Rick Steves’ Europe

We stroll along Delft's idyllic canals and markets, and see how its famous Delftware porcelain is made.

Padova’s Scrovegni Chapel, with its precious 14th-century Giotto frescoes, is one of Italy’s most beloved art treasures.

The Berlin Wall Memorial and Museum House at Checkpoint Charlie educate visitors about Berlin's tumultuous 20th century.

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 ...

The Van Gogh Museum houses the 200 paintings owned by Vincent’s younger brother, Theo — laid out as the story of Vincent's life.

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.

Güzelyurt is the kind of discovery I love to feature in my guidebooks — almost no tourism, lots of history, plenty of character.

Tel Aviv is a young, modern city with gleaming new buildings, a beautiful beach scene, and delicious, locally-sourced cuisine.

Ramallah hosts the Palestinian government and international agencies, and is filled with positive energy from the students at nearby Birzeit University.

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.

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 ...

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 ...

Haarlem is a “Dutch Masters” kind of town, with plenty of 17th-century architecture. Dodge bikes down narrow lanes to discover some of Haarlem’s gems — pickled herring, masterpieces by Dutch ...

Young, in-the-know locals agree that Prenzlauer Berg is one of Berlin’s most colorful neighborhoods. There are no real sights -- just a lively, laid-back neighborhood ignoring its wonderful ...

About two hours from touristy Venice is Verona — a welcome sip of pure, easygoing Italy. Its main attractions are its wealth of Roman ruins and its 21st-century quiet, pedestrian-only ambience.

One of Europe's most pleasant strolls is along Prague's historic coronation route. Use it as a spine, but make a point to venture beyond, and learn enough Czech to interact with the locals.

A great side trip from Paris is the city of Chartres — and its famous cathedral, arguably Europe’s best example of pure Gothic architecture. It was built quickly, so the cathedral has a unity of ...

Amsterdam has plenty of examples of their progressive approach to subjects many people consider unsavory: curbside urinals, prostitutes who are unionized, taxed, and regulated…and “coffeeshops” ...

Cappadocia is rightly famous for its exotic landscape of fantastical land formations. The scenery is best surveyed from one of the 60 or so hot-air balloons that lift off every clear morning, giving ...

No longer just the little town of Christmas-carol fame, Bethlehem is a leading Palestinian city. Its skyline is a commotion of both crescents and crosses — a reminder that the town, while now mostly ...

In Vernazza, the action’s at the harbor, where you’ll find a kids’ beach, plenty of sunning rocks, and a wealth of cafés and restaurants.