author Sarah Vowell explains how Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette helped unify Americans after the contentious presidential election of 1824. And Rick checks in with tour guides from Edinburgh to get tips on visiting Scotland's whisky distilleries. For more information on Travel with Rick S...

Enjoy some of the best-ever writing on life in far-away places with a recommended reading list from a Harvard professor of comparative literature. Then get tips on the historic towns and royal retreats that are easily enjoyed as day trips from Berlin. And hear about daily life in Mexico City in 2022 from an American expat — and why he considers his new home the "capital of the 21st century."...

Celebrate Bastille Day with French guides. They'll explain the impressionist techniques perfected in the early 20th century, provide insider advice for designing the perfect Parisian itinerary, and help tackle the immense collection at the Louvre. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

New York Times reporter John Branch tells us how one family in southern Utah keeps a cowboy tradition alive at rodeos across the West. Chris Baker recommends itineraries for scenic road trips and sites to explore across California. Plus, Jack Davis pays tribute to the American bald eagle, whose recovery from the brink of extinction is an environmental success story that can inspire everyone. For m...

Explore what Canada has to offer! Newfoundland's Alan Doyle recommends sights to enjoy the rugged beauty of his Atlantic island home. Comedian and author Rick Mercer shares some of his favorite places to enjoy across Canada. Plus, raise a glass to New Orleans as Elizabeth Pearce unveils how to appreciate the history of America's most "spirited city" through the kinds of cocktails it serves. For mo...

Hear how the characters of Nordic mythology can help you better understand the past, and how they influence the epic tales that entertain us today. Discover Dutch towns to explore beyond Amsterdam where you can view technological marvels as well as medieval charm. Also, find out how tourism in Nicaragua is trying to rebound from multiple setbacks, one rural homestay at a time. For more information...

Get tips from an American-Japanese author for experiencing the rugged allure of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Then hear from a nature photographer what it's like to spend a summer boating up Hudson Bay in search of polar bears. And learn all about how Dubliners celebrate Bloomsday — good fun even if you still haven't finished Ulysses . For more information on Travel with Rick Steves -...

Two English tour guides discuss a time-honored way to enjoy the British countryside: "rambling" along Britain's well-marked system of hiking trails. Then author Peter Fiennes describes his cross-country journeys in the footsteps of great British writers, and what his travels revealed about how much the UK has changed in recent years. And Rick learns about the rightfully revered tradition of aftern...

Get in a festive mood as Rick invites a few of his friends to compare the beer styles of Europe, and the cultures that go with them. Also, writer David Farley tells us about an eccentric hill town not far from Rome. It's home to a generation of bohemian residents, and one of the strangest mysteries in Italy — a centuries-old relic the Vatican would rather not talk about. For more information...

Author Graham Robb describes a few of the extraordinary historical characters of Paris. Then vintner and tour guide Cecilia Bottai shares tips for planning a getaway to the relaxed "green heart" of central Italy. And author Celia Lyttelton tells us how she traveled the world to find the ingredients for making her very own custom perfume. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including...

Journalist Euny Hong explains how South Korea has made itself not only an economic powerhouse but a pop-culture superpower. And tour guides from Portugal join Rick to share recommendations for planning a week's getaway to Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and the colorful, historic towns in between. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and re...

British travel writer Will Hide recounts his journeys along the back roads of Appalachia, where country music first arose from the melodies and instruments of immigrants from the British Isles. Then tour guides from France share tips on exploring the Loire Valley's many magnificent châteaux. And author Sara Zaske reveals what she learned from the German style of parenting while raising her y...

Guidebook co-author Pat O'Connor delves into the details of driving in Ireland, where renting a car can be worth the extra expense when it gives you the flexibility to explore the countryside on your own schedule. Then author Mary Morris explains why she prefers to go solo to connect with other people in her travels, and how she ensures her safety. And tour guides from Prague offer tips for enjoyi...

Travel writer Julian Sancton tells us how a trip to Antarctica helped him see that continent through the eyes of the early polar explorers. Then science reporter Zach St. George explains how some North American tree species are migrating to survive a warming climate. And two Italy-based tour guides take us to the resort lakes of northern Italy, where outdoor sports and celebrities compete with the...

Get acquainted with some of the most popular French and Italian saints, and learn why they remain important to their countrymen. Plus, actor David Suchet shares what he discovered while making a documentary about the life and times of St. Peter, and the first-century world he inhabited in Galilee. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives an...

Kayaker Dave Ellingson tells us how he learned to savor the unexpected on a paddling adventure in Minnesota. Then German comedian Hape Kerkeling relives his hike on the famed Camino de Santiago in Spain, where he learned something new every day. And adventurer Christina Nealson recommends places in New Mexico to get in touch with both the indigenous and Spanish colonial heritage of the desert Sout...

Get an expert's tips for enjoying the best of the Louvre's gigantic trove of treasures on a short visit. Then hear about what you can expect from US embassy and consulate staff, should you need their assistance while traveling, from the President of the American Foreign Service Association. And listen in as Rick recalls his first unchaperoned backpacking trip to Europe, right out of high school, i...

A Brussels-based tour guide offers his recommendations for making the most of a weekend in the Belgian capital. Then one of Rick's co-authors joins us to explore what it means to become a "temporary local" when traveling, and how it can help you actually relax on your next vacation. And listeners share ideas for enjoying areas they know well, as long-term locals — including Maine's Acadia Na...