Travel With Rick Steves

Learn why Monet created colorful gardens at his house near Paris from an artist who helped restore them. Hear how renovating a house on an island off the coast of Brittany can feed your wild side. Three Americans explain the expectations of being married to an Italian (and living next to the in-laws). And an adventure cyclist shares the story of a timely romantic surprise.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Writer Elaine Sciolino explains how the legendary Seine River made Paris into the vital, romantic city you find today. We'll also hear from German tour guides on how their country views its important social issues, and we'll learn the differences between the Belgians and the Dutch.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Writer Euny Hong explains how a Korean system of non-verbal social skills works, and how it can help in your travels and your life. We also get insider information on enjoying Italy's scenic Amalfi Coast without getting stuck in tourist crowds or traffic. And listeners check in with Rick about travel concerns for shoulder season and where you may need to look over your shoulder.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The folks from Atlas Obscura tell us about many of the remarkable traditions they've encountered, including a few of the creepiest. We'll also discover the timeless character of Scotland's Hebrides islands — where you're more likely to overhear conversations in Scots Gaelic than English — and learn how to turn the blues into songs that make you feel better with the fado music of Portugal.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides from Athens and Thessaloniki recommend attractions to visit in Northern Greece, and "Comma Queen" Mary Norris explains what a love of Greek language and mythology can add to your own Greece odyssey. We'll also admire the seafaring skills of the Polynesians and hear how a cultural faux pas led to Captain James Cook's fateful encounter with the Hawaiians.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

On the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, journalist Catherine Porter tells Rick how the rescue of a 2-year-old girl brought hope to a desperate country — and changed her life, too. Plus, adventure traveler Christopher Solomon tells us what a recent trip to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge showed him about the forces battling over the largest wilderness refuge in the US.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

One of the top American travel writers of our time, Paul Theroux, tells us about his recent road trip across Mexico to see for himself what the situation was like on the other side of the border. We'll also look at Ukraine as an up-and-coming Eastern European tourism destination with a lot to offer, at bargain prices.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Make it your New Year's resolution to travel well. Writer Seth Kugel recommends a few rules for a "travel mode" that helps us focus on the world around us, and not on our phones. A Dutch tour guide helps us avoid the lines in Amsterdam to better enjoy and appreciate the city. And listeners share their upcoming family travel plans to Europe.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Warm up your holidays by including time-tested traditions from the Old World, as Rick learns how friends in Germany, England, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and the Czech Republic celebrate Christmas. Potato salad and fish stew, anyone?

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why cod is an important comfort food in Portugal, and get a taste of the treats found in Naples and the Campania region of Italy. We'll also hear from listeners on what they enjoy about traveling overseas during the Christmas season, and Rick checks in with an innkeeper in Dingle to learn how the west coast of Ireland gears up for the holidays.

For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.