Travel with Rick Steves

Find out more about Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi and how the Winter Olympic games are affecting local attitudes. Pauline Frommer offers enthusiastic tips for making a visit to New York City fun and affordable. And friends from Europe share their local traditions for welcoming in the New Year in Spain, Croatia, Wales, Scotland, Belgium and Portugal. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear about holiday traditions in Wales, Hungary, Sicily, Scotland, and even Santa Fe where locals have unique ways to light up the season. Hear how scientists at a research station in Antarctica make merry. Plus listeners share some of their favorite Christmas memories from holiday travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Take a look at the conflict centers of the world through the lens of a foreign correspondent from the BBC. We hear how Christmas with the troops in Afghanistan can be a bit of a surreal experience. Get a look at how they celebrate the holidays in Switzerland and Austria. Rick also learns the essentials of serving a well-balanced savory cheese plate the way it's done in France. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

In the Loire Valley in central France, dozens of historic estates are ready to impress you with everything from elaborate gardens and architecture to authentic displays of medieval hunting and defense techniques. Plus, two guides recommend the sites in Brittany where even the rocks can show you a good time. Also, Leslie Carroll digs up juicy backstories on Europe's ruling families, and their "notorious royal marriages." For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Italian food expert Fred Plotkin delves into the local dessert specialties of Italy, and tells us where you can find the best gelato in the entire country. A guide from Sicily advises us how not to upset the "food police" when eating your pasta. Also, we'll get an overview of the dozens of neighborhood food markets you can shop at in Paris. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how J. Maarten Troost found contentment and sobriety, sailing in the wake of Robert Louis Stevenson among the South Sea islands. Journalist Lisa Napoli describes the pressures to modernize and connect with the outside world that are changing the Himalayan country of Bhutan. Also, tour guide Asa Danielsson from Stockholm explains how a strong sense of ethics and fairness shapes the social order in Sweden. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A genuinely "down to earth" astronaut tells us what it's like living and working on the International Space Station. Colonel Cady Coleman explains how zero gravity changes the everyday things you do, and how circling planet Earth every 90-minutes will change your outlook on life. Plus, listeners share tales of their own unforgettable treks and travels, back on mother Earth. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

When in Rome, one of the timeless ways to enjoy the city is people-watching and enjoying the night air in one of the city's picturesque public squares. Find out how to experience a more intimate side of Rome, after dark. A guide to New York City tells us about the un-touristy corners of his city where you can get in touch with New York's forgotten history and explore the city's multicultural character. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Adventure traveler and author Richard Grant describes the craziness he encountered on the island of Zanzibar. A native of small town Italy explains the uncrowded appeal of Abruzzo, in the rugged Apennine mountains. Also, a tour guide to southeast Asia outlines the visitor scene from Vietnam to Burma. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An expert on travel to Cuba explains how their society is changing under Raul Castro's policies, and how Americans can legally get around the embargo on travel to Cuba. Also, we look into the attractions of back-roads touring in Quebec, and hear about Germany's extensive network of hiking trails. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick checks in with European tour guides on researching family history in Ireland, and listeners tell us of their own discoveries meeting relatives in Sweden and Lithuania. We'll get highlights of the Low Countries of Belgium and the Netherlands where a cozy medieval city or a bike ride to the sea is just a short ride from the major cities. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The experts from The People's Guide to Mexico offer tips for enjoying an independent road trip to explore Mexico on your own. Hear about the frustrations many women face in Italy when they try to break some very old gender stereotypes. Also Rick checks in with listeners responding to past topics and guests. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Your travels can open up your taste buds to entirely new adventures. Guides from Paris and the Basque Country in Spain introduce us to their local food traditions. Fred Plotkin serves up another helping of appreciation for the cuisines of Italy, and how to make every bite a celebration, Italian style. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how Terry Tempest Williams found beauty in a broken world in Italy and where you'd least expect it, in Rwanda. Phil Borges tells us what he's learned from photographing indigenous people around the world. Also, Peter Wortsman returns with insights into why he loves the ever-evolving nature of Germany's capital city, Berlin. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get better acquainted with Southeast Asia and Ireland through the eyes of its artists. We'll explore how understanding the stories behind paintings, and knowing the role of important architectural sites, can help frame your appreciation for anyplace you visit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The waters of Rome can provide you with a refreshing way to explore the ancient capitol of the world. Hear how sailing the dangerous waters around Canada's Vancouver Island sets the scene for the first of the Dugger mystery novels from Ferenc Máté. Also, we explore getting some serious fresh air and exercise, in the great outdoors of France. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how two travelers immersed themselves in Croatia and its neighbors. Plus, guides from Italy share the highlights of northern Italy, from Milan to Lake Como, and they recommend less-crowded small towns and lakes, where German and Swiss influences add a distinctive texture from the rest of Italy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Celebrated author, Pico Iyer, shares how going it alone can actually clue you in to the global village that already surrounds you. Travel writer Will Hide tells us why Cape Town, South Africa is one of his favorite getaways — where a pleasant climate, easy access to outdoor adventures, and friendly people are just an overnight flight from London. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Expert guides from southern England chat with Rick and take listener calls about their favorite parts of rural Britain. They'll recommend where to enjoy off-the-beaten-path pastoral landscapes, complete with thatched roof cottages, abbeys and castles, coastal lookouts, and even wild ponies. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Explore sites that pay homage to some of the icons of rock and roll. Get a heartfelt taste of music traditions in Ireland where a homecoming theme invites visitors this year. Also, explore how the Great Plains can get you in touch with Native American and pioneer history, the natural world, and a few curiosities along the way. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

See how attending a performance at one of Europe's great concert venues can add to your enjoyment of classical music. A guide from Portugal introduces us to some of the high points away from Lisbon. Also, travel writer Don George shares stories of life-changing food adventures around the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

France offers visitors a great deal of variety including the vineyards and elegant castles and mansions in the Loire Valley. Hear how the pre-historic stone formations on the hillsides of Brittany provide a link to unknown peoples from long ago. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick examines today's political scene in Germany and takes a deeper look at the historical ghosts you can stumble on in Berlin. A political organizer and tour guide from the Rhine region tells us what the average German thinks of their role in the economic bail-out of other countries in the European Union. Also, playwright Peter Wortsman explains how his Jewish heritage has drawn him to make Berlin his second home. In addition, get tips for meeting the locals in the small towns of Scotland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Barbecue, chili, clam chowder, fresh oysters, and even buckwheat pancakes are a few of Jane and Michael Stern's discoveries that can turn your next American road trip into a comfort food pilgrammage. Also, travel writer Crai S. Bower joins Rick to share some of their favorite natural getaways in coastal British Columbia, Canada. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Guides from Sorrento explain how their cliffside city is an easy hop to historical and scenic adventures, and also a great place to relax with a chilled glass of homemade limoncello. We'll also get a commercial pilot's perspective on the airline industry with tips for enjoying your next flight. Finally, Rick checks in with listeners "of a certain age" who have fun travel reports to share. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We'll explore the historical riches of Potsdam, Germany, and we'll hear how Athens, Greece has grown into a visitor-friendly destination, complete with a new Acropolis museum. We'll also get a dispatch from adventure cyclist Willie Weir from his favorite square in Madrid, and we'll open the phones for your nominations for a favorite city to explore. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get inspired to take a classic American road trip along the Lincoln Trail, from Springfield, Illinois to Gettysburg and the Potomac. We'll also hear about the special travel guide that African-Americans relied on in the mid-20th century to find a welcome on the road. Plus, TV travel host Samantha Brown shares how to enjoy your next long flight overseas. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick interviews a guide to the street markets of Paris, where souvenir shopping can be a destination in itself. Hear how the beer in Belgium is so good, it's worth a special trip. Also, learn about the mysteries and history you can find in the caves of Slovenia. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz joins us to describe what it meant to zoom in on places and objects from the icons of American culture from Walden Pond to Niagara Falls and from Ghost Ranch to Graceland. Listeners also give ideas for planning extraordinary travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Guides specializing in eastern and central Europe highlight the charms of Kraków, Poznań, Warsaw, and Gdańsk, where the prices can be as friendly as the people. Also, Fred Plotkin explains how this is a really big anniversary year for opera. He recommends performances celebrating the birthdays of Wagner, Verdi, and Benjamin Britten. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams tells us why her dedication to the rugged beauty of the Utah wilderness where she lives requires her to speak out on its behalf. Also, a tour guide from Italy describes how he gets away from it all, riding a motorbike across the vast expanses of the Sahara desert in North Africa. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Discover how you can enjoy Mexico and the Netherlands like you're one of the family. The authors of The People's Guide to Mexico recommend how to make your next trip south of the border extra-fun and culturally-rewarding. Also, Rick looks into family-friendly cultural treats that you can enjoy in the Netherlands, including Europe's guilty TV pleasure, the annual Eurovision Song Contest. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick learns about tourism in the Palestinian Territories on the West Bank of the Jordan. Also, the host of The Amazing Race, Phil Keoghan, describes how a near-death experience at age 19 convinced him to make his travel fantasies come true. He tells us how leaving "No Opportunity Wasted" can add a lot of memorable adventures to your life. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A lot of Stockholm's charm comes from how much land and waterfront is dedicated to parks and public access. We'll also explore the mysteries of the ancient stone circles and prehistoric monuments of England. In addition, we'll hear how taking a sauna is an important part of life in Finland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Five years in France showed Adam Gopnik and his family why the rituals associated with mealtime are often as important to the French as their recipes. Also, two guides from Portugal share the highlights of their country’s cuisine from Atlantic seafood, to the hearty dishes enjoyed in the inland mountains. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Moses Gates is an urban explorer who tells us why his favorite part of Paris is underground, and how he gets to enjoy his favorite view of the Manhattan skyline from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. Street artist, Nicolina, brings color and panache to people around the world. Also, soon-to-be travelers ask Rick for advice on upcoming trips to Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Travel writer Jeff Greenwald makes a point to return to Nepal every year and describes how long-held customs are challenged by modern pressures and political turmoil. He also points out what’s timeless about the Himalayan culture that draws him back year after year. Also, we take a close-up look at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome to understand what went into making it the most impressive church in the world with tips for making it a high point of your life's travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An expert who advises American travelers on how to best use the passenger rail lines in Europe offers tips for when rail passes are a bargain, and how they work. Also, Jane and Michael Stern discuss trends in hometown "comfort food" restaurants in America, including a few eateries where the local atmosphere made their day. Also, listeners check in with travel reports on what made their trips extra-special when they visited France, Spain, Poland, and Italy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick explores the sites and culture of Basque Country with two guides who have deep family roots in the region. We'll look at the power of music in Ireland, where nearly every town comes with its own special song. Also, we'll hear how traditional ballads connect the Irish with their history, and with one other. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how language is a high form of art in Ireland, where the works of its poets and playwrights add color to even the nation's parks and pubs. We'll get tips for enjoying more of the speciality museums of Paris. Also, we'll explore how growing up in Renaissance-era Florence shaped Michelangelo into one of the greatest artists of all time. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how you can get close to the ancients along the Inca Trail in Peru with tips for enjoying Cuzco and Machu Picchu. We'll also look at the monuments and legacy of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, and we'll see what medieval castles in Wales can still tell us about the past. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Journalist Elaine Sciolino explains the many ways seduction operates as part of day to day life in France. Also, Martin Fletcher describes what a good long walk down the coast of Israel showed him after 30 years of reporting from the Middle East. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick examines Sicily and what the "heel, toe and instep" of the boot of Italy has to offer the adventurous traveler. In addition, we'll explore pirate history and lore along the Carolina coast, where legendary sea scoundrels made their mark during colonial times. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Local tour guides explain why Madrid and Prague are two of the most romantic cities in Europe. Plus, Rick chats with listeners who share unforgettable encounters from their travels, where the kindness of the locals — even with a language barrier — left a lasting impression. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A portrait photographer shares tips for taking top-notch photos of the people you meet in your travels. A painter shares how going on an artist's safari has deepened his love of African wildlife, and lets him look eye to eye with the creatures of the savannah. Also, a travel writer tells us how he's preparing to start a three-year trip to every country in Africa. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Bill Bryson points out what the rooms and items in your house can teach you about the world. Tour guide, Britt Lonsdale, explains your options for enjoying an elegant afternoon tea in London. Also, public radio's favorite librarian, Nancy Pearl, inspires us to read about the far away places of the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

North Ireland's city of Derry is gearing up to be this year's "U-K City of Culture." We'll find out how concerts and the arts are uniting the Irish. Hear how London's working class East End is becoming a trendy scene for colorful shops and a good curry dinner. In addition, hear how an American family explored the beaches of Croatia as if it was their second home. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Journalist Jonathan Groubert explains what a recent change of government means for the Netherlands.  And Travel Channel host Samantha Brown chats about her latest projects.  Plus, listeners tell us fun ways they get to feel like one of the locals in Europe.  For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A wine expert from Paris explains how the wine industry operates in France and offers tips for finding the best deals on French wine.  We'll also explore the rich New Year's Eve traditions of Scotland.  And listeners describe places they want to return to, as well as a fun way to explore the world from the comfort of your own kitchen.  For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear about holiday traditions from Wales and Hungary, Sicily and Scotland.  Learn about the unique ways people light up the season in Santa Fe — where the fragrance of piñon wood fires leaves a special impression.  Hear how scientists at a research station in Antarctica make merry.  Plus, listeners share some of their favorite Christmas memories from holiday travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.