Travel with Rick Steves

Travel writer Jeff Greenwald makes a point to return to Nepal every year and describes how long-held customs are challenged by modern pressures and political turmoil. He also points out what’s timeless about the Himalayan culture that draws him back year after year. Also, we take a close-up look at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome to understand what went into making it the most impressive church in the world with tips for making it a high point of your life's travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

An expert who advises American travelers on how to best use the passenger rail lines in Europe offers tips for when rail passes are a bargain, and how they work. Also, Jane and Michael Stern discuss trends in hometown "comfort food" restaurants in America, including a few eateries where the local atmosphere made their day. Also, listeners check in with travel reports on what made their trips extra-special when they visited France, Spain, Poland, and Italy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick explores the sites and culture of Basque Country with two guides who have deep family roots in the region. We'll look at the power of music in Ireland, where nearly every town comes with its own special song. Also, we'll hear how traditional ballads connect the Irish with their history, and with one other. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how language is a high form of art in Ireland, where the works of its poets and playwrights add color to even the nation's parks and pubs. We'll get tips for enjoying more of the speciality museums of Paris. Also, we'll explore how growing up in Renaissance-era Florence shaped Michelangelo into one of the greatest artists of all time. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Hear how you can get close to the ancients along the Inca Trail in Peru with tips for enjoying Cuzco and Machu Picchu. We'll also look at the monuments and legacy of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, and we'll see what medieval castles in Wales can still tell us about the past. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Journalist Elaine Sciolino explains the many ways seduction operates as part of day to day life in France. Also, Martin Fletcher describes what a good long walk down the coast of Israel showed him after 30 years of reporting from the Middle East. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick examines Sicily and what the "heel, toe and instep" of the boot of Italy has to offer the adventurous traveler. In addition, we'll explore pirate history and lore along the Carolina coast, where legendary sea scoundrels made their mark during colonial times. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Local tour guides explain why Madrid and Prague are two of the most romantic cities in Europe. Plus, Rick chats with listeners who share unforgettable encounters from their travels, where the kindness of the locals — even with a language barrier — left a lasting impression. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A portrait photographer shares tips for taking top-notch photos of the people you meet in your travels. A painter shares how going on an artist's safari has deepened his love of African wildlife, and lets him look eye to eye with the creatures of the savannah. Also, a travel writer tells us how he's preparing to start a three-year trip to every country in Africa. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Bill Bryson points out what the rooms and items in your house can teach you about the world. Tour guide, Britt Lonsdale, explains your options for enjoying an elegant afternoon tea in London. Also, public radio's favorite librarian, Nancy Pearl, inspires us to read about the far away places of the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.