Rick Steves' Europe Video
Episodes
Why We Travel: To Appreciate History
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
(Part 2 of 5) In this clip from Rick's "Why We Travel" TV special, we learn how, through travel, we can deepen our understanding of history, gain cont...
Vienna, Austria: The Ringstrasse
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vienna's historic center is encircled by a road called the Ringstrasse. In the 1860s, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria had Vienna's medieval walls to...
Lyon, France: The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lyon's Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who has been an important religious figure to the city for centuries. Amb...
Zermatt, Switzerland: Finding Charm in a Tourist-Filled Town
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Zermatt is a small town of 6,000 that hosts nearly two million visitors each year. It has more hotel beds than residents, and nearly everyone earns a ...
Gnadenwald, Austria: The Walderalm Farm
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Walderalm farm, perched high above the Austrian city of Innsbruck, offers travelers a peek at life on a traditional alpine farm. And for the many ...
Why We Travel: For Fun and Excitement
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1 of 5, this clip celebrates how we travel to have experiences…to have fun. Going to new places invigorates us. It’s exciting.
Egypt: The Abu Simbel Temple Complex
23 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Built by Ramses II in about 1250 BC, the temple of Abu Simbel is one of Egypt's must-sees. About 50 years ago, it was at risk of being submerged by th...
Cairo, Egypt: The Egyptian Museum
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo helps bring the country's many ancient sights to life. The museum houses the best collection of ancient Egypti...
Lyon, France: City of Capitals
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Straddling the border between Provence and Burgundy, Lyon has been one of France's leading cities since Roman times. After Paris, it's arguably the mo...
Zermatt, Switzerland: The Matterhorn and the Swiss Alps
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn, was essentially built for enjoying the Alps. It's hugely popular with skiers in the winter and hikers in the s...
Bavarian Alps, Germany: The Zugspitze
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
At nearly 10,000 feet, the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain. A cable car zips visitors up to the summit, where breathtaking views of peaks in...
Luxor, Egypt: The Karnak Temple Complex
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Karnak was the most important place of worship in ancient Egypt. This sprawling temple complex was built over many centuries during the New Kingdom pe...
Avebury, England: Avebury Stone Circle and Silbury Hill
30 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the British countryside, near the village of Avebury, stand two of England's most mysterious prehistoric sites: the Avebury Stone Circle, 16 times ...
Tallinn, Estonia: Kumu Art Museum
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tallinn's Kumu Art Museum displays contemporary Estonian art that traces the country's chaotic 20th century, from idyllic German-influenced pastorals ...
Stirling, Scotland: Stirling Castle
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rising above a plain where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, Stirling Castle was the seat of the kings and queens of Scotland for hundreds of years. It...
Rome, Italy: Rick Steves' Travel Tips
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rome is magnificent and overwhelming at the same time. Make your trip to the Eternal City fun and hassle-free with Rick's travel tips, from choosing w...
Sintra, Portugal: Royal Getaway
05 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, Portugal's royalty considered Sintra the perfect place to escape from Lisbon. Today, tourists can experience Sintra's mix of natural an...
Glasgow, Scotland: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
22 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery is Glasgow's best museum. Like a Scottish Smithsonian, it features everything from natural history exhibits to fine art, i...
Belfast, Northern Ireland: Orangemen Parades
12 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Northern Ireland, Orangemen parades fill village and neighborhood streets with Protestants from Easter through September. The long-established Oran...
Palermo, Sicily: Lively Neighborhoods
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sicily's sprawling, gritty capital of Palermo boasts colorful markets and bustling shopping streets that signal a fun-loving city in regeneration. Tak...
Rome, Italy: Church-sponsored Art
24 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Rome, pop into churches to see art in situ — not hanging on museum walls, but exactly where it was meant to be enjoyed — including magnificent ...
Stonehenge: England's Famous Stone Circle
20 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Made from huge stones that were quarried, carved, and moved from as far away as Wales, Stonehenge has amazed visitors for thousands of years. And thro...
Oban, Scotland: Gateway to the Scottish Isles
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With one of Scotland's best distillery tours and plenty of character, Oban is a basket of Scottish traditions. And it's ideally situated for day trips...
Lisbon, Portugal: Portuguese Salted Cod
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Plenty of character is packed into Lisbon — and much of it is edible. One treat you're sure to find in any Lisbon restaurant, market hall, or café ...
Glasgow, Scotland: Glasgow's Restoration
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Glasgow is Scotland's most underrated destination. With an energetic cultural scene and unique flair for art and design, this rejuvenated city is burs...
Palermo, Sicily: Complicated History
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sicily's many rulers — from the Greeks to the Arabs to the Spanish — have each left their mark on the island's capital, Palermo. You can still see...
Volterra, Italy: Alabaster and Wine
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Alabaster and wine are traditional specialties in the Tuscan hill town of Volterra. Drop by a local workshop or wine bar to see Volterra's masters at ...
Orkney, Scotland: Prehistoric Sites
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The fascinating and remote Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland, offer some of the best prehistoric sites in northern Europe, including 5,0...
Paris, France: Belle Epoque Sights
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Experience the decadence of Paris' belle époque ("beautiful age") at sights like the Opéra Garnier and the Jacquemart-André Museum. More info about...
Lisbon, Portugal: Distinctive Architecture
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 1755, a devastating earthquake reduced Lisbon to rubble. The city's downtown was eventually rebuilt in a symmetrical grid plan, with broad boulevar...
Kraków, Poland: Kazimierz District
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, Kraków's Kazimierz neighborhood was the heart of the city's Jewish community. Today, the spirit of the rich Jewish tradition lives on ...
Skye, Scotland: Historic Peat Farming
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
On the Isle of Skye, peat was a vital resource for hundreds of years. People would use it to heat their homes, as a fuel source for cooking, and to ad...
Ironbridge Gorge, England: Blists Hill Victorian Town
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Step back into the 1890s at Blists Hill Victorian Town, an open-air museum in Ironbridge Gorge that re-creates the area as it was during its Industria...
Tuscany, Italy: Staying at an Agriturismo
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An agriturismo — a working farm that offers BnB-type accommodations — is an ideal home base for exploring the Tuscan countryside. At these cozy lo...
Skye, Scotland: Trotternish Peninsula
11 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Escape the crowds and experience some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery on the Isle of Skye's Trotternish Peninsula. With jaw-dropping cliffs, uniqu...
Madrid, Spain: Flamenco
27 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The emotional intensity of Spanish culture is experienced most rivetingly in the music and dance of its people: flamenco. While Sevilla is the home of...
Coimbra, Portugal: Fado Music
13 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coimbra is a great place to catch a fado performance. Fado is a uniquely Portuguese style of music — soulful and nostalgic, with singers telling tal...
Inner Hebrides, Scotland: Mull, Iona, and Staffa
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For a taste of Scotland's west coast, take a day trip from Oban to the islands of Mull, Iona, and Staffa. Here in the Inner Hebrides, you can immerse ...
Porto, Portugal: Romantic Capital
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Like many second cities throughout Europe, Porto is a hard-scrabble town that recently emerged from a post-industrial funk to become trendy, revitaliz...
Agrigento, Sicily: Valley of the Temples
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At the Valley of the Temples, time-travel back to when Sicily was a Greek colony. While little survives of ancient Agrigento, you can wander through t...
Bern, Switzerland: Storied Cathedral
18 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bern's 15th-century cathedral — which boasts Switzerland's highest church tower — underwent major changes during the Reformation, when Protestant ...
Paris, France: Carnavalet Museum and Remnants of Royalty
11 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Experience Paris's past at the Carnavalet Museum, where you can admire the former monarchy's opulence and relive its downfall during the French Revolu...
Douro Valley, Portugal: Tasting Port Wine
04 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Portugal's Douro Valley is the birthplace of port wine, and its steep and twisting valleys have been laboriously terraced over the centuries. Stop by ...
Ironbridge, England: Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution
28 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fire up memories of the Industrial Revolution in its birthplace, the Severn River Valley. And no trip to England's heartland would be complete without...
Warsaw, Poland: Vodka and Chopin
21 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Warsaw, experience Polish culture by trying some traditional vodka and taking a stroll through the city's idyllic 18th-century park, which features...
Oxford, England: Prestigious University
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Oxford is home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Today, there's plenty to see and do on a visit to Oxford University, from punti...
Coimbra, Portugal: University Traditions
07 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coimbra is home to Portugal's oldest and most prestigious university. When school's in session, Coimbra bustles with a youthful energy. As a traveler,...
Sicily: Majestic Mount Etna
31 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, is Europe's most active volcano. Today, the slopes of Etna are renowned for their fertile soil — and the finest...
Kraków, Poland: Rich History, Vibrant Culture
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kraków is the Boston of Poland, buzzing with history, college students, and tourists. Even though Warsaw became Poland's political capital centuries ...
Trebinje, Bosnia: Yugloslavian Diversity
17 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bosnia was the former Yugoslavia's cultural crossroads, home to its three major ethnic groups: Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks. Each group adopted a diffe...
Bern, Switzerland: Classy Capital
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bern's pointy towers, colorful fountains, and arcaded streets make it one of Europe's finest surviving medieval towns. And as the seat of the Swiss go...
French Riviera: Monaco
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Monaco is one of the world's smallest and most luxurious countries. Along with the Monte Carlo casino, high-end stores, and Grand Prix racetrack, trav...
Sítio, Portugal: Surfing and Seafood
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Sítio district of Nazaré overlooks a stretch of the Atlantic that's famous among surfers for some of the biggest waves in the world. After hitti...
Taormina, Sicily: Cannoli with a View
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In addition to being Sicily's most spectacular beach resort, Taormina is home to tasty, traditional cannoli and an impressive 2,500-year-old Greek the...
Lisbon, Portugal: Food Tour
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Lisbon is a great foodie destination. Create your own food crawl by hopping on one of the city's famous funiculars to explore everything from modern m...
Nice, France: The Belle Époque
05 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Nice offers grand examples of the belle époque — literally, the "beautiful age." Travelers can step into an age of refinement at the Hotel Negresco...
Highlands, Scotland: Crannogs and Cairns
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Highlands’ rich history stretches back 4,000 years. In prehistoric times, Highlanders lived in homes built out over lochs, called crannogs, and ...
Warwick, England: Medieval Castle
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Warwick Castle is England’s most spectacular castle, with a lush, grassy moat and fairy-tale fortifications. This medieval masterpiece, which has be...
Coimbra, Portugal: Venerable University
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coimbra is the Oxford of Portugal — home to the country's oldest and most venerable university. When school is in session, the city bustles with exu...
Paris, France: The Panthéon and the Paris Catacombs
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paris dramatically changed during the Enlightenment and the French Revolution: The Panthéon was built, cemeteries were moved underground to the catac...
Palermo, Sicily: Monreale Cathedral
01 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 11th century, when the Muslim Arabs were tossed out by the Christian Normans, the Normans made Sicilian civilization grander yet — building m...
Ravenna, Italy: Church of San Vitale
24 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ravenna is on the tourist map for one reason: Its 1,500-year-old churches, decorated with best-in-the-West Byzantine mosaics. For more information abo...
Paris, France: Saint-Sulpice Church
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One month ago, another treasured Paris church — Saint-Sulpice — was touched by flames. Fortunately, the brief fire caused only minimal damage, and...
London, England: Jewels of Somerset House
10 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Somerset House, a grand 18th-century civic palace, now houses several fine galleries and museums.
Paris, France: Montmarte
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Montmartre — a Parisian hill crowned by the dramatic neo-Byzantine Sacré-Cœur church — was famous for the ambience captured by the Impressionist...
Nice, France: Matisse and Chagall Museums
27 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Because so many great 20th-century artists chose to live and work here, the Riviera is studded with world-class modern art museums. Henri Matisse, Mar...
Glasgow, Scotland: Glaswegian Graffiti
20 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Glasgow's rough urban-scape — with its many blank walls — provides an inviting canvas for city-approved street artists. This clip comes from "Glas...
Skye, Scotland: Pretty Portree
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Skye's best home base is the town of Portree, nestled deep in its protective harbor. Portree, with its narrow streets and humble shops, restaurants, a...
Scottish Highlands: Inveraray Castle
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Scotland's Inveraray Castle is a stately, turreted royal palace set in a delightful garden. The castle's public half is a museum filled with precious ...
Mozia, Sicily: Historic Lagoon
27 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mozia is a tiny, historic island in Sicily's salt-making region. For thousands of years, locals have labored in its salt pools as part of this essenti...
Piazza Armerina, Sicily: Villa Romana del Casale
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sicily’s Villa Romana del Casale was the mansion of a wealthy Roman senator who traded in exotic animals. Its mosaics, made of dozens of different k...
Rhodes, Greece: Old Town
13 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rhodes is built upon layers of civilizations — Italian, Greek, and Turkish, with a dash of medieval Crusader lore from all over Europe tossed in. To...
Cruising Travel Skills: Santorini, Greece
06 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Santorini is an island you could explore for days, but with even a short visit, you sail away so glad you came. Whether you took the cruise excursion,...
Nazaré, Portugal: Beaches and Barnacles
30 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While touristy in the summer, Nazaré offers a good look at how bits of traditional Portugal survive. For example, the traditional way of preserving f...
Lisbon, Portugal: Old World Neighborhoods
23 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Alfama and Bairro Alto neighborhoods in Lisbon are two of the city's most characteristic and charming districts. While new affluence and tourism i...
Woodstock, England: Blenheim Palace
16 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Blenheim Palace is Rick's pick for the number-one stately home in Britain. As a sightseeing experience and for simple visual grandeur, Blenheim is amo...
Glasgow, Scotland: Deciphering the Glaswegian Accent
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One out of every five Scots lives in greater Glasgow, and Glaswegians are friendly, unpretentious, and happy to rave about their town. The accent can ...
Skye, Scotland: Island Sights
02 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Offering some of Scotland’s best scenery, the Isle of Skye is understandably popular. Narrow, twisty roads wind around Skye in the shadows of craggy...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Glasgow and Scottish Passions
28 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Glasgow, once an industrial powerhouse, offers a fun look at Sc...
Highlands, Scotland: Clan Heritage
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In Scotland, the Highlands have more than half the land and only 5 percent of the people. Still, it’s these Highlands — so vast, yet so sparsely p...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Scotland’s Islands
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! We'll begin on the tranquil Isle of Iona, where Christianity fi...
Syracuse, Italy: Neapolis Archaeological Park
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The ancient Greek city of Syracuse (in present-day Italy) is long gone. But wandering through its scant remains in the city’s archaeological park, y...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Scotland's Highlands
17 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves' Europe episode! The Highlands stoke kilted dreams of Scotland...where legends of ...
Palermo, Italy: Ballarò Market
12 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You feel Palermo's boisterous spirit in its markets. At the gritty Ballarò Market, you wander among a commotion of stalls — all competing for the b...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Sicilian Delights
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Sicily serves up a full-bodied and tasty travel experience. We'...
Munich, Germany: Oktoberfest
05 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Of Europe's many great festivals, one of the wildest is Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Oktoberfest lasts for two weeks, from late September into the ...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: The Best of Sicily
03 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! This tour of Sicilian highlights starts in Palermo, where we'll...
Scotland: Highland Games
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Communities throughout Scotland host a Highland Games, where kilted athletes from the surrounding countryside gather to show off their speed, strength...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: European Festivals II
26 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! In this second of two episodes on Europe's greatest festivals, ...
Delos, Greece: Ancient Ruins
21 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The island of Delos was one of the most important places in the ancient Greek world, with temples honoring the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and ...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: European Festivals I
19 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! In this first of two episodes on Europe's greatest festivals, w...
Cruising Travel Skills: Town-Hopping in the French Riviera
14 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The French Riviera is ideal for the well-organized independent cruiser. Towns are about 20 minutes apart by train, allowing cruisers to fit in visits ...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Greek Islands: Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes
12 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! We'll island-hop through the Aegean, sampling three classic Gre...
Batalha, Portugal: Revered Monastery
07 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The historic Monastery of Santa Maria in Batalha, Portugal, was built to celebrate a pivotal battle in 1385, when Portugal beat the mightier Spaniards...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Travel Skills: Cruising
05 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Setting sail on the Mediterranean, we'll explore the ins and ou...
Lisbon, Portugal: Naval History
31 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal became a leader in exploration and trade. Lisbon's Maritime Museum and Monument to the Discoveries celebrate ...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Portugal's Heartland
29 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Portugal has an oversized history, fascinating culture, and boa...
Cambridge, England: Historic University Town
24 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The University of Cambridge is one of England's greatest universities. There's no main campus – instead, the university's many colleges are scattere...
Rick Steves' Europe Preview: Lisbon
22 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Check your local public television station for this new Rick Steves’ Europe episode! Lisbon, built with the riches of Portugal's New World discoveri...
Kinsale, Ireland: Historic Town
17 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In 1601, Irish patriots, chafing under English rule, conspired with the Spanish fleet to drive the English out. In a dramatic battle around the port o...