Travel with Rick Steves

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 Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

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.

Historian Sarah Vowell revisits how the Hawaiian Islands became an American territory in the 19th century, then journalist David Wolman tells us how three cowboys from Hawaii's Big Island redefined the American West when they competed at the world's greatest rodeo championship. And writer Michael Scott Moore explores how surfing spread from Polynesia to the rest of the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear about what it's like to celebrate National Day in Liechtenstein, one of the world's smallest — and wealthiest — countries. (Hint: Free beer at the palace!) Then learn the secret to gelato's distinctive smooth texture and get tips for picking the best gelato shop in any Italian town. And tour guides from Britain tell us why a hike in the wild and windy English moors can be a delightfully uncrowded way to escape into nature. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Discover what makes the food in Sicily arguably the tastiest and most interesting in all of Italy. Then hear what it's like to bicycle 10,000 miles along the old Silk Road, from Turkey to Tibet. And Turkish tour guides give an update on tourism in Istanbul. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides from across Europe discuss the European Union — and why Switzerland stands apart from its neighbors by not being an EU member. Plus, tour guides from Budapest recommend what to look for when you visit Hungary. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Space journalist Charles Fishman tells us how the Apollo 11 moonwalk became reality. Then Alan Stern, the head of NASA's New Horizons mission, tells us about their probe's fly-by of Pluto earlier this year. And astronaut Chris Hadfield describes the views of Earth from the International Space Station. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The authors of "The Bonjour Effect" noticed that many problems foreigners encounter in France aren't due to not knowing the language, but rather not knowing how the French expect you to communicate with them. Now that their book has been translated into French, they tell us how their work has been received in France. And Rick shares tips for enjoying the Paris nightlife with two younger-generation tour guides, including his son, Andy! For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Brent Glass, former director of the National Museum of American History, recommends places you can visit to commemorate the women who changed American history. Then endurance swimmer Diana Nyad tells us how she set a world record when she swam from Havana to Key West. And naturalist Gary Ferguson describes how the fierce nature of the wilderness can be a setting for both tragedy and healing. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Writer Porter Fox tells us what he discovered when he followed the US-Canada border from Maine to Washington State. Then, writer and photographer Becky Lomax shares her favorite National Park experiences. And guidebook author Kimberley Lovato recommends day trip options for enjoying beaches, redwood groves, and wineries within easy reach of San Francisco. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides from Rome and Sorrento help listeners plan Italian adventures and let us in on how some things work — or don't work — in Italy. Then journalist Martin Fletcher tells us about living in Israel as well as the political pressures that will prevent a resolution to Israeli-Palestinian tensions from happening anytime soon. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

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 - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author Mark Adams shares what he learned about Incan history while trekking to Machu Picchu, just a century after it was revealed to the outside world. Then author and radio commentator 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 Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The co-founder of Atlas Obscura, the online almanac of unusual places, recommends destinations sure to fascinate curious kids. Then a military historian from Normandy offers insights and advice for visiting the beaches where, 75 years ago this week, D-Day turned the tide of World War II. And tour guides from Lisbon share tips for enjoying Portugal's vibrant capital city. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The founder of the Monuments Men Foundation joins us to consider what the world would be like had the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David been destroyed in World War II, and describes the work of the team who took heroic steps to protect Europe's art treasures from wartime damage and Nazi theft. Then a guidebook author shares tips for enjoying the rainbow of attractions, flavors, and summer festivals that make San Francisco a perpetually exciting place to visit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A memoirist describes the challenges and delights of kayaking Norway's spectacular fjords, then tour guides from Madrid share tips for planning a memorable trip to Spain. And author Alan Lightman discusses the value of unplugging as a way of better understanding and appreciating the world around us. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams reflects on a mystery left behind by her late mother, and explains her drive to speak out on behalf of the rugged Utah wilderness she calls home. Then a tour guide from Italy describes how he likes to get away from it all: on a motorbike across the vast Sahara desert. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Extend your vicarious travels beyond the solar system by listening in as the head of NASA's New Horizons project describes his mission to explore beyond Pluto. Then learn about the world's craziest tidal action, and the "celestial dance" that causes it, from a marine conservationist. And hear from English tour guides about their favorite experiences in London’s many inviting parks and gardens. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

To celebrate King's Day in the Netherlands, tour guides for Amsterdam join us to recommend strategies for enjoying this scenic city on foot. Then the author of "Explore Europe on Foot" makes the case for exploring Europe via its long-distance hiking trails — at your own pace and away from the crowds. And listeners get Rick's advice on their summer vacation plans. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why Oslo has proudly been declared 2019's "European Green Capital." Then hear all about England's most beautiful and historically important cathedrals, from Canterbury's to the York Minster. And get a taste of the comfort foods you can savor in Slovenia, where the culinary influences of neighboring countries add variety to the menu. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

As National Parks Week approaches, a guidebook author joins us to share ideas for exploring America’s 59 national parks. Then tour guides to France help listeners plan their summer voyages, with advice for marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, and enjoying a "babymoon" in Paris. Plus, the author of "Sea People" tells the fascinating story of how Polynesians came to populate the most far-flung islands on earth.  For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We'll hear some of the ways the Netherlands — a country that can’t afford time to argue about climate change — is protecting its citizens from steadily rising seas. Then international-affairs professor Nina Khrushcheva, great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, tells us what she learned about her motherland when she traveled to towns in all eleven of its time zones, with a focus on understanding the Russian heartland’s strong support for Vladimir Putin.  For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A musician from Orvieto provides examples of the different styles of folk music you can enjoy across Italy, then a British ex-pat tells us what it's like to live in Switzerland — and explains why the Swiss are deliberately different from the rest of their European neighbors. And one of the top Welsh tour guides shares pointers for fun things to explore on a weekend in Wales. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Best-selling author Frances Mayes tells us about her favorite uncrowded corners of Italy, away from the crush of Italy's top tourist destinations. And we'll get a personal take on the current political scene in Hungary, Poland, and Turkey, where conservative populism has changed and challenged these countries' democratic structures. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how the Irish language, once banned by English colonial rulers, has re-assumed its place at the heart of Irish identity. Then listen in as musician Kieran O'Hare explains why he finds Irish bagpipes more pleasing than the better-known Scottish ones, and plays a few traditional tunes on the Irish tin whistle. And eavesdrop on a pair of Irishmen from opposite ends of the island as they share a beer and a little banter with Rick. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A flamenco enthusiast from Sweden explains her lifelong passion for the fiery dance traditions of southern Spain. Then writer Will McGrath tells us what he learned from his neighbors while living in southern Africa's small mountainous nation of Lesotho. And Rick checks in with listeners to hear how the mistakes they've made as travelers became openings to connect with local culture. 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 tips for first-time visitors to Brazil, then a team of European tour guides share their personal — and diverging — takes on the Brexit conundrum. And two leaders of an anti-poverty nonprofit explain their innovative approach for combating systemic poverty among farmers in Guatemala. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

British actress and global traveler Joanna Lumley tells Rick why her family is revered in Bhutan, then Spanish tour guides describe the highlights of their country's spiritual capital, Toledo. Plus, guidebook author Trish Clark shares tips for finding an affordable room and a good breakfast in Europe's convents and monasteries. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get a taste of Norse mythology and a glimpse of the Vikings' complex view of the cosmos. Plus, hear how Athens' Acropolis remains a powerful symbol of civilized democracy 2,500 years since it was built, and learn about the courageous subjects of filmmaker Holly Morris' "Adventure Divas" documentary series. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear why Romans love their city, even with all its flaws. Then take a deep breath of fresh audio air as author and garden designer/director Christopher Woods tells us about his favorite contemporary botanical gardens around the world. And listen in for advice on visiting Switzerland and hiking in the Alps. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Actress and cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey explains why clichés about British food are out of date — thanks mainly to the influence from immigrants. And the founder of the Young China Global Group explains what he's discovered about China's millennials — and about how their expectations for the future are changing China, and the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Michael Scott Moore tells us what it was like to spend nearly three years as a captive of Somali pirates. Travel writer Robert Reid thinks American media have a blind spot about travel to Russia. He tells us why he finds it an affordable and friendly country. Plus, guides from London share budget travel tips to help you enjoy their expensive city. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Two Turkish tour guides paint an audio picture of the otherworldly region of Cappadocia, where you can get face-to-face with early Christian history. Then, just ahead of Burns Night, Scottish folk singer Jim Malcolm shares some of the poetry that adds depth to the traditional music of Scotland. And tour guides from Northern Ireland describe how their fellow countrymen have largely overcome sectarian strife, and discuss the questions that linger as the UK prepares to leave the EU. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Have you heard the one about the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Dane? Find out what Scandinavians tend to think about their Nordic neighbors, and the sometimes not-so-subtle differences that help give each country its distinct identity. Then listen in for the story of the US travel guide from the mid-20th century that helped African Americans find a welcome on the road. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Americans who've made a new home for themselves in Italy explain what took them to the land of "bella chaos," and how they make it work. Then Irish comedian Maeve Higgins describes her adjustment to American ways after moving to New York from a small town in County Cork. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Novelist and MIT physics professor Alan Lightman describes how a little time alone with Maine's night sky illuminated his awareness of the universe, and his place in it. Then listeners share stories of inspiring travel experiences, before we welcome the new year with a toast to Champagne — both the bubbly and its French region of origin. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We'll look at what makes the cozy Christmas markets of Germanic Europe so treasured. Then we'll hear about special Christmastime traditions from around Europe, including Spain, Sicily, Ireland, and Scotland's Hebrides Islands. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Food writers Jane and Michael Stern discuss wintertime comfort grub served in America's roadside restaurants, then culinary-culture expert Fred Plotkin explores the various kinds of chocolate available across Europe. And listeners share the experiences that made their Christmas vacations in Europe really special — plus a tour guide from Prague describes the traditions that at the heart of a cozy Czech Christmas. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An expert on Antoni Gaudí reveals what the Modernista architect had envisioned for Barcelona's magnificent Sagrada Família church, and shares updates on the work to complete what Gaudí started 135 years ago. And travel writer Seth Kugel makes the case for letting serendipity play a role in your trip's itinerary. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A Greece-based tour guide describes the elevated role of godparents in her adopted country, where godparents become a lifelong part of the child's family. Then TV chef Lidia Bastianich shares the story of her family's flight from Yugoslavia, and the successful family business they were able to start in America. And former NBC Middle East correspondent Martin Fletcher explains how his latest novel, set in Israel during its early years as a modern state, evokes the extraordinary drama of Israeli life in that era. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Peter Balakian describes the new positive spirit he encountered during his recent travels in Armenia, whose citizens have earned good reason to feel upbeat about their future. And composer Paul Kildea explains how Frederic Chopin's sublime 24 Preludes — written on a clunky mini-piano in an abandoned monastery in the middle of the Mediterranean — changed how the world hears music. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out what made Bulgaria one of Europe's most interesting places to eat. Food writer David McAninch reveals what makes the culinary traditions of Gascony tastier than in the rest of France. Plus, discover what Italians expect in a good olive oil. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get insider advice for enjoying the less-visited corners of the Balkan Peninsula, from Bosnia's atmospheric mosques to Montenegro's scenic coast. And as we mark the centennial of the "Great War," hear about the most compelling places in Europe to learn about American soldiers' contributions to World War I. Plus, listen in as tour guides share their tips for enjoying Kraków, the cultural and spiritual capital of Poland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A New York Times travel writer recommends four great cities for solo travelers, and the best time of year to visit them. Then the author of "Achtung Baby" tells us of her family's relocation to Berlin, and what she learned about Germans' hands-off approach to child rearing. And listeners share their travel plans and experiences for trips to Turkey, Hungary, and Sicily. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author Jim Hinckley joins us to recommend Old West ghost towns that you can still visit. Then Irish singer Cathie Ryan describes how Ireland remembers its heroes through the lyrics of traditional songs. And journalist Carl Hoffman shares his deeply researched take on the mysterious disappearance of banking scion Michael Rockefeller in the jungles of New Guinea. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An Athenian theater director discusses drama's role as a building block of civil society since ancient times, and recommends some Greek destinations that are especially fascinating for the theatrically inclined. Then an English lit expert from Cambridge explains how the works of Shakespeare have been embraced in East Africa. And a radio DJ tells us about an Icelandic music festival that features an amazing amount of home-grown talent. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A transcontinental pilot discusses the marvels of jet travel, then Australian actor Marta Dusseldorp describes her favorite Down Under destinations, and shares insights she's gained from starring in a TV series about the postwar 1950s. Plus, tour guides from Berlin explain the German love of a good sausage, at any time of year…and any time of day. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The author of "Living Abroad in Japan" offers tips for making yourself feel at home in Japan, no matter how long your visit. Then Rick talks to tour guides from England about scenic filming locations you can visit in Britain. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Filmmaker and documentary photographer Phil Borges explains what's behind his remarkable photos of people in different traditional societies of central Asia. Then portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz lets us in on how she documents the worlds of her famous subjects, and shares stories of the road trips that've brought her closer to great American artists. And tour guides to Sicily take listener calls to swap tips on enjoying the traditions of Italy's liveliest island. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author and artist Elizabeth Murray tells how her life was changed by working in painter Claude Monet's gardens outside Paris. Then Irish tour guides take us to the scenic highlights of the popular Ring of Kerry peninsula. And nature writer Gary Ferguson reveals how cultivating a relationship with the natural world helps us better understand life's mystery and beauty. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.