Rick Steves' Europe takes 30,000 Americans through Europe on 1,200 bus tours every year (except this year, of course). It’s a complicated operation with a lot of moving parts — and recently, I enjoyed focusing on one dimension of that vast network: A group that our Tour Operations department simply refers to as “Our Vendors.” Our vendors are the mostly very small businesses that we partner with in Europe to create the Rick Steves tour experience: the carefully chosen guesthouses, small hotels, r

Our new special, Rick Steves' Experiencing Europe, is now available! Join Rick Steves as he shares lessons from a lifetime of European travel so you can learn from his experiences and travel smoother. In this entertaining, information-packed hour, with Europe as your classroom, you’ll learn the essential skills for smart travel from itinerary planning to venturing off the beaten path. Get Rick’s tips on packing light, escaping crowds, avoiding scams and pickpockets, and maximizing your cultural

This is clip #4 of a 10-part series of interviews I did while producing our public television special “Rick Steves' The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today.” (You can watch the full one-hour show at www.ricksteves.com/holy-land; previous clips in this series are at blog.ricksteves.com.) Considering the impact of American policies on the daily lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, this is my attempt to introduce you to some people in both camps whose voices might otherwise not be heard.

Join Rick Steves as he shares the essential skills for smart European travel: itinerary planning, venturing off the beaten path, packing light, avoiding crowds (and thieves), transportation tips, finding hotels and restaurants, and much more. Learn from Rick's experiences — and travel smarter! | Rick Steves' Europe

One of the reasons we travel? To learn. Deepening our understanding of history, art, and culture, we better appreciate those who came before us, and it helps us to better prepare for and contribute to what’s next. In this clip from Rick's "Why We Travel" TV special, we learn how, through travel, we can deepen our understanding of history, gain context and perspective… and become wiser. #RickSteves #KeepOnTravelin #KeepOnTraveling #RickStevesEurope | Rick Steves' Europe