Travel with Rick Steves

Historian David McCullough introduces us to some of the most influential "Americans in Paris" of the 19th century, who returned home to apply the lessons they’d learned in the City of Light — thereby helping transform a young United States. Also, tour guides from France celebrate Bastille Day with us, and New York Times correspondent Elaine Sciolino tells us what makes her own neighborhood in Paris feel like home. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Art-history scholar and tour guide Anna Piperato tells us how Siena’s high-spirited Palio horse race is a high point of the Tuscan summertime. Then author Richard Grant shares road-trip recommendations for a blues-inspired pilgrimage to the Mississippi Delta, and historian Erika Lee discusses how newcomers from Asia are making an impact on the US.   For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

NPR correspondent Eric Weiner tells us why Canada's one of his favorite summer road-trip destinations. Then author Simon Winchester discusses the growing importance of the Pacific Rim nations, and why the Chinese navy is making some of its neighbors nervous. And tour guides from Slovenia share tips for planning a relaxing getaway to their small country "on the sunny side of the Alps." For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Explore the heritage of the South Carolina Low Country, home to resorts, historical centers, and plenty of rice and seafood. Discover how you can stay high in the Andes with an indigenous family, right on the lake where Incas believe life began. Learn how Latinos in the United States are gaining influence — and what politicians need to understand to earn their vote. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how people of all ages enjoy a day at the baths in Budapest, where doctors commonly prescribe a relaxing day at the spa. Then learn about a sacred geothermal river located deep in Amazonian of Peru: It's huge, deadly hot, and might contain clues to the origins of life on Earth. And get advice for enjoying the splendor of Padova, located just half an hour from the crowds of Venice, and home to one of Europe's oldest universities. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The producer of "Bear Trek" talks about the bears and wolves that still live in Romania, Scotland, and the Alps, and discusses efforts to "re-wild" the open spaces of Europe. Then tour guides take calls to help listeners plan summer vacations to far-flung corners of Greece and France. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Author Paul Theroux shares the insights he gleaned about America from the people he met in the small towns and backroads of the Deep South. Then history professor Mark D. Van Ells returns with more suggestions for visiting places that honor the sacrifices of Allied troops in World War I. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Tour guides from Paris and the Spanish Basque Country share recommendations for enjoying their local cuisine, and food writer Fred Plotkin helps us appreciate the culinary traditions of Italy, where every bite can be a celebration. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Get an inside look at the mostly friendly rivalries between Sweden and Norway. Then hear from a family midway through their epic drive across North America, who stop by to share tips for making a long road trip fun for everyone. And listen in as we explore Australia's urbanized east coast and venture into the rural heart of the country-music scene Down Under. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Find out how Berlin uses its monuments to teach new generations to remember the city's turbulent history. Then get insider tips for planning a getaway to Spain, and learn about the rural "sagre" festivals celebrated in the Italian countryside. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.