Travel with Rick Steves

A Greece-based tour guide describes the elevated role of godparents in her adopted country, where godparents become a lifelong part of the child's family. Then TV chef Lidia Bastianich shares the story of her family's flight from Yugoslavia, and the successful family business they were able to start in America. And former NBC Middle East correspondent Martin Fletcher explains how his latest novel, set in Israel during its early years as a modern state, evokes the extraordinary drama of Israeli life in that era. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Peter Balakian describes the new positive spirit he encountered during his recent travels in Armenia, whose citizens have earned good reason to feel upbeat about their future. And composer Paul Kildea explains how Frederic Chopin's sublime 24 Preludes — written on a clunky mini-piano in an abandoned monastery in the middle of the Mediterranean — changed how the world hears music. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out what made Bulgaria one of Europe's most interesting places to eat. Food writer David McAninch reveals what makes the culinary traditions of Gascony tastier than in the rest of France. Plus, discover what Italians expect in a good olive oil. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get insider advice for enjoying the less-visited corners of the Balkan Peninsula, from Bosnia's atmospheric mosques to Montenegro's scenic coast. And as we mark the centennial of the "Great War," hear about the most compelling places in Europe to learn about American soldiers' contributions to World War I. Plus, listen in as tour guides share their tips for enjoying Kraków, the cultural and spiritual capital of Poland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A New York Times travel writer recommends four great cities for solo travelers, and the best time of year to visit them. Then the author of "Achtung Baby" tells us of her family's relocation to Berlin, and what she learned about Germans' hands-off approach to child rearing. And listeners share their travel plans and experiences for trips to Turkey, Hungary, and Sicily. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author Jim Hinckley joins us to recommend Old West ghost towns that you can still visit. Then Irish singer Cathie Ryan describes how Ireland remembers its heroes through the lyrics of traditional songs. And journalist Carl Hoffman shares his deeply researched take on the mysterious disappearance of banking scion Michael Rockefeller in the jungles of New Guinea. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An Athenian theater director discusses drama's role as a building block of civil society since ancient times, and recommends some Greek destinations that are especially fascinating for the theatrically inclined. Then an English lit expert from Cambridge explains how the works of Shakespeare have been embraced in East Africa. And a radio DJ tells us about an Icelandic music festival that features an amazing amount of home-grown talent. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A transcontinental pilot discusses the marvels of jet travel, then Australian actor Marta Dusseldorp describes her favorite Down Under destinations, and shares insights she's gained from starring in a TV series about the postwar 1950s. Plus, tour guides from Berlin explain the German love of a good sausage, at any time of year…and any time of day. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The author of "Living Abroad in Japan" offers tips for making yourself feel at home in Japan, no matter how long your visit. Then Rick talks to tour guides from England about scenic filming locations you can visit in Britain. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Filmmaker and documentary photographer Phil Borges explains what's behind his remarkable photos of people in different traditional societies of central Asia. Then portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz lets us in on how she documents the worlds of her famous subjects, and shares stories of the road trips that've brought her closer to great American artists. And tour guides to Sicily take listener calls to swap tips on enjoying the traditions of Italy's liveliest island. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.