After roaming Versailles - the palace of palaces - we'll drop in on exquisite Vaux-le-Vicomte and extravagant Fontainebleau, marvel at Chartres Cathedral...and dine like kings.
Zipping from Haarlem to Rotterdam, and from Delft to the former Zuiderzee, we'll enjoy fragrant cheese markets, soggy polderland, charming towns, and windmills both new and old.
In France's Loire Valley, we'll visit four unique castles - elegant Chenonceau, massive Chambord, stately Cheverny, and fragrant Villandry - with fun stops along the way.
After kicking off in Kusadası, we wander ancient Ephesus, soak in a natural spa at Pamukkale, learn why dervishes whirl at Konya, and sail the Mediterranean on a "gulet" from Antalya.
We'll discover the best of Israel, stopping in passionate, traditional Jerusalem, cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, the fortress of Masada, the Sea of Galilee, and the Yad Vashem memorial.
While visiting Berlin's powerful sights - moving memorials, top-tier museums, surviving bits of communist and fascist days - we'll take time to revel in its vibrant social scene.
In Venice, we'll sample the splendor of the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, Grand Canal, and masterpieces from the Venetian Renaissance - then take a glide on a gondola.
We enjoy Renaissance art in Florence, the city that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages. Then we visit two cultural capitals in their own right: Pisa, where we'll marvel at a tipsy tower; and Lucca, where we'll celebrate Puccini.
We'll visit Italy's five tiny seaside towns known as the Cinque Terre, while stopping to fish for anchovies, sip wine from barrels, and savor twinkling Mediterranean vistas.
As we ramble through the heart of Rome, we'll admire breathtaking Bernini statues and ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica. After dinner, we'll take a nighttime stroll, lacing together the city's piazzas and fountains.
In London, we'll ponder royal tombs in Westminster Abbey, discover treasures in the British Library, enjoy the vibrant evening scene in Soho, uncover Churchill's secret WWII headquarters, and straddle the Prime Meridian at Greenwich.
Focusing on the grandeur of classical Rome, we'll marvel at the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Capitoline Museum before heading out on a bike ride along the ancient Appian Way.
We'll start with a cruise through Venice's lagoon, pausing to savor fresh fish canal-side. Then we'll sample the treasures of the Accademia Gallery, explore some back-street wonders, and luxuriate in a venerable cafe on St. Mark's Square.
In this third of three travel skills episodes, we'll visit the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London while covering tips for finding hotels, using transit, and selecting restaurants.
In this first of three shows focusing on European travel skills, we'll visit the Netherlands and Germany to learn about transportation by train and car, changing money, and settling in upon arrival.
In this second of three shows focusing on travel skills, we'll visit Venice, Siena, and the Cinque Terre in Italy to learn about trip planning, packing, safety, and - perhaps the most rewarding skill of all - connecting with the locals.
In Florence, we'll revel in the genius of Michelangelo and Botticelli, climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance, and cross the Arno to take in modern-day artisan life.
We explore Rome on a more intimate scale - dodging Vespas in Trastevere, roaming through the historic Jewish Ghetto, and enjoying art treasures in a string of rarely visited churches to uncover the charms of hidden Rome.
Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas in eight joyous locations throughout Europe. Experience bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families... and even play in the snow.
Provides practical guidance for travel in Europe, covering itinerary planning, packing, transportation, sleeping and eating on different budgets, cultural differences, language, and off-the-beaten-path towns and sights.