Travel With Rick Steves

Guides from Portugal describe the delights of Porto, and the winemaking traditions of the nearby Douro Valley in the north of Portugal. Then NPR's David Greene shares what he learned about everyday working-class Russians from his trips on the Trans-Siberian Railway. And friends from Scotland explain the cultural importance of their neighborhood pubs, and share tips for making yourself feel right at home on your next pub visit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

People-watching and relaxing in the night air in one of Rome’s picturesque public piazzas: Get tips for enjoying Rome’s more intimate side after sunset. Then a guide to New York City tells us where you can get in touch with the city's forgotten history and its multicultural character, and hear from a few daring souls who find adventure in high places. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why Bath is an ideal city to visit for a little R&R in the English countryside, then hear why one American expat, who runs a popular website about her life in the Yucatán, left California with her husband to start a new life in the Mexican city of Mérida. And get clued in on the hot-button topics under discussion in the bars and cafés of Spain. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Did you hear the one about the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Dane? Hear about 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 special travel guide that African Americans relied on in the mid-20th century to find a welcome when traveling out of town within the US. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Listen in as we rock the cradle of country music, from kitchy Dollywood to all-day mountain-music jams along Virginia's "Crooked Road." Tony Horwitz explores how John Brown's 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry still haunts us today. And we'll hear how fun it can be to hike Appalachian Trail. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Journalist Gary Rivlin tells us how he's seen New Orleans change in the 10 years since Hurricane Katrina. Also, Brin-Jonathan Butler describes what a decade of training with Olympic boxing elites in Havana showed him about life in Cuba, and why he's now barred from returning. And hear how the nearly century-old legacy of an Irish revolutionary leader still evokes dissention among his countrymen. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how photojournalist David Adams journeyed to Afghanistan and central Asia in search of the lost cities encountered by Alexander the Great. Learn why Ephesus, in western Turkey, is one of the best places in the world to resurrect a sense of the everyday life of the ancient Greeks and Romans. And for those looking for a taste of university life in England, we share tips for choosing between Oxford and Cambridge. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

David McCullough recounts a big day in aviation history, when the Wright Brothers first demonstrated powered flight to an eager audience ― in France. Then travel writer Tim Neville shares his first impressions of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan ― neighbors along the fabled Silk Road of central Asia, but ones with very different personalities. And listeners share the rewards of their latest exotic travels.  For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

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. We'll also get pointers for fun things to explore on a weekend in Wales from one of that country's top tour guides. And a musician from Orvieto provides examples of the different styles of folk and traditional music you can enjoy across Italy. 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 her late mother left behind, 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.

Author Euny Hong explains how South Korea has transformed into an economic and pop-culture powerhouse to become one of the world's "coolest" countries. Then author Pico Iyer shares what he observed on a recent visit to the renegade nation of North Korea, and explains how easy it is to visit the North on a tightly wrapped packaged tour via China. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear French views on the tensions that free speech can raise in a multicultural nation. Author Graham Robb introduces us to some of the people that have helped define today's stylish city of Paris. Also, listeners describe the high points from their latest adventures overseas. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Guides from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic tell us about some of the sites you can visit to get a feel for the Communist era in central and eastern Europe. We'll also explore the allure of a road trip in flatlands, where the unobstructed view makes the sky seem closer. And hear what kind of cross-cultural issues emerge when Europeans marry Americans. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why Madrid and Prague are two of the most romantic cities in Europe as local tour guides describe outstanding architecture, peaceful gardens, friendly street life, and romantic viewpoints where visitors might find themselves falling in love.Plus, Rick chats with listeners who share unforgettable encounters from their travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Explore the charming backstreets of Venice as local guides offer insider advice for avoiding the crush of tourists. Experience the elegance of Venice from its breathtakingly beautiful architecture to its quiet neighborhoods. Also, while Norway tops the list of expensive countries, we'll get budget tips for enjoying Europe's most dramatic coastal scenery. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Just in time for "Bloomsday," a Dublin tour guide takes us on an audio walk past the city's must-see sights for fans of James Joyce's "Ulysses." Then we hear about Agatha Christie's 1922 Grand Tour to promote the British Empire, as told to her grandson. And we take a close look at how World War I upended the roles of Europe's monarchies. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get tips from the author of the best-selling "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" on how to enjoy the Disney theme parks without getting overwhelmed. Then listen in for some practical advice for minimizing tears when flying with small children. And hear why its wildlife makes Madagascar one of veteran traveler Hilary Bradt's favorite places in the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get insider tips for which of Britain's many tourable historic mansions and stately homes are the most rewarding to visit, and which of those offer the chance to meet the lord or lady of the manor. Plus, guides from Rome and Sicily give us a local's take on the Italian hot-topic issues their neighbors are discussing at the corner café: the red tape, high unemployment, and influx of refugees that are all straining the government's ability to manage. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Listen in as Elizabeth Pisani shares tales of her year-long voyage to get reacquainted with the world's fourth most populous country ― what she calls the "improbable" nation of Indonesia. Then learn about where to find some of America’s best breakfasts on your next US road trip – the perfect places get each day started on the right note. And we explore the singular beauty of the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We follow up with friends from Turkey who participated in Istanbul's 2013 Gezi Park protests and learn why there's still a populist movement against the leader of their national government. Then it's on to the ancients of Greece: what they can still show us about their world, and how it influences us today. And we get pointers for visiting the high points of Holland, from the impressive industrial strength of today's Rotterdam to reminders of the Dutch Republic and World War II. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.