Rick Steves Travel Talks

A Rick Steves' Europe tour is a vacation, an adventure, and a cultural crash course all in one — and from April 21 to May 2, you're invited to join our Festival of Tours to learn about our tour program and discover which of our 46 exciting itineraries could become your next trip.

To kick things off, Rick sets the stage by recounting the origins of our tour program — back when a Rick Steves tour was just Rick, eight travelers, and a minivan — and how the spirit of those early tours lives on in today's itineraries. From there, our Tours 101 session helps tour-curious travelers determine if a Rick Steves' Europe tour will be a good fit for them.

Finally, our great guides join the party to show off their favorite cultural wonders region by region — from ferrying to Scotland's windswept islands to clapping along with a flamenco show in Spain to cooking up pierogi with locals in Poland — and to share how you can experience these "wow" moments alongside them on a Rick Steves' Europe tour.

✈️ Here’s the information-packed itinerary we’ll follow:
• April 21: Best of Europe Tours with Rick Steves
• April 22: Tours 101: Is a Rick Steves Tour Right for Me?
• April 23: Britain & Ireland Tours with Lisa Friend & Charlie Rawson
• April 24: Italy Tours with Colleen Schaffer & Nina Bernardo
• April 28: Germany, Austria & Switzerland Tours with Dave Hoerlein & Jim McDonough
• April 29: Spain & Portugal Tours with Robyn Stencil & Francisco Glaria
• April 30: France Tours with Gabe Gunnink & Virginie Moré
• May 1: Central & Eastern Europe Tours with Cameron Hewitt & Marijan Krišković
• May 2: Best “Wow” Moments on Tour with the Rick Steves’ Europe Team

It's all free, and you can sign up for any (or all) of these fun, informative sessions.

Learn more and register here:
www.ricksteves.com/tours/festival
✈️ Plus, tune in for your chance to win a free Rick Steves' Europe city tour!

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Rick Steves Travel Talks

Our travel information is handcrafted by travelers, for travelers...and so is our gear. Designed by Rick and the travel experts here at Rick Steves' Europe, our bags offer maximum durability and travel-savvy practicality for a reasonable price.

And with peak international travel season around the corner, it's time to think about the right bag for your trip. Now until March 25th, save 20% on all bags, with some styles up to 60% off.

Shop now and save: store.ricksteves.com/shop/travel-bags

Whether you’re looking for rolling luggage for an excursion in Italy, a travel backpack for a solo-trip through France, or a day pack for daily outings on your Rick Steves' Europe tour, our thoughtfully created bags will keep you traveling light and right.

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 34

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Available now — stow away with Rick Steves on the adventure of a lifetime with his new book, "On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer."



In 1978, a 23-year-old Rick and his best friend Gene made the trek through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal, on the storied "Hippie Trail." And like a travel writer in training, he documented everything along the way. The book contains selections from Rick's 60,000-word travel journal and full-color images. Discover the journey that ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.



Get your copy today: www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/rick-steves/on-th…

3 months ago | [YT] | 95

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Over the past two weeks, over 15,000 curious travelers joined our 2025 Travel Festival to pick up timely tips for navigating Europe’s current travel trends and discover new destinations that are light on crowds and heavy on culture.

If you missed the festival or just want to relive your favorite session, you can watch all eight recordings here:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

And remember: If you enjoy embarking on virtual adventures with the Rick Steves’ Europe team, you’re welcome to join our merry band of travelers each week for our Monday Night Travel event series. Over the next month, we’ll be exploring the French Riviera, the basics of great itinerary planning, and the Balkans—with new sessions added regularly! All sessions are free, and you can register on our website.

Explore Monday Night Travel:
www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/travel-classes/mond…

To those who joined us for the 2025 Travel Festival, thank you for coming along for the ride. And to all thoughtful travelers, we hope you’ll join us for a virtual trip—or an on-the-ground tour in Europe—very soon!

4 months ago | [YT] | 20

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Back in 1978, Rick traveled from Istanbul to Kathmandu with his best friend Gene Openshaw on the ultimate trip for any backpacker — the Hippie Trail. During the trip, he journaled like a travel writer in training, penning 60,000 words that eventually would become his newest book.

"On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer" hits the shelves in February— and Rick is taking it on the road, with stops from New York City to Bellingham and from Rancho Mirage to Minneapolis.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Find tour dates and ticket information here: www.hachettebookgroup.com/landing-page/preorder-on…

4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 70

Rick Steves Travel Talks

A heritage trip is a chance to forge a deeper connection with history and make sense of one’s own identity. On January 27th, the Monday Night Travel team will present discussions with expert genealogists for a crash course in genealogy field work: from unearthing ancestral archives to identifying original family homes.

Are you interested in learning more about your family tree? Comment with your questions about family history research in Europe for a chance to have it answered by the experts.

Then, tune into Monday Night Travel on January 27th to learn more.
Register for free here:
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c87PQ7sxT5i-BX…

4 months ago | [YT] | 42

Rick Steves Travel Talks

What’s the best time to visit Europe with temperatures and crowds on the rise? Will American travelers need to go through Europe’s new ETIAS visa-waiver system? What up-and-coming sights and cities might pack a cultural punch with far fewer tourists?

While the fundamentals of good travel are perennial, each new year presents fresh challenges—and opportunities—for travelers to Europe.

That's where the Rick Steves' Europe 2025 Travel Festival comes in! This eight-night virtual event series is designed to help Europe-bound travelers anticipate the trends and changes they might encounter on the road in the year ahead.

To kick things off, Rick sets the stage by reliving his early travels "on the hippie trail" and sharing how those experiences gave rise to our travel philosophy. From there, Rick Steves' Europe travel experts explore how Europe is evolving and how smart travelers can best navigate those changes, from skirting tourist crowds to beating the heat to planning ahead for brand-new entry requirements. Plus, our staffers share their favorite lesser-known, relatively untrampled destinations that can inject extra cultural flavor (with fewer crowds) into any European itinerary.

And we won’t only be equipping you with great information; each session we’ll also give away of one of our favorite travel products: our travel skills handbook, Rick’s beloved travel backpack, and even a Rick Steves’ Europe tour!

It's all free, and you can sign up for any (or all) of these timely sessions below.
Register here: www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/travel-classes/trav…

5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 80

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Rick Steves' Europe Tours 101: Is a Rick Steves Tour Right for Me?
Join us on Zoom, Tuesday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET

Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P_7arZVWSImu46…

Rick Steves' Europe tours brim with evocative art, history, and food, but if there's one thing that makes our tours unforgettable, it's the people. In this Rick Steves' Europe Tours 101 session, tour guide Lisa Friend and tour program manager Robyn Stencil dissect the Rick Steves travel style, give behind-the-scenes glimpses into how our tours are designed, and paint a picture of a typical day on a Rick Steves tour.

Along the way, we'll hear from our European vendors, tour alumni, and Rick to celebrate the people-to-people connections that make our tours dazzle and to help you determine if your next adventure might be on a Rick Steves tour. So grab a spritz to sip and a notepad to scribble on, and join us for a fun and informative evening!

Learn more: www.ricksteves.com/tours/101

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6 months ago | [YT] | 49

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Are you ready for some virtual travel? Join Rick's live Monday Night Travel party!

4 years ago | [YT] | 6

Rick Steves Travel Talks

Home School with Rick at classroom.ricksteves.com/

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