Travel With Rick Steves

Art history specialist, co-author of "Europe 101" and original "Europe Through the Gutter" travel partner Gene Openshaw joins Rick to inspire us with a close-up view of masterpieces including paintings, sculptures and architecture travelers can't afford to miss in Europe. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Home of rasta and reggae, the small island of Jamaica offers big personality, a distinctive accent, waterfall zip lines, and snorkeling with dolphins. Thanks to all this and more, Jamaica is one of the most popular getaways in the Caribbean. And, for something completely different, the Middle Eastern kingdom of Jordan delights travelers with desert excursions, modern resorts on the Red Sea, anciet cities and more. From Petra to Bedouin, tourists to Jordan are in for a treat. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Salman Rushdie joins Rick to discuss how to confront the cultural clash between East and West and explain the motivation for his latest novel, "The Enchantress of Florence," which revolves around the earliest contacts between Europeans and 16th century moghul India. Later, sailing expert Anthony Sandberg recommends how to experience the eastern Mediterranean, much like the ancients did -- by island-hopping with a boat. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Whether you make it your home base for a few days, or for good, Provence charms any traveler hoping to expeirence traditional French countryside. Two France experts join Rick to take listener calls and unveil what makes Provence such a distinctive region, and why it's so popular among American and European visitors. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick talks with the editor at Life Books about their new photo essay on one hundred of the most compelling places to visit in the USA. And we'll get re-acquainted with Route 66 and the appeal it still holds for a classic road trip thru the heart of middle America and the southwest. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Fred Krakowiak, a wildlife painter who shares his love for Africa with us through his vivid descriptions of a safari, shows Rick what Africa looks like through the eyes of a painter, and Doctor Edward Chapnick, the head of travel medicine at a major hospital in Brooklyn answers questions about precautions for visits to lesser developed countries, as well as the plane ride over. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Stockholm-based tour guide Marita Bergman provides a glimpse into the attractions of her home city and takes listener calls on suggestions for exploring the Swedish countryside. Marita also explains how Swedish society provides for raising a familiy, and how the Swedes celebrate the longest day of the year. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

With seaside resorts on two coasts, volcano, rainforest, jungle, and more species of birds and butterflies than almost anywhere else on earth, Costa Rica is a naturalist's eco-dream. Travel writer Christopher Baker gives us a taste of Costa Rica's "pura vida" and tips on when to visit the country and how to get close to nature -- whether by river raft or by zip-line. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

For some parents, fear of flying means wondering how their kid will behave on the plane. Rick shares practical advice and pointers on traveling with children ranging from toddlers to teens. From acclimating kids to the streets of Rome to leaning how to cope with jetlag, Rick's guests discuss what parents need to know and how to turn kids into lifelong travelers. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The weaker value of the US dollar doesn't have to bust your budget and get in the way of enjoying the European vacation you've always dreamed of. From finding affordable accommodations in hot spots such as London, Madrid and Paris to exploring emerging destinations in Eastern Europe where the dollar still holds up against the local currencies, we're spending the hour exploring European travel budget tricks on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The beaches of Normandy hold the memories of the thousands who fought -- and the many who died -- to bring an end to Europe's Nazi tyranny in 1944. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, we'll explore options for visiting the sites connected with D-Day -- a trip many Americans rate among the most moving of their lives. Rick also fields listener calls and emails to help plan upcoming travels to Europe, and shares another round of listener travel haiku. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

With an extravagant collection of more history, art, and culture than any other city in the world, Rome defined the word "civilization" two thousand years ago. Today, two of Rome's best tour guides join Rick to take listener calls, point out the city's high points, and offer tips travelers with any amount of time to spend in the Eternal City can put to use. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Now one of the world's largest cities, Istanbul retains its intimate character with the echoes of generations still evident in its narrow streets and ornate monuments. Rick's friends Tan and Lale Aran join us for a guide to their rapidly growing city and take calls to help listeners plan their visits to Istanbul. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

When self-described grump Eric Weiner took a year off from being an NPR correspondent to search for the happiest countries in the world he found some surprising reasons why people are content with the places they call home. Eric joins Rick to discuss what makes the Dutch, Swiss, Icelanders, East Indians, Thais, and even the Bhutanese happy with their lot in life. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick reviews the World Monuments Fund list of the "100 Most Endangered Sites" and finds out what's putting them at risk, and what we can do to help. Also, Rick is joined by the founder of the Olympic Circle Sailing Club in Berkeley, California, and looks at the role sailing clubs are playing as they bring people together to let wind power take them near and far. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

The old China travelers once knew is undergoing radical changes, mixing some of the world's oldest cultural heritage with futuristic city sklines and making way for the next generation of tourists. In fact, it's changing so rapidly, travelers need more than a good guidebook to get around. Rick learns how to get the most out of a visit to China from three experts on Chinese culture and society and finds out what visitors to today's China can expect. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

If you haven't seen Paris you haven't tasted the best of Europe. French tour guide Patrick Vidal joins Rick for an insider's perspective on the style and substance that make Paris a cultural capital. We'll also hear from listeners with their own suggestions for what makes Paris one of the world's favorite cities. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Alaska is a dream destination for many, but the cost and logistics of traveling to America's last frontier can seem almost as imposing as the spectacular scenery. Lonely Planet author Aaron Spitzer joins Rick to discuss travel options for first-timers to Alaska and compare crusing the Southeast to road tripping through Mount Denali and the Kenai Peninsula. Also, Jeff Campbell offers practical tips on how to make a summer road trip with small children memorable for all the right reasons. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Rick's guest Dan Austin describes what it takes to be a "Road Trip Pilgrim," and how a tiny travel budget can actually enhance your experience. Even if you don't want to climb a mountain, there are many ways to add a deeper sense of purpose to your travels. We'll share pratical ideas on taking take time off to recharge your spirit in another part of the world, no matter what your age or income. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Irish tour guide Stephen McPhilmey takes listener calls to explain how the high-tech boom and pop-culture scene have skyrocketed Dublin's stature in recent years and how that's changing the character of the Irish capital. Find out why people across the country are calling Dublin one of their favorite cities -- even though it has become one of its most expensive for American visitors. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.