Travel with Rick Steves

Friends from Madrid, Rome, Lisbon, and London tell us about their cities' holiday traditions, and we'll check in on Bulgaria, Switzerland and Austria, plus a listener report about the big Christmas market in Nuremburg, Germany. Get to know such characters as Baba Noël, Grandfather Frost, the Cristkind, Saint Nicholas, Krampus, Sammi Claus and Schwartzley, and expand your holidays with us on the next Travel with Rick Steves. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Join us for Part 1 of this year's European Christmas series as we discuss holiday traditions in Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, the Italian Riviera and the rural West of Ireland. and get tips on enjoying Paris in the winter from two locals. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Bill Bryson found the ultimate bargain travel destination, by staying home to get acquainted with the 19th century English parsonage he lives in. We'll glimpse into just how much the comforts of home have changed in only a few generations' time. We'll also make sense out of the rubble of antiquity with the help of guides from Greece and Egypt. Listeners offer their tips for saving money on a place to call home on your next vacation to Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Gene Openshaw, co-author of Europe 101, joins Rick to discuss how art can change the way people view the world and certified guides from Rome and Florence share ideas for discovering new ways to look at masterpieces in Italy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Kate Hopkins, "The Accidental Hedonist," shares what she learned about whiskey while visiting distilleries across Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Appalachia and Chris Rae investigates the slang that's familiar to Brits, but drives the rest of us bonkers. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Listeners share unforgettable taste treats from their travels while Jane and Michael Stern suggest even more classic American road food worth writing home about. And two Lisbon guides describe the highlights Portugal's capital, where there's always time to be friendly, and a great view around the corner. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick explores the various ways to see the countryside in Europe, from bike touring at your own pace, to taking the driver's seat on a tour bus, and hiking the English countryside on centuries-old trails. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Carl Hoffman describes his experiences traveling on the most notorious, over-crowded trains, planes, busses and ferries from India to the Andes and listeners share their own travel discoveries and suggestions for seeing the world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Eric Weiner describes what he discovered during his year of researching how people in different countries define happiness and listeners share how they've learned to conquer fear of the unknown in overseas travels. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick explores the benefits of Britain's bed-and-breakfast system, gets a taste of seaside fun and classical culture along the west coast of Turkey and receives tips from a travel medicine epert on what precautions to take before venturing into the developing world. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.