Travel with Rick Steves Rick Steves

Hear from a scuba diving enthusiast how the scenery beneath the surface can be breathtaking in unexpected ways. Then get tips from a tour guide for enjoying Italy's gorgeous Amalfi Coast in spite of the crowds. And discover how you can enjoy a ramble on one of England's most popular hiking trails, the South West Coast Path.

The Iberian Peninsula takes center stage as tour guides tell us what they like best about the scenic Algarve region of Portugal, and recommend where to find the charming parts of Spain's crowded and touristy Costa del Sol. Plus, futurist Kevin Kelly tells us what traditional aspects of Asia have impressed him the most over fifty years of photo journeys across the continent.

A self-described "Rome nerd" helps us picture what it was like to live in the Roman Empire and explains how much we can learn about the era from its now 2,000-year-old rubble. Then a tour guide from Bulgaria sings the praises of its cultural capital, Plovdiv — one of the oldest cities in Europe, possibly in the whole world. And listeners share serendipitous stories from their European travels.

Historian, novelist, and legendary editor Michael Korda invites us to look back on World War I through the eyes of its soldier poets, whose works — often composed in the trenches — offer an unusually personal and uncensored perspective on the horrors of "the war to end all wars." And a Turkish tour guide takes listener calls while offering advice for finding a friendly welcome in the rural villages of Turkey, where the main attraction might just be…you.

Rick and his senior writer discuss why so much of what Americans have long called "Eastern Europe" is better termed "Central Europe," especially with the Cold War now several decades behind us. Then a tour guide from Oslo explains how Norway cleverly uses its oil-industry revenues to maintain a flourishing society. And German-American journalist Michael Scott Moore tells us how he survived nearly three years as a hostage of pirates in Somalia.

A pair of tour-bus drivers offer their expert tips on what to expect when navigating the highways of Europe. Then we discuss ideas for exploring two of Europe's most scenic regions: the lush Irish countryside and the floral landscapes and villages of southern France — and pop into a Dublin pub for a wee sing-along.