Mighty Alps
Join Rick Steves on an alpine adventure, with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers, and unforgettable hikes. We conquer the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria. In Switzerland, we savor the beauty of the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau, and Appenzell. And in France, starting from Chamonix, we ride the lift up to the Aiguille du Midi and hike the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc.
Episodes
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Berlin
S8 E812 - 25m 4s
A tumultuous 20th century left Berlin filled with powerful sights — from evocative memorials, to surviving bits of its communist and fascist days, to its glass-domed Reichstag. We enjoy its now-trendy east side, its people-friendly riverfront, and its vibrant social scene. Reunited Berlin — perhaps the fastest changing and most happening city in Europe — is entertaining more visitors than ever.
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Prague
S8 E811 - 25m 3s
The capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is the best-preserved Baroque city in Central Europe. We experience its massive castle, statue-lined bridge, evocative Jewish Quarter, and thrilling 20th-century history while enjoying its infectious love of music and perhaps the best beer in Europe. With a beautifully preserved Old Town, Prague deserves its nickname: the Golden City of a Hundred Spires.
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The Netherlands: Beyond Amsterdam
S8 E810 - 25m 2s
By train, bike, and boat, we visit the top Dutch sights outside of Amsterdam: from Haarlem to Rotterdam, and from Delft to the Zuiderzee. Along the way, we enjoy charming towns with fragrant cheese markets, soggy polderland, mighty dikes, and windmills both new and old. Rolling through the Netherlands and connecting with its people, you can't help but think, "Everything's so... Dutch!"
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Amsterdam
S8 E809 - 25m 4s
Europe's best-preserved 17th-century city, Amsterdam is quaint and jarring, traditional and modern. Filled with history and happy-go-lucky, it's a delight to explore. Uniquely entertaining Amsterdam shows us Rembrandts and Van Goghs, more bikes than cars, flirting prostitutes, and pot-filled coffeeshops — all under tall, skinny facades leaning out below quaint church towers.
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Italy’s Verona, Padova, and Ravenna
S8 E808 - 25m 4s
In the shadow of Venice, we visit three great cities. Padova is famed for its venerable university, precious Giotto frescoes, and pilgrim-packed Basilica. Verona is a hit with aficionados of Roman ruins and Romeo and Juliet fans. And Ravenna, with its shimmering mosaics, was once the western bastion of the Byzantine Empire. We enliven each stop with a tasty dose of Italian dolce vita.
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Italy's Riviera: Cinque Terre
S8 E807 - 25m 4s
Exploring Italy's most remote, romantic stretch of Riviera, we visit five tiny port towns: dramatic Vernazza, surrounded by vineyards; reclusive Corniglia, high on its bluff; pastel Manarola; hardscrabble Riomaggiore; and pint-sized resort of Monterosso. Fishing for anchovies, sipping wine out of rustic barrels, and savoring twinkling Mediterranean vistas, we enjoy the ultimate Riviera adventure.
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Palestine
S8 E806 - 26m 45s
Palestine is the Muslim and Arab half of the Holy Land. After visiting Jerusalem, we harvest olives near Ramallah, follow pilgrims to the place of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, approach Abraham's tomb — as both Jews and Muslims do — in Hebron, drop in on friends for dinner, and bob in the Dead Sea. We'll also learn about walls, Israeli settlements, and the challenges facing this region.
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The Best of Israel
S8 E805 - 26m 45s
We start in Jerusalem, alive with religious tradition and passion — Christian, Muslim, and Jewish. We then visit cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, with its in-love-with-life beaches; ponder the fortress of Masada; and join pilgrims at biblical sights around the Sea of Galilee. We'll pay our respects at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, drop into an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood, and savor the local cuisine.
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Paris Side Trips
S8 E804 - 25m 4s
Side-tripping from Paris into the Ile-de-France, we indulge in the world of royal and aristocratic extravagance in the pre-Revolutionary playground of France's elite. We explore Versailles, Europe's palace of palaces; exquisite Vaux le Vicomte; and extravagant Fontainebleau, home to centuries of French rulers. We'll also marvel at the glass and statuary of Chartres cathedral and dine like kings.
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France's Loire: Chateau Country
S8 E803 - 25m 4s
Along the Loire River Valley, the beautiful French countryside is studded with evocative châteaux. Home-basing in Amboise, we visit four unique castles: elegant Chenonceau, massive Chambord, stately Cheverny, and fragrant Villandry. Along the way, we tour Leonardo's home, feed hunting dogs, enjoy the local cuisine, and savor a princely garden.
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Central Turkey
S8 E802 - 25m 4s
We marvel at the fascinating landscape of Cappadocia from high above in a balloon...and from deep below, prowling an underground city where Christians once hid out. We'll join a circumcision party, explore troglodyte ghost towns, shop for sheep at the market, and chat with an imam. Then we enjoy the modern capital, Ankara, and pay our respects to the father of modern Turkey, Atatürk.
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Western Turkey
S8 E801 - 25m 4s
From the port of Kusadasi, we wander the streets of ancient Ephesus, soak in a natural spa at Pamukkale, learn why the dervishes whirl at Konya, munch lunch in a Turkish pizzeria, and cruise the Mediterranean on a traditional Turkish gulet from Antalya. Turkey is a mighty nation whose ancient heritage, Muslim faith, and western ways are coming together...and we'll see how.
Extras + Features
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Delft, Netherlands: Town Square and Delftware
S8 E810 - 3m 5s
We stroll along Delft's idyllic canals and markets, and see how its famous Delftware porcelain is made.
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Padova, Italy: The Scrovegni Chapel
S8 E808 - 3m 32s
Padova’s Scrovegni Chapel, with its precious 14th-century Giotto frescoes, is one of Italy’s most beloved art treasures.
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Berlin, Germany: The Wall and Checkpoint Charlie
S8 E812 - 2m 56s
The Berlin Wall Memorial and Museum House at Checkpoint Charlie educate visitors about Berlin's tumultuous 20th century.
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Fontainebleau, France: Royal Château
S8 E804 - 3m 5s
It seems every king, queen, and emperor since has loved this palace — Louis XIII was born here, Louis XV was married here — but Fontainebleau has more Napoleon Bonaparte connections than any other palace.
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Amsterdam, Netherlands: The Van Gogh Museum
S8 E809 - 2m 52s
The Van Gogh Museum houses the 200 paintings owned by Vincent’s younger brother, Theo — laid out as the story of Vincent's life.
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Prague, Czech Republic: Old Town Square
S8 E811 - 1m 52s
Prague’s Old Town Square is filled with beautifully preserved landmarks: the Gothic Týn Church, a memorial to Jan Hus, and a 15-century Astronomical Clock.
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Güzelyurt, Turkey: Beautiful Land
S8 E802 - 3m 58s
Güzelyurt is the kind of discovery I love to feature in my guidebooks — almost no tourism, lots of history, plenty of character.
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Tel Aviv, Israel: Beautiful Beaches and Tasty Cuisine
S8 E805 - 1m 56s
Tel Aviv is a young, modern city with gleaming new buildings, a beautiful beach scene, and delicious, locally-sourced cuisine.
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Ramallah, Palestine: Cultural Capital
S8 E806 - 2m 14s
Ramallah hosts the Palestinian government and international agencies, and is filled with positive energy from the students at nearby Birzeit University.
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Monterosso al Mare, Italy: Cinque Terre Resort Town
S8 E807 - 2m 39s
Monterosso al Mare is the Cinque Terre's most resorty town of the group, with cars, larger hotels, rentable umbrellas, and the best beach around.
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Cheverny, France: Château and Hounds
S8 E803 - 2m 39s
The stately hunting palace of Cheverny is immaculately preserved, having stayed in the same family for five centuries. The kennel is also worth a visit at dinnertime, when the 70 hunting hounds are fed.
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Antalya, Turkey: Relaxing Gulet Cruise
S8 E801 - 3m 9s
A popular excursion from Antalya is a cruise on a gulet — the traditional Turkish sailboat. Sailing away, we marvel at the dramatic shoreline under snow-capped peaks. Resorts, park-like beaches, and ancient ruins clinging to cliffs are all tucked into this rugged-yet accessible Riviera playground.
Schedule
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of the High Middle Ages
Tuesday
May 7
30 Minutes
Gothic cathedrals with colorful altarpieces, lacy stonework and radiant stained glass; art celebrating worldly pleasure; artists like Giotto mastered realism in Italy. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Siena and Tuscany's Wine Country
Tuesday
May 7
30 Minutes
The Palio wild horse race in Siena, Italy; Tuscany's wine country. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of the Florentine Renaissance
Wednesday
May 8
30 Minutes
The "rebirth" of Florence is powered by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael and Michelangelo, whose David sculpture and painting of the Sistine takes the Florentine Renaissance to new heights. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Assisi and Italian Country Charm
Wednesday
May 8
30 Minutes
Farmhouse inn; making prosciutto and pecorino cheese; hiking down ancient wine cellars; the basilica in Assisi, Italy, the hometown of St. Francis. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
West England
Wednesday
May 8
30 Minutes
Cotswold villages boast churches, manor homes and gastropubs; New Age capital of Glastonbury; prehistoric stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of the Renaissance Beyond Florence
Thursday
May 9
30 Minutes
Lacy architecture and ethereal paintings by El Greco in Spain and Portugal; in Germany and Belgium, technologies enable Durer's mass-produced engravings, Jan van Eyck's oil paintings, Brueghel's peasants at play and the futuristic visions of Bosch. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Siena and Tuscany's Wine Country
Thursday
May 9
30 Minutes
The Palio wild horse race in Siena, Italy; Tuscany's wine country. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Southeast England
Thursday
May 9
30 Minutes
Traveling from Canterbury to Dover; hiking the trails atop the cliffs of the South Downs; seaside resort of Brighton; the naval heritage of Portsmouth includes a collection of historic sailing ships. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Baroque Art
Friday
May 10
30 Minutes
Rome's St. Peter's Basilica, Bernini statues and fountains; dramatic canvases of Rubens in Belgium; the chandeliered Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
West England
Friday
May 10
30 Minutes
Cotswold villages boast churches, manor homes and gastropubs; New Age capital of Glastonbury; prehistoric stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
England's Cornwall
Friday
May 10
30 Minutes
The Cornish culture in the far southwest of England; tin mining heritage; pirates' towns and fishing villages; Dartmoor National Park. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of the Neoclassical and Romantic Ages
Tuesday
May 14
30 Minutes
Europe's Neoclassical buildings of columns and domes; dramatic Romantic paintings depicting extreme emotions and nature; touring castles. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
The Heart of England
Tuesday
May 14
30 Minutes
Kings and prime ministers studied at Oxford and Cambridge universities; Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill; Ironbridge Gorge. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Southeast England
Wednesday
May 15
30 Minutes
Traveling from Canterbury to Dover; hiking the trails atop the cliffs of the South Downs; seaside resort of Brighton; the naval heritage of Portsmouth includes a collection of historic sailing ships. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Lisbon
Wednesday
May 15
30 Minutes
A visit to Lisbon, Portugal, features cod, hot pastries, a stroll of the city's back lanes and fado music; exploring castles of Portuguese royalty in Sintra. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves' Europe: Art of the 20th Century
Thursday
May 16
30 Minutes
The wild, colorful, surreal and fun art of the 20th century, from Spain to Hungary to Glasgow to Oslo; the work of Pablo Picasso. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
England's Cornwall
Thursday
May 16
30 Minutes
The Cornish culture in the far southwest of England; tin mining heritage; pirates' towns and fishing villages; Dartmoor National Park. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Portugal's Heartland
Thursday
May 16
30 Minutes
Dancing on the beach in Nazaré, Portugal; medieval abbey in Batalha; royal library; port wine; exploring Porto, Portugal. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
Friday
May 17
30 Minutes
Rick Steves' guidebooks, public-radio program and numerous television series have made him an essential resource for travelers wishing to explore Europe. This program finds the knowledgeable host offering globetrotters a fresh perspective on lodgings, transportation and places to visit on their journeys. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is Steves' belief that travelers should become "temporary locals," exploring not only major cities and the usual sites, but out-of-the-way locales that often produce the most authentic, and enjoyable, experiences of a trip. -
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Rick Steves' Europe
The Heart of England
Friday
May 17
30 Minutes
Kings and prime ministers studied at Oxford and Cambridge universities; Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill; Ironbridge Gorge.
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