Dreaming of travel in 2025? Get inspired with the 2025 Rick Steves’ Europe Wall Calendar - now 50% off! Plus, receive free shipping on orders of $50 until Sunday, Dec. 8th. Each month features a large scenic image, plus dozens of colorful images with detailed captions featuring history notes and insider's tips for making the most of your European vacation. Each day also has plenty of space for writing down birthdays, anniversaries, or travel dreams. Printed on responsibly sourced paper with a re

Rick Steves has just returned from two weeks in Italy, and is ready to share practical tips, personal anecdotes, and gorgeous photos from hiking in the Dolomites to soaking in the ethereal beauty of Venice, the Cinque Terre, and Lake Como. Purely a vacation, this was a trip of experiences: hiking with friends for six days high in Italy’s Alps, exploring the Venetian Lagoon, pounding pesto, sipping wine on Italy’s Riviera, and capping it all off on Lake Como, where he was named “Ambassador to the

This week on the Travel with Rick Steves radio show: One of Rick's favorite Venice tour guides lets us in on changes afoot in Italy's city of dreams. Then the tireless Senior Nomads share lessons from a dozen years on the road as they unpack their suitcases and settle down for good. And a gastronomic guide invites us to dig into the best bites from across the continent. Find your local station, subscribe to the podcast, or listen online at www.ricksteves.com/radio #RickSteves #RickStevesEurope #

While time with a private guide usually doesn’t come cheap, it’s easily one of the best ways to maximize the experiences at the heart of your trip: gaining some understanding of a different culture, discovering what’s fascinating about a destination’s sights, and maybe finding a personal connection with a person or people who might otherwise seem “foreign.” Hiring a local guide for a personalized city tour is basically like renting a friend who happens to be an expert at the kind of information