To get a sense of how Venice was in earlier times, head to the Accademia Gallery, the best museum for Venetian Renaissance painting. The Venetian love of the good life shows itself in Venetian painting, and Paolo Veronese's "Feast in the House of Levi" is a perfect example. At http://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 Loire River, gliding gently east to west, separating northern from southern France, has come to define this popular tourist region. The value of this river and the valley’s prime location, in the center of the country just south of Paris, have made the Loire a strategic prize for centuries — hence all the castles. At http://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 visit to Rome's National Museum at the Palazzo Massimo helps humanize the ancient Roman empire. The museum's collection tells the empire's story through art, and many aspects of ancient Roman life are represented. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Tuscany's countryside is dotted with elegant, aristocratic homes that augment their farming income by renting rooms to travelers. At Villa Belvedere, Rick stays with a family who makes wine on their property and enjoys a meal of locally-produced food. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Sighișoara, perhaps the most popular tourist town in all of Romania, is a delightful German town settled by German craftsmen in the 12th century. Within the town's protective walls, visitors explore cobbled lanes, enjoy pastel German-style facades, and sip beers on the main square. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Spaniards consider the region of Andalucía to be the home of flamenco. While impromptu flamenco still erupts spontaneously in Old World bars, most travelers attend a show in Sevilla or other tourist destinations. At http://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 and Venetian friends enjoy a fresh, local seafood dinner at I Figli delle Stelle Ristorante on the island of Giudecca. From this peaceful canalside perch, the hub-bub of downtown Venice becomes a romantically floodlit cityscape. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Nicolae Ceaușescu took power in Romania in 1965, and through his 24-year dictatorship his ego ballooned. The culmination of his master plan was an immense palace with more than a thousand rooms, now the Palace of the Parliament. In late 1989, with winds of change sweeping the Eastern Bloc, armed revolution spread across Romania. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Munich's Alte Pinakothek — or "old painting gallery" — shows off Bavaria's best collection of European masterpieces from the 14th through the 18th centuries. Travelers can enjoy works by many great artists, ranging from Botticelli to Dürer. At http://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 1870 Rome became the capital of a newly united modern state of Italy. Shortly after that, the thunderous Victor Emmanuel Monument was built to honor Italy's first king. At http://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 Cluny Museum in Paris, France, has a rich collection of medieval art offers a rare peek into that mysterious age. Its centerpiece is a 15th-century series of tapestries called "The Lady and the Unicorn." At http://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 back streets of Siena have changed little since the days of the Renaissance. Make a point to get away from the crowds and enjoy a quiet moment with the timeless magic of Siena. At http://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's Dutch Resistance Museum takes you behind the scenes during the Nazi occupation, and tells how the Dutch fought back. The suffering was horrific; many starved, and many barely survived on a diet of tulip bulbs. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Italy's Cinque Terre takes great pride in its white wine. Traditional farming techniques are complemented with modern know-how, as the delicate vines are prepped in anticipation of a hot growing season. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Just steps away from the Old Town in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, is the vibrant and fun-loving corner of town called the "Mousetrap." Newly revitalized, this artsy district is where foodies and creative young people congregate. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Florence, Italy, was the epicenter of the Renaissance, the cultural explosion that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages and into an economic, intellectual, and artistic boom time. Wealth from the Medici family is largely responsible for funding many of the city’s Renaissance icons, including Brunelleschi’s dome and Michelangelo’s "David." At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this dest...
Frankfurt, Germany, is full of contrasts. The skyscrapers of Frankfurt's banking district tower above and beyond its fine 100-year-old facades, reflecting the glaring modernity of this ever-changing city. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Rotterdam's immense port is a reminder of the Dutch knack for international trade. Located where the Rhine River meets the ocean, the port handles 35,000 ocean-going vessels each year. At http://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 rebirth of Dresden, Germany, is evident everywhere. The lively district called Neustadt, or the "New Town," has emerged as the city's trendy people zone. At http://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 ancient city of Aphrodisias, in western Turkey, is a relatively recent excavation. The more they dig the more many archaeologists believe that Anatolia, rather than Mesopotamia, is the cradle of our civilization. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Hoorn, Netherlands, was one of six trading cities that joined forces to create the Dutch East India Company. At the Westfries Museum, you feel the pride and the power of the Dutch Golden Age — when they dominated world trade and brutally capitalized on their far-flung colonial empire. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Frankfurt's Kleinmarkthalle is a delightful neighborhood favorite. Just around the corner is Römerberg, Frankfurt's old main square, lined with half-timbered buildings. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Paestum, just south of Italy's Amalfi Coast, was founded by Greeks in the sixth century B.C. Visitors to Paestum can see the remains of three impressive temples: the Temple of Ceres, the Temple of Hera, and the Temple of Neptune. At http://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 gigantic monument outside Leipzig, Germany, commemorates the pivotal "Battle of the Nations," which involved forces all over Europe. It feels religious, but it's strikingly secular — a powerful monument to more than a battle: to the power of nationalism and to the fact that war leaves even the winners saddled with grief. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Bulgaria's Balkan Mountains are home to several sites that serve as reminders of Bulgaria's history. Shipka Pass and Shipka Church honors the sacrifice of Bulgaria and Russian troops in a battle against the Ottomans, and Buzludzha is a crumbling Communist monument left over from the Cold War. At http://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 the town of Ürgüp, Turkey, the market day gives travelers a chance to appreciate the culture. Wherever you travel, exploring a vibrant scene like this gives a fine insight into how the people live, what they grow, what they eat, and how they interact. At http://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 Leipzig, several sights offer travelers a fascinating look at Germany's 20th-century history. Visit the Contemporary History Forum and Stasi Museum in the "Runde Ecke" to learn the 44-year story of communism in East Germany, and finish with a stop at the place that played a pivotal role in the people's fight for freedom: the St. Nicholas Church. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on th...
A visit to Assisi, Italy, shows that Francis' message of universal love has a broad and timeless appeal. To enjoy Assisi at its peaceful best, see it early or see it late. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Nürnberg was one of Germany's — in fact Europe's — leading cities 500 years ago, and was an industrial marvel. The scenic remnants of its hard medieval past are now just an added dimension of a delightfully people-friendly historic center. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
Of Romania's many people, one group in particular has struggled to fit in: the Roma. Also known as "Gypsies," the Roma originated in India and were nomads who migrated over the centuries throughout eastern Europe. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.
