Travel With Rick Steves

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 tinwhistle. 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.