Travel With Rick Steves

In the past decade and a half, Berlin has re-emerged as one of Europe's major capitals -- it's changing so quickly even tourism officials have difficulty keeping up.  Rick gets the latest on Berlin 's rebirth from EurAide's Lee Evans. Berlin is also one of the major worldwide destinations favored by gay and lesbian travelers.  We'll learn what's happening in this travel market with Ed Salvato, editor of OutandAbout.com, a website run by the largest gay publisher in North America. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Mexico is the perfect destination for North Americans seeking sun, fun, and a colorful, distinctive culture. Rick explores some of the popular Pacific coast destinations of Mexico, from Puerto Vallarta down to Acapulco and Oaxaca (wah-HAH-ka), with guidebook author Bruce Whipperman. We visit with a singer who spends part of the year working to make a living in Seattle, but lives like royalty when she's got a gig in Istanbul. Julie Cascioppo (cass-ee-OH-po) tells us how her career as a singer helps her to travel in style. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

From the newly spruced up capital of Athens , to the sun-drenched villages of the mainland and the islands, it's no myth that Greece is a pleasure to experience. Greece provides countless opportunities for travelers to experience its rich history in the ruins of its ancient past. Yet modern-day Greece carries its own weight as a desirable destination. Visiting ancient sites in Greece is something every seasoned traveler should do at least once, and this week Rick gets an insider's perspective on visiting Greece from tour guide Penny Kolomvatsou. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Italy has become one of the hottest destinations for European travel -- and for good reason. Smart travelers know how to avoid crowds and, as a result, enjoy a genuine experience of Italy. Rick chats with a local from Cortona, the hilltown known to Americans as the setting for "Under the Tuscan Sun," and for those afraid to fly, Rick receives tips from Steve Hutchison, who leads a Fear of Flying workshop. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

We'll visit with three of Rick Steves' tour guide friends from Eastern Europe. We'll find out what it was like being raised in different types of Communist countries, and how their lives have changed since capitalism was introduced to Poland and the republics of the former Yugoslavia. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Join us this holiday season for Travel with Rick Steves Christmas in Europe radio special! During the program, Rick hears how his European friends prepare for and celebrate Christmas. Listeners learn the common threads of religious tradition and family, get acquainted with some of Santa's cousins in the old country, as well as experience extended interviews. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Travel journalist Michael Shapiro set out on a literary project to interview 18 travel authors to see what makes their work such a pleasure. He turned his interviews into a book called "A Sense of Place." This week, Rick turns the tables on Michael to find out what he discovered about his favorite travel authors -- including Rick. We'll learn about the roots of some of today's most celebrated nomads, and perhaps refine our own palette for wanderlust. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

If you like to travel off the beaten track, and want to get the most out of your travel dollar, Honduras might be just the ticket. This week, Rick learns from guidebook author Chris Humphrey about Honduras -- a laid back part of Central America with endless beaches, a huge undeveloped roadless jungle and cloud forest, and a growing American ex-pat community. Or, if you prefer a more cosmopolitan side of Latin America, we'll also chat with an American now living in Rio de Janeiro to see how easy it is to fit into Brazilian society. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

This week we will talk about Ireland with two of Rick's tour guide friends from the North and South. We'll find out how much Ireland has changed in recent years due to its impressive economic surge. The cost of travel has skyrocketed for Americans, but as guests Declan Field and Stephen McPhilemy and our callers confirm, it's the Irish people that make visiting a priceless experience. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

This week, we'll learn some of the basics of eating out in France and how to enjoy such foods as crèpes, escargot, truffles and steak tartare. But the culture of everyday life in France is different enough for travelers that it sometimes causes misunderstandings and embarrassment. We'll touch on some of the faux pas visitors face when encountering French society on its own terms. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

afety This week, we will "Ask the Pilot" about how an over-active imagination can create a fear of flying. Commercial pilot, author, and salon.com columnist Patrick Smith joins Rick to explain what's going on from the cockpit to the runway. And Holly Morris, author of "Adventure Divas," will discuss her exploration of the planet in search of impressive and influential women to interview. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Mention the French Riviera, and images of glamorous celebrities may come to mind. But the Mediterranean coast of France was also the inspiration for some of the great impressionist and modern artists, and has plenty of charm to spare year-round for all kinds of travelers. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, tour guide Pascale Rucker is our guest, bringing us an insider's guide to help you experience the sensual pleasures of the French Riviera. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick learns about Islam -- where it's commonly practiced in Turkey from friends who live in Istanbul. He then places a call to Rome to chat with a resident of that city's little-known Jewish Ghetto, whose family emigrated there from Jerusalem two thousand years ago. We'll also hear from a listener who recently returned from a trip to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

This week, Rick Steves learns about Belize, Central America's relatively new country, from guidebook author Joshua Berman. It's a little bit Caribbean, a little bit Latin American, and all with a British heritage. Then, European tour guide Donald White stops in to describ his home in Northern Italy, with suggestions for lake and ski resorts in the Alps. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

This week, Rick discusses the appeal of our neighbors in Mexico, from the frenzy of its must-see capital to the deep blue waters and nightlife around Cancun, and the Mayan artifacts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Plus, we'll take listener calls from people planning trips to Europe...on Travel with Rick Steves. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A traveler can experience a true sense of discovery by venturing "off the beaten path" into places not often visited by the average vacationer. And that's what we're doing on the next Travel with Rick Steves. This week, Rick takes us around the world in an hour, to find out what special arrangements are needed to visit the Galapagos Islands, to learn what the cultural influence of Turkey means for the emerging Central Asia republics, and to experience a road trip from Dallas into the desert southwest of the USA. It's not your average itinerary as we discover adventures "off the beaten path" 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.

Guidebook Author William Friar spent his childhood in Panama, and lets us know about post-Noriega Panama...where one U.S. dollar will buy you dinner. He'll also discuss how travelers can easily find a tropical landscape shared more by birds and butterflies than with other tourists. We'll then learn more about the 'gite' ("jheet") system of renting a French country home by the week, from an American who bought one in Burgundy. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Prague is so popular with western visitors, and we'll find out why from Tour Guide Honza Vihan, a native of the golden city of a hundred spires. Rick also makes time for listener calls, including one report about their month in Egypt. Rick calls a youth hostel high in the Swiss Alps to see how things are going on a typical evening as new friends gather together. We're getting plenty of mileage this week from Prague to Cairo to Gimmewald. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

A trip to the cobblestoned streets of Europe can be a nightmare for anyone in a wheelchair or who has difficulty walking. This week, Rick Steves talks to Ken Plattner, an activist for disabled persons. Ken recently teamed with Rick to create a guidebook for persons with accessibility issues. We'll also get suggestions from Jamie Jensen on another set of USA Roadtrips -- this time in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick will get an insider's view of London from Gillian Chadwick, a certified blue badge guide. She and Rick share pointers on what's new and how to get the most out of this crowded, expensive, and amazing city. Then Rick heads west to Bermuda with guidebook author Rosemary Jones. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.