Rick Steves' Europe Video

Avoiding Crowds - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

These days Europe is very crowded—everybody seems to be going to the same places at the same times. There are two IQs of European travelers: those w...

Bus Tours and Private Guides - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Thoughtfully decide what’s best for you—a guided bus tour or a DIY trip armed with a good guidebook. And either way, appreciate the value of tappi...

Choosing Accommodations - Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

See your choice of a room or bed as part of the experience. Save money and maximize the memories by knowing your options. Watch the full talk at https...

Packing Light! - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are two kinds of travelers: those who pack light and those who wished they packed light. Get serious about living out of a carry-on-the-plane-si...

Planning a Smart Itinerary - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Maximize every mile, minute, and dollar on your vacation by doing your homework and planning smartly. The stakes are high. You’ll be glad you did. W...

Reykjavík, Iceland: Rainbow Street — Rick Steves Travel Bite

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Iceland's capital, Rick strolls an upbeat street, admires the wool of the country's hardy sheep, and samples the local delicacy: fermented shark. F...

Iceland's Golden Circle: Thingvellir and Geysir — Rick Steves Travel Bite

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Geysers spring to life, tectonic plates meet, and Iceland's otherworldly landscape captures the imagination on a day's drive along the Golden Circle. ...

Art of Europe: Modern Art — Rick Steves Art Bite

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Twentieth-century artists broke new ground — and all the rules — at a furious pace, boldly exploring anguish, joy, abstraction, and unbridled whim...

Art of Europe: Impressionism — Rick Steves Art Bite

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Impressionists fled the studio for the great outdoors, and with bold brushstrokes made light, color, and shadow the true stars of their canvases. ...

Art of Europe: Neoclassical Art — Rick Steves Art Bite

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Baroque excesses were countered by the Revolution, the Enlightenment, and a stern, no-frills art that celebrated a new age of science and reason. For ...

Art of Europe: Baroque Sculpture — Rick Steves Art Bite

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The "Michelangelo of Baroque," Bernini made Rome his gallery, showcasing his creations from the finest statues to his design of St. Peter's Square. Fo...

Art of Europe: Early Renaissance Painting — Rick Steves Art Bite

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Paintings evolved to appear more life-like, thanks to Giotto's early exploration of 3-D, Masaccio's mastery of depth, and the realism of Fra Angelico....

Art of Europe: Michelangelo — Rick Steves Art Bite

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Renaissance master sculpted "David" and the "Pietà," painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and designed the majestic dome of St. Peter's Basilica. ...

Art of Europe: Secular Medieval Art — Rick Steves Art Bite

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Art in service to religion was joined by a new aesthetic, reflected in grand city halls and fanciful tapestries celebrating life's earthly pleasures. ...

Art of Europe: Gothic Church Art — Rick Steves Art Bite

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The artistic works and relics that filled the churches of the Middle Ages carried messages that packed a religious, political, and emotional punch. Fo...

Art of Europe: Ancient Roman Architecture — Rick Steves Art Bite

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ancient Rome's imposing structures were marked by their practical design, nods to Greek style, and colossal scale, while its grand statues stood tall....

Art of Europe: Ancient Roman Mosaics — Rick Steves Art Bite

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Exquisite, realistic mosaics adorned ancient Roman homes, along with colorful frescoes that give a peek into domestic life in the great civilization. ...

Art of Europe: Ancient Greek Temples — Rick Steves Art Bite

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Athens' Parthenon, with its clever design aspects and organic beauty, is among the temples that trumpet the sophistication of the ancient Greek world....

Art of Europe: Prehistoric Art — Rick Steves Art Bite

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Europe's love affair with art reaches back to its prehistoric societies, and the artifacts they left behind give us a glimpse into their way of life. ...

Churches of Austria — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the ornate, dramatic churches of Austria, elements of art, architecture, and music work in harmony — with a style bold enough to reach the heaven...

Châteaux of France — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hunting hounds, manicured grounds, and a mini theme park celebrating the genius of Da Vinci are a few of the amenities at France's grand residences. F...

Museums of Rome — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The museums of Rome house the treasures of one of the world's great civilizations, from anonymous scenes of everyday life to breathtaking masterworks....

Eating Seafood in Europe — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From Cornwall to the Adriatic, diners have an appetite for meals starring locally caught fish and shellfish — some humble, some chic, all delicious....

Museums of Amsterdam — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Delight in the mastery of titans Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and ponder the resilience of Anne Frank and her compatriots who lived under Nazi occupation. ...

Churches of Germany — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Reformation ushered a new Protestant ambiance into Germany’s places of worship — one conveying strength, humanism, and a more natural spirit. ...

Ancient Sites of France — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sophisticated cave paintings and Roman engineering achievements in today’s France reveal ancient standards of living that went beyond mere survival....

Museums of Germany — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the world’s oldest globe to reminders both mundane and dark of postwar Communism, Germany has preserved its rich and sometimes turbulent histor...

Churches of Spain — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spain's great houses of worship showcase magnificent art and architecture in an array of styles, from Moorish majesty to the singular Sagrada Família...

Ancient Sites of Great Britain — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

These man-made marvels have stood as part of Britain’s geographic – and spiritual – landscape for thousands of years, their quiet allure undimin...

Palaces of Italy — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The rise of humanism — and of art for art's sake — is on full display in the grand palaces of Florence and Venice, monuments to the rich and power...

Castles of Scotland — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imposing strongholds across the rugged Scottish landscape housed royalty and defended against many sieges throughout a turbulent history with England....

Castles of England — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

England is dotted with impressive medieval fortifications — many built on the site of Norman or Roman bastions — that stayed in use for centuries....

European Artisans — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All around Europe are chances to observe artisans at work, practicing traditional crafts with passion and expertise passed down over many generations....

European Specialties — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rick enjoys smørrebrød in Copenhagen, meze in Turkey, pesto and anchovies in the Cinque Terre, artichokes in Tuscany, and a farmer's feast in Romani...

Churches of France — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Four churches dotted around France — in Burgundy, the Loire, Lyon, and atop an island off the Norman coast — offer a sense of peace and inspiratio...

Museums of Scandinavia — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some of Scandinavia's best museums feature top-notch art collections and up-close encounters with history — especially its days of maritime greatnes...

Syracuse, Sicily: Cathedral and Piazza — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Syracuse's 18th-century cathedral and piazza were inspired by the Baroque style of Rome, but amped up with a Sicilian architectural razzle-dazzle. For...

Palaces of Bavaria and Austria — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Munich, Würzburg, and Vienna are home to a wealth of opulent royal residences featuring lavish architecture, expansive gardens, and grandeur fit for ...

Ancient Greek Sites in Italy — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In southern Italy — once the western edge of Classical Greece — visit Paestum, and Sicily's Agrigento and Siracusa, to thrill at their Greek templ...

Falkirk, Scotland: The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Falkirk Wheel speeds up the locks along Scotland's spine while the nearby Kelpies recall Celtic lore and the horses that once towed canal barges. ...

Sicily: Trapani, Erice, and a Sicilian Banquet — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Sicily's westernmost point, we visit workaday Trapani and remarkably preserved Erice, then eat our way through a classic Sicilian banquet. For Euro...

European Fine Dining — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rick samples ravioli in Verona, cheese galore in the Loire, Scottish duck in Edinburgh, creamy sauces in Rouen, and seafood from the Venetian lagoon. ...

Museums of Spain — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy the highlights of the Prado in Madrid, the Greco-filled Santa Cruz Museum in Toledo, Barcelona's Picasso Museum, and two key Dalí sights nearby...

Palermo, Sicily: Capuchin Crypt — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The crypt below Palermo's Capuchin monastery houses whole bodies the monks have preserved for centuries, as stark reminders of our shared mortality. F...

Canterbury: Religious Hub of Medieval England — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, Canterbury — these days a lively college town with a charming medieval center — has welcomed crowds of pilgrims to its grand cathed...

Loch Ness: Scotland's Most Legendary Lake — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Monster-peeping is hard to resist along Loch Ness, the largest of the lakes filling the vast fault line that slashes the Scottish Highlands in two. Fo...

Kirkwall, Scotland: Urban Orkney — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Orkney's main town of Kirkwall may be more practical than pretty, but the locals who stroll its pedestrian-only main drag all seem to know each other....

Lyon: The Food Capital of France — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Lyon's traditional "bouchons" — small, simple bistros that date back to Lyon's silk-industry heyday — each dish is an adventure. For European t...

Historic Sites of Ireland — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With evocative Celtic forts, ruined monasteries, and other remnants of its rich ancient and early-Christian past, Ireland is like an open-air museum. ...

Ancient Sites of Turkey — Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The prehistoric caves of Kaymaklı and Zelve, Greco-Roman Ephesus, and Roman Hierapolis and Aphrodisias are among Turkey's most fascinating sites. For...

Art of Europe: The Modern Age (preview)

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Modern Age. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public televisio...

Art of Europe: Baroque (preview)

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: Baroque. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television listi...

Art of Europe: The Renaissance (preview)

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Renaissance. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public televisi...

Art of Europe: The Middle Ages (preview)

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: The Middle Ages. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public televisi...

Art of Europe: Ancient Rome (preview)

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: Ancient Rome. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local public television ...

Art of Europe: Stone Age to Ancient Greece (preview)

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of Rick Steves Art of Europe: Stone Age to Ancient Greece. Watch the full episode at https://www.ricksteves.com/art, or check your local pub...

Orkney, Scotland: Scapa Flow and WWII

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Orkney's many islands form one of the world's largest natural harbors — since WWI filled with ships intentionally sunk to protect the Royal Navy. Fo...

Chamonix, France: Tour du Mont Blanc

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A day’s hike on the scenic Tour du Mont Blanc is punctuated by encounters with alpine culture, with enough commerce to meet hikers’ needs. For Eur...

Cairo, Egypt: Colorful, Charming Khan Al-Khalili Market

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Old Cairo is a celebration of today's Egypt, with bazaars full of charismatic merchants, bustling back lanes, and appetizingly aromatic street food. F...

Appenzell, Switzerland: Storybook Cowbell Country

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amid the rolling green hills of Appenzell, in Switzerland's northeast corner, local traditions are maintained with a stubborn pride. For European trav...

Boating in Scandinavia

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick boats his way through Copenhagen's canals, Norway's majestic fjords, and Stockholm’s sprawling archipelago. For European travel information, vi...

Vatican City: Tiny Nation, Massive Art

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The epicenter of Roman Catholicism is also the world's smallest country—yet boasts perhaps its grandest church and richest collection of Western art...

Palaces of France

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

France's most enchanting châteaux — among them Vaux-le-Vicomte, Chenonceau, Chambord, and Fontainebleau — lie within easy reach of Paris. For Eur...

Innsbruck, Austria: Tirol's Habsburg Capital

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Innsbruck, a rare city in the Alps and once a key outpost of the Habsburg Empire, retains its imperial grandeur — and offers an engaging folk museum...

European Cheap Eats

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some of Europe's least-expensive foods are also its tastiest: pizza in Naples, Venetian cicchetti, barnacles in Portugal, Vienna's open-faced sandwich...

Museums of London

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

London offers visitors some of the world's most fascinating museums, including the British Museum, Churchill War Rooms, Tate Modern, and British Libra...

Highlands, Scotland: Glencoe

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Glencoe's valley offers some of the Scottish Highlands' best scenery and hikes, and a good dose of history. For European travel information, visit htt...

Churches of Italy

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Italy is home to iconic churches in Monreale and Siena, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, and the grandest church on earth — St. Peter's Basilica in Ro...

Chamonix, France: Tour du Mont Blanc

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tour du Mont Blanc circumnavigates Europe's highest peak. The accommodating trail is flexible — enjoyed by hikers with a wide range of abilities. F...

Palaces of Spain

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick tours the grand palaces of Spain including Alcázar, The Alhambra, El Escorial, and Madrid's Royal Palace. For European travel information, visit...

European Open-Air Museums

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick visits some of Europe's great open-air folk museums in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, plus England's Blists Hill Victorian Town. For European trave...

Ancient Ruins of Greece

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Greece, Rick visits Delos, Epidavros, the Sanctuary of Olympia, and Athens' Acropolis and Ancient Agora. For European travel information, visit htt...

Castles of Germany and Austria

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick explores Rheinfels Castle, Burg Eltz, Hohensalzburg Fortress, "Mad" King Ludwig II's Hohenshwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles, and the ruins of E...

European Street Food

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick tastes a variety of Europe's street food, including a gyro in Athens, pickled herring in Haarlem, a salted lemon drink in Sicily, and fresh frite...

Churches of England

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick visits England's churches and cathedrals, from the folksy Church of St. Michael in the Cotswolds to London's royal Westminster Abbey. For Europea...

Museums of Paris

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick tours the medieval Cluny Museum, covers the classics at the Louvre and Orsay, and ponders Impressionism at the Rodin Museum and Orangerie. For Eu...

European Markets

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rick tastes paprika and pickles in Budapest, eats like a local in Frankfurt, chats with the salesmen at Sicily's noisy Ballarò Market, and shops with...

Santorini, Greece: Idyllic Oia

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The village of Oia is the quintessence of Greek Island charm: an idyllic ensemble of whitewashed houses and blue domes, all with striking viewpoints. ...

Dolomites, Italy: Brenner Pass and Reifenstein Castle

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Brenner Pass zips drivers across the Alps in about 30 minutes to Reifenstein Castle, which offers an intimate look at medieval castle life. For Eu...

Glasgow, Scotland: Buchanan Street

05 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Glasgow's busy Buchanan Street is the middle of a Z-shaped pedestrian boulevard nicknamed the "Golden Zed." With the top shops in town and a variety o...

Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland: Alpine Beauty

22 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen Valley is a textbook example of a glacier-shaped valley. Towering high above are the icy Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger peaks...

Lisbon, Portugal: Bairro Alto's Fado Bars

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fado is the folk music of Lisbon's rustic neighborhoods. Since the mid-1800s, it's been the Portuguese blues — mournfully beautiful and haunting bal...

Chamonix, France: Mer de Glace Glacier

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the world’s oldest mountain resorts, Chamonix has long made it easy for romantics to enjoy its alpine wonders—starting with a cogwheel trai...

Cairo, Egypt: Chaotic Capital

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Teeming Cairo, straddling the Nile, is the capital of Egypt and one of the leading cities of the Muslim world. With 20 million people, greater Cairo p...

Mykonos, Greece: Perfect Island Town

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mykonos is the epitome of a Greek island town — a seafront village crouched behind a sandy harbor, thickly layered with blinding white stucco, brigh...

Why We Travel: To Connect with Our World

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Part 5 of 5, this clip celebrates how, by traveling thoughtfully, we can connect with different cultures and end up building bridges rather than walls...

Hall in Tirol, Austria: A Tirolean Evening

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When traveling, it's easier than you think to find authentic cultural experiences. Join Rick at a family-run hotel in the Austrian town of Hall in Tir...

Glasgow, Scotland: Popping in on a Traditional Session

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In Glasgow's trendy West End, step into a pub for a traditional session — not a formal concert, but a casual gathering of musical friends. For the p...

Sintra, Portugal: The Pena Palace

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The colorful Pena Palace, located in the town of Sintra, is the Versailles of Portugal. In the mid-19th century, the flamboyant Prince Ferdinand built...

Berner Oberland, Switzerland: The Jungfraujoch Station

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In Switzerland's Berner Oberland region, a train takes visitors through mountain tunnels up to the highest railway station in Europe, the Jungfraujoch...

Why We Travel: Like Pilgrims, to Learn and Grow

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Part 4 of 5, this clip celebrates how on the road, like pilgrims, we can seek meaning, and how leaving home, we can learn more about ourselves. For mo...

Dolomites, Italy: Tirolean Culture and Alpine Adventures

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Dolomites, Italy's dramatic rocky rooftop, offer some of the best mountain thrills in Europe. Here, the region's Austrian history survives in a wa...

Egypt: Cruising the Nile

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Taking a multi-day Nile cruise gives you a firsthand look at some of the famous river's most scenic stretches, with timeless slices of natural beauty ...

Speyside, Scotland: The Heart of Whisky Country

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Of the hundred or so whisky distilleries in Scotland, about half lie near the valley of the River Spey — making the area practically a pilgrimage fo...

Mykonos, Greece: World-Famous Beaches

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Greek island of Mykonos is known around the world for its picturesque beaches. There are a range of beaches you can visit, from trendy Paradise Be...

Why We Travel: To Appreciate Art and Culture

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Part 3 of 5, this clip celebrates how travel can be our teacher and the road our school as we better appreciate art and culture.

Chamonix, France: Thin-Air Thrills at the Aiguille du Midi

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Looming nearly two miles above the town of Chamonix is the Aiguille du Midi, part of the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. At 12,600 feet, it's al...

Berner Oberland, Switzerland: Exploring the Swiss Alps on Foot

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the famous Berner Oberland, gondola lifts and funiculars take visitors high into the Alps, making for easy and jaw-droppingly beautiful hikes back ...

Hall in Tirol, Austria: The Town That Salt Built

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you want the natural surroundings of Innsbruck without the crowds, head to Hall in Tirol. Built as a salt-mining town when Innsbruck was just a hum...

Giza, Egypt: The Pyramids and Great Sphinx

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Pyramids of Giza are one of the most recognizable scenes in all of tourism. The grandest is known as the Great Pyramid; one of the Seven Wonders o...