The Orsay Gallery, famous for its much-loved collection of Impressionist masterpieces, fills a magnificent building once used as a train station with art from 1848 to 1914. Old World meets the modern world in these halls, resulting in conservative and revolutionary pieces side by side. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Nov 21, 2007•4 min
A moveable feast awaits travelers in Madrid where dinners become a tapas tango. When it comes to variety, Madrid is Spain's tapas capital. Munching, drinking, and socializing, hopping from one bar to the next is a time-honored tradition that maximizes fun, people and atmosphere. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Nov 14, 2007•3 min
Before the war, Warsaw's old town square was one of the most happening spots in central Europe. By 1945, nearly two-thirds of the Warsaw's pre-war population was dead and not a building was standing in the old town. Today, the thriving city of Warsaw has been painstakingly restored and is a living memorial to its two heroic uprisings during WWII. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on dest...
Nov 07, 2007•4 min
Lisbon's Alfama tumbles from the castle to the river and dates back over a thousand years to Moorish times. Surviving the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the tangled streets of the Alfama today present a cobbled playground of old-world color. Traditions survive in Fado, the passionate folk music of Lisbon's backstreets. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit ...
Oct 31, 2007•3 min
The snug port of Villefranche, in spite of luxury yachts glistening in its bay, offers travelers an easy-going slice of small-town Mediterranean life just minutes from bustling Nice and jet-setting Monaco. Some of the Riviera's priciest real estate stretches from Villefranche to Monaco, and the coast is studded with the floating toys of millionaires. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on ...
Oct 24, 2007•3 min
No painter before or since has captured the mystery of the spiritual world like the painter El Greco. His unique style of painting developed in Toledo, Spain. Join Rick on a visit to the Santa Cruz Museum, which houses many of El Greco's 16th century works. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Oct 17, 2007•3 min
The sunny Cotes du Rhone region of France has tempted travelers with its wines practically since it was settled in 600b.c. by the Greeks. Today, family-run wineries offer an enticing selection of wines that are delightful on your palate, yet easy on your pocketbook. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Oct 10, 2007•3 min
Many of London's top sights front the river Thames, which has become a transportation thoroughfare for tourists. Join Rick as he sails from Westminster, under Big Ben to the Tower of London. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Oct 03, 2007•3 min
King Manuel built the Jeronimos monastery and church in Lisbon on the site of a humble sea-farers chapel as thanks for overseas discoveries. Richly ornate, with motifs from the sea, the style of the building reflects the wealth of the times and the many cultural influences of the age of discovery. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Sep 26, 2007•3 min
A few hours north of Dublin, Belfast straddles the Lagan River. Nicknamed "Old Smoke," Belfast was only a village in the 17th Century, but with the influx of Scottish and English settlers, particularly during the Industrial Revolution, the city boomed. The inviting public park at Queens University, named after Queen Victoria who granted Belfast with city status in 1888, hosts Ulster Museum, the city's one major museum. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode...
Sep 19, 2007•2 min
This region's breath-taking coastline is traversed by three coastal routes: the low, middle, and high corniche. Sitting upon the Via Aurelia, the grand, or high, corniche caps the cliffs with staggering Mediterranean vistas. High above the sea, Eze, touristy yet magnificent, offers art and gastronomy in its medieval center. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — vis...
Sep 12, 2007•2 min
The route of the Pueblos Blancos, or white towns, is a charm bracelet of characteristic towns perched in the hills and mountains of Andalucía. The queen of the hill towns, Arcos de la Frontera, smothers its hilltop and tumbles down its back like the train of a wedding dress. Towns with "de la Frontera" in their names, like Arcos, were established on the frontier during the battle to reclaim Spain from the Muslims. As the Moors retreated into Northern Africa, the frontier towns, though no longer ...
Sep 05, 2007•4 min
The House of Terror, housed in the former headquarters of both the Nazis and, later, the communist secret police, displays the dark underside of Hungary's 20th century story. Welcoming travelers with a Soviet tank and a towering wall covered with portraits of the victims of this building, this museum offers a disturbing look at the grim terror of both the far right, and the far left, inflicted on the people of Budapest, and makes clear that while the uniforms changed in 1945, the terror did not....
Aug 29, 2007•2 min
Through the ages, Mont St-Michel has been among the top pilgrimage sites in all Christendom. For over one thousand years, the silhouette of the island abbey has sent pilgrims' weary spirits soaring. Today, it does the same for tourists. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Aug 22, 2007•4 min
The rebuilt center of Lisbon, known as the Baixa, is today a flat, inviting shopping area of grid-patterned streets. The main boulevard is a pedestrian only zone, lined by post-earthquake structures/architecture that allowed Lisbon to do a lot of rebuilding without a lot of money in the years following the earthquake. Today, trams, funiculars, and the city's famous 20th century elevator move tourists and locals alike from the lower town to the high town. For more information on the Rick Steves' ...
Aug 15, 2007•2 min
600 years ago, Brussels was nothing more than a handy place to buy a waffle on the way to Bruges. Then, it was given free trade status and its economy took off. By 1830, it was the capital of an exuberant and newly independent country booming with the industrial age. Today, with over one million people, it is the headquarters of NATO and the capital of the European Union. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, ...
Aug 08, 2007•4 min
Portugal's south coast was once known as Europe's last undiscovered tourist frontier. Lagos, the major town on this stretch of Algarve coast, is now well discovered, the darling of tour brochures, and as enjoyable as a big city resort can be. Capital of the Algarve in the 13th and 14th centuries, Lagos was the starting off point for the first great Portuguese maritime expeditions. West of Lagos, the simple fishing village of Salema has just enough restaurants, a classic beach, and endless sun. F...
Aug 01, 2007•2 min
In 711, Muslim Moors swept in from Northern Africa and conquered the Iberian Peninsula, ruling Spain for five centuries and inspiring a Europe-wide crusade among Christians to re-conquer the land. Though Muslim rule stretched as far as France, bit by bit the Moors were pushed back, and eventually expelled from Western Europe in 1492, but not before leaving a distinct mark on Andalusian culture. A prime example of Moorish influence, Seville’s Alcazar provides a thought-provoking glimpse at a grac...
Jul 25, 2007•4 min
Belgium is right up there with Germany, England and the Czech Republic as one of the great beer countries. And, when it comes to variety, Belgium is number one. Join Rick for an entertaining and informative tour of a Belgian brewery. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Jul 18, 2007•2 min
Immerse yourself in the high and vast plateau of central Spain. Visit the sunny, sandstone city of Salamanca and the finest square in spain - Plaza Mayor. Savor some of Europe's best people-watching and take in the centuries old troubador tradition of "Tuna Bands." For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Jul 11, 2007•3 min
Nîmes arena, which is still in use, is considered the best conserved from ancient Rome. It's another example of fine Roman engineering and propaganda. The arena still hosts colorful pageantry and macho-men still face dangerous beasts, a la Provencal style — meaning the bull dies of old age, not via the sword. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.rickstev...
Jul 04, 2007•2 min
The Antrim Coast is one of the most popular and scenic drives in the whole of Ireland. Homesteads are pristine; visitors explore desolate trails, evocative castle ruins, and dramatic beaches. A popular vacation getaway from Belfast, the leading attraction along the coast is the Giant's Causeway, a 4-mile long stretch of shoreline famous for its bizarre rock columns. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel...
Jun 27, 2007•5 min
In the 13th century, the University of Paris was founded on the south bank of the Seine River. Soon after, the area became to be known as the Latin Quarter for the language passers-by would hear on the street. Today the Latin Quarter makes up the core of Paris' Left Bank, offering a variety of ethnic restaurants, tangled lanes, and the city's famous cafe scene. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel info...
Jun 20, 2007•2 min
The Prado Museum in Madrid houses paintings that give an eye-pleasing overview of Spain's rich history from its golden age to its slow fade. Highlights include multiple works by Titian, Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, Velazquez's Las Meninas, and Goya's Second of May. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Jun 13, 2007•5 min
Along the 75 miles of Atlantic coast you'll find countless memories of the largest military operation in history. It was on these beautiful beaches at the crack of dawn Jun 6, 1944 that the Allies finally gained a foot-hold in France and Nazi Europe began to crumble. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
Jun 06, 2007•3 min
On the rugged Southwestern tip of Portugal, Cape Sagres was the closest travelers could get to the edge of our flat Earth in the days before Columbus. Today, merchants sell their wares next to a lighthouse that marked what was referred to as the end of the world, while fishermen brave dizzying cliffs for the catch of the day. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — v...
May 30, 2007•2 min
Montepulciano welcomes visitors with views, villas, and vino. Streets are lined with nobel palazzos because Florentine nobility favored Montepulciano as a breezy and relaxed place for a summer residence. Thanks to aristrocratic egos, each palace was built to outdo its neighbor. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
May 23, 2007•4 min
Perched on a pinnacle, in a grand canyon, the traffic-free village of Civita is Italy's classic hilltown. In a town so full of history, exploring Civita becomes a cultural scavenger hunt. Every lane tells a story, from 12th century arches to one-time Renaissance palaces and Roman temples. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
May 16, 2007•3 min
San Gimignano, with its distinctive skyline, stands like a medieval mirage on its hilltop. With walls built in the 13th century and 12 surviving towers, what was once a stop for pilgrims en route to Rome is now a popular tourist destination. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.
May 09, 2007•3 min
First made famous as the vacation hideaway of Roman emperors, and once the haunt of romantic-age aristocrats during their grand tour of Europe, the isle of Capri is a great day trip from Naples, Positano, or Sorrento. The small island, 4 miles by 2 miles, offers plenty to see and do, including the fabled Blue Grotto. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www....
May 02, 2007•3 min
