Travel with Rick Steves

Italian food expert, Fred Plotkin, takes us wide-eyed visitors deeper into the culture of enjoying a good meal in Italy. Jamie Blair Gould, a tour guide from Lucca, helps listeners assemble the ingredients for the perfect Tuscan picnic.

Hear why Albania ranks high for seasoned travelers on the list of places to discover as it emerges from decades of isolation. Get tips for enjoying the arts and comforts of Vienna where every day is like a Sunday afternoon. Find out what the freedom to relocate within the European Union feels like.  Rick also recounts his first unescorted trip to Europe out of high school in the summer of  '73.

Rick discusses why France is such a popular destination. French tour guides describe the Mediterranean highlights of the French Riviera. Get recommendations for elegant day trips from Paris. Plus, author Graham Robb tells us what his bicycle adventure across the French countryside taught him about the provincial character of France.

Discover a great American getaway as Pauline Frommer shares some of her favorite tips for enjoying New York City like a local, and hear about the pleasures of Savannah, Georgia, where artistic energy mixes with the antebellum architecture of the Old South…then travel farther south to learn how legendarily bohemian Key West continues to delight visitors today.

If you had wings, where would you fly? Learn how studying the remarkable intelligence of birds can take you around the world, and even teach us what it means to be human. We'll also hear about an amazing hiking journey across one of Alaska's least-visited wilderness reserves, then get a journalist's view on how Japanese society is coping with its economic pressures.

Hear what Londoners have nicknamed the latest skyscrapers popping up around their city, and get tips for exploring the lesser-known parts of Turkey, where the main attraction just might be you. Then learn about what options cruise-ship passengers have for seeing the impressive sights of St. Petersburg.

Cruise your way around Provence and Ireland: We'll look at your options for getting around the Emerald Isle, and for exploring the floral landscapes and villages of southern France. And a pair of professional tour-bus drivers offer tips on what you can expect when navigating the highways of Europe.

Get a personal look at India: BBC reporter Nick Bryant tells us what he learned about Indian society while he was stationed in New Delhi, and actress Madhur Jaffrey shares childhood memories from the last days of British colonialism. Plus, friends from Italy tell Rick how they cope with the everyday chaos of their country, and offer tips for handling the kind of schedule surprises you may encounter while traveling in Italy.

This show goes to great depths: A diving enthusiast highlights the underwater world, from the turquoise coasts of Central America to the cold jade waters of Puget Sound. Then NPR's Steve Inskeep explains what Karachi showed him about the world's mushrooming mega-cities. And author Scott Wallace describes his trek deep into the Amazon, and the efforts to protect the fierce Arrow people from contact with the outside world.

To mark the centenary of the start of World War I, we'll hear how the British are remembering the Great War, and what's afoot in London this year, where WWI sites, events, and memorials make good on the British promise to "never forget." Then we'll visit the areas of the former Yugoslavia, where the war started, to hear what it's like today. We'll also get a taste of the best regional foods you can enjoy on a road trip across the Southern US, from "Road Food" specialists Jane and Michael Stern.

Get tips for enjoying the scenic fjord country of Norway, currently celebrating its 200 years as a nation. Then listen in as we chat about what makes the tiny Riviera principality of Monaco sparkle, and listeners share tales of faux pas they committed while traveling abroad.

Do a little vicarious traveling for Mother's Day: Listen in as American author Jennifer Wilson describes her experience of relocating her family to the same Croatian village that her great-grandparents had emigrated from. Then, an American who married a Frenchman explains what it's like to raise a child in Paris, and friends from Sicily discuss how their mammas have taken center stage throughout their kids' lives. And Rick shares how his own mother influenced him to become a traveler.

Join us for a generous dose of convivial banter about Scotland: We'll hear all about this year's Scottish "Homecoming," then get insider tips for enjoying Edinburgh and Glasgow, and exploring the Scotland's borderlands, Highlands, and islands. Plus, folk singer Jim Malcolm shares some of the poetry embedded in the traditional music that so evocatively reflects the history and character of his fellow Scots.

Enjoy Mexico and the Netherlands like you're one of the family: The authors of "The People's Guide to Mexico" share tips for making your next trip south of the border extra-fun and culturally rewarding. Then we’ll look into family-friendly cultural treats in the Netherlands, including Europe's guilty TV pleasure, the annual Eurovision Song Contest.

Some of the world's most impressive art was designed to be part of the place where you see it.  On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we'll look at the many options you have for viewing site-specific art in the Americas.  We'll also learn about heritage sites in Latin America and Iberia that have been added to the World Monuments Fund "Watch List" of endangered places.  And we'll explore the many types of quiet "sacred places" you can find scattered across the dramatic landscapes in the state of New Mexico.