We look at the must-see paintings, sculptures and historic edifices across Europe. University of Florida professor Jack E. Davis notes the many roles the Gulf of Mexico has played over the years, and why it's important to understand its ecology. And we'll look at the role of guidebooks, and what can make one worth reading, a hundred years after it's been published. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A native-born Belgian shares what delights him most about his small, but justifiably proud country. Then author Catie Marron recommends some of her favorite gardens around the world — plus the most enticing ones she's yet to visit. And author Seth Kantner, who was raised way off the grid in northwest Alaska, alerts us to the increasing threats to the people and wildlife of the Alaskan Arctic. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Listeners tell us what makes their hometowns feel special, then the host of the TV show Lidia's Italy describes the remarkable diversity among the regional cuisines of Italy — and how each naturally features whatever's particularly delicious from a given area. Then a Madrid-based wine expert shares tips for food pairings and fully enjoying what you're drinking. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get expert advice for planning a trip to the majestic Scottish Highlands. Then hear about some of Spain's most influential artists, from El Greco to the modern day. And discover what's making Alabama an increasingly popular destination for international visitors. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get tips for how to "do as the Romans do" in Rome's modern-day neighborhoods. Hear about the travel writer Will Hide's latest crazy rides, from cycling across the hills of Rwanda to driving what might be the world's "most dangerous road" up from Delhi into the Himalayas. Plus listen in as guides from Slovenia and Bosnia take listener calls to help plan fun trips to the countries of the former Yugoslavia. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Uncover the truth behind Count Dracula in Romania. Find out where the most haunted house is located in New Orleans, and what's behind local customs such as voodoo and jazz funerals. Plus, hear how the cities of India surprised author Mary Morris when she traveled there to view tigers in the wild. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Pico Iyer explains why autumn is the perfect season for understanding the soul of Japan. Robert Reid recommends how to amp up your next vacation, by traveling like a travel writer does. And guides from Sweden tell us how to keep expenses in check, to enjoy Scandinavia the way the locals do. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get a taste of Austria beyond the usual tourist sites in Vienna and Salzburg, where farmstays and festivals can make you want to wear lederhosen for a day. Rick's right-hand man on all things Ireland shares what he's liked most about researching guidebooks and leading tours in the Emerald Isle for the last 20 years. And Rick's TV producer shares tales from behind the scenes on their two-year-long filming project on the greatest art in Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Learn to see Rome — the way the ancient Romans did — as the opulent and innovative city that gave Europe a common culture. Look closer at the even more-ancient worlds of the Greeks and Egyptians, and what their antiquities can tell us about their lives. And find out what's being done to protect important cultural sites today from the ravages of the world's changing climate. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out why Germany's "second city," the industrial northern port of Hamburg, is a favorite getaway among Germans. Then get the inside scoop on Rick's new TV series, which explores the backstories of Europe's greatest artworks. And consider what drives some death-defying athletes to go all-in for "extreme sports." For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.