A fundamental part of enjoying travel in Europe is finding places that I call “back doors.” When I first started traveling, back doors to me… Continue reading
experiences and memories are the gold nuggets of travel. Shopping is never my priority,… Continue reading
The French province of Alsace stands like a flower-child referee between Germany and France. Bounded by the Rhine River on the east and the Vosges… Continue reading
I’ll never forget my first trip to Europe. I was a gangly 14-year-old, dragged to the old country by a conspiracy of grandparents and parents… Continue reading
The Alps, Europe’s highest mountain range, arc from Vienna, Austria to Marseilles, France. They include stretches in eight countries, each with a unique taste of… Continue reading
almost a thousand years ago — and it’s still… Continue reading
In the gorgeously preserved Tuscan hill town of Siena, Italy, the Middle Ages seem to survive in the architecture and in the civic spirit. The… Continue reading
Horror stories about driving in Europe abound. They’re fun to tell, but driving is really only a problem for those who make it one. If… Continue reading
For a chance to experience the mystery of the medieval church through statues, glass and relics, France’s Chartres Cathedral, just an hour from Paris by… Continue reading
One of the great joys of European travel is to journey back in time thanks to its many open-air folk museums. You’ll find these sprawling… Continue reading
While Dublin beckons with reminders of its stirring modern history on nearly every street corner, the best place to commune with the ancient soul of… Continue reading
Wedged between Florence and Rome, Tuscany offers the quintessential Italian experience: sun-soaked hill towns, green and rolling screensaver hills, romantically fortified farms and cypress trees… Continue reading
less than two hours south of Athens by ferry — offers the ideal Greek island experience, without a long journey… Continue reading
Biking and wine tasting may not seem like natural partners when traveling through France. But if you like biking and wine, mixing the two can… Continue reading
Imagine being a teenager forced to spend your summer vacation with robo-tourist Rick Steves (aka “Dad”). My kids, Jackie and Andy, now in their 20s,… Continue reading
A few years ago in Greece, I noticed flags flying at half-staff, and wondered who had died. Then I remembered it was Good Friday —… Continue reading
When I was 18, I took my first independent trip to Europe. During that trip, I toured “Mad” King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany —… Continue reading
the Acropolis, the palace of Versailles, the Colosseum — can be the spine-tingling… Continue reading
with an epic history, a… Continue reading
The best travelers aren’t those with the fattest wallets, but those who take planning seriously. Jack might jet off to Europe as a free spirit,… Continue reading
