Travel With Rick Steves

In terms of culture, history, street life and great food Mexico City is the western hemisphere's equal to many of Europe's great cities — and one of the largest cities in the world. Two former New Yorkers tell us why they were charmed by Mexico City, why they moved there, and wrote guides to help visitors enjoy it, too. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We're heading past the major cities to explore the countryside of both Hungary and Scotland. We'll find out why Lake Balaton has been a favorite getaway for Hungarian families for years. Also, we'll recognize where in Scotland's Highlands and western islands you can taste a spiritual energy — along with a good whisky — far from the tourist crowds. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Learn how Europeans are dealing with current economic challenges, and why their approach differs from their American cousins. Also, a Paris-based guide joins Rick to suggest venues where you can get a real taste of Medieval and Impressionist art. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

What would your life be like if you fell in love overseas, got married, and started to raise a family in another culture? Find out how it works for American Lisa Anderson, who's raising two boys in her husband's hometown in northern Italy. Also, two guides who specialize in Sicily explain why the Mediterranean's largest island is growing in popularity as a vacation destination. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick explores the slang that separates Brits from their American cousins in an attempt to help travelers avoid being "gob-smacked" by what the locals might say, or labeled as a "plonker." We'll also examine how relics of many kinds have changed the world and share tips for making travel journals a fun and important way to preserve vacation memories. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Retracing Luther's trek from Germany to Rome, a Lutheran pastor and her husband explain how they traveled as a way to encourage harmony among religious groups in the 21st century. We'll also hear how Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria and Greece get ready for Easter and why it's their biggest holiday of the year. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Simon Winchester describes what he's learned about the world's busiest ocean, the Atlantic, and the many stories it still has to tell. And Reverend Jim Wallis describes how venturing to war zones and even to the "other side of the tracks" can change your perspective on the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Filmmaker Ken Burns joins Rick to discuss the American Civil War and what the research for his documentary series taught him. Also, Nancy Pearl recommends favorite armchair travel books and authors who have a gift for conveying the real atmosphere of a foreign place. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Neil Taylor discusses how the streets of London are gaining an international flavor with a growing immigrant population and Rick gets a local perspective on the upcoming Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey, including tips on experiencing royal traditions while sightseeing. Also, two tour guides from Turkey describe the customs they're observing as they get ready for their own wedding day, and how they aim to keep everyone happy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Adventure traveler Richard Bangs discusses the water rights dispute he found surrounding the source of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia when he thought he was going whitewater rafting, and guides from southern Italy describe the energetic attractions Naples, and its nearby coastal and island resorts. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Wilderness photographer Steven Kazlowski joins Rick to describe how climate change is impacting Polar Bears as well as the wildlife and Native people of the Arctic. Also,  author Fen Montaigne explains what he witnessed at a penguin research station about the rapid warming on the Antarctic Peninsula. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Irish tour guide Barry Moloney talks of his home turf in Cork, long considered the "rebel south" of Ireland, now gaining a reputation for gastronomy, and travel writer Rolf Potts describes how he was able to journey around the world for six weeks without any luggage and still have fun. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We commemorate the early days of the Peace Corps with travel writer Paul Theroux, who served as a teacher in Africa in 1963. He'll also share his perspective on when foreign aid does and does not work. Also, Seth Kugel shares highlights from his inaugural trip as the Frugal Traveler for the New York Times when he spent 13 weeks on a budget to see the sights from Brazil to New York by way of Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala and Nicaragua. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Travel writer Jeff Greenwald returns to Nepal every year, where ancient Hindu and Buddhist customs are challenged by modern pressures and recent political turmoil. Jeff joins us to describe how much the scene is changing in Nepal, as well as what's timeless about the Himalayan culture, and keeps him going back year after year. We'll also check in with listeners for travel reports about destinations that lift the spirit. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick chats with one of the original "Monuments Men," a German-born Jew whose family escaped to America and now helps repatriate the treasures of Europe from the caves and castles where the plunder was stashed and later gets tips for planning ski trips to the Alps, where the slopes have some of the most impressive vertical drops anywhere. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We're exploring the perfect souvenir for the person who already has everything. Celia Lyttelton describes how she traveled the world to collect the ingredients for creating her own perfect personal perfume. She explains the powerful connection fragrances have between places, memories, and our emotions. Also, travel writer Don George and callers share stories of how the kindness of strangers saved the day in their overseas travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Enjoy Paris like a Parisian as two local guides join us to explain how cafes work as a part of daily life for Parisians, and how visitors can enjoy them, too. Also, guides from Ireland and Wales underscore the reason singing is so important in their cultures, and how the music traditions differ among themselves. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick discusses basic budget tricks for getting travelers up close to amazing places and people who inhabit them. Also, Italy food expert Fred Plotkin explains why he finds the northeast corner of Italy one of the best places in the world for pairing fine wine with flavorful food, and two tour guides explain how they turn old farmhouses into dream homes in the un-touristed region of Italy called La Marche. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The Frugal Traveler for the New York Times joins us with advice for enjoying Sao Paolo, Rio and the Amazon on a budget. Also, with a history dating back to the 7th century, Croatia has yet to see 20 years as an independent nation. A sense of optimism comes with the stunning scenery and visitor-friendly coast, where Slavic culture meets the Mediterannean. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The busy city of Istanbul has grown to be the home and cultural centerpiece for millions of Turks. It's also turning into a popular destination for visitors to witness many layers of history on the edge of Europe and Asia. We're detouring into the backstreets of Istanbul, with suggestions for enjoying the city like the locals do — from corners of the Grand Bazaar that tourists often miss, to the romantic traffic-free islands just off the coast.  We'll also pay tribute to the late writer Bill Holm, who shared his thoughts about "eccentric islands" with Rick. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.