Monterosso al Mare is the Cinque Terre's most resorty town of the group, with cars, larger hotels, rentable umbrellas, and the best beach around. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
The stately hunting palace of Cheverny is immaculately preserved, having stayed in the same family for five centuries. The kennel is also worth a visit at dinnertime, when the 70 hunting hounds are fed. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
A popular excursion from Antalya is a cruise on a gulet — the traditional Turkish sailboat. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Haarlem is a "Dutch Masters" kind of town, with plenty of 17th-century architecture. Dodge bikes down narrow lanes to discover some of Haarlem's gems — pickled herring, masterpieces by Frans Hals, and, at 100 feet high, Holland's greatest pipe organ. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Young, in-the-know locals agree that Prenzlauer Berg is one of Berlin’s most colorful neighborhoods. There are no real sights -- just a lively, laid-back neighborhood ignoring its wonderful late-19th-century architecture high overhead. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
About two hours from touristy Venice is Verona — a welcome sip of pure, easygoing Italy. Its main attractions are its wealth of Roman ruins and its 21st-century quiet, pedestrian-only ambience. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
One of Europe's most pleasant strolls is along Prague's historic coronation route. Use it as a spine, but make a point to venture beyond, and learn enough Czech to interact with the locals. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
A great side trip from Paris is the city of Chartres — and its famous cathedral, arguably Europe’s best example of pure Gothic architecture. It was built quickly, so the cathedral has a unity of architecture, statuary, and stained glass that captures the spirit of the Age of Faith like no other church. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Amsterdam has plenty of examples of their progressive approach to subjects many people consider unsavory: curbside urinals, prostitutes who are unionized, taxed, and regulated…and “coffeeshops” that sell marijuana. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Cappadocia is rightly famous for its fantastic land formations and labyrinthine cave dwellings going back to early Christian days. And it's also famous for a breathtaking way to survey this exotic landscape: by riding a hot-air balloon. Each morning, 50 to 80 balloons lift off, giving lots of travelers a fine memory and stunning pictures. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
No longer just the little town of Christmas-carol fame, Bethlehem is a leading Palestinian city. Its skyline is a commotion of both crescents and crosses — a reminder that the town, while now mostly Muslim, still has many Christians. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
In Vernazza, the action's at the harbor, where you’ll find a kids' beach, plenty of sunning rocks, and a wealth of cafés and restaurants. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
The château of Chenonceau in France's Loire is one of the great sights in all of Europe. Earlier châteaux were built for defensive purposes, but Chenonceau was the first great pleasure palace, designed for high society. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Jerusalem is alive with religious tradition and passion — Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. Within a 10-minute walk you can see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — so sacred to Christians, the Dome of the Rock — treasured by Muslims, and at Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism: the Western Wall. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
In Turkey, we travel to the ancient spa of Hierapolis, famous since ancient times for its curative waters and tranquility. The nearby wondrous white cliffs of Pamukkale create a scenic backdrop for bathers. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — fast-changing, vibrant Berlin. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — beautifully preserved Prague. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — the picturesque Netherlands. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — progressive Amsterdam. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — Italy's Verona, Padova, and Ravenna. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — Italy's idyllic Riviera. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows is now premiering on public television stations across the US. Next up — thought-provoking Palestine. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows premieres this fall on public television stations across the US. Next up — intriguing Israel. Watch the full episode at www.ricksteves.com. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows premieres this fall on public television stations across the US. Next up — Paris Side-Trips to extravagant palaces and châteaux. Watch the full episode at www.ricksteves.com. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows premieres this fall on public television stations across the US. Next up — France's castle-studded Loire Valley. Watch the full episode at www.ricksteves.com. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows premieres this fall on public television stations across the US. Next up — captivating Central Turkey. Watch the full episode at www.ricksteves.com. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rick's newest series of travel shows premieres this fall on public television stations across the US. First up — friendly Western Turkey. Watch the full episode at www.ricksteves.com. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
On the Camino de Santiago, pilgrims reflect on their motivation while heading toward the last leg of their journey. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Harrods is huge — 300 departments, a million square feet on seven floors — yet classy. Don't miss the Food Halls, Egyptian Escalator, and shrine to Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed (his father was the store's former owner). At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Learn how to savor the famous Parisian café scene. At www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
