Rick Steves' Europe Video - TopPodcast.com

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Amalfi Coast, Italy: Illustrious Seaside Town Aug 22, 2012

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The town of Amalfi is perched on Italy's stunning Amalfi Coast just south of Naples. Amalfi has a proud history that peaked in the 10th century when it was a maritime trading power with a fleet that rivaled Genoa, Pisa and Venice. That's why the town boasts an art-filled cathedral grander than a town of 7,000 would merit. Today, Amalfi lives off tourism and invites visitors to enjoy "la dolce vita." For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Oslo, Norway: Fantastic Folk Museum Aug 15, 2012

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The Norwegian Folk Museum keeps traditional culture alive for visitors to Norway's capital. Over 150 old buildings from all corners of the country have been reassembled in a sprawling park. Costumed guides demonstrate slices of rural and urban life, and, every hour through the day, a crowd gathers to enjoy performances of fiddle music and dance. Don't miss the evocative wooden stave church. Located on Oslo's Bygdøy Peninsula (where many museums are clustered) the folk museum is just a short bus ride or scenic boat trip from the center. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

French Riviera: Cannes and Antibes Aug 08, 2012

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The French Riviera stretches along the Mediterranean from St-Tropez to the Italian border. Two popular destinations are Cannes and Antibes. With exclusive hotels lining mostly private stretches of sandy beach — Cannes is for strolling, dreaming of meeting a movie star, and lounging on the seafront. Don't look for any actual sights to tour. If you missed the film festival (usually held in late-May), there's little to do other than shop and enjoy the beach. Just up the coast, Antibes has a down-to-earth, easygoing ambience that's rare in this area. Its old town is a maze of narrow streets and red-tile roofs rising above the turquoise sea, protected by twin medieval towers and wrapped in rugged ramparts. Picasso called Antibes home for a time and the town's cultural claim to fame, the Picasso Museum, shows off a great collection of his sketches, paintings and ceramics in a fine old seaside castle. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Bath, England: Creamy Complexion Aug 01, 2012

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Good looking British towns are not rare, but few combine beauty and hospitality as well as Bath. The entire city is built of creamy limestone called "Bath stone" and beams in its cover-girl complexion. Visitors are attracted by the flower-bedecked pedestrian streets and architectural gems from many eras that fill the town. Ancient Romans enjoyed Bath's healing waters and founded a spa from where the town takes its name. Bath's 500-year-old Gothic abbey is lit with enough stained glass to earn it the nickname "Lantern of the West." Located ninety minutes west of London, Bath is a can't-miss stop. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Istanbul, Turkey: Hagia Sophia Jul 25, 2012

Show notes

Hagia Sophia has served over the centuries as one of the greatest houses of worship in both the Christian and Muslim worlds. It was built as a church in the Byzantine style in A.D. 537 when Europe was on the eve of its Dark Ages. For four centuries after that, Christians in Europe looked to Constantinople (today's Istanbul) as the leading city in Christendom and this was its centerpiece. In 1453 the conquering Ottomans converted it into a mosque and it became a museum in 1934. Hagia Sophia marks the high point of Byzantine architecture and is the pinnacle of that society's 6th century glory days. It remains one of the most important and impressive structures on our planet. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Zagreb, Croatia: Lively and Livable Capital Jul 18, 2012

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You can't get a complete picture of modern Croatia without a visit to the lively and livable city that is home to one out of every six Croatians — Zagreb. You'll find historic neighborhoods, a thriving café culture, fun people-watching, great parks and virtually no tourists. The city is also boasts Croatia's best museums including a wonderful collection highlighting the Naïve Art movement and its founder Ivan Generalić. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

León, Spain: Remarkable Religious Art Jul 11, 2012

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Lively León is a sizeable city with a delightfully compact Old Town full of small-town atmosphere. A key stopping place for centuries on the Camino de Santiago, León has a pair of sights that serve as a textbook for medieval European art styles: Romanesque (the San Isidoro Monastery, with astonishingly well-preserved frescoes) and Gothic (the cathedral, with the best stained glass outside of France). For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Slovenia: Chatting with the Locals Jul 04, 2012

Show notes

Rick visits the home of his friend and Slovenian tour guide, Tina Hiti, to learn about family life in Slovenia, and how things have changed since living under Yugoslavia's "Third Way." Slovenia was the first Yugoslav republic to hold free elections and became independent in 1991. Thanks to its long-standing ties to the West and can-do spirit, Slovenia feels quite "Western", yet Slovenes proudly retain their own traditions and culture. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Aix-en-Provence, France: Living Well and Looking Good Jun 27, 2012

Show notes

Aix-en-Provence is famous for its elegant streets and squares, markets, beautiful people, and ability to embrace the good life. For a tourist, Aix is happily free of any obligatory turnstiles — there's not a single ancient site to see. It's just an attractive, prosperous town filled with 140,000 people — most of whom, it seems, know how to live well and look good. Experience Aix by strolling the Cours Mirabeau, people-watching in an outdoor café, tasting the local goat cheese in the market or taking part in a game of boules. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

Edinburgh, Scotland: Iconic Castle Jun 20, 2012

Show notes

Edinburgh Castle is the fortified birthplace of the city. Used as both a fort and a royal residence since the 11th century, most of the castle buildings today are from its more recent function as a military garrison. This fascinating and multifaceted sight deserves several hours of your time, and admission comes with a fine guided tour. After the tour other sights of the castle beckon — including the National War Museum that illuminates Scotland’s proud military history. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.

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