Podcasts by Travel with Rick Steves
A weekly one-hour conversation with guest experts and callers about travel, cultures, people, and the things we find around the world that give life its extra sparkle. Rick Steves is America's leading authority on travel to Europe and beyond. Host and writer of over a hundred public television travel shows and author of 30 best-selling guidebooks, Rick now brings his passion for exploring and understanding our world to public radio. Related travel information and message boards on www.ricksteves.com
Further podcasts by Rick Steves
Podcast on the topic Reisen und Orte
All episodes
667 R. L. Stevenson South Seas; Around the World in 80 Books; Why Wales from 2022-02-26T00:00
Author J. Maarten Troost recounts his journeys sailing the South Pacific in the wake of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the contentment and sobriety he found along the way. Then Harvard professor Da...
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547a Gaudí's Sagrada Família; Globally Curious from 2022-02-19T00:00
An expert on Antoni Gaudí reveals what the Modernista architect had envisioned for Barcelona's magnificent Sagrada Família church, and shares updates on the work to complete what G...
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666 Unter den Linden; Touring the Thames; A Heart for Public Art from 2022-02-12T00:00
A pair of German tour guides take us on a vicarious stroll down Unter den Linden, the famed tree-lined boulevard running through the heart of Berlin, and describe what it reveals about their cou...
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665 Surprises from Boring Places; Sidecountry; Dakar, Senegal from 2022-02-05T00:00
We consider how visiting second- and third-tier destinations — places some might dismiss as "boring" — can lead to the most rewarding travel experiences. And two New York Times Listen
664 Tblisi; Bruges; Milan from 2022-01-29T00:00
A young "digital nomad" tells us why Tblisi, in the Republic of Georgia, makes an ideal home base for working abroad. Then a Belgian tour guide describes what visitors enjoy most when exploring ...
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574a American Hawaii; Aloha Rodeo; Surfing Groundswell from 2022-01-22T00:00
Historian Sarah Vowell revisits how the Hawaiian Islands became an American territory in the 19th century, then journalist David Wolman tells us how three cowboys from Hawaii's Big Island redefi...
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663 The MLK Trail; Afghanistan Ski Challenge; Favorite Travel Memories from 2022-01-15T00:00
The president of the social-justice nonprofit Sojourners joins Rick to discuss places you can visit to better appreciate the life and civil-rights accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. Trav...
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662 Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail; When I Return to London; South of England from 2022-01-08T00:00
We hear from a young traveler who, having graduated from college amid the pandemic, used the opportunity to set out on an epic hike from Mexico to Canada along the Pacific Crest Trail. Then Rick...
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661 Auld Lang Syne; Paris Sommelier; Gastro Obscura New Year's; Waters of Rome from 2022-01-01T00:00
Two Scottish friends explain the Scots-dialect lyrics to "Auld Lang Syne," and a Parisian sommelier shares his expert tips for selecting — and enjoying — French wines. Then an author...
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427b Even More European Christmas Traditions from 2021-12-25T00:00
Learn about holiday traditions observed in France, Norway, Greece, London, the Spanish Basque Country, and small-town Italy. From festively decorated Greek boats to dishes of fresh oysters and f...
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508b Another European Christmas from 2021-12-18T00:00
Hear about what Europeans are looking forward to at this time of year, from Saint Nicholas Day through Boxing Day, in Germany, England, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and the Czech Republic —...
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660 A Theroux Traveler; Why We Travel; Winter in Paris; Dingle Bells from 2021-12-11T00:00
Rick talks with author Paul Theroux about the advantages of traveling solo, and swaps some travel-writing tricks, then TV host Samantha Brown joins us to describe how the pandemic has affected h...
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659 Lyon; Building a Beloved Community; Influential Iceland from 2021-12-04T00:00
A pair of French tour guides tell us why Lyon is one of their favorite places in France. Then the president of the social-justice nonprofit Sojourners describes how the example set by Martin Lut...
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546a Greek Godmother; Lidia's American Dream; Promised Land from 2021-11-27T00:00
A Greece-based tour guide describes the elevated role of godparents in her adopted country, where godparents become a lifelong part of the child's family. Then TV chef Lidia Bastianich shares th...
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658 Humble American Bragging; Why I Love Madrid; Deep Time Journey from 2021-11-20T00:00
British travel writer Richard Grant discusses the sporting sense of humor he's observed (and appreciated) behind the distinctly American talent for over-the-top bragging. Then tour guides from M...
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657 Perillo Family Italy; Soul of South Korea; Visiting Europe Now from 2021-11-13T00:00
Tour operator Steve Perillo describes his family's connection to a scenic town near Naples, and why he's so eager to return. Then travel writer Chaney Kwak explains why Seoul is an ideal introdu...
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656 On Travel Writing; Antarctic Madhouse; Enchantress of Florence from 2021-11-06T00:00
Join Rick on a dip into the deeper end of travel literature as he talks with travel essayist Pico Iyer about writing from the heart, then with author Julian Sanction, who recounts the gripping s...
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581a Recoleta Cemetery; Spooky Atlas Obscura; Near the Exit from 2021-10-30T00:00
Just in time for Halloween and Day of the Dead, meet some of the famous residents of Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery, then take an armchair expedition to some of the spookiest places in the Atla...
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655 SF East Bay; A Week in London; Climate Crucible from 2021-10-23T00:00
Roman Mars, host of the podcast "99 Percent Invisible," describes some of his favorite examples of clever design from his home turf in Oakland and Berkeley. Then two tour guides from London team...
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654 Best of Bulgaria; Traveling with Disabilities; Chasing the Sun from 2021-10-16T00:00
Two tour guides from Sofia explain why Bulgaria is one of Europe's most underrated travel destinations (hint: it has a long, fascinating history — and bargain prices). Author Francine Falk...
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538a Why I Love Berlin; Italian Coffee Bars from 2021-10-09T00:00
Three tour guides from Berlin suggest sights to see and experiences to enjoy in Germany's vibrant, changing capital. And to celebrate Oktoberfest season, a tour guide from Munich explains why be...
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653 Ærø Island Denmark; Emilia-Romagna; Italian View of Sicily from 2021-10-02T00:00
Find out what makes the small Danish island of Ærø a perfectly charming and cozy getaway, which region Italophile Fred Plotkin considers Italy's greatest source of culinary and...
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652 Gastro Obscura; Disney World Update; Memory Lane from 2021-09-25T00:00
A writer with Atlas Obscura describes some of the world's most unusual foods — and extraordinary places to eat them. Then the author of Frommer's guide to Orlando shares tips for visiting ...
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651 Inner Hebrides; Soul of the Family Tree; Ancient Ireland from 2021-09-18T00:00
Scottish tour guides share their best advice for a spirit-boosting trip to the enchanting isles of Scotland's Inner Hebrides. Then author Lori Erickson invites us to gain a deeper understanding ...
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495a National Parks Dinner Party; The Great Southwest; Crazy Utah Bike Ride from 2021-09-11T00:00
Author Terry Tempest Williams describes the various "personalities" of a dozen US national parks, and examines each one's contributions to the American character. Then historian Flannery Burke t...
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650 Silver Linings; Basque Cities; English Villages from 2021-09-04T00:00
Travel writer Don George shares the reflections that have helped him get through the pandemic with a positive outlook. Then tour guides from the border-straddling Basque Country of Spain and Fra...
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649 Bowen Island, BC; Arctic Wisdom; Warsaw from 2021-08-28T00:00
Listen in as a University of British Columbia professor describes the woodsy charm of Bowen Island, just offshore from Vancouver, and a nature photographer shares what he's learned from decades ...
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580a Villages of Tuscany; Megafauna from 2021-08-21T00:00
American-born tour guides who've settled in Tuscany explain why it's an ideal region for experiencing the essence of Italy. And the curator of mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History...
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648 Becoming a Digital Nomad; Window Seat; Spirit of the Grand Canyon from 2021-08-14T00:00
Get tips on becoming a "digital nomad" from an American who relocated to the Republic of Georgia. Then consider ideas for taking a deeper look at the US as a geologist shares advice on making th...
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647 Algarve Coast; Fijian Customs; What Pandemic Showed Me from 2021-08-07T00:00
Find out what makes the coastline of southern Portugal's Algarve region an ideal destination for family vacations. And learn about some of Fiji's most interesting customs as a guidebook author d...
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646 Daughter of Peru; Married to Bhutan; Barcelona Guide from 2021-07-31T00:00
Journalist and author Marie Arana describes her cross-cultural experience of growing up in both Peru and the US, and another author, Linda Leaming — one of very few Americans to ever live ...
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645 Romantic Rhine; Indian Ocean Journeys; Where I'm Going from 2021-07-24T00:00
A pair of seasoned tour guides discuss the romantic allure of Germany's Rhine Valley, and author David Mould recounts his journeys in the Indian Ocean region while sharing what he's loved most f...
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556a Flamenco Fan; Four Seasons in Lesotho; Faux Pas from 2021-07-17T00:00
A flamenco enthusiast from Sweden explains her lifelong passion for the fiery dance traditions of southern Spain. Then writer Will McGrath tells us what he learned from his neighbors while livin...
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644 Underappreciated Paris Museums; Many Lives of the Louvre; Cote D'Azur from 2021-07-10T00:00
Get ideas for visiting some of Paris' unique, under-appreciated small museums, as well as tips for tackling its massive grande dame, the Louvre — and an author's insights into the former p...
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643 Pandemic Road Trip; Corona Wanderlust; American Surprises from 2021-07-03T00:00
Esteemed travel writer Paul Theroux recounts his cross-country adventure driving from Cape Cod to southern California amid a pandemic, and Don George of National Geographic Traveler des...
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569a Best National Park Experiences; Northland; San Francisco Day Trips from 2021-06-26T00:00
Writer Porter Fox tells us what he discovered when he followed the US-Canada border from Maine to Washington State. Then writer and photographer Becky Lomax shares her favorite national park exp...
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642 Turkish Market; Tour Industry; Inclusivity from 2021-06-19T00:00
After learning why a midday stop at the public market is always a good idea in Turkey, get an insider's look at how the tour industry is rebuilding itself as Rick and the head of Perillo Tours c...
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641 Finding Europe in America; Cruise Ship Nightmare; Iceland Backcountry from 2021-06-12T00:00
Get ideas and tips from TV host Samantha Brown for finding little corners of Europe in the New World, then hear an author's dramatic firsthand account of a near catastrophe on a cruise ship caug...
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640 Invisible City; Under the Wave at Waimea from 2021-06-05T00:00
There's an invisible layer to the city where you live.?It's meant to make your life easier, but is easy to overlook.?Roman Mars of the podcast "99% Invisible" helps us examine how our urban envi...
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554a Why I Love Rome; Garden Lust; Mountain Switzerland from 2021-05-29T00:00
There's something about the city of Rome that lets you know you get to be part of its incredible history. On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we'll hear how the locals love their city, even wit...
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639 Mid-American Feast; All the Way to the Tigers; Feedback from 2021-05-22T00:00
Enjoy a picnic of comfort foods from the American Midwest, as Matthew Gavin Frank describes a few of his favorites. Author Mary Morris tells us what she discovered on a challenging winter trip t...
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638 Sailing in Oslo; Underland; Beyond Amsterdam from 2021-05-15T00:00
There's a largely unknown world to explore, right beneath your feet. Author?Robert Macfarlane tells us what he finds intriguing about the "Underland." Plus, hop aboard for a sail to Oslo.?And Du...
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286b Mother's Day: Sweet Home Croatia; An American Mother in Paris from 2021-05-08T00:00
On our Mother's Day edition, we hear what it was like to relocate a Midwestern family to the Croatian village their great-grandparents came from. An American who married a Frenchman tells us wha...
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637 Versailles; Reporting from West Africa; Orthodox Easter Traditions from 2021-05-01T00:00
New York Times correspondent Dionne Searcey tells us about her work as the paper's West Africa bureau chief, where her team's reporting on the women kidnapped by Boko Haram won them a Pulitzer. ...
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636 Athens Neighborhoods; Digital Nomads; Venice Lagoon from 2021-04-24T00:00
An American "digital nomad" tells us how he's figured out how to work from home, overseas in the Republic of Georgia. Guides from Athens tell us how their city became a cleaner, more attractive ...
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635 The Habsburgs; Lost in the Pond; Arabic Friends from 2021-04-17T00:00
Laurence Brown explores a few of the memos that must have gotten "lost in the pond" between the US and Britain. Zora O'Neill tells us how studying the Arabic language might not prepare you for t...
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482a Sevilla April Fair; Walking England; City Squares from 2021-04-10T00:00
A tour guide from Sevilla explains how the annual April Fair will animate her city again when the pandemic is finished. Guides from England share their favorite places to enjoy your own piece of...
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634 Holy Land Easter; Mudlarking; Higher Tides from 2021-04-03T00:00
A London "mudlarker" who searches the River Thames at low tide for buried objects describes how discarded items can connect us with life in the Victorian era, and even as far back as Roman times...
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633 Granada; Mount Ararat; Colombia's Rio Magdalena from 2021-03-27T00:00
Guides from Spain highlight the historical treasures you can find in Granada today, including the impressive Islamic art of its Alhambra palace. Rick Antonson tells us how he climbed to the top ...
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318a Springtime in Basque Country; Irish Song from 2021-03-20T00:00
You'll find one of the oldest cultures in Europe along the Atlantic coast of Spain and France. We'll explore Basque Country with two guides who have deep family roots in the region.?We'll also v...
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632 Galway; A Week in Ireland; Brittany from 2021-03-13T00:00
We'll help you start your travel plans for when the pandemic is behind us with an all-Celtic hour. Tour guides from Ireland offer insider advice for visiting Galway and the west of Ireland, and ...
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631 The Ravenmaster; Future Travel; Tour Business in 2021 from 2021-03-06T00:00
A Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London explains why a British legend about ravens is being put to the test.?A New York Times reporter tells us how people are hoping to travel safely again.?The h...
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630 Portugal's Art and Architecture; Breakfast With Polygamists; Jack London's Yukon from 2021-02-27T00:00
Travel writer Dave Seminara tells us how curiosity led him to meet with healers in the jungles of Nicaragua and Belize. Plus, Richard Grant tells us how a Yukon winter in Dawson City inspired Ja...
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534a Crete; Alaska's Tip of the Iceberg; Darwin Comes to Town from 2021-02-20T00:00
A Dutch biologist explains how urban evolution is happening faster than we used to think all over the world.?Plus, travel writer Mark Adams describes his 3,000-mile voyage along the coasts of Al...
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629 Loving French Cheese; More Cities of China; Carnival in Venice & Rhineland from 2021-02-13T00:00
While this year's Mardi Gras parties were called off because of the pandemic, we'll bring you a virtual celebration of Carnival —?a social safety valve for letting off steam since the Midd...
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628 Amtrakistan; Astronaut's View; Renaissance Florence from 2021-02-06T00:00
Find out what taking high-definition photos of Earth through the windows of the International Space Station revealed to astronaut Chris Hadfield. Hear why writer Eric Weiner?prefers spending fou...
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627 Guanajuato & Querétaro; Patricia Schultz Places to See; Where I Really Want to Go from 2021-01-30T00:00
With a global pandemic playing havoc with travel plans, we can take refuge in our fondest travel memories and look at places to go next.?We'll explore what the picturesque cities of central Mexi...
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626 Unraveling America; Spanish Civil War Sites; Photogenic Scotland from 2021-01-23T00:00
A Canadian observer of America's malaise offers what he calls an "intervention" to his friends in the USA. Plus, we'll explore Spain's civil war with a pair of Spanish tour guides whose families...
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550a Expats in Italy; Maeve in America from 2021-01-16T00:00
American ex-pats tell us why they chose to make a new home for themselves in Italy — and how they make it work. And Irish comedian Maeve Higgins explains what it's been like moving to New ...
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625 Snowdonia; Outposts; Natural Slovenia from 2021-01-09T00:00
British travel writer Dan Richards explores the historic outposts and refuges you can visit that are scattered among some of the most dramatic scenery on earth. Plus, local guides tell us about ...
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624 Greek Mythology Sites; National Parks Year; Travel Memories from 2021-01-02T00:00
Guides from Greece tell us about the significant places you can visit to better understand the world of the ancient Greeks. Journalist Conor Knighton describes how he made an epic New Year's res...
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549a Searching for Stars; Stoked My Spirit; Champagne from 2020-12-26T00:00
MIT Professor Alan Lightman tells us how a little time alone with the night sky in Maine illuminated his awareness of the universe, and his place in it. Also, listeners share travel experiences ...
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548a German Christmas Markets; Christmas Memories Madrid, Sicily, Ireland, Hebrides from 2020-12-19T00:00
Brighten your socially distanced holidays by looking at the extra observances our friends in Europe normally celebrate this time of year.?Listen in as Rick's friends from Germany, Spain, Sicily,...
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623 Christmas in Holland, Santa Fe, Venice; Wassailing; Holiday Travels from 2020-12-12T00:00
Take a virtual vacation to spice up this year's stay-at-home holidays: We'll hear about the festive customs people in Holland, Venice, Santa Fe, and England have for celebrating the Christmas se...
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622 UK Royals; Lost Pianos of Siberia; Action in the Piazza from 2020-12-05T00:00
"Have you got a piano?" Sophy Roberts tells us how that simple question warmed her up to the people of Siberia on a search for historic pianos in the Russian Far East. Plus, find out how you can...
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621 Italian Wine and Music; Nomadland USA from 2020-11-28T00:00
Jessica Bruder, author of the book that the new movie "Nomadland" is based on, tells us how she learned firsthand how thousands of older Americans survive on seasonal temp work while living in R...
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544a Bulgarian Feast; Gascony Gastronomy; Italian Olive Oil from 2020-11-21T00:00
Find out how living in the crosshairs of cultural battlelines in the Balkans has made Bulgaria one of Europe's most interesting places to eat. Food writer David McAninch reveals what makes the f...
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620 Frankfurt; Ghostways; Where I Really Want to Go from 2020-11-14T00:00
We look beyond the dazzling skyscrapers of Frankfurt to find the city's street-level charms, with the help of a friendly pair of German tour guides. Author Robert Macfarlane tells us about two o...
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619 Paprika; Silver Sword and Stone; Galicia from 2020-11-07T00:00
Tour guides from Hungary set us straight on their country's love of paprika and what a good goulash is supposed to be. Author Marie Arana looks at how a thousand years of history can help explai...
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382b Pirates of the Carolinas; Faeries of Ireland; Ghosts of San Francisco from 2020-10-31T00:00
Just in time for Halloween and All Souls Day, we'll explore the legacy of the real-life pirates who operated off the Carolina coast of colonial America.?A pair of Irishmen clue us in to their co...
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618 Medellin; Traveling with Gloria Steinem and David McCullough from 2020-10-24T00:00
Rick compares notes with travel writer Dave Seminara on Medellín, Colombia, as the "City of Eternal Spring" tries to shake off its former reputation for cartel violence and promote itself...
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617 Dutch Masters; Where I Want to Go; Bird Brains from 2020-10-17T00:00
Find out what the art of the Dutch Masters can reveal about the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, and why Holland and Belgium were so different from the rest of Europe. Learn about the intel...
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542a Wild West Ghost Towns; Heroes of Ireland; Savage Harvest from 2020-10-10T00:00
Author Jim Hinckley recommends Old West ghost towns you can still visit, before they fade away. Irish singer Cathie Ryan shares how Ireland remembers its heroes in the lyrics of traditional song...
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616 Zagreb; Natchez; Leave Only Footprints from 2020-10-03T00:00
Learn why Croatia's capital, Zagreb, is a hidden gem for visitors to Eastern Europe, where tourist crowds have never been a problem. Author Richard Grant tells us why Natchez is called the quirk...
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615 Places to Fly Fish; Monsoon Postcards; Copenhagen from 2020-09-26T00:00
Get inspired to fly-fish in some of the world's most beautiful waters; hear what challenges people overcome every day in the countries that border the Indian Ocean; and get ready to enjoy yourse...
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614 Bulgarian Festivals; Paul Theroux Travels; Checking In from 2020-09-19T00:00
Travel writer Paul Theroux shares what he looks for when he travels — experiences that turn into best-selling books and take readers on adventures around the world.?We'll also hear how fes...
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523a Language Vacations; Ex-Pat Mexico City; YOLO Los Angeles from 2020-09-12T00:00
An American ex-pat tells us why he's made Mexico City his home for the past 25 years and how the Mexican capital is becoming a magnet for people from around the Americas. We'll also look at the ...
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613 Lockdown in Honolulu and Edmonds; Santorini; Blue Mind from 2020-09-05T00:00
Rick tells us what it's like to spend his first summer at home in decades.?We get an update on how Honolulu is faring without tourist crowds. We'll hear what the Greeks like best about their mos...
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612 Inland West Coast Roadtrips; Making Scottish Music; Oddball English Festivals from 2020-08-29T00:00
Explore the traditions of Scotland in a special studio concert with folk musicians Jim and Susie Malcolm.?We'll also look at some of the quirkier festivals you can find in England.?And we'll get...
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444a Urban Australia; Epic Family Road Trip; Nordic Cousins from 2020-08-22T00:00
Get an inside look at the mostly friendly rivalry between Sweden and Norway (naturally, it comes with a few old jokes). We'll also meet the traveling Elliott family, who visited Rick in the midd...
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611 Pico in Lockdown; Socrates Express; Fiji from 2020-08-15T00:00
Writer Pico Iyer looks for silver linings to the pandemic lockdowns. Eric Weiner explores the life lessons he gained by visiting the home turf of the world's great thinkers and philosophers. And...
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610 London Layover; Tower of London; Day Trips from 2020-08-08T00:00
Join us for a jolly good "Hour of London": Once we can fly to Europe again, hear how you can plan a quick visit to the city when you have a long layover at Heathrow. Get inspired by nearby day t...
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609 Locked Down in Switzerland and Belgium; Reykjavík Day Trips; Mongol Derby from 2020-08-01T00:00
Meet the first woman — and youngest contestant — to win the world's longest endurance horse race across the wilds of Mongolia. Explore the beauty of Iceland on a day trip from the ca...
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511a Open Phones: Travel Plans; Buffy Sainte-Marie; The Yellow Envelope from 2020-07-25T00:00
Singer Buffy Sainte-Marie tells us how her activist album "Medicine Songs" raises awareness about our place in today's world. Author Kim Dinan tells us how a yellow envelope a friend gave her se...
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608 Checking on Friends in New York and Italy; Lessons From Nature from 2020-07-18T00:00
As a summer close-to-home unfolds, Rick checks in with friends in New York and Italy: Cultural maven Fred Plotkin tells us how he's used the downtime to start new projects,?and tour guides from ...
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607 Romantic Bridges and Little Museums of Paris; Burgundy from 2020-07-11T00:00
There's always something new to discover and enjoy when you visit Paris. We'll take a closer look at the beautiful bridges that set the stage for a romantic walk along the Seine as well as the m...
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606 Aniakchak; Here Lies America; Ballpark Boys from 2020-07-04T00:00
After visiting battlefield monuments and memorials, Jason Cochran saw how American history has been written and re-written.?He tells us how the Civil War still factors into how his native South ...
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605 Vancouver Tourism; Buffalo Hometown Pride; Bosnia from 2020-06-27T00:00
Eager for the Canada-US border to reopen? Whet your appetite to visit Vancouver and Buffalo: A former tourism exec explains issues the industry faces in Canada's West Coast metropolis, and a tra...
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510a Megalopolis; Copenhagen's Christiania; Teenagers in Europe from 2020-06-20T00:00
An architecture professor from Italy compares the scope of today's mega-cities with the more human scale of Venice. A pair of documentary producers tell us what they found when they got to know ...
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604 West Coast Roadtrip; Southern Eats; Travel Kindness from 2020-06-13T00:00
Chandler O'Leary recommends highlights for a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Diego to the Olympic Peninsula. Matthew Gavin Frank describes some of the quintessential local dishes yo...
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603 Millennial Netherlands; Walking Edinburgh; Week in Andalucía from 2020-06-06T00:00
A pair of millennial tour guides from the Netherlands describe the fun their generation looks forward to having again when their country returns to normal. Scottish guides recommend stops to exp...
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488a Enjoy Your Seat; Lisbon Neighborhoods; Buenos Aires Bio from 2020-05-30T00:00
Get stoked for when we can travel again with expert advice on enjoying Lisbon's intimate and historic neighborhoods. Architecture critic James Gardner tells us why he bought an apartment in Buen...
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602 How Berlin Remembers; Turkish Delights; Travel to Bhutan from 2020-05-23T00:00
Learn about the traditional Turkish comfort foods and desserts that you can enjoy from the shops and street vendors of Istanbul. An American who's married to an artist in Bhutan explains what's ...
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601 Looking for Rome; The End of Ice; Earth Day from 2020-05-16T00:00
Is it really too late? A mountain-climbing journalist explains why he says the accelerating effects of global warming have put the earth in hospice — and what it requires to turn it around...
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598 Europe Day Hikes; Orlando 2020; Swiss Cities from 2020-05-09T00:00
Find out how the Disney and Universal theme parks compete for your time and money, and what other things you can plan to enjoy when attractions open up again in Orlando and central Florida. And ...
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600 Notre Dame Fire; Pilgrim Trails; Holy Rover from 2020-05-02T00:00
On our 15th-anniversary edition of Travel with Rick Steves, Rick explores designing your own spiritual pilgrimage: Tim Egan shares what the trail from Canterbury to Rome showed him abou...
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505a Gili Islands; All-Season Australia; Unforgettable Travels from 2020-04-25T00:00
We revisit interviews from 2017 about the motor-free Gili Islands of Indonesia as alternatives to the crowded tourist scene on nearby Bali. A guide from Australia shares all-season recommendatio...
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575a Europe Hiking; Exploring Athens; Grooviest Gardens from 2020-04-18T00:00
Get inspired to rediscover the world when it's safe to travel again with an episode that takes us to a number of special outdoor venues. We'll get more ideas for exploring the long-distance hiki...
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481a Saints of Spain; David Suchet — Footsteps of St. Paul; Michelangelo In Florence from 2020-04-11T00:00
Tour guides from Spain explain the importance of saints to the Spanish national identity — and as a reason for holding a festival. Actor David Suchet tells us what he discovered about his ...
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599 Weekend in Eger; China 2020; Open Phones from 2020-04-04T00:00
Find out why the Old-World town of Eger, in northern Hungary, is such a popular weekend getaway from Budapest.?The head of the Young China Group updates us on how the millennial generation has b...
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521a Berner Oberland; T.T. Williams' Utah; The Philippines from 2020-03-28T00:00
Author Terry Tempest Williams explains why she purchased oil leases near her home in the Utah desert to protest removing protections in a national monument. Travel writer Kiki Deere tells us why...
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451a Lighthouses; Being Welsh; Stanway House from 2020-03-21T00:00
Learn about the important role lighthouses played in the 19th century, and find out where you can visit interesting ones in the US and France. We'll also hear from a Welsh tour guide on the prid...
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597 Dublin Walk; Immortal Irishman; Aran Islands from 2020-03-14T00:00
It's an all-Irish hour, as tour guides from Dublin and the West point out what you can find on a walking tour of the Irish capital and share why the rugged Aran Islands are one of the top sites ...
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596 San Miguel de Allende; Frances Mayes A Tavola; Scottish Nationalism; Olympic Flame from 2020-03-07T00:00
Discover why the city of San Miguel de Allende is attracting artists and retirees to Mexico, and why food in Italy is reliably good — even in restaurants you might find on a road trip. We'...
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595 The Story of Spanish; First Timer's Spain from 2020-02-29T00:00
Learn how Spanish became one of the world's most important languages, and get tips for enjoying your first trip to Spain and for tackling the massive art collection at the Prado in Madrid.
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594 Basque Carnaval; Venice Sinking; Ghosts in Papua New Guinea from 2020-02-22T00:00
Learn why acqua alta episodes are flooding Venice more frequently — and what it was like to live through a week of near-record floods last November. Hear what it takes to hike acr...
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395a Monet's Passion; The French House; Marrying Into Italy from 2020-02-15T00:00
Learn why Monet created colorful gardens at his house near Paris from an artist who helped restore them. Hear how renovating a house on an island off the coast of Brittany can feed your wild sid...
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593 Low Country Showdown; The Seine; German Style from 2020-02-08T00:00
Writer Elaine Sciolino explains how the legendary Seine River made Paris into the vital, romantic city you find today. We'll also hear from German tour guides on how their country views its impo...
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592 Insider's Amalfi; Korean Nunchi; Feedback from 2020-02-01T00:00
Writer Euny Hong explains how a Korean system of non-verbal social skills works, and how it can help in your travels and your life. We also get insider information on enjoying Italy's scenic Ama...
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506a World of Atlas Obscura; Scottish Hebrides; Saudade in Portugal from 2020-01-25T00:00
The folks from Atlas Obscura tell us about many of the remarkable traditions they've encountered, including a few of the creepiest. We'll also discover the timeless character of Scotland's Hebri...
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591 Polynesian Explorers; Northern Greece; Greek To Me from 2020-01-18T00:00
Tour guides from Athens and Thessaloniki recommend attractions to visit in Northern Greece, and "Comma Queen" Mary Norris explains what a love of Greek language and mythology can add to your own...
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590 Heart of Haiti; Arctic Refuge from 2020-01-11T00:00
On the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, journalist Catherine Porter tells Rick how the rescue of a 2-year-old girl brought hope to a desperate country — and change...
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589 Paul Theroux's Mexico Journey; Ukraine for Tourists from 2020-01-04T00:00
One of the top American travel writers of our time, Paul Theroux, tells us about his recent road trip across Mexico to see for himself what the situation was like on the other side of the border...
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588 Travel Mode; Amsterdam Manners; Family Travel Plans from 2019-12-28T00:00
Make it your New Year's resolution to travel well. Writer Seth Kugel recommends a few rules for a "travel mode" that helps us focus on the world around us, and not on our phones. A Dutch tour gu...
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508a Another European Christmas from 2019-12-21T00:00
Warm up your holidays by including time-tested traditions from the Old World, as Rick learns how friends in Germany, England, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and the Czech Republic celebrate Christm...
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587 Cod in Portugal; Eating in Naples; Christmas Travels from 2019-12-14T00:00
Find out why cod is an important comfort food in Portugal, and get a taste of the treats found in Naples and the Campania region of Italy. We'll also hear from listeners on what they enjoy about...
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586 Travel Writers Travels; Autumn Light in Japan; Swedish Values from 2019-12-07T00:00
Pico Iyer explains why autumn is the perfect season for understanding the soul of Japan, Robert Reid recommends how to amp up your next vacation by traveling like a travel writer, and tour guide...
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585 Pilgrim Trails of Italy; Wayfinding from 2019-11-30T00:00
What is relying on GPS doing to your brain? We'll explore our innate "Wayfinding" abilities with a science reporter who's investigated how some people are able to navigate with only natural feat...
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584 My Town; Lidia's Flavors of Italy; Wine Expert from 2019-11-23T00:00
The host of the TV show Lidia's Italy describes how the special of the day varies from region to region in the homes and restaurants of Italy. We'll also hear from a Madrid-based wine expert on ...
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503a The Nez Perce War; American Nomads from 2019-11-16T00:00
How much are we a product of our nation's history? Learn about the struggles between Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and US General Oliver Otis Howard in the years following the Civil War. We'll a...
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583 Provence; Germany This Year; Gda?sk from 2019-11-09T00:00
We commemorate the big anniversaries in Germany for the fall of the Berlin Wall and the birth of the Bauhaus art movement. We'll also hear how Poland's port city of Gda?sk is an important histor...
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582 Istria; Wee County Louth; Tides from 2019-11-02T00:00
Tour guides discuss two of Europe's scenic and less-crowded peninsulas: Croatia's Istrian Peninsula and Ireland's Cooley Peninsula. Then a marine conservationist shares what he's discovered abou...
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581 Recoleta Cemetery; Spooky Atlas Obscura; Near the Exit from 2019-10-26T00:00
Just in time for Halloween and Day of the Dead, meet some of the famous residents of Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery. Then take an armchair expedition to some of the spookiest places in the Atla...
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461a Dracula's Romania; Discriminating London Guide; Travel Kindnesses from 2019-10-19T00:00
Find out about the ruthless 15th-century prince behind the Dracula legend, still a major source of tourism for Romania. Then get introduced to some of London's more sophisticated establishments,...
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580 Villages of Tuscany; Megafauna from 2019-10-12T00:00
American-born tour guides who've settled in Tuscany tell us why it's an ideal region for experiencing the essence of Italy. And the curator of mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History...
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579 Kerouac's Firewatch; Erosion; USA National Parks from 2019-10-05T00:00
Author and naturalist Terry Tempest Williams tells us how she sees the processes of erosion at work in these hard-to-define times we're living in. Then writer Dan Richards describes what it's li...
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490a Travel Tech; Story of China; Take Your Child to Europe from 2019-09-28T00:00
Historian Michael Wood discusses how Westerners might better understand China, the world's new superpower, by learning more about its monumental achievements over the past 4,000 years. We'll als...
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578 Walking Ljubljana; Munich and Bavaria; Wild Animals from 2019-09-21T00:00
The co-author of Rick's Eastern Europe guidebook and a Ljubljana-based tour guide discuss the laid-back charms of Slovenia's capital. Then a tour guide from Munich explains how to become a tempo...
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577 Magellan 500; Mexico City Neighborhoods; Ask Rick from 2019-09-14T00:00
Find out why Portugal isn't jumping on the Magellan 500th-anniversary bandwagon like their neighbors in Spain are. Then, guidebook author Julie Meade tells Rick which neighborhoods of Mexic...
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576 Budget Travelers; Beginner's Guide to Japan; Ireland Today from 2019-09-07T00:00
Travel writer Seth Kugel offers eight tips for enjoying global travels with minimal expense. Then author Pico Iyer tells Rick how he keeps discovering new things about Japan and its people, even...
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493a Rolling Blackouts; Language to Lend; Czech Beer from 2019-08-31T00:00
Cartoonist Sarah Glidden shares the insights she gained while getting to know the Kurdish people of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Then a Dutch "language spotter" recommends interesting foreign words ...
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575 Europe Hiking; Exploring Athens; Grooviest Gardens from 2019-08-24T00:00
Author Cassandra Overby relays expert tips for exploring Europe's long-distance hiking trails. Then Greek tour guides discuss what's new in Athens' neighborhoods. And botanist Christopher Wood d...
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574 American Hawaii; Aloha Rodeo; Surfing Groundswell from 2019-08-17T00:00
Historian Sarah Vowell revisits how the Hawaiian Islands became an American territory in the 19th century, then journalist David Wolman tells us how three cowboys from Hawaii's Big Island redefi...
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494a Liechtenstein Day; Gelato; The English Moors from 2019-08-10T00:00
Hear about what it's like to celebrate National Day in Liechtenstein, one of the world's smallest — and wealthiest — countries. (Hint: Free beer at the palace!) Then learn the secret...
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573 Taste of Sicily; Cycling the Silk Road; Turkey 2019 from 2019-08-03T00:00
Discover what makes the food in Sicily arguably the tastiest and most interesting in all of Italy. Then hear what it's like to bicycle 10,000 miles along the old Silk Road, from Turkey to Tibet....
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572 Swiss Differences; EU Challenges; Elegant Hungary from 2019-07-27T00:00
Tour guides from across Europe discuss the European Union — and why Switzerland stands apart from its neighbors by not being an EU member. Plus, tour guides from Budapest recommend what to...
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571 Pluto; One Giant Leap; Astronaut's View from 2019-07-20T00:00
Space journalist Charles Fishman tells us how the Apollo 11 moonwalk became reality. Then Alan Stern, the head of NASA's New Horizons mission, tells us about their probe's fly-by of Pluto earlie...
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570 The French; Paris Nightlife from 2019-07-13T00:00
The authors of "The Bonjour Effect" noticed that many problems foreigners encounter in France aren't due to not knowing the language, but rather not knowing how the French expect you to communic...
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476a American Women's History Sites; Diana Nyad; Wilderness Healing from 2019-07-06T00:00
Brent Glass, former director of the National Museum of American History, recommends places you can visit to commemorate the women who changed American history. Then endurance swimmer Diana Nyad ...
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569 National Park Experiences; Northland; San Francisco Day Trips from 2019-06-29T00:00
Writer Porter Fox tells us what he discovered when he followed the US-Canada border from Maine to Washington State. Then, writer and photographer Becky Lomax shares her favorite National Park ex...
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568 Italy 2019; Today's Israel from 2019-06-22T00:00
Tour guides from Rome and Sorrento help listeners plan Italian adventures and let us in on how some things work — or don't work — in Italy. Then journalist Martin Fletcher tells us a...
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567 Hokkaido; Arctic Solitaire; Bloomsday in Dublin from 2019-06-15T00:00
Get tips from an American-Japanese author for experiencing the rugged allure of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Then hear from a nature photographer what it's like to spend a summer boating...
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480a Turn Right at Machu Picchu; Sarah Vowell-Lafayette; Scotch from 2019-06-08T00:00
Author Mark Adams shares what he learned about Incan history while trekking to Machu Picchu, just a century after it was revealed to the outside world. Then author and radio commentator Sarah Vo...
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566 Atlas Obscura for Kids; D-Day Sites; Lisbon 2019 from 2019-06-01T00:00
The co-founder of Atlas Obscura, the online almanac of unusual places, recommends destinations sure to fascinate curious kids. Then a military historian from Normandy offers insights and advice ...
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565 'Greatest Treasure Hunt'; 100 Things to Do in San Francisco from 2019-05-25T00:00
The founder of the Monuments Men Foundation joins us to consider what the world would be like had the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David been destroyed in World War II, and desc...
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564 Paddle Pilgrim Norway; Spain 2019; In Praise of Wasting Time from 2019-05-18T00:00
A memoirist describes the challenges and delights of kayaking Norway's spectacular fjords, then tour guides from Madrid share tips for planning a memorable trip to Spain. And author Alan Lightma...
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325b Desert Wisdom of Terry Tempest Williams; Sahara by Motorbike from 2019-05-11T00:00
Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams reflects on a mystery left behind by her late mother, and explains her drive to speak out on behalf of the rugged Utah wilderness she calls home. Then a tour gu...
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563 Tides; New Horizons Beyond Pluto; London Gardens from 2019-05-04T00:00
Extend your vicarious travels beyond the solar system by listening in as the head of NASA's New Horizons project describes his mission to explore beyond Pluto. Then learn about the world's crazi...
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562 Walking Amsterdam; European Hiking Trails; Ask Rick from 2019-04-27T00:00
To celebrate King's Day in the Netherlands, tour guides for Amsterdam join us to recommend strategies for enjoying this scenic city on foot. Then the author of "Explore Europe on Foot" makes the...
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561 Green Oslo; English Cathedrals; Slovenian Cuisine from 2019-04-20T00:00
Find out why Oslo has proudly been declared 2019's "European Green Capital." Then hear all about England's most beautiful and historically important cathedrals, from Canterbury's to the York Min...
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560 Enjoying National Parks; France 2019; Puzzle of Polynesia from 2019-04-13T00:00
As National Parks Week approaches, a guidebook author joins us to share ideas for exploring America’s 59 national parks. Then tour guides to France help listeners plan their summer voyages...
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559 Dutch Climate Change Strategies; Nina Khrushcheva In Putin's Footsteps from 2019-04-06T00:00
We'll hear some of the ways the Netherlands — a country that can’t afford time to argue about climate change — is protecting its citizens from steadily rising seas. Then intern...
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413a Folk Music of Italy; Swiss Watching; Weekend in Wales from 2019-03-30T00:00
A musician from Orvieto provides examples of the different styles of folk music you can enjoy across Italy, then a British ex-pat tells us what it's like to live in Switzerland — and expla...
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558 See You in the Piazza; Populism in My Country from 2019-03-23T00:00
Best-selling author Frances Mayes tells us about her favorite uncrowded corners of Italy, away from the crush of Italy's top tourist destinations. And we'll get a personal take on the current po...
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557 Speaking in Irish; On the Wind; Irish Craic from 2019-03-16T00:00
Hear how the Irish language, once banned by English colonial rulers, has re-assumed its place at the heart of Irish identity. Then listen in as musician Kieran O'Hare explains why he finds Irish...
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556 Flamenco Fan; Four Seasons in Lesotho; Faux Pas from 2019-03-09T00:00
A flamenco enthusiast from Sweden explains her lifelong passion for the fiery dance traditions of southern Spain. Then writer Will McGrath tells us what he learned from his neighbors while livin...
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555 First Timer's Brazil; What Brexit Means to Me; Guatemala Solutions from 2019-03-02T00:00
Travel writer Seth Kugel offers tips for first-time visitors to Brazil, then a team of European tour guides share their personal — and diverging — takes on the Brexit conundrum. And ...
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360a Joanna Lumley's Travels; Holy Toledo; Good Night and God Bless from 2019-02-23T00:00
British actress and global traveler Joanna Lumley tells Rick why her family is revered in Bhutan, then Spanish tour guides describe the highlights of their country's spiritual capital, Toledo. P...
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458a Adventure Divas; Norse Mythology; Acropolis from 2019-02-16T00:00
Get a taste of Norse mythology and a glimpse of the Vikings' complex view of the cosmos. Plus, hear how Athens' Acropolis remains a powerful symbol of civilized democracy 2,500 years since it wa...
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554 Why I Love Rome; Garden Lust; Mountain Switzerland from 2019-02-09T00:00
Hear why Romans love their city, even with all its flaws. Then take a deep breath of fresh audio air as author and garden designer/director Christopher Woods tells us about his favorite contempo...
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553 Curry Nation; Young China from 2019-02-02T00:00
Actress and cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey explains why clichés about British food are out of date — thanks mainly to the influence from immigrants. And the founder of the Young Chi...
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552 London on a Budget; Why Not Russia; Somali Pirates from 2019-01-26T00:00
Michael Scott Moore tells us what it was like to spend nearly three years as a captive of Somali pirates. Travel writer Robert Reid thinks American media have a blind spot about travel to Russia...
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551 Cappadocia; Scottish Troubadour; Northern Ireland Identity from 2019-01-19T00:00
Two Turkish tour guides paint an audio picture of the otherworldly region of Cappadocia, where you can get face-to-face with early Christian history. Then, just ahead of Burns Night, Scottish fo...
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417a Scandinavian Smackdown; Green Book Road Trips from 2019-01-12T00:00
Have you heard the one about the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Dane? Find out what Scandinavians tend to think about their Nordic neighbors, and the sometimes not-so-subtle differences that help...
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550 Expats in Italy; Maeve in America from 2019-01-05T00:00
Americans who've made a new home for themselves in Italy explain what took them to the land of "bella chaos," and how they make it work. Then Irish comedian Maeve Higgins describes her adjustmen...
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549 Searching for Stars; Stoked My Spirit; Champagne from 2018-12-29T00:00
Novelist and MIT physics professor Alan Lightman describes how a little time alone with Maine's night sky illuminated his awareness of the universe, and his place in it. Then listeners share sto...
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548 German Christmas Markets; Christmas in Madrid, Sicily, Ireland, Hebrides from 2018-12-22T00:00
We'll look at what makes the cozy Christmas markets of Germanic Europe so treasured. Then we'll hear about special Christmastime traditions from around Europe, including Spain, Sicily, Ireland, ...
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467a Holiday Roadfood; Best Chocolate in Europe; Holiday Travels; Prague Christmas from 2018-12-15T00:00
Food writers Jane and Michael Stern discuss wintertime comfort grub served in America's roadside restaurants, then culinary-culture expert Fred Plotkin explores the various kinds of chocolate av...
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547 Gaudí's Sagrada Família; Globally Curious from 2018-12-08T00:00
An expert on Antoni Gaudí reveals what the Modernista architect had envisioned for Barcelona's magnificent Sagrada Família church, and shares updates on the work to complete what G...
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546 Greek Godmother; Lidia's American Dream; Promised Land from 2018-12-01T00:00
A Greece-based tour guide describes the elevated role of godparents in her adopted country, where godparents become a lifelong part of the child's family. Then TV chef Lidia Bastianich shar...
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545 Optimism in Armenia; Finding Chopin's Piano from 2018-11-24T00:00
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Peter Balakian describes the new positive spirit he encountered during his recent travels in Armenia, whose citizens have earned good reason to feel upbeat about thei...
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544 Bulgarian Feast; Gascony Gastronomy; Italian Olive Oil from 2018-11-17T00:00
Find out what made Bulgaria one of Europe's most interesting places to eat. Food writer David McAninch reveals what makes the culinary traditions of Gascony tastier than in the rest of...
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423a Back Door Balkans; World War I Sites; Kraków from 2018-11-10T00:00
Get insider advice for enjoying the less-visited corners of the Balkan Peninsula, from Bosnia's atmospheric mosques to Montenegro's scenic coast. And as we mark the centennial of the "Great War,...
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543 Cities for Solo Travelers; Achtung Baby; Open Phones from 2018-11-03T00:00
A New York Times travel writer recommends four great cities for solo travelers, and the best time of year to visit them. Then the author of "Achtung Baby" tells us of her family's relocation to ...
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542 Ghost Towns of the West; Heroes of Ireland; Savage Harvest from 2018-10-27T00:00
Author Jim Hinckley joins us to recommend Old West ghost towns that you can still visit. Then Irish singer Cathie Ryan describes how Ireland remembers its heroes through the lyrics of traditiona...
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541 Greek Theatre; Shakespeare in Swahililand; Iceland Airwaves from 2018-10-20T00:00
An Athenian theater director discusses drama's role as a building block of civil society since ancient times, and recommends some Greek destinations that are especially fascinating for the theat...
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460a More Skyfaring; Marta Dusseldorp's Australia; Wieners from 2018-10-13T00:00
A transcontinental pilot discusses the marvels of jet travel, then Australian actor Marta Dusseldorp describes her favorite Down Under destinations, and shares insights she's gained from starrin...
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540 Living Abroad in Japan; TV Fan's Britain from 2018-10-06T00:00
The author of "Living Abroad in Japan" offers tips for making yourself feel at home in Japan, no matter how long your visit. Then Rick talks to tour guides from England about scenic filming loca...
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539 Travel Portraits — Phil Borges, Annie Leibovitz; Photogenic Sicily from 2018-09-29T00:00
Filmmaker and documentary photographer Phil Borges explains what's behind his remarkable photos of people in different traditional societies of central Asia. Then portrait photographer Annie Lei...
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421a Monet's Garden Passion; Ireland's Ring of Kerry; The Carry Home from 2018-09-22T00:00
Author and artist Elizabeth Murray tells how her life was changed by working in painter Claude Monet's gardens outside Paris. Then Irish tour guides take us to the scenic highlights of the popul...
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538 Why I Love Berlin; Italian Coffee Bars from 2018-09-15T00:00
Three tour guides from Berlin suggest sights to see and experiences to enjoy in Germany's vibrant, changing capital. And as Bavarians prepare to host this year's Oktoberfest, a tour guide from M...
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537 Caesar Shuffle; More Michael Wood's China; Pleasure Activist from 2018-09-08T00:00
Roman tour guide Francesca Caruso recommends places to explore in the Eternal City that give you a particularly vivid feel for its centuries of history. Then historian Michael Wood describes how...
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536 Isle of Skye; Cross-Country Kayak; Van Morrison's Belfast from 2018-09-01T00:00
Listen in as tour guides from Scotland let us in on their favorite experiences on the magical Isle of Skye. Then hear what it's like to kayak the length of both the Mississippi River and New Yor...
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452a Slow Train to Switzerland; Artists Safari; Joys of Travel from 2018-08-25T00:00
In what was the beginning of the packaged tour, find out how middle class Victorian-era tourists from England enjoyed the Swiss Alps. Examine the emotional benefits of travel that last well afte...
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535 Pan-American Road Trip; Souvenirs; Open Phones from 2018-08-18T00:00
Hear author Teresa Bruce describe how she retraced a poignant family road trip all the way down the Pan-American highway. Then listen in as we weigh the value of souvenirs with travel writer Rol...
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534 Crete; Alaska's Tip of the Iceberg; Darwin Comes to Town from 2018-08-11T00:00
Hear how Crete offers travelers a uniquely fascinating Greek island experience. Then travel writer Mark Adams describes his 3,000-mile voyage along the coasts of Alaska in the path of the Harrim...
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533 Holiday in Iraqi Kurdistan; Traveling Solo; Croatia's Greatest Hits from 2018-08-04T00:00
Tim Neville discusses why you'd enjoy vacationing in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Travel writer Stephanie Rosenbloom explores the advantages of traveling solo and how t...
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532 England's Overlooked Cities; Lake District; Cozy Cotswolds from 2018-07-28T00:00
British tour guides discuss their favorite overlooked cities to visit, beyond London. Plus, we learn what guides from the Cumbrian Lake District and the Cotswolds love about living in rural Engl...
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434a New Northwest Passage; Dispatches from Mississippi; Serendipity from 2018-07-21T00:00
Kathleen Winter tells us what her voyage into the Northwest Passage taught her about the world. Richard Grant left the bustle of Manhattan to buy an old farmhouse in the Mississippi Delta. Plus,...
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531 Flaneur in Paris; Misunderstood Parisian; Alsace from 2018-07-14T00:00
Hear about the charms of France's Alsace region from local tour guides. A Parisian guide explains how visitors' expectations lead to misunderstandings and faux pas. Plus, Fred Plotkin shares how...
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530 More Florida; Rediscovering Route 66; Sarah Vowell Assassination Vacation from 2018-07-07T00:00
Tampa Bay Times columnist Craig Pittman explains how Florida's massive tourism industry impacts the state's residents. Plus, the author of a guide to Route 66 tells us about efforts to revitaliz...
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529 Touring Newfoundland; Rick Mercer's Canada Day; Drink Dat New Orleans from 2018-06-30T00:00
Newfoundland actor and musician Alan Doyle recommends sights to best enjoy the rugged beauty of his island home in the Atlantic. And Canadian TV personality Rick Mercer shares his favorite place...
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447a Hungarian Hot Springs; Peru's Boiling River; Padua from 2018-06-23T00:00
Hear how people of all ages enjoy a day at the baths in Budapest, where doctors commonly prescribe a relaxing day at the spa. Then learn about a sacred geothermal river located deep in Amazonian...
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528 Basque Country Surprises; Prague Art and Architecture; Open Phones from 2018-06-16T00:00
Journalist and former diplomat Dave Seminara vividly describes the unusual sports and traditions you might encounter in the Basque Country. Then a Czech tour guide and a guidebook writer join us...
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527 Modern Vikings; Belgians; Bulgarians from 2018-06-09T00:00
Join us as tour guides from Norway, Belgium, and Bulgaria share insider perspectives on their countries. Listen in as they describe the hot-button issues that animate their countrymen's conversa...
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526 Travel Tech Tips; DJ in Iceland; Dingle in Ireland from 2018-06-02T00:00
A New York Times travel writer shares tips for apps that can help you make the most of your next overseas trip, then a Seattle DJ describes how Iceland has exploded as a hotbed of creativity &md...
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525 Day in New York; NYC High Line; Germany 2018 from 2018-05-26T00:00
Get tips from guidebook author Pauline Frommer on how to make the most of a New York City stopover, and hear how the city's High Line greenway has become one of its best places to stroll and peo...
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462a Indigenous Arctic and Andes; Overbooked from 2018-05-19T00:00
A bestselling author of a book on the Northwest Passage describes how the Inuit of Canada and Greenland are responding to modern challenges posed by changes to the Arctic environment. Then we de...
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524 First Timers Italy; Duck Season in Gascony from 2018-05-12T00:00
Hear from two Roman tour guides about what to expect on a first-time trip to Italy, and how to make it the adventure of a lifetime. Then get a taste of life in France’s rural southwest as ...
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523 Language Vacations; Expat Mexico City; YOLO Los Angeles from 2018-05-05T00:00
Get recommendations from a language buff for learning a new tongue overseas, then listen in as an American expat explains why he's called Mexico City home for the past 25 years — and why t...
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522 Scotland Itineraries; Nafplio from 2018-04-28T00:00
Tour guides from Scotland recommend their favorite Caledonian experiences, from elegant Edinburgh to clan castles in the Highlands, and even budget getaways for backpackers. Then a pair of world...
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521 Berner Oberland; T.T. Williams' Utah; The Philippines from 2018-04-21T00:00
Hear about the variety of spectacular Alpine views any visitor can enjoy in and above Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen Valley, as described by a tour guide who's mapped the region's hiking trail...
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426a American Lighthouses; Skyfaring; Favorite Travels; Longbow from 2018-04-14T00:00
Learn about some of America's most interesting lighthouses to visit — or even slumber in. Then hear from an experienced pilot about why the view from a 747 never gets old. And listen in as...
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520 Saigon's Bui Vien Street; Spain 2018 from 2018-04-07T00:00
An expat living in Saigon describes the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City’s famous Bui Vien Street, and explains why this backpacker district has recently become a weekend destination for local f...
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519 Saints of France and Ireland; David Suchet in the Footsteps of St. Peter from 2018-03-31T00:00
Get acquainted with some of the most popular French and Italian saints, and learn why they remain important to their countrymen. Plus, actor David Suchet shares what he discovered while making a...
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351a Italy On and Off the Rails; Romantic Amalfi Coast from 2018-03-24T00:00
Author Tim Parks, a long-time resident of Verona, shares his observations about Italy’s railway system, and what it can tell us about the Italian mindset. And two tour guides from the Amal...
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518 First Timer's Ireland; Alan Doyle's Newfoundland from 2018-03-17T00:00
Three tour guides from Ireland share their recommendations for the sights and experiences travelers shouldn’t miss on a first-time visit to their home turf — from fun things to see a...
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517 The EU from Brussels; Solo Women Travelers; Teresa Bruce from 2018-03-10T00:00
Rick gets a perspective on current issues the European Union is facing, from a geo-political friend in Brussels. Three women travel guides to Europe describe what it requires for women to feel c...
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516 London 2018; Last Wild Men of Borneo from 2018-03-03T00:00
Hear from Londoners about what's afoot in their city right now, and the don't-miss experiences for anyone looking to make the most of a visit to the British capital this year. Then author Carl H...
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515 Artists of Spain; Being Welsh; Being Bosnian from 2018-02-24T00:00
We look at the top sites where you can experience firsthand the groundbreaking contributions of Spain's greatest artists. Then tour guides from Wales and Bosnia share the facets of their nationa...
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420a Music of Spain; Space Station Living; Canine-American Road Trip from 2018-02-17T00:00
Tune into the traditional music of Spain and find out where to catch the best flamenco shows in Madrid. Then listen in as astronaut Chris Hadfield describes daily life aboard the International S...
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514 Casanova's Venice; Florida This Year; Caribbean Island People from 2018-02-10T00:00
Historian Laurence Bergreen takes us to 18th-century Venice, at a time when Casanova called it home. Then journalist Craig Pittman updates us on what Florida is like for vacationers i...
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513 Fred Plotkin's Culinary Capitals; The New Koreans from 2018-02-03T00:00
Find out what six cities food maven Fred Plotkin considers to be the world's best places to experience edible ecstasy. Then get an update on today's "New Koreans" from journalist Michael Breen, ...
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512 Shakespeare in South Sudan; Africa 54; Normandy from 2018-01-27T00:00
We check in with author and long-distance walker Francis Tapon after his five-year journey to all 54 countries in Africa. And we hear how a widespread love of Shakespeare played a key role in sh...
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392a Ireland's W. B. Yeats; Scotland's Robert Burns; Agatha Christie's England from 2018-01-20T00:00
We consider the importance of poet W.B. Yeats to the Irish soul, and discuss real-life English destinations that let you experience the world of Agatha Christie's mysteries. And just in time for...
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511 Travel Plans; Buffy Sainte-Marie; The Yellow Envelope from 2018-01-13T00:00
Singer Buffy Sainte-Marie discusses her new album of activist "Medicine Songs" and what they have to say about our place in today's world. Then author Kim Dinan tells the story of how she quit h...
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510 Megalopolis; Copenhagen's Christiania; Teenagers in Europe from 2018-01-06T00:00
An Italian scholar of architecture compares the scope of today's mega-cities with the more human scale of Venice. And we'll hear what a pair of documentary producers noticed when they interviewe...
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509 Slavic Firewater; “Bears in the Streets”; Places to Drink Beer; Edinburgh New Year's Eve from 2017-12-30T00:00
Pour a festive glass as we learn about the strong, often homemade liquors that lend zest to celebrations across Eastern Europe. Then hear where to find some of the world's best beer, from the au...
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427a More European Christmas Traditions from 2017-12-23T00:00
Learn about holiday traditions observed in France, Norway, Greece, London, the Spanish Basque Country, and small-town Italy. From festively decorated Greek boats to dishes of fresh oysters and f...
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508 Another European Christmas from 2017-12-16T00:00
Hear about what Europeans are looking forward to at this time of year, from Saint Nicholas Day through Boxing Day, in Germany, England, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, and the Czech Republic —...
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507 American Eclipse; Newgrange Solstice; The Hour of Land from 2017-12-09T00:00
We hear of the true awesomeness of experiencing a total solar eclipse, from the one that swept across the American West in 1878 to the one that drew crowds to the totality's path in the US in Au...
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506 Atlas Obscura; Scottish Hebrides; Saudade in Portugal from 2017-12-02T00:00
Hear about some of the world's most remarkable — and creepiest — traditions. Then discover the timeless character of the Hebrides — an island group off Scotland's northwest coa...
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425a Jamón; Scandinavian Cuisine; A Tavola in Italy; 'Life from Scratch' from 2017-11-25T00:00
Hear what makes Spain's jamon the best ham in the world, then learn about the traditional comfort foods of Scandinavia, and the after-dinner customs that keep Italians lingering at rest...
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505 Gili Islands; All-Season Australia; Open Phones: Memorable Travels from 2017-11-18T00:00
Travel writer Dave Seminara explains why Indonesia's motor-free Gili Islands are a good alternative to the crowded tourist scene on nearby Bali, then a tour guide from Australia shares all-seaso...
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504 Twentieth Century Berlin; Exploring Romania from 2017-11-11T00:00
Tour guides from Berlin recommend sites you can visit to better appreciate their city's tumultuous past century, from the Nazi years to the Cold War, and the wall that split Berlin in half. And ...
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503 The Nez Perce War; American Nomads from 2017-11-04T00:00
Learn about the post-Civil War struggles between Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and US General Oliver Otis Howard, then hear about the growing number of older "houseless" Americans living full ti...
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502 Haunted America; Markets of Provence; Belgian Treats from 2017-10-28T00:00
Hear about America's spookiest spots, then take a virtual stroll past the colorful, fragrant stalls of a Provencal farmers market with author Marjorie R. Williams. And listen in as some Belgians...
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445a Paul Theroux Deep South; More World War I Sites from 2017-10-21T00:00
Author Paul Theroux shares the insights he gleaned about America from the people he met in the small towns and backroads of the Deep South. Then history professor Mark D. Van Ells returns with m...
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501 Cardiff; Atlantis; Mostar from 2017-10-14T00:00
We hear how Mostar — after suffering intense damage in the Bosnian war — has become an attractive tourist destination on the Adriatic cruise circuit, and get an update on its ongoing...
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500 Favorite Moments; Night Out in London; German Pop and Rock from 2017-10-07T00:00
Get a taste of the elegant life in London as the author of the "Discriminating Guide to London" recommends spots around town where commoners can feel like royalty. Then hear how Germany's pop mu...
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499 Fly Fishing; Spain 2017; Destination Earth from 2017-09-30T00:00
The author of a guidebook series on fly fishing explains why it's such a popular sport worldwide. Then tour guides from Spain take listener calls to share up-to-date-advice for planning a great ...
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327a Paris Street Markets, Beer in Belgium, Underground Slovenia from 2017-09-23T00:00
Listen in to an exploration of the open-air markets of Paris, where souvenir shopping can be memorable in itself. Then hear why Belgian beer is so good that it's worth planning a trip around. An...
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498 Slavic View of EU; Undocumented from 2017-09-16T00:00
Friends of Rick's from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Bosnia share a Slavic perspective on what it means to participate in the European Union. Then novelist David Lida describes what poverty ...
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497 Naples; Human Trafficking; What's New in Oslo from 2017-09-09T00:00
Get insider advice for enjoying Naples — home to what has to be the liveliest street scene in Italy — without feeling put off by its in-your-face energy. Then listen in as a leading ...
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496 Orlando Beyond Disney; Oh Florida; American Right to Roam from 2017-09-02T00:00
The author of Frommer's Orlando guidebook returns with ideas for enjoying central Florida beyond the big theme parks. Then Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman discusses what makes his home st...
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419a Porto and the Douro Valley; Midnight in Siberia; Scottish Pub Talk from 2017-08-26T00:00
Guides from Portugal describe the delights of Porto, and the winemaking traditions of the nearby Douro Valley in the north of Portugal. Then NPR's David Greene shares what he learned about every...
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495 National Parks Dinner Party; The Great Southwest; Utah's Craziest Bike Ride from 2017-08-19T00:00
Author Terry Tempest Williams describes the various "personalities" of a dozen US national parks, and examines each one's contributions to the American character. Then historian Flannery Burke t...
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494 Liechtenstein Day; Gelato; The English Moors from 2017-08-12T00:00
Hear about what it's like to celebrate National Day in Liechtenstein, one of the world's smallest — and wealthiest — countries. (Hint: Free beer at the palace!) Then learn the secret...
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493 Rolling Blackouts; Language to Lend; Czech Beer from 2017-08-05T00:00
Cartoonist Sarah Glidden shares the insights she gained while getting to know the Kurdish people of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Then a Dutch "language spotter" recommends interesting foreign words ...
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492 Scotland 2017; Atlas Obscura Europe from 2017-07-29T00:00
Two Scottish tour guides discuss share tips for planning a great Scottish getaway, with specifics on tracking down scenes from the "Outlander" and "Harry Potter" series and where best to explore...
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491 35 Miles from North Korea; Detroit Sightseeing; Being Slovenian from 2017-07-22T00:00
Author and Seoul-based foreign correspondent Michael Breen discusses how his fellow South Koreans regard their cousins to the north. Then a tour guide from Detroit shares some of the joys of exp...
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371a French Riviera; The Discovery of France; Paris Day Trips from 2017-07-15T00:00
French tour guides share tips for enjoying the highlights of the glittering Côte d'Azur, as well as recommendations for elegant day trips from Paris. Plus, author Graham Robb tells us what...
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490 Travel Tech; The Story of China; Take Your Child to Europe from 2017-07-08T00:00
Historian Michael Wood discusses how Westerners might better understand China, the world's new superpower, by learning more about its monumental achievements over the past 4,000 years. We'll als...
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489 Sarah Vowell American Hawaii; Rick Mercer Canada 150; Winning the Palio from 2017-07-01T00:00
Author and This American Life contributor Sarah Vowell tells us what she's recently learned about the Americanization of the Hawaiian islands. Then say "Happy 150th birthday" to Canada with one ...
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488 Enjoy Your Seat; Lisbon Neighborhoods; Buenos Aires Bio from 2017-06-24T00:00
Tune in as Rick gets tips from frequent traveler Wendy on how to actually enjoy a long-distance flight in coach. Then we'll hear expert advice from Lisbon-based tour guides for enjoying the inti...
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487 Scandinavian Solstice; Italy 2017 from 2017-06-17T00:00
Hear how the summer solstice is celebrated in Scandinavia, where the official start of summer is a big deal. Then listen in as Italian friends discuss the effects of their country's high unemplo...
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408a Europe's Royal Families; Agatha Christie's Grand Tour; Bloomsday In Dublin from 2017-06-10T00:00
We start with a close look at how World War I upended the roles of Europe's monarchies, then hear about Agatha Christie's 1922 Grand Tour to promote the British Empire, as told to her grandson. ...
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486 Greek Fun; Frommer's Guide to Disney World; Frommer's NYC from 2017-06-03T00:00
Hear what's new at the two most popular destinations in the US as the author of the Frommer's guidebook to Disney World shares tips for making the most of your time there, and Pauline Frommer up...
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485 Germany Open Phones; 1,000 Places to See in the US from 2017-05-27T00:00
Join us to get a German perspective on Deutschland's recent emergence as the leading nation of the European Union, and stay tuned as our tour-guide guests take calls to help listeners plan memor...
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345a Italy's Decadent Desserts; Pasta Respect; Paris Food Markets from 2017-05-20T00:00
Italian-food expert Fred Plotkin delves into the regional dessert specialties of Italy — and divulges the whereabouts of the best gelato in the entire country. Then a tour guide from Sicil...
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484 Macedonia; Senior Nomads from 2017-05-13T00:00
"Senior nomads" Michael and Debbie Campbell discuss their travels among home shares around the world — and why, after three years, they plan to keep on globe-trotting full time. And we'l...
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483 Russia Grand Tour; London This Year; What Europeans Think of Americans from 2017-05-06T00:00
Author Lisa Dickey describes her recurring travels around Russia, where she explores how life keeps changing for the average local citizen. Then we'll get up to date on the newest and not-to-be-...
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343a Destination Space Station; Open Phones: Trip of a Lifetime from 2017-04-29T00:00
Genuinely "down to earth" astronaut Cady Coleman joins us to describe what it's like living and working — for months at a time — on the International Space Station, where the zero-gr...
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482 Andalucía April Fair; Walking England; City Squares from 2017-04-22T00:00
A tour guide from Seville explains how its annual April Fair animates her city, and anchors a season of outdoor festivals in southern Spain. Then tour guides from Britain share their favorite pl...
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481 Saints of Spain; Footsteps of St. Paul; Michelangelo in Florence from 2017-04-15T00:00
Tour guides from Spain explain the importance of local saints to this festive country's national identity. Then actor David Suchet shares what he discovered about his own religious faith while r...
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480 Turn Right at Machu Picchu; Sarah Vowell: Lafayette in the USA; Scotch from 2017-04-08T00:00
Author Mark Adams shares what he learned about Incan history while trekking to Machu Picchu, just a century after it was revealed to the outside world. Then author and radio commentator Sarah Vo...
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479 Atlas Obscura America; The Not-Quite States; North Korea Holiday from 2017-04-01T00:00
Folks from online magazine Atlas Obscura share some of their favorite American roadside attractions. Then author Doug Mack explains the unique status of the United States' far-flung territorie...
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478 Versailles; Being French; Understanding Israel in 60 Days or Less from 2017-03-25T00:00
Rick and two French guides offer tips for planning a visit to the royal palace of Versailles and discuss contemporary issues facing France. Graphic Novelist Sarah Glidden discusses her first tri...
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398a Traditional Irish Music; Being Irish; Belfast from 2017-03-18T00:00
Give yourself an authentic Saint Patrick's Day as friends from Ireland demonstrate how traditional folk music continues to play an important role in their lives on a level that everyone can en...
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477 Marty Essen’s Favorite Wild Animals; Ireland 2017 from 2017-03-11T00:00
Photographer Marty Essen talks to Rick about his close encounters with animals in their native environments. And guides from Ireland recommend their favorite parts of Ireland to explore for peop...
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476 American Women's History Sites; Diana Nyad; Wilderness Healing from 2017-03-04T00:00
Celebrate 30 years of Women's History Month in the USA by visiting sites where women changed the nation's history, recommended by a former director of the National Museum of American History. En...
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433a Food Regions of Spain; Carnival in Venice and Rhineland; Alt for Norge from 2017-02-25T00:00
We'll hear about the local delicacies found on the various tapa menus across Spain. Then we'll learn more about the centuries-long traditions behind Carnival celebrations in Venice and Cologne, ...
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475 Budapest Riverwalk; Understanding the Brexit Vote from 2017-02-18T00:00
We'll take an audio stroll along the bustling banks of the Danube as it flows through the scenic heart of Budapest. Then we'll hear from some Brits about what motivated them to vote for or again...
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474 Essential Sicily; If Venice Dies; Casanova from 2017-02-11T00:00
A Sicilian tour guide lays out the essentials for exploring his distinctive sun-drenched island. Then a prominent Italian archaeologist discusses Venice's population decline, which continues e...
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473 Becoming a Road-Trip Pilgrim; China Tourism; Nationalism in Europe from 2017-02-04T00:00
Discover the rewards of being a "road-trip pilgrim," as explained by author Dan Austin. Then journalist Elizabeth Becker describes how China's mandatory Golden Week holidays have boosted the w...
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381a Italy by Train; Italy: North Versus South from 2017-01-28T00:00
British author Tim Parks explains why the Italian rail system, which he depends on daily, means more to him than a mere means of transportation. Then a pair of tour guides from opposite ends of ...
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472 Saigon; David Suchet; Open Phones: Travel Plans from 2017-01-21T00:00
Travel writer Dave Fox discusses everyday life as an American in Saigon, then British actor David Suchet explains why this year's 500-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is so impor...
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471 Cuba on the Line; Trespassing Across America from 2017-01-14T00:00
Two Americans who've made their living in Cuba shed light on the influence Americans have there, then author Ken Ilgunas describes the 1700-mile trek he made on foot from Alberta to Texas in hop...
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470 Greek Food; World's Smartest Travelers; 1,000 Places USA and Canada from 2017-01-07T00:00
Learn how eating like a Greek could be an ideal way to improve your diet in the new year. Then listen in as consumer-travel advocate Christopher Elliott explains why travel insurance isn't alway...
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469 Fresh Starts: Schultz and Sedaris; Outdoor Adventures; Unseen City from 2016-12-31T00:00
Authors David Sedaris and Patricia Schultz encourage making travel plans in the new year. Chris Santella recommends getting outdoors for an adrenaline kick heli-skiing in Alaska or a civilized g...
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468 European Christmas from 2016-12-24T00:00
Friends from Madrid, Rome, London, and Lisbon tell us how they celebrate the yuletide holidays. We'll also hear about small-town festivities in Holland, Austria, Northern Ireland, and Bulgaria.<...
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467 Holiday Roadfood; Best Chocolates in Europe; Holiday Travels; Prague Christmas from 2016-12-17T00:00
Writers Jane and Michael Stern discuss wintertime comfort food served in America's roadside restaurants, then food and culture expert Fred Plotkin explores the various kinds of chocolate availab...
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466 The Bonjour Effect; Reporting From Nicaragua from 2016-12-10T00:00
Montreal-based authors of "The Bonjour Effect" discuss the unwritten rules of conversation in France, and the communication hurdles visitors face — even those who speak perfect French. The...
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465 German Christmas Markets; Andy Steves' Europe; Seoul from 2016-12-03T00:00
Get into the holiday spirit by hearing about Germany's many outdoor Christmas markets, then listen in as Rick's son Andy Steves describes what kind of low-cost weekend adventures young travelers...
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388a Digging Up England; Astronaut's View of Earth; Holy Land Travels from 2016-11-26T00:00
Learn about how Roman and prehistoric worlds are within reach just beneath Britain's surface. Then hear Commander Chris Hadfield describe what he's captured in his photos of our planet, taken fr...
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464 Hungarian Food; Harvest Time in Provence; Reproach of Hunger from 2016-11-19T00:00
Two tour guides from Budapest tell us about Hungary's spicy culinary traditions, then author Marjorie R. Williams shares tips for finding exceptional seasonal produce — and great souvenirs...
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463 Understanding ISIS; The War Reporter from 2016-11-12T00:00
A leading international expert on terrorism, Loretta Napoleoni, tells us what she's learned about ISIS and their battlegrounds in the Middle East. Also, retired war reporter Martin Fletcher disc...
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462 Indigenous Arctic and Andes; Overbooked from 2016-11-05T00:00
A bestselling author of a book on the Northwest Passage describes how the Inuit of Canada and Greenland are responding to modern challenges posed by changes to the Arctic environment. Then we de...
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382a Pirates of the Carolinas; Faeries of Ireland; Ghosts of San Francisco from 2016-10-29T00:00
Just in time for Halloween and All Souls' Day, we'll explore the legacy of the real-life pirates who operated off the Carolina coast of colonial America. Then a pair of Irishmen clue us in to th...
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460 More Skyfaring; Marta Dusseldorp's Australia Home; Wieners from 2016-10-15T00:00
One of Australia's leading actors tells us what it means to explore the post-war 1950s and what she loves best about living in Sydney today. Also, a transcontinental pilot returns to further exp...
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459 Getting Around Spain; Madrid Side Trips; Andalucian Style from 2016-10-08T00:00
Celebrate Spain's National Day with us as we learn about recent improvements to the country's high-speed passenger trains and freeways, then listen in as tour guides from Madrid, Sevilla, and Na...
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452 Slow Train to Switzerland; Artist Safari; Joys of Travel from 2016-10-01T00:00
Learn how tourism as we know it was invented by middle-class, Victorian-era English travelers seeking a pleasure trip in the Swiss Alps. Then listen in as a painter describes how peering into ...
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458 Adventure Divas; Norse Mythology; Acropolis from 2016-09-24T00:00
Get a taste of Norse mythology and a glimpse of the Vikings' complex view of the cosmos. Plus, hear how Athens' Acropolis remains a powerful symbol of civilized democracy 2,500 years after it wa...
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457 Visiting Bulgaria; European Coffees; Persian Mirrors; Saints of Italy from 2016-09-17T00:00
A tour guide from Sofia discusses how Bulgaria's changed since it joined the EU, professional foodie Fred Plotkin explains why coffee varies across Europe, and writer Elaine Sciolino reveals wha...
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337a Indigenous Plight; Beauty in a Broken World; Ever-Evolving Berlin from 2016-09-10T00:00
Hear how author Terry Tempest Williams finds beauty in a broken world through the people she's met in her travels to Italy and Rwanda. Also, Phil Borges reveals what he's learned from photograph...
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456 Bear Trekking; Wilderness Edens; Juan Villoro's Mexico City Insider from 2016-09-03T00:00
Rick interviews ecologist Chris Morgan who says that saving the habitat for bears can save the planet for the rest of us. Get a taste of what wildlife photographer Marty Essen encountered from t...
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380a The Great Barrier Reef; Kiribati and Vanuatu from 2016-08-27T00:00
Learn why the Great Barrier Reef — one of Earth's greatest natural wonders — is facing serious threats to its survival. Then author J. Maarten Troost introduces us to the remote Pa...
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455 Havana; Ken Burns National Parks; Great American Places from 2016-08-20T00:00
Rick shares notes on visiting Havana with Cuban travel expert Christopher P. Baker, then filmmaker Ken Burns discusses his documentary series celebrating the National Park Service's centennial...
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454 Gaelic Sport; An Ex-Pat's Vietnam; Open Phones-European Travels from 2016-08-13T00:00
As Ireland gears up for another All-Ireland Championship, find out how Gaelic sports reflect a distinctly Irish identity. Hear what it's like for an American travel writer to live in Ho Chi Mi...
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453 Rome Neighborhoods; Will Hide's Crazy Rides; Former-Yugoslavia Today from 2016-08-06T00:00
Get tips for how to "do like the Romans do" in Rome's modern-day neighborhoods. Hear about the travel writer Will Hide's latest crazy rides, from cycling across the hills of Rwanda to driving ...
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410a Marrying an American; Flatlands; Sightseeing Communist History from 2016-07-30T00:00
Learn about the best places to visit in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to get a feel for what Communist-era life was like behind the Iron Curtain, now a quarter century in the past. J...
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340a Joanna Lumley's Nile; Open Phones: Fantastic Travels from 2016-07-23T00:00
Actress Joanna Lumley details her trip of a lifetime: a 4,000-mile trek up the Nile River all the way to its source, the swampy highlands of Rwanda. We'll hear how the river's personality vari...
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451 Lighthouses; Being Welsh; Working for the Earl at Stanway House from 2016-07-16T00:00
Learn about the important role lighthouses played in the 19th century, and which are the most interesting to visit in the US and France. Then hear a tour guide from Wales explain the pride tha...
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450 Bastille Day in France; The Only Street in Paris; Americans in Paris from 2016-07-09T00:00
Historian David McCullough introduces us to some of the most influential "Americans in Paris" of the 19th century, who returned home to apply the lessons they’d learned in the City of Light &mda...
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449 Siena Palio; Mississippi Delta; Asian-American Immigration Stories from 2016-07-02T00:00
Art-history scholar and tour guide Anna Piperato tells us how Siena’s high-spirited Palio horse race is a high point of the Tuscan summertime. Then author Richard Grant shares road-trip ...
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448 Those Friendly Canadians; Pacific Conflicts; Summer in Slovenia from 2016-06-25T00:00
NPR correspondent Eric Weiner tells us why Canada's one of his favorite summer road-trip destinations. Then author Simon Winchester discusses the growing importance of the Pacific Rim nations, a...
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391a Lake Titicaca; Latino America; South Carolina Low Country from 2016-06-18T00:00
Explore the heritage of the South Carolina Low Country, home to resorts, historical centers, and plenty of rice and seafood. Discover how you can stay high in the Andes with an indigenous fami...
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447 Hungarian Hot Springs; Peru's Boiling River; Padova from 2016-06-11T00:00
Hear how people of all ages enjoy a day at the baths in Budapest, where doctors commonly prescribe a relaxing day at the spa. Then learn about a sacred geothermal river located deep in Amazoni...
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446 Wild Europe; Greece 2016; France 2016 from 2016-06-04T00:00
The producer of "Bear Trek" talks about the bears and wolves that still live in Romania, Scotland, and the Alps, and discusses efforts to "re-wild" the open spaces of Europe. Then to...
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445 Paul Theroux Deep South; More World War I Sites from 2016-05-28T00:00
Author Paul Theroux shares the insights he gleaned about America from the people he met in the small towns and backroads of the Deep South. Then history professor Mark D. Van Ells returns with m...
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338a Tastes of Italy, Paris, and Basque Country from 2016-05-21T00:00
Tour guides from Paris and the Spanish Basque Country share recommendations for enjoying their local cuisine, and food writer Fred Plotkin helps us appreciate the culinary traditions of Italy, w...
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444 Urban Australia; Epic Family Road Trip; Nordic Cousins from 2016-05-14T00:00
Get an inside look at the mostly friendly rivalries between Sweden and Norway. Then hear from a family midway through their epic drive across North America, who stop by to share tips for making ...
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443 How Berlin Remembers; Visiting Spain 2016; Sagre Festivals of Italy from 2016-05-07T00:00
Find out how Berlin uses its monuments to teach new generations to remember the city's turbulent history. Then get insider tips for planning a getaway to Spain, and learn about the rural "s...
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442 Greek Easter; England North and East; Juan Villoro's Mexican Confessional from 2016-04-30T00:00
Hear about some of the customs that Greeks observe in the days leading up to Orthodox Easter. Then British tour guides recommend places to visit in the north and east of England that do well to ...
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441 Armenian Odyssey; Babushkas of Chernobyl; Greening Up India from 2016-04-23T00:00
Find out about a group of grandmothers who are defying the odds by living in Chernobyl. Then learn how environmental problems in India are making us rethink how we tackle the challenges of clima...
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375a Prague's Coronation Way; Portugal's Algarve; Drive Me Wild from 2016-04-16T00:00
Hear how you can view 10 centuries of architecture when you walk along the Coronation Way in Old Town Prague. Then learn about Portugal's sunny Algarve coast, once believed to be the end of the ...
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440 Changing Cuba 2016; Life and Death in the Andes from 2016-04-09T00:00
An expert updates Rick Steves on the practicalities of American travel to Cuba and how increased demand is affecting tourism there. Also, screenwriter Kim MacQuarrie tells us about the notorio...
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439 Madagascar; Edinburgh 2016; David McCullough's Favorites from 2016-04-02T00:00
Adventure traveler Hilary Bradt tells us why Madagascar is her favorite place in the world to explore. Then guides from Scotland share sightseeing advice for Edinburgh, with tips for day trips i...
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438 Saints of Italy; Jubilee Year in Rome; Michelangelo's Masterpieces from 2016-03-26T00:00
Hear why patron saints are so important to Siena, then get tips from guides in Rome for navigating the crowds during the Vatican's 2016 Jubilee Year observance. And listen in as author Miles J. ...
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335a Family Croatia; Bumpy Balkans; Exploring Northern Italy from 2016-03-19T00:00
Hear what two Americans learned about a different way of life after immersing themselves in everyday life in the Balkans, including Croatia. Then listen in as we explore the highlights of northe...
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437 Speaking in Irish; Ireland 2016; Lingo of Europe from 2016-03-12T00:00
Linguist Gaston Dorren tells us how languages reveal the personalities and history of the lands in which we travel. We'll also learn how the once-banned Irish language has reclaimed its role at ...
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436 Wandering Indonesia; Refugees in Europe Part 2; Issues in Spain from 2016-03-05T00:00
Journalist and epidemiologist Elizabeth Pisani tells us how easy it is to connect with people while traveling in Indonesia — a surprising, engaging nation of more than 13,000 islands. We'l...
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386a Globetrotting with Kids; Off-Season Travels from 2016-02-27T00:00
Two moms share their tips, and enthusiasm, for globetrotting and "world-schooling" with younger children. Then listeners describe how they've enjoyed wintertime adventures in places like Iceland...
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435 Lessons from Europe; Refugee Crisis, Part 1 from 2016-02-20T00:00
Fred Plotkin, author of "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler," shares ideas he gleaned from the recent Milan Expo on how the world is tackling the challenges we face in feeding a growing planet. Then...
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434 New Northwest Passage; Dispatches from Pluto, Mississippi; More Serendipity from 2016-02-13T00:00
Novelist Kathleen Winter describes how her Northwest Passage voyage through the Canadian Arctic taught her to view the world in a new light. Then journalist Richard Grant tells of what happene...
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433 Food Regions of Spain; Carnival in Venice & Rhineland; Alt for Norge from 2016-02-06T00:00
Learn about the Norwegian TV show that's helped many Americans discover their old-country ancestry, then get to know the centuries of traditions behind Carnival celebrations in Venice and Cologn...
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432 Global Hunger; Gloria Steinem's Travels; Money on the Road from 2016-01-30T00:00
Writer and international-development expert David Rieff describes what seems to be working — and what isn't — in the quest to end hunger in developing nations. Then author and acti...
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431 Delft; the Pacific; Survivors from 2016-01-23T00:00
A Dutch tour guide shares the charms of her historic hometown of Delft, then author Simon Winchester tells us why he believes the Pacific Rim defines our global future and details the biggest ch...
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366a Our Correspondent in India; the World of Madhur Jaffrey; Chaos, Italian Style from 2016-01-16T00:00
Get a personal look at India as BBC reporter Nick Bryant tells us what he learned about Indian society while he was stationed in New Delhi, and actress Madhur Jaffrey shares childhood memories...
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430 Being Sicilian; Geography of Genius; Tokyo 2016 from 2016-01-09T00:00
A pair of native-born Sicilian tour guides tell us what matters most about the "intensified Italy" of the island they call home. Then Eric Weiner, author of Geography of Genius, po...
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429 Fresh Start in Ireland; Travel Smarts; Travel Plans from 2016-01-02T00:00
Hear how an American found delight, and a fresh start, in rural Ireland — even after an unwelcome medical diagnosis ended his career. Then consumer-travel expert Christopher Elliott explai...
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428 The Joy of Pasta; European New Year's Traditions; Swiss Party from 2015-12-26T00:00
Hear about New Year's customs and superstitions of Belgium, Portugal, Turkey, Wales, the Netherlands, Spain, Sicily, Hungary, and Scotland. Then brighten your New Year with new tips for pairing ...
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270c International Christmas Party from 2015-12-19T00:00
Hear about holiday traditions in Wales, Hungary, Sicily, and Scotland, then learn about the unique ways people light up the season in Santa Fe — where the glow of luminarias and the scent ...
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427 More European Christmas Traditions from 2015-12-12T00:00
Nothing says Christmas like fresh oysters and fermented trout — at least according to some Europeans. Learn about the yuletide traditions of France, Norway, Greece, London, the Spanish Bas...
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426 American Lighthouses; Skyfaring; Travel Tales; the Longbow from 2015-12-05T00:00
Learn about some of America's most interesting lighthouses to visit — or even slumber in. Then hear from an experienced pilot about why the view from a 747 never gets old. And listen in as...
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317a The Inca Trail; Ottoman Turkey; Medieval Castles in Wales from 2015-11-28T00:00
Hear how you can get close to the ancients by hiking Peru's Inca Trail, and get tips for enjoying Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Then we'll zoom in on two more areas with striking monuments from the ...
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425 Jamón; Scandinavian Cuisine; A Tavola in Italy; 'Life from Scratch' from 2015-11-21T00:00
Hear what makes Spain's jamón the best ham in the world, then learn about the traditional comfort foods of Scandinavia, and the after-dinner customs that keep Italians lingering ...
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424 The Cotswolds; Joanna Lumley's Greece, part 2; Unlikely Ski Resorts; Reykjavík Night Out from 2015-11-14T00:00
British actress Joanna Lumley takes us on a soulful journey from Athens into northern Greece. Guides from Britain help us plan a getaway into England's scenic Cotswolds. Then travel writer Tim N...
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423 Backdoor Balkans; World War I Travel Sites; Kraków from 2015-11-07T00:00
As Europe observes the centennial of the "Great War," learn about the WWI sites you can visit to better understand American doughboys' role on the battlefields. We'll also share tips for vi...
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304a Haunted Europe; Haunted America; Sweet Tooth from 2015-10-31T00:00
Listeners tell us about eerie encounters they've had while traveling in England and France. Then ghost hunter Terrance Zepke describes some of the most haunted places she's investigated in the U...
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422 Chaos Italian-Style; Visiting Colombia; Asian America from 2015-10-24T00:00
Learn why Colombia is turning into one of South America's prime tourist destinations. And as we mark the 50-year anniversary of the Immigration Act of 1965, hear about why Asians, primarily from...
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384a Oklahoma City; Honolulu; A Blue Mind from 2015-10-17T00:00
Hear how recent upgrades to Oklahoma City have helped to turn it into a "big-league" city. Then eavesdrop on some local buzz around town in Honolulu, and get a sense of how time spent exploring ...
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421 Monet's Garden Passion; Ireland's Ring of Kerry; The Carry Home from 2015-10-10T00:00
Author and artist Elizabeth Murray tells how her life was changed by working in painter Claude Monet's gardens outside Paris. Then Irish tour guides take us to the scenic highlights of the popul...
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420 Music of Spain; Space Station Living; Canine-American Road Trip from 2015-10-03T00:00
Tune into the traditional music of Spain and find out where to catch the best flamenco shows in Madrid. Then listen in as astronaut Chris Hadfield describes daily life aboard the International S...
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419 Porto and the Douro Valley; Midnight in Siberia; Scottish Pub Talk from 2015-09-26T00:00
Guides from Portugal describe the delights of Porto, and the winemaking traditions of the nearby Douro Valley in the north of Portugal. Then NPR's David Greene shares what he learned abou...
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342a Rome After Dark; Underground NYC from 2015-09-19T00:00
People-watching and relaxing in the night air in one of Rome’s picturesque public piazzas: Get tips for enjoying Rome’s more intimate side after sunset. Then a guide to New York Ci...
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418 Bath, England; Yucatan Living; What They're Talking About in Spain from 2015-09-12T00:00
Find out why Bath is an ideal city to visit for a little R&R in the English countryside, then hear why one American expat, who runs a popular website about her life in the Yucatán, left C...
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417 Scandinavian Smackdown; Road Trips with the Green Book from 2015-09-05T00:00
Did you hear the one about the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Dane? Hear about what Scandinavians tend to think about their Nordic neighbors, and the sometimes not-so-subtle differences that help...
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296a Appalachian Trails; John Brown from 2015-08-29T00:00
Listen in as we rock the cradle of country music, from kitchy Dollywood to all-day mountain-music jams along Virginia's "Crooked Road." Tony Horwitz explores how John Brown's 1859 raid on Harper...
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416 Irish Legacy of Michael Collins; Boxing with Cuba; Katrina Plus Ten from 2015-08-22T00:00
Journalist Gary Rivlin tells us how he's seen New Orleans change in the 10 years since Hurricane Katrina. Also, Brin-Jonathan Butler describes what a decade of training with Olympic boxing elite...
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415 Unearthing the 'Stans; Ephesus; Oxford vs. Cambridge from 2015-08-15T00:00
Hear how photojournalist David Adams journeyed to Afghanistan and central Asia in search of the lost cities encountered by Alexander the Great. Learn why Ephesus, in western Turkey, is one of ...
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414 David McCullough on the Wright Brothers; First Impressions of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan from 2015-08-08T00:00
David McCullough recounts a big day in aviation history, when the Wright Brothers first demonstrated powered flight to an eager audience ? in France. Then travel writer Tim Neville shares his fi...
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413 Folk Music of Italy; Swiss Watching; Weekend in Wales from 2015-08-01T00:00
A British ex-pat tells us what it's like to live in Switzerland, and explains why the Swiss are deliberately different from the rest of their European neighbors. We'll also get pointers for fun ...
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325a The Desert Wisdom of Terry Tempest Williams; Sahara by Motorbike from 2015-07-25T00:00
Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams reflects on a mystery her late mother left behind, and explains her drive to speak out on behalf of the rugged Utah wilderness she calls home. Then a tour guide...
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412 The Birth of Korean Cool; Pico Iyer in North Korea from 2015-07-18T00:00
Author Euny Hong explains how South Korea has transformed into an economic and pop-culture powerhouse to become one of the world's "coolest" countries. Then author Pico Iyer shares what h...
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411 Future of France; Parisians; Open Phones from 2015-07-11T00:00
Hear French views on the tensions that free speech can raise in a multicultural nation. Author Graham Robb introduces us to some of the people that have helped define today's stylish city of Par...
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410 Marrying An American; Flatlands; Sightseeing Communist History from 2015-07-04T00:00
Guides from Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic tell us about some of the sites you can visit to get a feel for the Communist era in central and eastern Europe. We'll also explore the allure...
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315a Falling in Love with Madrid; Romantic Prague; Travel Kindness from 2015-06-27T00:00
Find out why Madrid and Prague are two of the most romantic cities in Europe as local tour guides describe outstanding architecture, peaceful gardens, friendly street life, and romantic viewpoin...
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409 Insider's Guide to Venice; Touring Norway from 2015-06-20T00:00
Explore the charming backstreets of Venice as local guides offer insider advice for avoiding the crush of tourists. Experience the elegance of Venice from its breathtakingly beautiful architectu...
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408 Europe's Royal Families; Agatha Christie's Grand Tour; Walking Dublin from 2015-06-13T00:00
Just in time for "Bloomsday," a Dublin tour guide takes us on an audio walk past the city's must-see sights for fans of James Joyce's "Ulysses." Then we hear about Agatha Christie's 1922 Grand T...
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407 Unofficial Guide to Disney World; Flying with Kids; Lemurs of Madagascar from 2015-06-06T00:00
Get tips from the author of the best-selling "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" on how to enjoy the Disney theme parks without getting overwhelmed. Then listen in for some practical advice ...
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405 What Italians Are Talking About; Visiting England's Estate Houses from 2015-05-30T00:00
Get insider tips for which of Britain's many tourable historic mansions and stately homes are the most rewarding to visit, and which of those offer the chance to meet the lord or lady of the man...
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406 Breakfast In America; Four Corners Road Trip; Indonesia Etc. from 2015-05-23T00:00
Listen in as Elizabeth Pisani shares tales of her year-long voyage to get reacquainted with the world's fourth most populous country ? what she calls the "improbable" nation of Indonesia. Then l...
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404 Politics in Turkey; Greek Mythology Sites; Holland from 2015-05-16T00:00
We follow up with friends from Turkey who participated in Istanbul's 2013 Gezi Park protests and learn why there's still a populist movement against the leader of their national government. Then...
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403 Into the Wind; Nomadic Matt's Budget Travel Tips; Listener Adventures from 2015-05-09T00:00
Jake Ducey describes what the world taught him after he dropped out of college and spent half a year wandering far from home, then blogger "Nomadic Matt" shares budget travel tips that allow you...
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401 Ceramic Arts of Portugal; EU Immigration Issues; Trans-Siberian Railway from 2015-05-02T00:00
NPR's former Moscow correspondent David Greene joins us to describe his winter ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway, and share what it taught him about the Russian people. And we'll examine how ...
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336a Waters of Rome; Ferenc Mate at Sea; Outdoor France from 2015-04-18T00:00
Learn about how the waters of Rome — from its ornate fountains to a shrine for the Venus of the Sewers — can be a refreshing way to explore this ancient capital. We'll also hear from...
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303a Hungarian Country Vacation; Basque Country from 2015-04-11T00:00
Get suggestions for relaxing in Hungary’s countryside, long a favorite for low-stress family vacations. Rick also checks in with listeners planning family trips to the UK and Ireland. Then...
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400 Astronaut's Favorite Views; Nowhere Travels; Hilary Bradt; Summer of '73 from 2015-04-04T00:00
Listen in as astronaut Chris Hadfield and writer Pico Iyer describe the life-altering perspectives they’ve gained from their travels. Then Rick compares notes with guidebook publisher Hila...
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399 Cuba for American Travelers; Easter in Sevilla from 2015-03-28T00:00
Listen in as Christopher P. Baker, one of America's top experts on travel to Cuba, reports on the reaction in the streets of Havana to President Obama's announcement - and addresses common mis...
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339a Mexico Road Trips; 21st-Century Women in Italy; Open Phones from 2015-03-21T00:00
Get tips for exploring Mexico at your own pace as the experts behind “The People's Guide to Mexico” offer tips for enjoying an independent road trip. Then hear about the frustratio...
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398 Traditional Irish Music; How to Be Irish; Exploring Belfast from 2015-03-14T00:00
Give yourself an authentic Saint Patrick's Day as friends from Ireland demonstrate how traditional folk music continues to play an important role in their lives on a level that everyone can enjo...
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397 Dynamic Berlin; Debating the European Economic Crisis from 2015-03-07T00:00
Get a peek behind the news to hear first-hand how Spaniards and Greeks are coping with Europe’s economic crisis — then hear the other side of the debate as we turn to look at thrivin...
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319a Europe by Rail; American Comfort Food; European Travel Reports from 2015-02-28T00:00
One of America's top experts on European train travel shares her tips for making the most of Europe's extensive train network, and explains how rail passes work — and how to know when they...
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396 Belgium's Split Personality; Scotland Post-Referendum; the Lusitania from 2015-02-21T00:00
Get personal insights on what persuaded the Scottish people to vote 'Nae' in their recent independence referendum, and hear an overview of the two personalities that comprise Belgium. Then ...
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395 Monet's Passion; the French House; Marrying an Italian from 2015-02-14T00:00
Listen in as an artist who helped restore Monet’s gardens explains why the French painter first created these colorful gardens at his house outside Paris, and hear how renovating a house o...
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394 Istanbul Street Food; Karneval in the Rhineland and Balkans; More Holy Land Travels from 2015-02-07T00:00
Get tips for eating well on the cheap in Istanbul, where street vendors and inexpensive cafeterias offer great local food amid the city’s vibrant street life. Then hear about the Karneval ...
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393 Convent Inns of Italy; Travels with the Band; Protecting the Pacific from 2015-01-31T00:00
Find out what's been threatening the mid-Pacific...and what’s being done to protect it. Then learn about an unusual — and often comfortable — alternative to hotels and B&Bs: ...
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332a Regions of France; Châteaux Country; Ancient Stones of Brittany from 2015-01-24T00:00
Join us as we take a look at regional highlights beyond Paris, such as the vineyards and mansions of the Loire Valley. We'll also learn about the weathered prehistoric stone formations on t...
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392 Ireland's W. B. Yeats; Scotland's Robert Burns; Agatha Christie's England from 2015-01-17T00:00
We look at how important the poet W. B Yeats is to the Irish, then Agatha Christie’s grandson recommends places in England where you experience the world of her mystery novels. And, just i...
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391 Lake Titicaca; Latino America; South Carolina Low Country from 2015-01-10T00:00
Explore the highlights of the South Carolina Low Country, home to antebellum architecture, wildlife preserves, and plenty of rice and seafood. Then discover how you can stay high in the Andes wi...
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390 Africa 54 Update; Fortunes of Africa; Stovetop Travel from 2015-01-03T00:00
Francis Tapon checks in with Rick at the halfway point of his goal to explore each of Africa's 54 countries. African historian Martin Meredith explains the lasting impact of the continent's colo...
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389 European New Year's; Spanish Wine; Alexander's Lost World from 2014-12-27T00:00
Hear how people in Sweden, Croatia, Wales, and Scotland welcome in the new year, then learn how Spanish wines are making a splash — and get tips for pairing up its major varietals. And lis...
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228c European Christmas Preparations from 2014-12-20T00:00
In Europe, Santa Claus has some rather interesting relatives. Get acquainted with such characters as Baba Noel, Grandfather Frost, Saint Nicholas, Krampus, and even Samichlaus and Schmutzli. L...
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388 Digging England; Astronaut's View of Earth; Holy Land Travels from 2014-12-13T00:00
Look at the world in a whole new light: Hear about a view that's "out of this world" as astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield describes the photos he took of Mother Earth from 250 miles away, and w...
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387 Surviving Sinterklaas; Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey from 2014-12-06T00:00
Experience vicarious time travel as actress Joanna Lumley describes the memorable connections she made at the iconic sites of ancient Greece, then hear about some of the holiday traditions that ...
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386 Globetrotting with Kids; Off-Season Travels from 2014-11-29T00:00
Find out how to make traveling abroad into a favorite family pastime, as two moms share their tips, and enthusiasm, for overseas travel with kids. Then hear how listeners have enjoyed exploring ...
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278b The Table Comes First in France; A Taste of Portugal from 2014-11-22T00:00
Adam Gopnik explains why "The Table Comes First in France," and how taking time to eat with joy and appreciation can make every dinnertime into an occasion at your house. Also, guides from Portu...
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385 Scottish Hebrides; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Move To Tahiti from 2014-11-15T00:00
Hear how the light and color of the Caribbean inspired a dazzling photo book by novelist Ferenc Máté – who, having sailed to the West Indies island of St. Vincent, liked the ...
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384 Oklahoma City; Honolulu; A Blue Mind from 2014-11-08T00:00
Learn how recent upgrades have helped turn Oklahoma City into a "big-league city." And hear what people are talking about in Honolulu, and how this city’s cultural offerings can enha...
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383 Live Like a Spaniard; Buenos Aires; Feedback Open Phones from 2014-11-01T00:00
Hear about why Buenos Aires is one of the world’s most popular cities from an American who's made Argentina his home. Then learn how to fit in with the locals in Spain, where the dai...
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382 Pirates of the Carolinas; Faeries of Ireland; Ghosts of San Francisco from 2014-10-25T00:00
We'll explore the legacy of the real-life pirates who operated off the Carolina coast in colonial America. Next, a pair of Irishmen clue us in on the various sorts of faery people that some stil...
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302a Turkey's Black Sea Coast; Ancient World Sightseeing; Walk Through Tangier from 2014-10-18T00:00
Get tips for viewing ancient temples, amphitheaters and cities in Greece, Turkey and Egypt through the eyes of the people who lived there long ago. Find out about visiting Tangier on the Moroc...
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381 Italy By Train; Italy North and South from 2014-10-11T00:00
In Italy, the journey is always an adventure. Author Tim Parks helps us appreciate how the Italian rail system works, and why it's more than mere transportation. Plus, a pair of tour guides from...
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380 The Great Barrier Reef; Kiribati and Vanuatu from 2014-10-04T00:00
Learn about the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia and the serious threats it's facing to its survival. Also, author J Maarten Troost introduces the remote Pacific Island nations of K...
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322a Stones of England; Stockholm Al Fresco, The Finnish Sauna from 2014-09-27T00:00
A guide shows us how to enjoy the Swedish capital al fresco, where the locals make it a priority to get outdoors, any time of year. We'll also explore the mysteries of the ancient stone circles ...
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379 Biking in Amsterdam; How Paris Became Paris; Open Phones: Paris from 2014-09-20T00:00
Find out how easy it is to cycle almost anywhere in The Netherlands. Also, learn how Paris was a leader in designing attractive plazas and parks that anyone can enjoy like an outdoor living room...
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378 Greek Islands; European Coffee Culture; European Media from 2014-09-13T00:00
We'll explore some options for enjoying the climate and culture of Greece — with or without cruise-ship crowds — and get some advice on choosing between Greece’s many islands...
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377 Cruising the Bosphorus; Adriatic Coast; French Impressionism from 2014-09-06T00:00
Hear about how the Bosphorus — the busy shipping canal that separates the European side of Istanbul from Asia — is a sentimental favorite among Turks. We’ll also learn why Cr...
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305a Radio Shangri-La in Bhutan; Tibet on the Edge; Pico Iyer: Lonely Places from 2014-08-30T00:00
Lisa Napoli tells us about the Himalayas and her time helping to start a radio station in Bhutan. Photographer Phil Borges describes how much things have changed on a recent return to r...
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376 Midwestern Road Food; A European Education; Travel Serendipity from 2014-08-23T00:00
Road Food experts Jane and Michael Stern share their favorite comfort food discoveries, including sour cream raisin pie, from road trips across the Midwest. Our panel of European moms returns fr...
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375 Prague's Coronation Way; Portugal's Algarve; Drive Me Wild from 2014-08-16T00:00
Hear how you can view ten centuries of architecture along the Coronation Way in Old Town Prague. Find out about the Algarve region of Portugal where the beach, sun and seafood are now the main a...
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374 What's New in Amsterdam; Swiss Mix; Adventure Sports in Spain from 2014-08-09T00:00
Find out what's new in Amsterdam, including all the changes at the city's recently renovated art museums. Then hear how Switzerland pulls neighboring European cultures together into a uniquely S...
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373 Isles of Britain; Scottish Secession; Challenges for Working Women in Europe from 2014-08-02T00:00
Martin Clunes, star of the Doc Martin TV series, tells us what he discovered while filming a documentary on the far flung outposts and islands that surround Great Britain. Voters in Scotland are...
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285a Italian Food Culture; The Perfect Tuscan Picnic from 2014-07-26T00:00
Italian food expert, Fred Plotkin, takes us wide-eyed visitors deeper into the culture of enjoying a good meal in Italy. Jamie Blair Gould, a tour guide from Lucca, helps listeners assemble...
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372 Albania; Walking Vienna; Living as a Borderless European from 2014-07-19T00:00
Hear why Albania ranks high for seasoned travelers on the list of places to discover as it emerges from decades of isolation. Get tips for enjoying the arts and comforts of Vienna where every ...
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371 French Riviera; The Discovery of France; Paris Day Trips from 2014-07-12T00:00
French tour guides share tips for enjoying the highlights of the glittering Côte d'Azur, as well as recommendations for elegant day trips from Paris. Plus, author Graham Robb tells us what...
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370 New York City Like a Local; Savannah; Key West from 2014-07-05T00:00
Discover a great American getaway as Pauline Frommer shares some of her favorite tips for enjoying New York City like a local, and hear about the pleasures of Savannah, Georgia, where artistic e...
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369 Aniakchak Alaska; Bird Brains; Japan Inc. from 2014-06-28T00:00
If you had wings, where would you fly? Learn how studying the remarkable intelligence of birds can take you around the world, and even teach us what it means to be human. We'll also hear about...
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368 London Update; Village Turkey; Cruising into St. Petersburg from 2014-06-21T00:00
Hear what Londoners have nicknamed the latest skyscrapers popping up around their city, and get tips for exploring the lesser-known parts of Turkey, where the main attraction just might be you.&...
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367 Driving In Europe; Getting Around Ireland; Exploring Provence from 2014-06-14T00:00
Cruise your way around Provence and Ireland: We'll look at your options for getting around the Emerald Isle, and for exploring the floral landscapes and villages of southern France. And a p...
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366 Our Correspondent in India; The World of Madhur Jaffrey; Chaos, Italian Style from 2014-06-07T00:00
Get a personal look at India: BBC reporter Nick Bryant tells us what he learned about Indian society while he was stationed in New Delhi, and actress Madhur Jaffrey shares childhood memories f...
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284a Diving Adventures; Instant Cities; Unconquered Amazon from 2014-05-31T00:00
This show goes to great depths: A diving enthusiast highlights the underwater world, from the turquoise coasts of Central America to the cold jade waters of Puget Sound. Then NPR's Steve Inskeep...
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365 World War One Sites in Britain and the Balkans; Southern American Road Food from 2014-05-24T00:00
To mark the centenary of the start of World War I, we'll hear how the British are remembering the Great War, and what's afoot in London this year, where WWI sites, events, and memorials make goo...
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364 Monaco; Norway's Fjord Country; Travel Faux Pas from 2014-05-17T00:00
Get tips for enjoying the scenic fjord country of Norway, currently celebrating its 200 years as a nation. Then listen in as we chat about what makes the tiny Riviera principality of Monaco spar...
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286a Mother's Day: Sweet Home Croatia; An American Mother in Paris from 2014-05-10T00:00
Do a little vicarious traveling for Mother's Day: Listen in as American author Jennifer Wilson describes her experience of relocating her family to the same Croatian village that her great-grand...
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363 Scottish Homecoming; A Troubadour's Scotland from 2014-05-03T00:00
Join us for a generous dose of convivial banter about Scotland: We'll hear all about this year's Scottish "Homecoming," then get insider tips for enjoying Edinburgh and Glasgow, and exploring th...
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324a Journeying with "The People's Guide to Mexico"; Dutch Treats and Eurovision Fever from 2014-04-26T00:00
Enjoy Mexico and the Netherlands like you're one of the family: The authors of "The People's Guide to Mexico" share tips for making your next trip south of the border extra-fun and culturally re...
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362 Disappearing Places and Art in Place in the Americas; Sacred New Mexico from 2014-04-19T00:00
Listen in as we chat about experiencing impressive site-specific art in the Americas, then learn about endangered heritage sites in Latin America and Iberia. We'll also explore some quiet "...
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361 Remembering the Titanic; Jewish Prague; Global Peacebuilding from 2014-04-12T00:00
Learn how Ireland is displaying its connections with the infamous Titanic — in Belfast, where it was built, and in County Cork, its final port of call. We'll also explore the h...
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360 Joanna Lumley's Travels; Holy Toledo; Good Night and God Bless from 2014-04-05T00:00
British actress and global traveler Joanna Lumley tells Rick why her family is revered in Bhutan, then Spanish tour guides describe the highlights of their country's spiritual capital, Toledo. P...
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359 Issues in Germany; Democracy In Turkey; Open Phones from 2014-03-29T00:00
International news gets personal as Rick's friends give us a peek into what current affairs are on Germans' minds, and a tour guide from Turkey explains what prompted her to join the thousands p...
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306a Germany Faux-Pas; Ferenc Máté's Real Life; Becoming a Road Trip Pilgrim from 2014-03-22T00:00
Author Ferenc Máté shares the rewards of relying on one another, instead of our gadgets, and filmmaker Dan Austin describes how a low-budget bike journey changed his view of the wo...
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358 Cuba by Motorcycle; Celtic Middle Earth; Irish Craic from 2014-03-15T00:00
Get a fresh look at Cuba and Ireland: Hear from a motorcycle-tour guide about how Americans can now legally visit Cuba, then learn about the sophisticated celestial-based geometry the ancient Ce...
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357 Chachapoyas, Peru; Embedded; Exploring Andalucía from 2014-03-08T00:00
This week, we'll learn about the pre-Inca sites of the northern Peru cloud forest, where the tourist crowds of Cuzco are hundreds of miles away. Also, a radio journalist describes what it was ...
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356 Disappearing Places USA; The Irish Sea from 2014-03-01T00:00
Hear about the threats to iconic places in the United States that the World Monuments Fund has added to its latest "watch list" of endangered places. Guides from Wales and Ireland share their fa...
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321a Ask Rick; A Heart for Street Art; Urban Explorers from 2014-02-22T00:00
Meet an urban explorer who tells us why his favorite part of Paris is underground, and how he gets to enjoy a view of the Manhattan skyline from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. We'll also hear h...
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215a Open Phones: Sick in Europe; Swedish Vacation; Istanbul By Night from 2014-02-18T00:00
Guides from Stockholm and Istanbul recommend getting back to nature in the Swedish countryside, and share tips for enjoying a night on the town in Istanbul and Rick checks in with listeners who hav...
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355 More Eastern Mediterranean Antiquities; Italy's Instep; Exploring Morocco from 2014-02-15T00:00
Guides from Greece and Egypt share tips for sightseeing the historical highlights of the eastern Mediterranean. Plus, guides from southern Italy and Morocco take listener calls with ideas for ex...
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354 The Love of French Cheese; Marrying Into France; West African Homecoming from 2014-02-08T00:00
Learn about a few of the many traditional cheeses that go with the seasons in France. Two authors tell us about the culture shock that comes with marrying a Frenchman and living in Paris. Also, ...
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353 Telling the Stories of the Monuments Men; Doc Martin in Cornwall from 2014-02-01T00:00
The heroic efforts of Allied troops known as The Monuments Men are about to be depicted in a major motion picture. Hear how the film's co-author and producer was inspired to tell their story, an...
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287a Glasgow; Roman Britain; Pompeii from 2014-01-25T00:00
Get tips for planning a visit to the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii, near Naples. Explore ancient monuments, dating to the Roman Empire and earlier, that are scattered across the countryside of En...
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352 Curry Nation; Java Trekker; Open Phones from 2014-01-18T00:00
The stereotype of bland food in Britain is changing. Actress and cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey tells us how Britain has become a "Curry Nation." Also, the owner of a fair trade coffee company expl...
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351 Italy On and Off the Rails; Romantic Amalfi Coast from 2014-01-11T00:00
There's a lot you can understand about Italy by observing how they operate their rail lines. Author and long-time Verona resident Tim Parks lets us in on the Italian way of doing things. Guides ...
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350 Disappearing Places; Ed Viestur's Everest; Vanishing Voices from 2014-01-04T00:00
Hear about some of the heritage sites around the world that are in danger of being destroyed by war, weather, and neglect. Learn what is lost when an endangered minority language disappears from e...
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349 Sochi 2014; Pauline Frommer's New York City; European New Year's Traditions from 2013-12-28T00:00
Find out more about Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi and how the Winter Olympic games are affecting local attitudes. Pauline Frommer offers enthusiastic tips for making a visit to New York C...
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270b International Christmas Party from 2013-12-21T00:00
Hear about holiday traditions in Wales, Hungary, Sicily, Scotland, and even Santa Fe where locals have unique ways to light up the season. Hear how scientists at a research station in Antarctica...
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348 War Zone Correspondent; Embedded Christmas; Holidays in the Alps; The French Cheese Plate from 2013-12-14T00:00
Take a look at the conflict centers of the world through the lens of a foreign correspondent from the BBC. We hear how Christmas with the troops in Afghanistan can be a bit of a surreal experience...
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347 More Loire Valley Chateau Country; Exploring Brittany; Notorious Royal Marriages from 2013-12-13T00:00
In the Loire Valley in central France, dozens of historic estates are ready to impress you with everything from elaborate gardens and architecture to authentic displays of medieval hunting and d...
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345 Italy's Decadent Desserts; Respecting the Pasta; Food Markets of Paris from 2013-11-16T00:00
Italian food expert Fred Plotkin delves into the local dessert specialties of Italy, and tells us where you can find the best gelato in the entire country. A guide from Sicily advises us how not...
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344 South Seas with Robert Louis Stevenson; Changing Bhutan; Modern Sweden from 2013-11-09T00:00
Hear how J. Maarten Troost found contentment and sobriety, sailing in the wake of Robert Louis Stevenson among the South Sea islands. Journalist Lisa Napoli describes the pressures to modernize ...
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343 Destination Space Station; Open Phones: Trek of a Lifetime from 2013-11-02T00:00
A genuinely "down to earth" astronaut tells us what it's like living and working on the International Space Station. Colonel Cady Coleman explains how zero gravity changes the everyday things yo...
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342 Rome After Dark; Underground NYC from 2013-10-26T00:00
When in Rome, one of the timeless ways to enjoy the city is people-watching and enjoying the night air in one of the city's picturesque public squares. Find out how to experience a more intimate s...
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289a Underground Zanzibar; Rugged Abruzzo Italy; Southeast Asia Overview from 2013-10-19T00:00
Adventure traveler and author Richard Grant describes the craziness he encountered on the island of Zanzibar. A native of small town Italy explains the uncrowded appeal of Abruzzo, in the rugged Ap...
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341 Back-Roads Quebec; Cuba Update; Hiking in Germany from 2013-10-12T00:00
An expert on travel to Cuba explains how their society is changing under Raul Castro's policies, and how Americans can legally get around the embargo on travel to Cuba. Also, we look into the at...
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263a Looking Up Ancestors in Europe; Irish Roots; Highlights of the Low Countries from 2013-09-28T00:00
Rick checks in with European tour guides on researching family history in Ireland, and listeners tell us of their own discoveries meeting relatives in Sweden and Lithuania. We'll get highlights of ...
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339 Mexico Road Trips; 21st-Century Women in Italy; Open Phones: Feedback from 2013-09-21T00:00
The experts from The People's Guide to Mexico offer tips for enjoying an independent road trip to explore Mexico on your own. Hear about the frustrations many women face in Italy when they try to b...
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338 Tastes of Italy, Paris, and Basque Country from 2013-09-14T00:00
Your travels can open up your taste buds to entirely new adventures. Guides from Paris and the Basque Country in Spain introduce us to their local food traditions. Fred Plotkin serves up another...
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337 Plight of Indigenous Peoples; Beauty in a Broken World; Ever-Evolving Berlin from 2013-09-07T00:00
Hear how Terry Tempest Williams found beauty in a broken world in Italy and where you'd least expect it, in Rwanda. Phil Borges tells us what he's learned from photographing indigenous people ar...
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299a Exploring Art in Southeast Asia and Ireland; Travel Kindnesses from 2013-08-31T00:00
Get better acquainted with Southeast Asia and Ireland through the eyes of its artists. We'll explore how understanding the stories behind paintings, and knowing the role of important architectur...
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336 Waters of Rome; Ferenc Mate at Sea; Outdoor France from 2013-08-24T00:00
The waters of Rome can provide you with a refreshing way to explore the ancient capitol of the world. Hear how sailing the dangerous waters around Canada's Vancouver Island sets the scene for th...
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335 Family Croatia; Bumpy Balkans; Exploring Northern Italy from 2013-08-17T00:00
Hear how two travelers immersed themselves in Croatia and its neighbors. Plus, guides from Italy share the highlights of northern Italy, from Milan to Lake Como, and they recommend less-crowded ...
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294a Pico Iyer: A Traveler's Home is a Verb; Cape Town, South Africa from 2013-08-10T00:00
Celebrated author, Pico Iyer, shares how going it alone can actually clue you in to the global village that already surrounds you. Travel writer Will Hide tells us why Cape Town, South Africa is on...
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334 Pastoral Britain from 2013-08-03T00:00
Expert guides from southern England chat with Rick and take listener calls about their favorite parts of rural Britain. They'll recommend where to enjoy off-the-beaten-path pastoral landscapes, ...
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333 Rock & Roll Roadtrips; Irish Homecoming; Proving Up On the Great Plains from 2013-07-27T00:00
Explore sites that pay homage to some of the icons of rock and roll. Get a heartfelt taste of music traditions in Ireland where a homecoming theme invites visitors this year. Also, explore how t...
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253a Composer Sites in Europe; Portugal Beyond Lisbon; Eating Adventures from 2013-07-20T00:00
See how attending a performance at one of Europe's great concert venues can add to your enjoyment of classical music. A guide from Portugal introduces us to some of the high points away from Lis...
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332 Regions of France; Chateaux Country; Ancient Stones of Brittany from 2013-07-13T00:00
France offers visitors a great deal of variety including the vineyards and elegant castles and mansions in the Loire Valley. Hear how the pre-historic stone formations on the hillsides of Britta...
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331 Backroad Scotland; European Politics in Germany; Ghost Dance in Berlin from 2013-07-06T00:00
Rick examines today's political scene in Germany and takes a deeper look at the historical ghosts you can stumble on in Berlin. A political organizer and tour guide from the Rhine region tells us w...
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330 Variety of American Roadfood; Coastal British Columbia from 2013-06-29T00:00
Barbecue, chili, clam chowder, fresh oysters, and even buckwheat pancakes are a few of Jane and Michael Stern's discoveries that can turn your next American road trip into a comfort food pilgrammag...
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329 Sorrento; A Pilot's Advice; Open Phones: Fun at Any Age from 2013-06-22T00:00
Guides from Sorrento explain how their cliffside city is an easy hop to historical and scenic adventures, and also a great place to relax with a chilled glass of homemade limoncello. We'll also get...
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257a Potsdam; Athens; Open Phones: Favorite Cities from 2013-06-15T00:00
We'll explore the historical riches of Potsdam, Germany, and we'll hear how Athens, Greece has grown into a visitor-friendly destination, complete with a new Acropolis museum. We'll also get a d...
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328 Road Trips with Lincoln and the Green Book; Flying Happy with Samantha Brown from 2013-06-08T00:00
Get inspired to take a classic American road trip along the Lincoln Trail, from Springfield, Illinois to Gettysburg and the Potomac. We'll also hear about the special travel guide that African-A...
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327 Fun in Europe: Street Markets in Paris, Beer in Belgium, Caves in Slovenia from 2013-06-01T00:00
Rick interviews a guide to the street markets of Paris, where souvenir shopping can be a destination in itself. Hear how the beer in Belgium is so good, it's worth a special trip. Also, learn ab...
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275a The Pilgrimage of Annie Leibovitz; Open Phones: Extraordinary Travels from 2013-05-25T00:00
Photographer Annie Leibovitz joins us to describe what it meant to zoom in on places and objects from the icons of American culture from Walden Pond to Niagara Falls and from Ghost Ranch to Gracela...
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326 Exploring Poland; Classical Titans from 2013-05-18T00:00
Guides specializing in Eastern Europe highlight the charms of Krakow, Poznan, Warsaw and Gdansk, where the prices can be as friendly as the people. Also, Fred Plotkin explains how this is a real...
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325 The Desert Wisdom of Terry Tempest Williams; Sahara by Motorbike from 2013-05-11T00:00
Naturalist Terry Tempest Williams tells us why her dedication to the rugged beauty of the Utah wilderness where she lives requires her to speak out on its behalf. Also, a tour guide from Italy d...
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324 Journeying with the People's Guide to Mexico; Dutch Treats from 2013-05-04T00:00
Discover how you can enjoy Mexico and the Netherlands like you're one of the family. The authors of The People's Guide to Mexico recommend how to make your next trip south of the border extra-fu...
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323 Palestine Tourism; No Opportunity Wasted from 2013-04-27T00:00
Rick learns about tourism in the Palestinian Territories on the West Bank of the Jordan. Also, the host of The Amazing Race, Phil Keoghan, describes how a near-death experience at age 19 convinc...
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322 Stones of England; Stockholm Al Fresco; The Finnish Sauna from 2013-04-20T00:00
A lot of Stockholm's charm comes from how much land and waterfront is dedicated to parks and public access. We'll also explore the mysteries of the ancient stone circles and prehistoric monument...
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278a The Table Comes First in France; A Taste of Portugal from 2013-04-13T00:00
Five years in France showed Adam Gopnik and his family why the rituals associated with mealtime are often as important to the French as their recipes. Also, two guides from Portugal share the hi...
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321 Ask Rick; A Heart for Street Art; Urban Explorers from 2013-04-06T00:00
Moses Gates is an urban explorer who tells us why his favorite part of Paris is underground, and how he gets to enjoy his favorite view of the Manhattan skyline from the top of the Brooklyn Brid...
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320 Jeff Greenwald's Nepal; Visiting St Peter's Basilica from 2013-03-30T00:00
Travel writer Jeff Greenwald makes a point to return to Nepal every year and describes how long-held customs are challenged by modern pressures and political turmoil. He also points out what&rsq...
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319 European Rail; American Comfort Food; Open Phones: More Travel Reports from 2013-03-23T00:00
An expert who advises American travelers on how to best use the passenger rail lines in Europe offers tips for when rail passes are a bargain, and how they work. Also, Jane and Michael Stern dis...
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318 Basque Country; Irish Song from 2013-03-16T00:00
Rick explores the sites and culture of Basque Country with two guides who have deep family roots in the region. We'll look at the power of music in Ireland, where nearly every town comes with it...
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265a Paris Art Scene; Irish Writers; Michelangelo's Florence from 2013-03-09T00:00
Hear how language is a high form of art in Ireland, where the works of its poets and playwrights add color to even the nation's parks and pubs. We'll get tips for enjoying more of the speciality...
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317 The Inca Trail; Ottoman Turkey; Medieval Castles in Wales from 2013-03-02T00:00
Hear how you can get close to the ancients along the Inca Trail in Peru with tips for enjoying Cuzco and Machu Picchu. We'll also look at the monuments and legacy of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, ...
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254a Flirtatious France; Walk Across Israel from 2013-02-23T00:00
Journalist Elaine Sciolino explains the many ways seduction operates as part of day to day life in France. Also, Martin Fletcher describes what a good long walk down the coast of Israel showed h...
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316 Inside Italy's Deep South; Pirates of the Carolinas from 2013-02-16T00:00
Rick examines Sicily and what the "heel, toe and instep" of the boot of Italy has to offer the adventurous traveler. In addition, we'll explore pirate history and lore along the Carolina coast, ...
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315 Falling in Love with Madrid; Romantic Prague; Travel Kindnesses from 2013-02-09T00:00
Local tour guides explain why Madrid and Prague are two of the most romantic cities in Europe. Plus, Rick chats with listeners who share unforgettable encounters from their travels, where the ...
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314 Travel Portraits; Artist's Safari; Africa 54 from 2013-02-02T00:00
A portrait photographer shares tips for taking top-notch photos of the people you meet in your travels. A painter shares how going on an artist's safari has deepened his love of African wildlife...
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249a Home, High Tea, and Book Lust To Go from 2013-01-19T00:00
Bill Bryson points out what the rooms and items in your house can teach you about the world. Tour guide, Britt Lonsdale, explains your options for enjoying an elegant afternoon tea in London. Al...
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312 Derry Celebrates; Trendy East London; Coastal Croatia from 2013-01-12T00:00
North Ireland's city of Derry is gearing up to be this year's "U-K City of Culture." We'll find out how concerts and the arts are uniting the Irish. Hear how London's working class East End is b...
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311 The Netherlands, Inside Out; Samantha Brown's Travels; Insider Fun in Europe from 2013-01-05T00:00
Journalist Jonathan Groubert explains what a recent change of government means for the Netherlands. And Travel Channel host Samantha Brown chats about her latest projects. Plus,...
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310 French Wine; Scottish New Year's; Travel Resolutions from 2012-12-29T00:00
A wine expert from Paris explains how the wine industry operates in France and offers tips for finding the best deals on French wine. We'll also explore the rich New Year's Eve tradition...
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270a International Christmas Party from 2012-12-22T00:00
Hear about holiday traditions from Wales and Hungary, Sicily and Scotland. Learn about the unique ways people light up the season in Santa Fe — where the fragrance of piñon ...
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228b European Christmas Preparations from 2012-12-15T00:00
Friends from Madrid, Rome, London and Lisbon tell us about their cities' traditions for the Christmas season. And we’ll hear how the holidays are celebrated in Bulgaria, the Swiss ...
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309 Winter Road Food; The Amazing Race; Open Phones: Holiday Travels from 2012-12-08T00:00
To keep you well-fed while traveling around the holidays, American Road Food experts Jane and Michael Stern recommend over-the-top dining venues for sharing a family meal. Also, Rick checks in...
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308 Surviving Sinterklaas; Walk Like a Parisian; Streets of Madrid from 2012-12-01T00:00
Hear how the Dutch and the Swedes get their holiday season started. Get advice for blending in with the locals next time you're in Paris. Also, get tips for enjoying the expanded pedestr...
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186a European Art Outside the Museum; The Monuments Men from 2012-11-24T00:00
You don't have to go inside a museum to experience great art. We look at some of the ways Europeans love to embellish their every-day scene. Also, Robert Edsel shares stories of the peop...
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307 Irish Cuisine; Taming the Columbia River from 2012-11-17T00:00
Ireland's Celtic Tiger economic boom improved the quality and variety of what the Irish like to eat. We'll look at trends in Irish cuisine from its culinary capital of Kinsale in County Cork. ...
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306 Germany Faux-Pas; Ferenc Mate's Real Life; Becoming a Road Trip Pilgrim from 2012-11-10T00:00
If texting a phone message is the biggest workout your hands get all day, Ferenc Mate shares the rewards of relying on one another, instead of our gadgets. Dan Austin describes his journey int...
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305 Radio Shangri-La in Bhutan; Tibet on the Edge; Pico Iyer: Lonely Places from 2012-11-03T00:00
Lisa Napoli tells us about her stint helping to start a radio station in the formerly isolated former-kingdom of Bhutan. Photographer Phil Borges describes how much things have changed on a re...
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304 Trick or Treat: Haunted Europe; Haunted America; Sweet Tooth from 2012-10-27T00:00
This week features strange encounters in England and France. Terrance Zepke describes some of the most haunted places in America that she's investigated, from a former asylum in Appalachia...
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303 Family Vacation in Hungarian Countryside; Open Phones: Family Travel Plans; Basque Country from 2012-10-20T00:00
The countryside of Hungary is a sentimental favorite for relaxing family vacations. Rick gets suggestions for tapping into the recreation Hungarians treasure and checks in with listeners plann...
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213a Italy Faux Pas; Tuscany versus Umbria from 2012-10-13T00:00
Helping to melt the age-old rivalries between two popular regions of Italy, locally-based guides help us take a closer look at Tuscany, and its neighbor Umbria. They're both classic destin...
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302 Turkey’s Black Sea Coast; Sightseeing Skills for the Ancient World; A Walk Through Tangier from 2012-10-06T00:00
With a little help from expert guides, sightseeing in the ancient world of the Mediterranean takes on a whole new dimension. We'll also get tips for visiting Tangier, on the Morrocan sid...
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301 New Favorite Places To See Before You Die; Teaching Art in Kuwait; Northern Germany from 2012-09-29T00:00
The woman who practically invented the idea of a "bucket list" with her best-seller "One Thousand Places to See Before You Die," updates us on some of her latest favorites around the globe. We...
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300 Andrew McCarthy On Location; Fred Plotkin At the Opera; Open Phones-Ask Rick from 2012-09-22T00:00
Follow the lead of a seasoned traveler, and you'll discover new ways to make your next vacation terrific. Andrew McCarthy will share how actors on location find ways to connect with the locals, ...
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260a Western Whitewater Adventures; A Readers Guide for ‘The Grand Tour’; Tapas in Spain from 2012-09-15T00:00
Get your thrills on a whitewater river raft, in the pages of a great novel set in an exotic locale, or sampling the fried pigs ears at a tapas bar in Spain
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298 History of the US Passport; Americans Living in Europe from 2012-09-01T00:00
If you dread the mug shot that passes as your passport photo, you're not alone. We examine how the passport became the required document for international travel to and from the U.S. Also, three...
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252a Off the Grid in Mexico; Baltic Cities; Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari from 2012-08-25T00:00
Paul Theroux describes what a trip the length of Africa taught him, 40 years after serving with the Peace Corps in a village in Malawi. Frugal Traveler Seth Kugel tells us what it was l...
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297 Open Phones: Ask Rick; Francis Tapon Explores Eastern Europe from 2012-08-18T00:00
Francis Tapon describes his three-year excursion into every country in the eastern half of Europe. He shares how the Balkans and the former Soviet states are the next travel frontier, where tour...
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296 Appalachian Trails from 2012-08-11T00:00
Some things haven't changed much over the years in Appalachia. Rock the cradle of country music, from kitchy Dollywood, to all-day mountain music jams along Virginia's "Crooked Road." Tony Horwi...
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299 Exploring Art in Southeast Asia and Ireland; Open Phones: Travel Kindness from 2012-08-08T00:00
Get better acquainted with Southeast Asia and Ireland through the eyes of its artists. We'll explore how understanding the stories behind paintings, and knowing the role of important architectur...
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295 Fracturing the United Kingdom; Living as a Borderless European from 2012-08-04T00:00
The future of the United Kingdom is on the table when Scotland votes in 2014 on whether or not to form a completely independent government from the rest of Britain. Rick discusses the issues beh...
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255a More Summer Road Food USA; Interstate-75 Road Trip; Richard Bangs' Adventures from 2012-07-28T00:00
Get inspired by Jane and Michael Stern for a summer road trip to find classic American dishes with a regional twist, like chowder and barbecue — and a few treats that are definitely one of...
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294 Pico Iyer: A Traveler's Home is a Verb; Cape Town, South Africa from 2012-07-21T00:00
Celebrated author, Pico Iyer, shares how going it alone can actually clue you in to the global village that already surrounds you. Also, travel writer Will Hide tells us why Cape Town, South A...
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293 Stuff Parisians Like; Canal Barges of France from 2012-07-14T00:00
It's said that the French consider people who live in Paris to be abnormal. A wine expert and TV personality from Paris joins us with tips for blending in with the quirks of stylish Parisians,...
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292 Running with the Dogs; Running of the Bulls; Scandinavian Crime Fiction from 2012-07-07T00:00
We'll hear about this year's Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska from a rookie racer, Rick's younger sister. A guide from Pamplona, Spain tells us about the big San Fermín festival they'...
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211a Spirit Of America: Smithsonian DC; America From the Air; Butterflies of Grand Canyon from 2012-06-30T00:00
Guides from the Museum of American History prepare us for a patriotic pilgrimage to the historical attractions along the National Mall. Next, a novelist reveals how the overwhelming beauty of th...
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291 European Impressions of America; Open Phones: Making Connections from 2012-06-23T00:00
Three of Rick's European friends share their impressions of being in America, and contrast it to life in their home turf in Italy, Ireland, and Slovenia. Plus, listeners recommend clever ways to...
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290 The Ballpark Boys; Chasing the Sun from 2012-06-16T00:00
Before embarking on their college careers, the "Ballpark Boys," a group of lifelong friends from Seattle, planned an epic roadtrip across the USA, to attend a game at every major leage baseball sta...
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289 Underground Zanzibar; Rugged Abruzzo Italy; Southeast Asia Overview from 2012-06-09T00:00
Adventure traveler and author Richard Grant describes the craziness he encountered on the island of Zanzibar. A native of small town Italy explains the uncrowded appeal of Abruzzo in the rugged ...
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288 Visiting the Mundo Maya; A Walk Across Prague from 2012-06-02T00:00
Get tips for visiting evocative pre-Columbian sites. Learn how you can be a houseguest of today's Mayans, too. Plus, Rick joins a guide from Prague for a walking tour of the charmingly preserve...
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217a Barcelona; Michelangelo's Rome from 2012-05-26T00:00
We'll explore trendy Barcelona with the help of two expert guides to Spain. Viewing the works of modern artists such as Picasso, Gaudi, and Dali is a highlight of any visit. Also, travel blogger A...
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287 Glasgow; Roman Britain; Pompeii from 2012-05-19T00:00
Rick plans a visit to the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii, near Naples, explores ancient monuments scattered across the countryside of England and learns how recent renovations have turned Glasg...
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286 Mothers Day: Sweet Home Croatia; An American Mother in Paris from 2012-05-12T00:00
Author Jennifer Wilson describes what it was like to relocate her family to the same mountain village in Croatia her great-grandparents emigrated from, an American who married a Frenchman explai...
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285 Italian Food Culture; The Perfect Tuscan Picnic from 2012-05-05T00:00
Italian food expert Fred Plotkin takes American visitors deeper into the culture of enjoying a good meal, and tour guide Jamie Blair Gould from Lucca helps listeners assemble ingredients for the...
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284 Diving Adventures; Instant Cities; Unconquered Amazon from 2012-04-21T00:00
This week, a diving enthusiast highlights the underwater world, from the turquoise coasts of Central America to the cold jade waters of Puget Sound. NPR's Steve Inskeep explains what Karachi, Pa...
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283 London Celebrates 2012; Orthodox Easter from 2012-04-14T00:00
Tour guides from London join Rick to point how you can join the crowds, or avoid them, for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Summer Olympics, and lots of other special events. Also, we learn the ...
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282 Easter in the Holy Land; Even More Places To See Before You Die; Travels of Andrew McCarthy from 2012-04-07T00:00
"One Thousand Places to See Before You Die" author Patricia Schultz shares new places she's included in the updated version of her book, actor and travel writer Andrew McCarthy tells Rick why he...
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281 Open Phones: Making Friends; Sarajevo — 20 Years After the Siege from 2012-03-31T00:00
A Bosnian journalist tells Rick what it was like to live through the Siege of Sarajevo twenty years ago, and what it's like to visit the city today. Rick also shares tips with listeners for over...
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190a The Pilgrim's Italy; Hape Kerkeling's Santiago de Compostela from 2012-03-24T00:00
Colleen Heater, author of "The Pilgrim's Italy", describes how 21st century travelers can find inspiration at Italy's many religious shrines; a tour guide in Siena tells us about resoration effo...
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280 Rewards of a Road Trip Pilgrim; Exploring Ireland 2012 from 2012-03-17T00:00
Rick discusses the rewards of being a "road trip pilgrim" with author and traveler Dan Austin, and, in the spirit of Saint Patrick's Day, Irish tour guide Stephen McPhilemy takes listener calls,...
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279 Visiting Post-Tsunami Japan; Living in the Arab Awakening from 2012-03-10T00:00
Guests from Egypt and Morocco discuss the "Arab Spring" movement and explain what the upheaval is about from an insider's perspective, and Rick chats with a Japanese-American tour organizer who'...
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278 Adam Gopnik: The Table Comes First in France; A Taste of Portugal from 2012-03-03T00:00
Adam Gopnik discusses why the rituals associated with mealtime are often as important to the French as their recipes, and explains why "The Table Comes First in France"; also, two Portuguese gui...
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277 Flying with Johnny Jet; The State of the European Union from 2012-02-25T00:00
European Union experts join Rick to discuss the roots of the current political tensions in Europe, and how government policies are impacting the average European and frequent flier Johnny Jet re...
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201a Beer In Europe; An Irreverent Curiosity from 2012-02-18T00:00
Rick invites some of his European friends to compare the beers of Europe and discuss the cultures that go with them, and travel writer David Farley talks about an eccentric hill town, not far from ...
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276 Midnight In Paris; Hidden Gardens of Paris; Richard Wiese: Born to Explore from 2012-02-11T00:00
Rick speaks with Parisians who inspire travelers to explore their city, from its relaxing parks and public spaces to late night strolls and memorable dinners. Also, Richard Wiese, one of today's...
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275 The Pilgrimage of Annie Leibovitz; Open Phones: Extraordinary Travels from 2012-02-04T00:00
Photographer Annie Leibovitz talks about her pilgrimage to the homes of famous people from our history across the United States and describes what it meant to zoom in on the places and objects from...
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197a Richard Ellis: Polar Bears on Thin Ice; Open Phones: Travel Reports from 2012-01-28T00:00
Marine wildlife expert Richard Ellis explains how the loss of the ice cap in the Arctic is accelerating, why wildlife in the region cannot adapt to the effects of global warming, and why this sh...
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274 Offbeat Turkey: Historical Dives and Exploring the East; Richard Grant's Crazy Adventures In East Africa from 2012-01-21T00:00
Guides from Turkey dive into underwater archeology along with sights of Eastern Turkey and adventure traveler Richard Grant explores East Africa in search of the fabled source of the Nile River....
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273 Two Sides of Mexico: From the Drug War in the North to the Mundo Maya in the South from 2012-01-14T00:00
Ed Vulliamy investigates the escalating bloodshed from drug gangs in Northern Mexico and shares what he found in a "post-political" war zone, where few outsiders dare to tread. But Mexico is a b...
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272 Steve Inskeep's Foreign Intelligence; Vienna a la Fred Plotkin; Open Phones: Travel Resolutions from 2012-01-07T00:00
Steve Inskeep assesses international news coverage in the U.S. media, Fred Plotkin describes why Vienna is one of his favorite cities, and listeners share resolutions for enjoying other cultures...
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271 Winter In Paris; International New Years Party from 2012-01-01T00:00
Rick uncovers holiday traditions from such places as Sicily and Croatia, Scotland and Brazil and gets suggestions for enjoying winter in Paris from a couple of local guides. For more inf...
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270 International Christmas Party from 2011-12-25T00:00
Rick celebrates Christmas with friends from near and far, hearing about holiday traditions from Holland and Hungary, Sicily and Scotland, learning about the unique ways people light up the season i...
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228a European Christmas Prep 2 from 2011-12-18T00:00
Rick is introduced to Santa's European relatives including Baba Noël, Grandfather Frost, Saint Nicholas, Krampus, and even Sammi Claus and Schwartzley. Also friends from Madrid, Rome, London a...
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269 Listener Feedback; Agriturismos In Italy; Key West from 2011-12-11T00:00
It's a tropical party town that hosted some of America's best known writers. William McKeen explains the appeal of Key West during its artistic heyday of the 1970s, and as a resort town today. We'l...
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268 Race to the South Pole; Karachi for Travelers; Changing Dutch Society from 2011-12-04T00:00
Rick checks in with a Norwegian team skiing across Antarctica to commemorate the trek of countryman Roald Amundsen; plus, NPR's Steve Inskeep shares what he discovered in the urban muddle of Kar...
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198a Pilot's Advice to Reduce Travel Stress; Jane & Michael Stern's 'Road Food USA' from 2011-11-27T00:00
Jane and Michael Stern share their findings on the best Road Food and authentic regional food specialties they've found around the country and Rick gets a view from the cockpit on ways to help...
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267 Food Adventures; Going Casual; Travel Reports from Challenged Places from 2011-11-20T00:00
Rick explores the flavorful benefits of street food vendors and decidedly unfancy hang outs and checks in with listener travel reports from the tsunami zone in northeast Japan, as well as Mexi...
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266 Sojourning Further; Being Human; Turkish Nomads from 2011-11-13T00:00
Rick checks in with Reverend Jim Wallis and with "The Darwinian Tourist" to discover what they've learned from their travels to far away lands; hears how life is changing for nomadic sheep herders ...
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265 Paris Art Scene; Irish Writers; Michelangelo's Florence from 2011-11-06T00:00
Rick discovers the high form of art in Ireland, language, where the works of poets and playwrights add color to parks and pubs. Plus, he gets tips for enjoying speciality museums in Paris...
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264 Saving Paris Art; Malta; Open Phones: Haunted Europe from 2011-10-30T00:00
Rick learns about the extraordinary measures taken by the citizens of Paris in 1939 to protect thousands of priceless art treasures at the Louvre from the coming Nazi invaders and is intr...
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263 Open Phones: Looking Up Ancestors in Europe; Irish Roots; Highlights of the Low Countries from 2011-10-23T00:00
Rick checks in with European tour guides on researching family history in Ireland; listeners discuss meeting relatives in Sweden and Lithuania; and Low Countries Belgium and the Netherlands, w...
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223a The Lunatic Express; Open Phones: Travel Discoveries from 2011-10-16T00:00
Carl Hoffman explains what it was like to travel the world on the most notorious, over-crowded trains, planes, busses and ferries — the way most of the planet gets from o...
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262 Open Phones: Visiting France; Regions of Germany; Cappadocia from 2011-10-09T00:00
Guides from Turkey tell us about the surreal scenery of Cappadocia, where you can glide over an endless panorama of colorful "fairy chimneys," or duck your head in a labyrinth of underground cave c...
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261 Understanding the French from 2011-10-02T00:00
We continue our exploration of the differences between French and American culture, with the help of a local tour guide who contrasts the expectations of American and French tourists. Also, a journ...
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219a From Tuscany to Tango; Finnish Sauna from 2011-09-25T00:00
Ferenc Mate shares lessons from 20 years in Tuscany, where he and his wife went to turn a 13th century building into their dream home; Camille Cusumano explains how a passion for the tango mad...
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260 Western Whitewater Adventures; A Readers Grand Tour; Tapas in Spain from 2011-09-18T00:00
A seasoned river guide explains how a camping trip down the Colorado River can be a life altering experience; Nancy Pearl recommends more of her favorite books for armchair adventures; and two guid...
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259 Poetry After 9/11; Paul Theroux's Tao of Travel from 2011-09-11T00:00
Paul Theroux commemorates fifty years of adventures by comparing notes with Rick on how best to engage with the world and the editors of "Poetry After 9-11" discuss how New Yorkers are de...
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258 Medieval Castles-Old and New; American Nobleman in Prague from 2011-09-04T00:00
Rick learns how medieval castles are being built by hand in France and Arkansas, and gets a closer look at how castles functioned in ancient times. Also, William Lobkowicz, American heir to one of ...
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179a Misadventures of Rolf Potts; Open Phones: Budget Eating Tricks from 2011-08-28T00:00
Rolf Potts shares his misadventures in Turkey and Libya, and describes how he looks for treasure in towns around the world, including one unassuming hamlet off I-70 in central Kansas. Also, listene...
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257 Potsdam; Athens; Open Phones: Favorite Cities from 2011-08-21T00:00
Rick explores the historical riches of Potsdam, Germany and dicusses how Athens has grown into a visitor-friendly destination, complete with a new Acropolis museum. Also, adventure cyclist Wil...
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256 Building the Berlin Wall; The Mongol Rally; The Darwinian Tourist from 2011-08-14T00:00
Rick looks back fifty years to when the Berlin Wall was built, and discusses with a Berliner what it meant to split the city in half. Also, two participants from a madcap road race from London...
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255 More Summer Road Food USA; Interstate-75 Road Trip; Richard Bangs' Adventures from 2011-08-07T00:00
Jane and Michael Stern inspire travelers with tales of finding classic American dishes with a regional twist; author Dave Hunter offers tips for navigating Interstate-75 between Michigan ...
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172a Rome Beneath the Surface from 2011-07-31T00:00
Rick is joined by a tour guide raised in Rome who knows her city inside out. We'll check in on the city's now-trendy Jewish Ghetto, get practical tips for planning a visit, and hear what some of ou...
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254 Flirtatious France; Walk Across Israel from 2011-07-24T00:00
Two American journalists explain what they've discovered by living in Paris, and by walking across Israel. Elaine Sciolino explains the many ways seduction operates as part of day to day life in Fr...
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253 Going Beyond: Composer Sites in Europe; Portugal Beyond Lisbon; Food Adventures from 2011-07-17T00:00
Hear how attending a performance at one of Europe's great concert venues can add to your enjoyment of classical music. A guide from Portugal introduces us to some of the high points away from Lisbo...
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252 Off the Grid in Mexico; Baltic Cities; Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari from 2011-07-10T00:00
Paul Theroux describes what a trip the length of Africa taught him, 40 years after serving with the Peace Corps in a village in Malawi. Frugal Traveler Seth Kugel tells us what it was like to spend...
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251 Running a Summer Crepe Stand in France; Washington DC Insider; National Parks in the USA from 2011-07-03T00:00
Ken Burns explains why he thinks the National Parks are some of the best things about the United States; a Washington D.C. guide offers tips for enjoying the Nation's Capital like the locals d...
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195a Fred Plotkin's Finland; Greece & Turkey: Uneasy Cousins? from 2011-06-26T00:00
Rick discusses the tensions behind Greece and Turkey's tumultuous relationship with two women from Greece and Turkey, and travel writer Fred Plotkin shares why Finland is one of his favorite places...
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250 Europe On A Student's Budget from 2011-06-19T00:00
Rick chats with his son, Andy Steves, a recent college grad who's learned a few tricks of his own for low-cost travel options in Europe. We'll also check in with the owners of dorm-style lodgings i...
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249 A Proper English Hour: Home, High Tea, and Jane Austen's England from 2011-06-12T00:00
Bill Bryson examines private life during the Victorian age; London guide Britt Lonsdale explains how to enjoy a proper afternoon tea service; and screenwriter Andrew Davies shares his appreci...
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248 America's Best Zoos; Dutch Society From the Inside Out from 2011-06-05T00:00
We'll look at what makes one expert's list for the best zoos in America. And to better understand how one European country stands apart from the rest, we've invited two guides from the Netherlands ...
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183a Mexico City from 2011-05-29T00:00
In terms of culture, history, street life and great food Mexico City is the western hemisphere's equal to many of Europe's great cities — and one of the largest cities in the world....
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247 Hungarian Countryside; Scottish Highlands and Islands from 2011-05-22T00:00
We're heading past the major cities to explore the countryside of both Hungary and Scotland. We'll find out why Lake Balaton has been a favorite getaway for Hungarian families for years. Also, we'l...
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246 Contemporary EU Issues; Lesser-Known Paris Museums from 2011-05-15T00:00
Learn how Europeans are dealing with current economic challenges, and why their approach differs from their American cousins. Also, a Paris-based guide joins Rick to suggest venues where you can ge...
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245 Cross-Cultural Family in Italy; Sicilian Vacation from 2011-05-08T00:00
What would your life be like if you fell in love overseas, got married, and started to raise a family in another culture? Find out how it works for American Lisa Anderson, who's raising two boys in...
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182a The Urge to Preserve: British Banter, Holy Bones, & Inspired Globe-Jotting from 2011-05-01T00:00
Rick explores the slang that separates Brits from their American cousins in an attempt to help travelers avoid being "gob-smacked" by what the locals might say, or labeled as a "plonker." We'll als...
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244 Footsteps of Martin Luther; Orthodox Easter from 2011-04-24T00:00
Retracing Luther's trek from Germany to Rome, a Lutheran pastor and her husband explain how they traveled as a way to encourage harmony among religious groups in the 21st century. We'll also hear h...
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243 Simon Winchester's Atlantic; Jim Wallis' Travels from 2011-04-17T00:00
Simon Winchester describes what he's learned about the world's busiest ocean, the Atlantic, and the many stories it still has to tell. And Reverend Jim Wallis describes how venturing to war zones a...
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242 Ken Burns and the American Civil War; Nancy Pearl's Armchair Travels from 2011-04-10T00:00
Filmmaker Ken Burns joins Rick to discuss the American Civil War and what the research for his documentary series taught him. Also, Nancy Pearl recommends favorite armchair travel books and au...
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241 Changing Face of London; Royal Wedding; Turkish Wedding Traditions from 2011-04-03T00:00
Neil Taylor discusses how the streets of London are gaining an international flavor with a growing immigrant population and Rick gets a local perspective on the upcoming Royal Wedding at Westm...
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240 Drying the Blue Nile; Naples and Nearby from 2011-03-27T00:00
Adventure traveler Richard Bangs discusses the water rights dispute he found surrounding the source of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia when he thought he was going whitewater rafting, and guide...
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239 Polar Witness: The Last Polar Bear; Penguins on the Brink from 2011-03-20T00:00
Wilderness photographer Steven Kazlowski joins Rick to describe how climate change is impacting Polar Bears as well as the wildlife and Native people of the Arctic. Also, author Fen Montaigne...
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238 Ireland's County Cork; Rolf Potts: Around the World Luggage-Free from 2011-03-13T00:00
Irish tour guide Barry Moloney talks of his home turf in Cork, long considered the "rebel south" of Ireland, now gaining a reputation for gastronomy, and travel writer Rolf Potts describe...
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237 Paul Theroux and the Peace Corps; The Frugal Traveler's Latin America from 2011-03-06T00:00
We commemorate the early days of the Peace Corps with travel writer Paul Theroux, who served as a teacher in Africa in 1963. He'll also share his perspective on when foreign aid does and does not w...
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236 Jeff Greenwald's Nepal; Open Phones: Spirit-Lifting Travels from 2011-02-27T00:00
Travel writer Jeff Greenwald returns to Nepal every year, where ancient Hindu and Buddhist customs are challenged by modern pressures and recent political turmoil. Jeff joins us to describe how muc...
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235 Alps Skiing; The Monuments Men Today from 2011-02-20T00:00
Rick chats with one of the original "Monuments Men," a German-born Jew whose family escaped to America and now helps repatriate the treasures of Europe from the caves and castles where th...
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184a The Scent Trail; Open Phones: More Kindness of Strangers from 2011-02-13T00:00
We're exploring the perfect souvenir for the person who already has everything. Celia Lyttelton describes how she traveled the world to collect the ingredients for creating her own perfect personal...
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234 Paris Cafes; Celtic Singing Cultures from 2011-02-06T00:00
Enjoy Paris like a Parisian as two local guides join us to explain how cafes work as a part of daily life for Parisians, and how visitors can enjoy them, too. Also, guides from Ireland and Wales un...
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233 Open Phones: Travel Tricks; Lesser-Known Italy: Fred Plotkin's Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Restoring a Farmhouse in Italy's La Marche from 2011-01-30T00:00
Rick discusses basic budget tricks for getting travelers up close to amazing places and people who inhabit them. Also, Italy food expert Fred Plotkin explains why he finds the northeast corner...
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232 Brazil on a Budget; Croatian Vacation from 2011-01-23T00:00
The Frugal Traveler for the New York Times joins us with advice for enjoying Sao Paolo, Rio and the Amazon on a budget. Also, with a history dating back to the 7th century, Croatia has yet to see 2...
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178a Eccentric Islands; Backstreet Istanbul from 2011-01-16T00:00
The busy city of Istanbul has grown to be the home and cultural centerpiece for millions of Turks. It's also turning into a popular destination for visitors to witness many layers of history on the...
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231 European Food Specialties; Eating Saigon from 2011-01-09T00:00
What appears gross to one person, is sometimes a gourmet delicacy for another. Rick puts our appetites to the test as an entrée to understanding a culture while two guides who specializ...
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230 Waltzing Vienna; The Trip that Changed Me; Africa Road Trip from 2011-01-02T00:00
Listeners share memories of trips that made lasting impressions and opened up a world unknown to many Americans, including one man's summer road trip down the length of East Africa. And we'll ...
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229 European Christmas, Part 3 (Greece, Ulster, Umbria); New Year's in Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Belgium, Wales, Scotland from 2010-12-26T00:00
Rick celebrates the holidays by exploring the distinctive ways people observe the Christmas season in Greece, Italy and Ireland and preparing to greet the New Year like locals in Spain, Portug...
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228 European Christmas Preparations, Part 2 from 2010-12-19T00:00
Friends from Madrid, Rome, Lisbon, and London tell us about their cities' holiday traditions, and we'll check in on Bulgaria, Switzerland and Austria, plus a listener report about the big Christmas...
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227 European Christmas Prep, Part 1: Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, Italian Riviera & The West of Ireland; Enjoying Winter In Paris from 2010-12-12T00:00
Join us for Part 1 of this year's European Christmas series as we discuss holiday traditions in Croatia, Sweden, Belgium, the Italian Riviera and the rural West of Ireland. and get tips on enjoying...
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226 Bill Bryson at Home; Antiquities and Archeology; Open Phones: Budget Travel Tricks from 2010-12-05T00:00
Bill Bryson found the ultimate bargain travel destination, by staying home to get acquainted with the 19th century English parsonage he lives in. We'll glimpse into just how much the comforts of ho...
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175a Art in Italy from 2010-11-28T00:00
Gene Openshaw, co-author of Europe 101, joins Rick to discuss how art can change the way people view the world and certified guides from Rome and Florence share ideas for&n...
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189a The Whiskey Trail; More British Slang from 2010-11-21T00:00
Kate Hopkins, "The Accidental Hedonist," shares what she learned about whiskey while visiting distilleries across Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Appalachia and Chris Rae investigates the s...
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225 Even More Road Food; Lisbon City Guide from 2010-11-14T00:00
Listeners share unforgettable taste treats from their travels while Jane and Michael Stern suggest even more classic American road food worth writing home about. And two Lisbon guide...
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224 Getting Around Europe: Bike Touring; Driving a Tour Bus on the Continent; Walking Across England from 2010-11-07T00:00
Rick explores the various ways to see the countryside in Europe, from bike touring at your own pace, to taking the driver's seat on a tour bus, and hiking the English countrysid...
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223 The Lunatic Express; Open Phones: Travel Discoveries from 2010-10-31T00:00
Carl Hoffman describes his experiences traveling on the most notorious, over-crowded trains, planes, busses and ferries from India to the Andes and listeners share their own travel discov...
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177a More Geography of Bliss; Open Phones: Travel Fears and Advice from 2010-10-24T00:00
Eric Weiner describes what he discovered during his year of researching how people in different countries define happiness and listeners share how they've learned to conquer fear of the unknown in ...
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222 British B and Bs; Aegean Turkey; An Ounce of Prevention from 2010-10-17T00:00
Rick explores the benefits of Britain's bed-and-breakfast system, gets a taste of seaside fun and classical culture along the west coast of Turkey and receives tips from a travel medicine epert on ...
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221 Seasons of Italy: Fred Plotkin, and Listener Discoveries from 2010-10-10T00:00
Fred Plotkin, the author of the newly-updated "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler," explains how knowing what food is in season is important to the Italian way of life. And we'll check in with listener...
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220 Walking Across Paris; Hidden Gardens of Paris from 2010-10-03T00:00
Parisian guides offer suggestions on the best ways to explore the city on foot — including how to avoid the crush of rush hour on the Metro — and a Paris-based New York Times journalist...
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152a Tony Horwitz: Rediscovering the New World; Sailing to Antarctica from 2010-09-26T00:00
Columbus was just one in a long line of trans-Atlantic travelers. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, travel writer Tony Horwitz retraces the North American routes of 16th century explorers, an...
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219 From Tango to Tuscany: Ferenc Mate in Tuscany; Camille Cusumano in Buenos Aires from 2010-09-19T00:00
Ferenc Máté tells us what he's learned from 20 years in Tuscany, where he and his wife went to turn a 13th century building into their dream home. Camille Cusumano also joins Rick to ...
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148a Lord Alderdice: Road Maps to Peace from 2010-09-12T00:00
Lord Alderdice, one of the key political figures who helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, provides us with a look at the personal reasons that fuel political conflict and provoke terrorist acts....
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218 More Western Whitewater; More Smithsonian DC; Open Phones from 2010-09-05T00:00
Join Rick for stories about how a whitewater river expedition in the western U.S. can be a life-altering experience -- even if you're over age 50. And for city adventures, we'll explore how to bes...
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166a A Brilliant Teacher; Southern California Sidetrips from 2010-08-29T00:00
The Rhine family of Salem, Oregon explains how they came closer together and what they learned while immersing themselves in a variety of cultures. Also, Rick checks in with a Lonely Planet author ...
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217 Barcelona; Michelangelo in Rome from 2010-08-22T00:00
With the help of two expert guides to Spain, we'll explore trendy Barcelona where the works of modern artists such as Picasso, Gaudí, and Dalí are a highlight of any visit. Also, trav...
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216 Elizabeth Gilbert's Committed to 'Eat, Pray, Love;' Notorious Royal Marriages; Michelangelo in Florence from 2010-08-15T00:00
Elizabeth Gilbert shares what she's learned about life's most important relationships. Author Leslie Carroll unveils some of the juicy scandals from "Notorious Royal Marriages." Also art history e...
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215 Open Phones: Sick in Europe; Swedish Vacation; Istanbul By Night from 2010-08-08T00:00
Guides from Stockholm and Istanbul tell us how to get back to nature in the Swedish countryside, and ideas for enjoying a night on the town in Istanbul -- even during Ramadan. Rick also checks in w...
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146a Hungary: Beyond Budapest from 2010-08-01T00:00
Join Rick as we explore options for getting beyond the busy capital of Budapest and into the heart of Europe in the countryside of Hungary. Tour guide Peter Polczman takes your calls to highlight ...
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214 Open Phones: Favorite Road Trips; Summer Roadfood; Whitewater Rafting from 2010-07-25T00:00
Rick swaps tales of both American and European road trips; Road Food experts Jane and Michael Stern offer new tips for digging into local specialties; and a longtime river guide shares the thrill o...
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213 Italy Faux Pas; Tuscany versus Umbria from 2010-07-18T00:00
Two locally-based guides help melt the age-old rivalries between the regions of Tuscany and its neighbor Umbria in Italy and take a closer look at what makes both such clasic destinations for explo...
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212 Affordable London; Ancient Britain from 2010-07-11T00:00
London guides Gillian Chadwick and Tom Hooper discuss the many free activities that make London a top-notch city for visitors. Plus, Rick and British history expert Roy Nicholls describe mysterious...
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211 Spirit Of America: Smithsonian DC; America From the Air; The Butterflies of Grand Canyon from 2010-07-04T00:00
Explore the spirit of America with Rick as guides from the Museum of American History prep for a patriotic pilgrimage to the sights in the nation's capitol, a novelist reveals how the overwhelming ...
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210 Intrepid Adventurers: Richard Starks & Miriam Murcutt; Harry Rutstein & Marco Polo from 2010-06-27T00:00
Richard Starks and Miriam Murcutt's assignment to chart a strange river in the jungles of Venezuela turned into an adventure complete with poisoned arrows and guerilla kidnappers that almost did th...
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138a Christopher Baker's Costa Rica from 2010-06-20T00:00
Christopher Baker, one of today's top travel writers, describes the "pura vida" that makes Costa Rica, with seaside resorts on two coasts, an active volcano travlers can safely watch while sipping ...
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209 Touring Portugal; Open Phones: Making Friends from 2010-06-13T00:00
Two guides from Lisbon describe what makes Portugal distinctive today, and share itinerary suggestions for a country that used to be a colonial powerhouse but is now a bargain "backdoor" destinatio...
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208 Stockholm, Sweden; Alexandria, Egypt from 2010-06-06T00:00
Marita Bergman explains the rituals Swedes enjoy to accompany the long days marking the start of summer. Also, tour guide Colin Clement describes what drew him to make Alexandria, Egypt his home. ...
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207 More Roadfood USA; Brittany and Normandy from 2010-05-30T00:00
Road Food experts Jane and Michael Stern discuss the best places to find good ol' American breakfasts, hamburgers, or pie a la mode and tour guides from Brittany share tips for a road trip through ...
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139a An Artist's Safari in Africa; Overseas Travel Medicine from 2010-05-23T00:00
We're looking at African wildlife eye to eye, through the perspective of Fred Krakowiak, a wildlife painter who shares his love for Africa with us in his vivid descriptions of a safari. Rick will ...
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206 Portugal's Radical Drug Policy; Blissful Bhutan from 2010-05-16T00:00
The policies of Portugal and Bhutan are on the agenda. We'll talk to the man who authored Portugal's law that dropped criminal penalties against all narcotics users. He'll explain what the intenti...
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205 Frances Mayes: 20 Years Under the Tuscan Sun from 2010-05-09T00:00
Frances Mayes joins Rick to reflect on 20 years of living "Under the Tuscan Sun" -- and how getting in tune with living in Italy can change your sense of time and even help prioritize what matters ...
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204 Exploring the English Countryside; Chopin 200 in Poland from 2010-05-02T00:00
From stately gardens and picturesque villages to pre-historic stone circles and hillsides haunted by wild ponies, Rick explores the small towns and shires of England and options for touring the enc...
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203 Munich and Bavaria; Open Phones: Faux Pas in Germany from 2010-04-25T00:00
A local Munich guide describes how laid-back, traditional Bavaria, where pretzels and beer combine with legendary castles and fairy tale scenery, plays host to some important anniversaries this yea...
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202 Earthy Bulgaria; Planet Ice from 2010-04-18T00:00
A native-born guide describes how ancient traditions cross paths with post-Soviet capitalist energy, and the stuffed pepper is king in Bulgaria. Also, nature photographer James Martin shares what h...
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133a Istanbul City Guide from 2010-04-11T00:00
After many centuries, Istanbul still one of the world's greatest and largest cities where neighborhoods retain an intimate character and echoes of past generations remain evident in its narrow stre...
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201 Beer In Europe; An Irreverent Curiosity from 2010-04-04T00:00
Appreciate beer like a European along with Rick in a session comparing the beers and cultures of Europe. Travel writer David Farley also tells us about an eccentric hill town, not far from Rome. I...
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200 Peloponnesian Greece; Michelangelo: The Artist and His Times from 2010-03-28T00:00
The essence of ancient Greece is actually an easy drive from the busy city of Athens. We're looking at the pleasures of the Peloponessian Peninsula where historical sites and mythology mix with la...
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167a Springtime in Southern Spain from 2010-03-21T00:00
Another season of spicy, colorful festivals is getting underway in southern Spain. Local guides from Madrid and Seville point out how visitors can take in the traditions, from lively cities to whit...
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199 The West of Ireland; Field Guide to The Irish Music Session from 2010-03-14T00:00
Rick gets ready for St Patrick's Day with a closer look at the traditional side of Ireland and exploring the customs of a traditional Irish music session in its natural habitat -- a pub. For more i...
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198 Pilots Advice to Reduce Travel Stress; Jane & Michael Stern's 'Road Food USA' from 2010-03-07T00:00
Around the USA, there are hundreds of affordable, unpretentious, "yum" places serving home cooked meals. Jane and Michael Stern share some of their findings about the best Road Food they've found...
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197 Richard Ellis: Polar Bears on Thin Ice; Open Phones: Travel Reports from 2010-02-28T00:00
Marine wildlife expert Richard Ellis explains how the loss of the ice cap in the Arctic is accelerating, why the wildlife of the region cannot adapt to the effects of global warming, and why this ...
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128a Dan Austin: Road Trip Pilgrim; Open Phones: Extended Travels from 2010-02-21T00:00
Even if you don't want to climb a mountain, there are many ways to add a deeper sense of purpose to your travels. Dan Austin describes what it takes to be a "Road Trip Pilgrim," and how a tiny tra...
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196 Greg Mortenson's Afghanistan; Art Simon's Bread for the World from 2010-02-14T00:00
The persistent problems Haiti endures are just one example of the need to go beyond relief aid to tackle the root causes of poverty around the world. Greg Mortenson, author of the bestselling "Thre...
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195 Fred Plotkin's Finland; Greece & Turkey: Uneasy Cousins? from 2010-02-07T00:00
Rick finds out what's behind the tensions between neighboring countries Greece & Turkey and travel writer Fred Plotkin talks Finland. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including epi...
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134a Rome City Guide from 2010-01-31T00:00
The city that defined the word "civilization" 2000 years ago, Rome today boasts an extravagant collection of more history, art, and culture than any other city in the world. Two locals offer Rick i...
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194 Mexican Borderlands: The Rio Grande and Baja California from 2010-01-24T00:00
We're taking a look at two parts of Mexico's northern borderlands. Keith Bowden spent the better part of a winter canoeing the length of the Rio Grande from El Paso to the Gulf, and he tell us wha...
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142a Salman Rushdie: "The Enchantress of Florence" & Sailing the Eastern Mediterranean from 2010-01-17T00:00
Rick's guest, Sir Salman Rushdie, explains the motivation for his novel, "The Enchantress of Florence," and offers suggestions on how to confront the cultural clash between "East and West" Also, sa...
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193 End of the Orient Express; A Summer in Tehran from 2010-01-10T00:00
Rick toasts the end of the train line known as the Orient Express and continues east to hear about filmaker Justine Shapiro's experience living in Tehran over a summer with her six year old son. Pl...
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192 Open Phones: Wrinkles (Faux Pas and Packing Tips); Marty Essen's "Cool Creatures, Hot Planet" from 2010-01-03T00:00
We're checking in with our listeners for stories of cross-cultural faux pas. We'll share tips for packing light with just a carry-on, and still looking good at dinner after you unpack in your hotel...
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118b International New Years Eve from 2009-12-27T00:00
Rick explores some of the many ways to welcome new year with friends from Scotland, Holland, Hungary, Spain, Sicily, Turkey, and even Australia and Japan. Plus, guests share tips, direct from Franc...
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117b International Christmas Traditions from 2009-12-20T00:00
Some of Rick's European friends from Spain, Hungary, Holland, Sicily, Scotland, and Australia share how different cultures celebrate from Saint Nicholas Day to Epiphany and offer advice for a holid...
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76a A Family Christmas in Wales; Sheep in your Travels from 2009-12-13T00:00
This week, we'll hear about the sheep and lambs that dot the hills of rural Britain from an accomplished breeder who welcomes tourists to his sheep farm in rural Wales. Rick discovers a few new t...
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191 Christmas in Rome and Santa Fe; Eiffel's Tower; Frommer's Las Vegas from 2009-12-06T00:00
Author Jill Jonnes joins Rick to discuss who was in the crowd 120 years ago to view The Eiffel Tower, and how radio saved it from being demolished. Also, Pauline Frommer offers tips for all kinds o...
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169a Smart Help for the Developing World from 2009-11-29T00:00
Rick explores practical solutions to addressing world hunger in the 21st century with guests from a preacher-economist who heads a non-profit agency advocating for the interests of hungry people ar...
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190 The Pilgrim's Italy; Hans Peter's Trek to Santiago de Compostela from 2009-11-22T00:00
Rick takes a contemporary look at ancient religious paths in Europe and discovers that 21st century travelers in search of religious-themed journeys can find inspiration crossing paths with ancient...
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189 The Whiskey Trail; More British Slang from 2009-11-15T00:00
There's a great deal of history and national pride in a shot of whiskey. Kate Hopkins, "The Accidental Hedonist," joins Rick to share what she learned about The Drink while visiting distilleries ac...
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188 Photographing Machu Picchu; New Mexico; Who is Ataturk? from 2009-11-08T00:00
An architectural photographer shares tips on capturing the spirit of Machu Picchu with a camera, a guidebook author with an appetite for the unusual tells us how her home state of New Mexico has a ...
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153a 1000 Places to See Before You Die; Haunted Europe from 2009-11-01T00:00
Patricia Schultz, author of the best-seller "A Thousand Places to See Before you Die" joins Rick to talk about narrowing down some of her favorite places to visit. And, for Halloween, All Souls Day...
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187 Flight Tips; Rural Japan; Even More Kindness of Strangers from 2009-10-25T00:00
Rick experiences traditional Japanese culture with help from Lonely Planet author, Andrew Bender and learns from travel writer Don George about the Kindness of Strangers and how interacting with th...
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186 European Art Outside the Museum; The Monuments Men from 2009-10-18T00:00
Rick explores art found outside museums in the everyday scene of Europe and author Robert Edsel shares stories of the "Monuments Men" who helped rescue masterpieces of Western art from the Nazis du...
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141a A Week in Provence from 2009-10-11T00:00
Whether you make it your home base for a few days or for good Provence in southeast France is what most Americans imagine of the French countryside. Two specialists in touring France join Rick and ...
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185 The Berlin Wall: 20 Years Later from 2009-10-04T00:00
As Berliners prepare to celebrate German Reunification Day Rick chats with three residents about the upcoming 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and hears stories about the Cold War d...
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184 The Scent Trail; More Kindness of Strangers from 2009-09-27T00:00
Celia Lyttelton shares her story of how she traveled the world to collect the ingredients for her own perfect personal perfume -- the perfect souvenir for the person who already has everything -- a...
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147a Outsiders in the Muslim World from 2009-09-20T00:00
Two American travelers reveal the hidden sub-cultures in the Muslim World of the Middle East and North Africa. Looking behind the veil, our guests are an American Muslim who spent a year on her own...
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183 Mexico City from 2009-09-13T00:00
One of the largest cities in the world, Mexico City is often compared to some of Europe's great cities in terms of culture, history, street life, and great food. Yet despite being considered the we...
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182 The Urge to Preserve: British Banter, Holy Bones, and Inspired Globe-Jotting from 2009-09-06T00:00
Rick examines the slang that separates the Brits from their American cousins in an effort to help travelers avoid being "gob-smacked" by what the locals might say, and appearing as a "plonker". Als...
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181 Tangier Tourism; Arctic Wisdom from 2009-08-30T00:00
One of Tangier's local tour guides offers suggestions for visiting the enigmatic gateway city to North Africa that is currently being restored to its former Art Deco glory. Also, for something comp...
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180 Budget Phone Tips; Travel for the Birds; Albania for Tourists from 2009-08-23T00:00
Join Rick as he learns about the fascinating relationship between two of North America's most iconic birds -- owls and woodpeckers -- and how they help us better understand the different landscapes...
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105a Budapest from 2009-08-16T00:00
Rick examines the enduring appeal of Hungary's capital city and how, after centuries of being a melting pot of cultures, Budapest continues to be one of the world's truly grand cities, with some of...
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179 Misadventures of Rolf Potts; Open Phones: Budget Eating from 2009-08-09T00:00
Rolf Potts shares his tales and misadventures as a travel writer and Rick shares ideas with listeners on how to eat on a budget while traveling on vacation overseas. For more information on Travel ...
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178 Eccentric Islands; Backstreet Istanbul from 2009-08-02T00:00
The busy city of Istanbul is now home to millions of Turks and is emerging as one of the hottest places for visitors. Rick delvs into the backstreets with suggestions for enjoying the city like the...
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150a David Sedaris: An American in Paris and Tokyo from 2009-07-26T00:00
Humorist and frequent traveler David Sedaris tells us how he's settled in as a 50-something ex-pat in Europe. David helps us tackle the gender of French nouns — sort of — and compares n...
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177 More Geography of Bliss; Finding More Classical Music in Europe from 2009-07-19T00:00
Is the current economic downturn taking a toll on you? We'll investigate what makes people from different cultures happy, with NPR's Eric Weiner, as he updates us on the findings from his book "The...
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129a Paris City Guide from 2009-07-12T00:00
If you haven't seen Paris, you really haven't yet tasted the best of Europe. French tour guide Patrick Vidal joins Rick for an insider's perspective on the style and substance that makes Paris the ...
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176 Visiting Washington DC; More Places to See in the USA & Canada from 2009-07-05T00:00
Rick celebrates Independence day, gathering tips for visiting Washington D.C. from Pauline Frommer and Jay Inslee, who represents Rick's home district in Congress. Also, Patricia Schultz inspires l...
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175 Art in Italy from 2009-06-28T00:00
Whether you studied art history in college, or you just want to be a good sport on your next trip to Europe, we'll see how art can change the way you look at the world. Rick is joined by the co-a...
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155a Odysseys from 2009-06-21T00:00
Rick chats with Scott Huler about his voyage in the Mediterranean to re-trace the steps of Ulysses and what he learned about himself 3,000 years after "The Odyssey." Also, a writer from Forbes.com ...
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174 Flying in Coach; The Ridiculous Race from 2009-06-14T00:00
Rick gets advice from a flight attendant on how to enjoy flying in the coach section of the plane, including tips for getting a good seat, and hears from two Hollywood comedy writers who challenged...
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135a D-Day Sites; Open Phones: Summer Travel Plans from 2009-06-07T00:00
The beaches of Normandy, France hold the memories of thousands who fought -- and many who died -- to bring an end to Europe's Nazi tyranny in 1944. Rick commemorates the 65th anniversary of the D-D...
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149a Fred Plotkin's "Chow Italia" from 2009-05-31T00:00
Italians have always believed in eating locally and in-season, and that's exactly what Italian food expert Fred Plotkin recommends when he joins Rick to talk about chowing well in Italia. Fred give...
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173 Castles in Europe; High School Visionaries from 2009-05-24T00:00
For centuries castles were considered the high points of their communities. Join Rick as he talks castles with an expert guide from Wales and offers recommendations for which sites travelers to vis...
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172 Rome: Beneath the Surface from 2009-05-17T00:00
Rick brings centuries of Roman history to life as he takes a closer look at some of the sites found on the streets of Rome, checks in on the city's now-trendy Jewish Ghetto, offers practical tips f...
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171 The European Union in 2009 from 2009-05-10T00:00
After World War Two, European visionaries dreamed of cooperation and peace between countries in the hopes to prevent another devastating war. Today, we celebrate this vision through Europe Day and ...
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170 Music Festivals in Europe; Ask Arthur Frommer from 2009-05-03T00:00
Budget travel guru Arthur Frommer joins Rick to compare notes on recent travel trends, and share ideas for seeing the world in a down economy. Also, Margret Hemmen provides tips on how to research ...
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169 Smart Help for the Developing World from 2009-04-26T00:00
We explore practical solutions to addressing world hunger. Rick's guests include a preacher-economist who heads a non-profit agency that advocates for the interests of hungry people around the worl...
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137a Travel with Kids from 2009-04-19T00:00
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 ac...
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168 Easter in the Holy Land; Footsteps of Saint Paul from 2009-04-12T00:00
Rick celebrates Easter by learning about Christian pilgrimages to Israel and the Mediterranean region, where Saint Paul traveled, calling one of our listeners to hear about her year spent volunteer...
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167 Spain and the Spring Festivals of Andalucia from 2009-04-05T00:00
Local guides from Madrid and Seville share tips on how to experience Spain's colorful southern festivals, from lively cities to white-washed hill towns, explain how Spaniards maintain traditions in...
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166 A Brilliant Teacher Around the World; Southern California Sidetrips from 2009-03-22T00:00
If travel is the best education - imagine what you could learn when you take a year off to take your family around the world? We'll hear how an average family of five engaged in "world schooling,...
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165 Ireland: 2009 from 2009-03-15T00:00
Recent changes in the global economy are showing up now in Ireland -- which the European Union used to call one of its best examples of investing in small countries. We'll get an update on the down...
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164 Bill Holm: American in Iceland; Winter in Alaska from 2009-03-08T00:00
Writer Bill Holm explains how the view from his cottage on the coast of Iceland illumanates the view of his home in small town Minnesota, and contrasts American culture with that of economically-st...
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124a Everyday Italian Cuisine from 2009-03-01T00:00
Italy's distinctive regional cuisines are a high point for many travelers, but the disinctive customs Italians have for their food and drink sometimes baffles American visitors. Two Italian food gu...
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163 Estonia from 2009-02-22T00:00
Estonia is emerging from years under Soviet domination and turning into a popular destination for travelers looking to mix old world charm with the energy of the "new Europe." Join Rick as he uncov...
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162 Romantic Travel Destinations from 2009-02-15T00:00
Rick chats with listeners about finding time for a little romance in our travels and takes calls and emails about the most romantic destinations, including the perfect place for a proposal or honey...
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161 Springtime in The Netherlands; Cycling Across Colombia from 2009-02-08T00:00
Bicycles are a popular way to get around town in the Netherlands as part of the efficient Dutch culture. We're checking in on one of Europe's most well-ordered countries, including suggestions fo...
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73a European Comfort Food from 2009-02-01T00:00
Rick explores some of the comfort foods his European friends enjoy in Paris, Madrid, and Tuscany, and shares how travelers can enjoy them during a visit to these regions. We'll get advice on prepar...
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160 Helen Thayer: Walking the Gobi Desert from 2009-01-25T00:00
Helen Thayer, one of the most remarkable adventure travelers of our time, dreamed of trekking across Mongolia since she was a schoolgirl. At the age of 63, she and her husband became the first peop...
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92A Prague and the Czech Countryside from 2009-01-18T00:00
Prague has become a contender as one of Europe's most popular cities for visitors. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, two tour guides based in Prague join Rick and our listeners to describe t...
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159 Rick Steves in Iran, part two: Iran for Tourists from 2009-01-11T00:00
We conclude our two-part series about Iran on the next Travel with Rick Steves... with an exploration of what the country offers as a tourist destination. Rick is joined by the Lonely Planet's "...
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158 Rick Steves in Iran: Perplexing Issues from 2009-01-04T00:00
We start a two-part series about one of the most perplexing countries in the Middle East on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Rick learns about the culture, politics, and people of Iran from ...
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157 The Last Polar Bear; Christmas in Rome and London from 2008-12-14T00:00
Polar bears may be the top of the food chain, but they're taking a serious hit from climate change at the top of the world. This week, we meet wilderness photographer Steven Kazlowski. He's spent y...
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156 Johnny Jet's Internet Guide to Travel from 2008-12-07T00:00
Johnny Jet is the ultimate frequent flyer. He turned a fear of flying into a travel career that takes him overseas more than he stays at home. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, Johnny updates...
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155 Odysseys from 2008-11-16T00:00
Have you ever found yourself between a rock and a hard place, or heard the tempting call of the sirens to forget about your plans? These are some of the experiences Scott Huler had on a six month v...
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154 Turkey: Beyond Istanbul from 2008-11-02T00:00
Turkey has become a favorite haunt of travelers who look for a distinct and welcoming culture -- living on top of layers of history from the civilizations of long ago. On this week's Travel with Ri...
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153 1000 Places to See Before You Die from 2008-10-26T00:00
Patricia Schultz, author of the best-seller "A Thousand Places to See Before you Die", brings focus to your travel dreams by narrowing down some of her favorite places to visit. Later, Rick takes l...
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152 Tony Horwitz: Rediscovering the New World, and Sailing to Antarctica from 2008-10-12T00:00
Travel writer Tony Horwitz retraces the North American routes of 16th century explorers, and examines how they changed America before the big wave of European settlers arrived. Also, sailing expert...
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151 First Impressions of Iran from 2008-10-05T00:00
Rick shares notes with his Iranian-American filmmaking consultant about their recent trip to Iran to film a special for public television. We'll hear what "family values" means to the average Irani...
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126a Berlin City Guide from 2008-09-28T00:00
Berlin is asserting itself as one of the world's powerhouse cities, and one of Europe's more affordable destinations for newcomers. Rick chats with an American who calls Berlin home, and gets an up...
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150 David Sedaris: An American in Paris and Tokyo from 2008-09-21T00:00
Humorist and frequent traveler David Sedaris tells us how he's settled in as a 50-something ex-pat in Europe on the next Travel with Rick Steves. And he shares a few surprises about what he found i...
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149 Chow Italia: Fred Plotkin's Gourmet Italy from 2008-09-14T00:00
Italians have always believed in eating locally and in season. Italian food expert Fred Plotkin joins us on this week's Travel with Rick Steves to help us travel with an informed palate to savor ...
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148 Lord Alderdice: Road Maps to Peace from 2008-09-07T00:00
Lord Alderdice, one of the key political figures who helped resolve Northern Ireland's long-standing "troubles" between its Catholic and Protestant citizens, joins Rick as a special guest to discus...
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147 Outsiders in the Muslim World from 2008-08-31T00:00
Two American travelers reveal the hidden sub-cultures in the Muslim World of the Middle East and North Africa. Looking behind the veil, our guests are an American Muslim who spent a year on her own...
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68a Exploring Sicily & Germany's Black Forest from 2008-08-24T00:00
If you like the people and rhythm of Italy you'll love Sicily. Tour guide Alfio di Mauro offers insider tips on getting the most out of a vacation to the frenzied-yet-laid-back island. Also, German...
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146 Hungary: Beyond Budapest from 2008-08-17T00:00
Filled with a proud Imperial history, friendly formality, hundreds of hot springs, and some of Europe's spicier home cooking, Hungary is a cultural goulash. Rick explores options for getting beyond...
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145 Bulgaria; An Ounce of Prevention from 2008-08-10T00:00
Caught in the cultural crosshairs of Europe, Bulgaria is emerging as one of Eastern Europe's bargains. Travelers to Bulgaris can expect Ancient Byzantine and Ottoman influences and experience Mumme...
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144 An Art-Lovers Guide to Europe from 2008-08-03T00:00
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 paint...
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143 Jamaica and Jordan from 2008-07-27T00:00
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...
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142 Salman Rushdie's "The Enchantress of Florence" & Sailing the Eastern Mediterranean from 2008-07-20T00:00
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 t...
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141 A Week in Provence from 2008-07-13T00:00
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...
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140 America the Beautiful & Route 66 from 2008-07-06T00:00
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 st...
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139 An Artist's Safari in Africa; Travel Medicine from 2008-06-29T00:00
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 Edw...
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98a A Midsommer's Guide to Sweden from 2008-06-22T00:00
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 explain...
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138 Costa Rica from 2008-06-15T00:00
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 ...
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137 Travel with Kids from 2008-06-08T00:00
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 ac...
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136 European Travel Budget Tricks from 2008-05-25T00:00
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...
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135 Exploring D-Day Sites from 2008-05-18T00:00
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 exp...
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134 Rome City Guide from 2008-05-11T00:00
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...
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133 Istanbul City Guide from 2008-05-04T00:00
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 A...
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132 Eric Weiner and The Geography of Bliss from 2008-04-27T00:00
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 ...
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131 Earth Day 2008: Sailing & Endangered Sites from 2008-04-20T00:00
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 Olymp...
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130 An American Travel Guide to China from 2008-04-13T00:00
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....
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129 Paris City Guide from 2008-04-06T00:00
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 capita...
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95a Alaska Overview & Road Tripping with Kids from 2008-03-30T00:00
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...
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128 Road Trip Pilgrim from 2008-03-23T00:00
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...
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127 Dublin City Guide from 2008-03-16T00:00
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 charact...
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126 Berlin City Guide from 2008-03-09T00:00
Berlin is re-asserting itself as one of the world's powerhouse cities, and one of Europe's more-affordable cities for newcomers. Rick gets an update on the city's attractions and energy from an Ame...
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125 The Celtic Fringes of Britain: Wales & Scotland from 2008-03-02T00:00
Two of Rick's favorite tour guides from Scotland and Wales join Rick to contrast the charms of Wales and Scotland and discuss the distinctions travelers can find in the United Kingdom, including a ...
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124 Traveling on your stomach: Everyday Italian Cuisine from 2008-02-24T00:00
Italy's distinctive regional cuisines are a high point for many travelers, but the disinctive customs Italians have for their food and drink sometimes baffles American visitors. Two Italian food gu...
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123 Thorny Issues: Turkey and Tibet from 2008-02-17T00:00
With the help of two politically-savvy Turks from Istanbul, we'll discuss some of the trickier political issues facing both Turkey and Tibet today and hear how Turkey is preparing for a formal rela...
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122 Romance and Authenticity from 2008-02-10T00:00
Rick and travel guru Don George share advice with listeners about romantic getaways, B&Bs, and connecting with the locals. We'll also hear Jennifer Cox's story of traveling the world to find a soul...
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121 Rescuing Da Vinci: How the Allies Saved The World's Masterpieces from World War Two from 2008-02-03T00:00
Robert Edsel, author of "Rescuing DaVinci" and producer of the documentary film "The Rape of Europa" joins Rick to describe Hitler's obsession with art, and how a special unit of Allies, known as t...
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120 Australia & Mardi Gras in New Orleans from 2008-01-27T00:00
From kangaroos to Carnival, Rick focuses on the attractions of Australia, and the celebrations surrounding Mardi Gras parties and parades in New Orleans. Rick explores Aussie culture and New Orlean...
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119 London 2008 from 2008-01-06T00:00
Two of Rick's favorite London guides clue us in on what's new for 2008 and offer tips on how to navigate the city sprawl while finding characteristic neighborhoods without getting lost in the Under...
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118 International New Year's Traditions from 2007-12-30T00:00
Explore the many ways our friends from Scotland, Holland, Hungary, Spain, Sicily, Turkey and even Australia welcome in the new year and get a report from one of our traveling listeners about his re...
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34b European Christmas Traditions from 2007-12-23T00:00
Rick takes listener calls about travel during the holidays, and phones a few of his friends in Europe to find out how they're celebrating Christmas. We'll also hear about guarding traditions in Swi...
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117 International Christmas Traditions from 2007-12-16T00:00
Rick's friends from Spain, Hungary, Holland, Sicily, Scotland, and Australia explain how they observe the holidays including what happens on Saint Nicholas Day and Epiphany as part of their Christm...
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116 Open Phones and Traveler Faux Pas from 2007-12-02T00:00
Rick fields listener calls and emails dealing with stories of travel adventures -- and a few misadventures. From faux pas to favorite food overseas, Rick spends a full hour on the lessons learned f...
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115 Tony Wheeler's "Lonely Planet" from 2007-11-25T00:00
Tony Wheeler, founder of what has become the world's largest travel empire, Lonely Planet, shares some of the tales that he chronicles in his new book, "Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Sto...
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114 Conscientious Travel; Oceania to Amsterdam from 2007-11-18T00:00
Some of the best souvenirs from a trip overseas are making connections with people and cultures on local terms. Rick takes a closer look at how we can have a positive impact on the places we visit,...
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113 Travel Stories and Today's Republic of Turkey from 2007-11-04T00:00
With recent concerns about how Turkey deals with Kurdish separatists inside and across its borders, it's a good time to get a local's take on how the country functions in a rough and tumble corner ...
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112 Off the Beaten Track Emails, Amazon Adventures, and Maori Culture from 2007-10-28T00:00
Travel writer Don George joins Rick to field listener emails about travel to the developing world. We'll also get pointers for touring the massive Amazon River region of Brazil, where river transpo...
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111 Time and Money; Looking Up Relatives in Sicily from 2007-10-21T00:00
Listeners share secrets on traveling on a budget, and learn the price of being an over-worked American. Also, we'll get tips on researching family trees in Europe from two of our Sicilian friends, ...
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110 Southern Exposure: New Zealand & Baja California, Mexico from 2007-10-07T00:00
Lonely Planet author Errol Hunt paints a vivid picture of his homeland, New Zealand, and its distinct social mix including the Polynesian Maori culture. And, for a sunny getaway closer to home, Ric...
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67 Podcast Special: Tibet with Michael Kohn from 2007-09-30T00:00
Lonely Planet author Michael Kohn updates us on the scene in Tibet, from the influence of the Chinese government over the indigenous Tibetan culture, to practical tips that will help travelers plan...
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109 First Impressions of India from 2007-09-23T00:00
Rick exchanges stories and tips on encountering India for the first time with Lonely Planet author Sarina Singh. From conquering India's train system, to enjoying Bollywood films, and learning to e...
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108 Madrid to Mauritius from 2007-09-16T00:00
Join Rick for an insider's guide to the Castille region of central Spain, and to the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius. Sampling the sites of Toledo and Madrid, we get an understanding of what gives...
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107 Look East: Eastern Europe to Eastern Turkey from 2007-09-09T00:00
If you're looking to travel where the old has become new again you'll do well to look East. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, three of Rick's friends discuss their home countries of Hungary, ...
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106 Tony Wheeler's "Bad Lands" from 2007-09-02T00:00
Tony Wheeler's company writes guidebooks for practically every country on the planet -- including some that get very few visitors. On top of that, he's written up his latest adventures to some of t...
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105 Budapest from 2007-08-19T00:00
Just in time to celebrate Saint Stephen's Day with the Hungarians, we look at the enduring appeal of Hungary's capital city of Budapest. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, two Hungarian tour ...
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104 Travel Writing with Don George; Cambodia from 2007-08-12T00:00
On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, we'll hear about Cambodia's capital city of Phnom Penh from a travel author on assignment in Southeast Asia. And we'll learnr how to plan a visit to the mist...
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103 North Meets South: British Ex-Pats on the Continent; Ski, Surf, and Settle in South America from 2007-08-05T00:00
On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, we hear from three of Rick's friends who left Great Britain to make new homes in Spain, Italy and France. They'll tell us what it's like living as an 'ex-pat...
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85a Cuba - What's Next? from 2007-07-29T00:00
Now that Fidel Castro no longer heads the Cuban government, questions are emerging about whether Cuban authorities might start to relax control of its society, and how soon the US government might ...
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102 American Desert Road Trips; Bali, Indonesia from 2007-07-22T00:00
This week on Travel with Rick Steves we investigate vacation options -- near and far. We'll explore the American tradition of taking a road trip to the desert -- whether it's at a national park in ...
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101 Barging Through France from 2007-07-15T00:00
The captain of a passenger barge based in Burgundy joins Rick to explain the fine art of cruising France's intimate network of canals and how this dimension of traveling through the French countrys...
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100 Edinburgh -- Cultural Heart of Scotland from 2007-07-08T00:00
One of Europe's most entertaining cities is also a great place for a civilized stroll around town. Join us for an insider's guide to Edinburgh with guides Anne Doig and Ken Hanley. Each year, they ...
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99 Emerging Destinations & American Favorites: Route 66, New York City from 2007-07-01T00:00
Rick's friends from Lonely Planet publications join us to discuss exotic, emerging destinations around the world, and a fresh take on two American favorites. We'll look at maintaining the 20th cent...
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98 A Midsummer's Guide to Sweden from 2007-06-17T00:00
Stockholm-based tour guide Marita Bergman provides a glimpse into her home city, explaining how Swedish society is organized to provide for raising a familiy, and telling us how the Swedes celebrat...
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97 Shaking off the Soviets in Eastern Europe and the 'Stans of Central Asia from 2007-06-10T00:00
After 40 years of Communism, the countries of Eastern Europe are coming into their own as the newest members of the European Union. We'll examine the dramatic changes to everyday life for the peopl...
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96 European Business Customs from 2007-06-03T00:00
Rick explores how some of the little things travelers do, or neglect to do, affect the way Americans are perceived in Europe. Author Mary Murray Bosrock, a specialist in intercultural communication...
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95 Alaska Overview & Road Tripping with the Kids from 2007-05-27T00:00
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...
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94 Rolf Potts: "Vagabonding" from 2007-05-20T00:00
Rick spends the hour with Rolf Potts, one of the sharpest minds among the new generation of travel writers and bloggers. Rick and Rolf take listener calls and compare notes on how to see the world ...
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93 Italy - North vs. South from 2007-05-13T00:00
Two of Rick's liveliest friends from Italy explain the regional differences between North and South, compare the loyalties, cuisine, accents, and attitudes of Italy's regions and show us how a comm...
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91 Dutch Tolerance and The Overworked American from 2007-04-29T00:00
Rick chats with tour guide Ton Van Garderen from The Netherlands about how Amsterdam makes its "live and let live" libertine policies work and what's behind the Dutch reputation for being "tolerant...
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90 Earth Day 2007: Home Exchange; Hot Planet; Vanishing Places from 2007-04-22T00:00
For this year's Earth Day observance, we're getting close to some of the cool creatures on our hot planet. Rick meets Marty Essen, whose adventures to the far corners of the planet with his wife an...
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89 Sicily: The Island of Organized Chaos from 2007-04-08T00:00
As a crossroads of cultulres for millenia, Sicily is emerging as one of the most vivid islands travelers can visit in Europe. Rick interviews two tour guide friends from Sicily on what makes their ...
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88 Pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago in Spain, Tourism in Iran from 2007-04-01T00:00
We learn about the Camino de Santiago de Compostela from a man who takes tourists on updated versions of this mideaval pilgrimage route and catch up with a Lonely Planet Iran researcher who finds t...
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87 Spiritual Discoveries in your Travels: Hinduism 101 and Rumi 800 from 2007-03-25T00:00
Rick discusses Hinduism with a travel writer who learned lessons in the land of her ancestors and delves into the enduring appeal of an Islamic mystic known in the west as Rumi who is commemorating...
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86 Celtic colors, from Ulster to France from 2007-03-18T00:00
We're looking at different angles of Irish culture for St Patrick's Day. Rick practices the "gift of gab" with Stephen McPhilemy, a friend from the North of Ireland who spins a few yarns about Ulst...
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85 Cuba: What's Next? from 2007-03-11T00:00
Now that Fidel Castro no longer heads the Cuban government, questions are emerging about whether Cuban authorities might start to relax control of its society, and how soon the U.S. government migh...
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84 Afghanistan for Travelers and Adventure Cycling to Laos from 2007-03-05T00:00
You can't get much further off the beaten path than travelling to Afghanistan or Laos. We'll hear from Central Asia expert Paul Clammer who will give us a reality check on what travelers can expect...
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83 Canadian Arctic and Mardi Gras in New Orleans from 2007-02-18T00:00
We'll travel to opposite ends of our continent to learn about the appeal of the Canadian Arctic from a guidebook author who's made a home in Yellowknife and get a detailed guide to celebrating Mard...
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82 Marrying Into Spain and a Glance at Greece from 2007-02-11T00:00
When travel leads to romance, a whole new life may be the result. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, we meet an American woman who married a Spaniard and is now raising a family in the heart o...
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81 People's Guide to Mexico from 2007-02-04T00:00
During the "hippy days" of the 1970s, Carl Franz and Lorena Havens made a habit of driving from Washington state to Mexico in a VW van. The couple, who still spends the better part of each year exp...
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80 Travel Calls with Don George & This Year in New Orleans from 2007-01-21T00:00
Rick chats with Don George from Lonely Planet publications about how Americans are being received overseas and investigates how interacting with the locals in our travels sometime means depending o...
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79 Hawaii for "malihinis" and a Cancun Update from 2007-01-14T00:00
Rick gets the latest info on what to look for while island-hopping in Hawaii from Lonely Planet's Sara Benson, and checks in with Gary Chandler who is in Mexico updating the Moon guidebook to Cancu...
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78 Eastern Europe - Then and Now from 2007-01-07T00:00
If you haven't seen Eastern Europe lately, you probably won't recognize it -- and that's just how the European Union wants it. Now that most of Eastern Europe is part of the E.U., the region is en...
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77 Sri Lanka from 2006-12-17T00:00
In 2004, Sri Lanka became one of the countries hardest hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami as it suffered damage along much of its coastline. Two years later, Sri Lanka still has some of the most pictu...
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76 Encountering Sheep in your Travels from 2006-12-10T00:00
One of the delights of driving through the countryside is spotting sheep grazing in the fields. We'll learn about the sheep and lambs that dot the hills of rural Britain from an accomplished breede...
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75 Adventures in the Southern Hemisphere: Peru and Fiji from 2006-12-03T00:00
We're looking high and low for adventures in the Southern Hemisphere on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Adventure travel specialist Kurt Kutay (koo-TYE) fills us in on Peru's attractions, ...
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74 Visiting Vienna from 2006-11-26T00:00
If there's one city that knows how to enjoy the everyday pleasures of life, it's Vienna. From experiencing its café culture to getting an affordable ticket to the Opera, we'll find out what makes...
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73 European Comfort Food from 2006-11-19T00:00
Some of the best souvenirs you can gather from your travels reside on your taste buds. On the next Travel with Rick Steves, Rick explores some of the comfort foods that his European friends enjo...
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72 Bernard-Henri Levy, Part Deux from 2006-11-12T00:00
Could Americans and Europeans benefit from an honest conversation with each other about their different ways of viewing society and the world? On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, we'll do just...
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71 Touring South Africa from 2006-11-05T00:00
In recent years, South Africa has awakened from its Apartheid-induced embargo to become one of the continent's most popular destinations. There's plenty to experience with its local cultures and sp...
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70 Nicaragua from 2006-10-29T00:00
Because it had a tense relationship with the United States for many years, Nicaragua remains a rather mysterious destination for many Norte Americanos. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, Ri...
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69 Architecture in your European Travels from 2006-10-15T00:00
Knowing what's behind the walls, as well as what goes into them, can be quite the illuminating experience. Rick invites architecture professor Kathryn Rogers Merlino from the University of Washingt...
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68 Sicily & Germany's Black Forest from 2006-10-08T00:00
If you like the people, tempo, and joy of living you find in Italy then you'll love Sicily. But for some Americans, the frenzied yet laid-back style of Italy's big southern island can be a bit over...
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66 Armenia from 2006-09-17T00:00
(note: Sept 21 is Armenian Independence Day) It's one of the newest nations in the world, and one of its oldest civilizations. And this week, Armenia is celebrating 15 years as an independent repub...
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64 Sabbaticals from 2006-08-27T00:00
It's long been a tradition in academia and many religious institutions. But it turns out anyone can benefit from a little time off the regular routine for a "sabbatical." On the next Travel ...
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63 Hungary from 2006-08-20T00:00
(note: Aug 20 is Hungary's Constitution Day national holiday) Whether you're up for a night at the opera, or a day "taking the curative waters" at a hot spring, Hungary has a classy way of making y...
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62 Ken Hanley's Scotland from 2006-08-13T00:00
On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, Rick updates our itineraries on Scotland with native-born tour guide Ken Hanley. They discuss the tensions Scotland has had over the years with England, an...
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61 RV Travel & Adventure Bicycling in Laos & Northern Thailand from 2006-08-06T00:00
We're exploring both ends of the transportation spectrum on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Rick learns about the R-V subculture from Chuck Woodbury, who runs an online site for R-V travel. ...
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60 Naples and the Amalfi Coast from 2006-07-23T00:00
You really haven't seen Italy until you travel south to Naples. It's one of the most intense and chaotic urban scenes in all of Europe. So American-born tour guide Nina Bernardo, who no...
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59 French Culture 201 for the American Traveler from 2006-07-16T00:00
(note: Bastille Day, the major French national holiday, is July 14) When you examine the tensions that sometimes arise between Americans and the French, many of them come from the diff...
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58 Small Wonders: Belgium & Belize from 2006-07-09T00:00
Good things often come in small packages. This week on Travel with Rick Steves, we'll investigate two small countries in Europe and Latin America that are often overlooked as destinations in their...
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57 Las Vegas & Yosemite from 2006-07-02T00:00
We're looking at two of America's most popular getaways on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. We'll get the latest on one of the world's hottest destinations -- Las Vegas, Nevada, wh...
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56 Two "Wild and Crazy" Countries: Slovenia & Croatia from 2006-06-25T00:00
(note: June 25 is National Day in Slovenia; and it is also statehood day in Croatia - they each declared independence from Yugoslavia 15 years ago -- in 1991. ) They're celebrating 15 year...
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55 Meeting the Maasai in East Africa from 2006-06-18T00:00
Get up close to African wildlife and forge an emotional connection with an ancient indigenous culture as we explore what it takes to go on an eco-friendly safari. A representative of the Maasai (...
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54 From Turkey to the Persian Gulf from 2006-06-11T00:00
Adventurous travelers know that Turkey is the welcoming entree to a secularized Muslim society. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, tour guide Lale Surman Aran (LAH-lay SOOR-man ah-RAHN) j...
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53 Tuscany & Umbria from 2006-06-04T00:00
Take a holiday to Mona Lisa's backyard on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. We'll examine the enormous appeal of Italy's Tuscany region, and its quieter neighbor Umbria. Rick chats with Cecel...
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52 Arthur Frommer from 2006-05-28T00:00
It's been almost 50 years since Arthur Frommer (FROE-mer) first published his groundbreaking travel guidebook "Europe on Five Dollars a Day." In the 1970s, Frommer's books helped instruct a young...
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51 Tour Industry Insider from 2006-05-21T00:00
Is an organized tour right for you? This week, Rick explores the advantages of, and some potential problems with, "big bus tourism," with industry consultant Rick Hazen. He offers tips on safegua...
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7a Mexico City and the Yucatan from 2006-05-07T00:00
This week, Rick discusses the appeal of our neighbors in Mexico, from the frenzy of its must-see capital to the deep blue waters and nightlife around Cancun, and the Mayan artifacts of the Yucatan ...
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50 Royalty from 2006-04-30T00:00
Rick removes some of the mystery, but not the glamour, of European Royalty with help from guests Roy Nichols and Norway's Princess Martha Louise. Tour guide Roy Nichols gives Rick an overview of...
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49 Ethical Travels on a Green Planet from 2006-04-23T00:00
Does travel have to be bad for the environment? Does eco-tourism really help the planet -- or just hurt it less? What's an ethical traveler to do? On this week's Travel with Rick Steves we'll discu...
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48 Traveling with a Musical Theme from 2006-04-16T00:00
2006 is being celebrated as Mozart's 250th birthday, reminding us that your next destination's music scene can provide a theme (pun intended) for your trip. On this week's Travel with ...
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47 An Insider's Guide to Paris from 2006-04-09T00:00
When Ella Fitzgerald sang "April in Paris," she knew the perfect place to combine fresh flowers, spring showers, and romance. Half a century later, no other city comes close. Whether you'...
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46 English Gardens from 2006-03-26T00:00
What better way to enjoy the world in bloom than to wander through an English country garden? Rick Steves asks British tour guide Roy Nichols about the English passion for elaborate gardens. Then ...
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45 Bernard-Henri Levy, author of "American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville." from 2006-03-19T00:00
Rick Steves meets French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, a household name in his home country (where they simply call him "BHL"). During the height of recent tensions between political faction...
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44 Ireland, Revisited from 2006-03-12T00:00
From the deep green, rocky hills to the evocative smell of a peat log burning in the fireplace, you'll know you're in Ireland. But it's the people that every visitor remembers best, whether you v...
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42 World Cup Soccer 2006 from 2006-02-26T00:00
After Italy hosts the Winter Olympics, Germany heats up for the championship games of the World Cup soccer tournament in June. On this week's Travel with Rick Steves, Rick assembles a panel of Eur...
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41 River Rafting in Idaho & Four Corners USA from 2006-02-19T00:00
200 years ago, Lewis and Clark charted the rivers of what is now Northwestern America. In the 21st Century, travelers seek the same mountains and rivers to get away from their crowded urban lives. ...
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40 Putting Together the Newspaper Travel Section from 2006-02-05T00:00
Millions of people scratch their travel itch each week by reading their newspaper's travel section. Rick takes us behind the scenes at the San Francisco Chronicle to find out what its seni...
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39 The Changing Face of Berlin and Gay/Lesbian Travel with Ed Salvato from 2006-01-29T00:00
In the past decade and a half, Berlin has re-emerged as one of Europe's major capitals -- it's changing so quickly even tourism officials have difficulty keeping up. Rick gets the latest on B...
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38 Exploring Mexico's Pacific Coast and An American Singer in Istanbul from 2006-01-22T00:00
Mexico is the perfect destination for North Americans seeking sun, fun, and a colorful, distinctive culture. Rick explores some of the popular Pacific coast destinations of Mexico, from Puerto Val...
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37 Insiders Guide to Greece from 2006-01-15T00:00
From the newly spruced up capital of Athens , to the sun-drenched villages of the mainland and the islands, it's no myth that Greece is a pleasure to experience. Greece provides countless opportuni...
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36 Cortona and Fear of Flying from 2006-01-08T00:00
Italy has become one of the hottest destinations for European travel -- and for good reason. Smart travelers know how to avoid crowds and, as a result, enjoy a genuine experience of Italy. Rick ch...
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35 Growing up Under Communism from 2006-01-01T00:00
We'll visit with three of Rick Steves' tour guide friends from Eastern Europe. We'll find out what it was like being raised in different types of Communist countries, and how their lives have chang...
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34 Christmas in Europe from 2005-12-25T00:00
Join us this holiday season for Travel with Rick Steves Christmas in Europe radio special! During the program, Rick hears how his European friends prepare for and celebrate Christmas. Listeners lea...
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33 Discovering "A Sense of Place" from 2005-12-11T00:00
Travel journalist Michael Shapiro set out on a literary project to interview 18 travel authors to see what makes their work such a pleasure. He turned his interviews into a book called "A Sense...
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32 Honduras Overview and an American in Rio from 2005-12-04T00:00
If you like to travel off the beaten track, and want to get the most out of your travel dollar, Honduras might be just the ticket. This week, Rick learns from guidebook author Chris Humphrey about ...
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10 Ireland, North and South from 2005-11-27T00:00
This week we will talk about Ireland with two of Rick's tour guide friends from the North and South. We'll find out how much Ireland has changed in recent years due to its impressive economic surge...
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31 French Food and Faux Pas from 2005-11-20T00:00
This week, we'll learn some of the basics of eating out in France and how to enjoy such foods as crèpes, escargot, truffles and steak tartare. But the culture of everyday life in France is differen...
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30 Adventure Divas in Cuba, and Ask the Pilot about Flight Safety from 2005-11-13T00:00
afety This week, we will "Ask the Pilot" about how an over-active imagination can create a fear of flying. Commercial pilot, author, and salon.com columnist Patrick Smith joins Rick to e...
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29 An Insider's Guide to The French Riviera from 2005-11-06T00:00
Mention the French Riviera, and images of glamorous celebrities may come to mind. But the Mediterranean coast of France was also the inspiration for some of the great impressionist and modern artis...
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28 Exploring the World Through Religion from 2005-10-30T00:00
Rick learns about Islam -- where it's commonly practiced in Turkey from friends who live in Istanbul. He then places a call to Rome to chat with a resident of that city's little-known Jewish Ghe...
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27 Belize and Alpine Ski and Lake Resorts from 2005-10-23T00:00
This week, Rick Steves learns about Belize, Central America's relatively new country, from guidebook author Joshua Berman. It's a little bit Caribbean, a little bit Latin American, and all with...
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7 Mexico City & the Yucatan from 2005-10-16T00:00
This week, Rick discusses the appeal of our neighbors in Mexico, from the frenzy of its must-see capital to the deep blue waters and nightlife around Cancun, and the Mayan artifacts of the Yucatan ...
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26 Off the Beaten Track: Galapagos, Central Asia, and Southwest USA from 2005-10-09T00:00
A traveler can experience a true sense of discovery by venturing "off the beaten path" into places not often visited by the average vacationer. And that's what we're doing on the next Travel with...
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25 Panama and Renting a French Country Home from 2005-10-02T00:00
Guidebook Author William Friar spent his childhood in Panama, and lets us know about post-Noriega Panama...where one U.S. dollar will buy you dinner. He'll also discuss how travelers can easily fi...
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23 Accessible Europe and Roadtrips in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest from 2005-09-18T00:00
A trip to the cobblestoned streets of Europe can be a nightmare for anyone in a wheelchair or who has difficulty walking. This week, Rick Steves talks to Ken Plattner, an activist for disabled pers...
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22 London & Bermuda from 2005-09-04T00:00
Rick will get an insider's view of London from Gillian Chadwick, a certified blue badge guide. She and Rick share pointers on what's new and how to get the most out of this crowded, expensive, and ...
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21 Argentina and Travel Writing from 2005-08-28T00:00
One place Americans can find European-style charm at bargain prices is by flying south -- to Argentina. On the next Travel with Rick Steves, Rick learns why tour guide Robert Wright found Buenos ...
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20 To Tour or not to Tour? from 2005-08-21T00:00
Suggestions for renting a car and finding mom and pop inns in Scotland? (Carolyn in Oregon) What's the right etiquette for meeting distant relatives in Europe? (Stephanie, Salt Lake City) ...
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19 Amore in Italia from 2005-08-14T00:00
It's hard to beat Italy as a romantic destination, unless you actually fall in love and make it your home. Rick chats with two American women who have married Italian men and settled in Italy. For...
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18 Slovenia and the American Southwest from 2005-08-07T00:00
Yearning for some of the lesser-explored adventures at home and overseas? Today we will learn about the country of Slovenia, where the slow food movement and the polka are popular. And, we get idea...
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17 Costa Rica from 2005-07-31T00:00
Costa Rica stands out from its neighbors in Central America due to its relatively stable government and high standard of living. It's a favorite destination for North Americans because of its dedic...
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16 Italian Wine from 2005-07-24T00:00
This week, Rick learns the fine points of sampling fine wine with vintner Cecelia Bottai (che-CHEE_lya bo-TYE) and Ruth Arista (ar-REES-ta). Cecelia's vineyards have been growing g...
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15 Netherlands and Oceania from 2005-07-17T00:00
The sea helps define two destinations Rick discusses with his guests on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. Netherlands is one of the real powerhouses of Europe, despite its small geogra...
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14 Americans in France from 2005-07-10T00:00
What kind of reaction do you get when you mention France? During the program, Rick and his guest Steve Smith, an American who divides his time between Seattle and Burgundy, will look at how Americ...
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13 Turkey and the United States Southeast from 2005-07-03T00:00
Travelers to both Turkey and Dixie have one thing in common: they come back from their trips full of stories and enthusiasm for the people they met. This week we will meet a married to...
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12 Ecuador & Traveling Around the World in 80 Dates from 2005-06-26T00:00
From the newly-beautified old town district of Quito two miles high in the Andes to the ecological marvels of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is one of South America's must-experience treats for any...
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11 Japan & More USA Road Trips from 2005-06-19T00:00
Japan has long held a fascination for travelers from around the world. But its culture and language have often proved impenetrable for outsiders. This week we'll get an insider's perspective on hav...
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9 Packing Light & The South Pacific from 2005-06-05T00:00
How can you travel for ten weeks with one suitcase? Rick says it is important to travel light, and to pack only one carry-on's worth of clothes and accessories. He shares packing tips for different...
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8 Scotland from 2005-05-29T00:00
Rick learns about the history and present-day allure of the Scottish highlands from Arthur Smith, a proprietor and true gentleman of the auld cloth, who ran a bed and breakfast in Glencoe, Scotland...
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5 North America Road Trips; Wales from 2005-05-08T00:00
Rick learns about the charms of Wales from Welshman Martin DeLandowicz, and attempts to speak some otherwise undecipherable phrases in the Welsh Celtic language; also, Rick chats with Jamie Jensen ...
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3 European Food Culture from 2005-04-24T00:00
Rick shares some of his delicacy discoveries found in different parts of Europe that make travel a gastronomic treat. Tour guide Jamie Blair Gould discusses different kinds of Italian olives and ol...
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2 Egypt, Travel Agent 101 from 2005-04-17T00:00
Rick will interview tour guide Colin Clement about the highlights of traveling to Egypt, and travel agent Elizabeth Holmes about recent changes to the travel industry. We'll also take calls from tr...
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1 Traveling By Bike and Nepal from 2005-04-10T00:00
On the debut broadcast of Travel with Rick Steves, Rick learns how a bicycle can get you into more places than you'd ever expect from adventure bicycling enthusiast Willie Weir, and explores the ma...
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1 Traveling By Bike and Nepal from 2005-04-10T00:00
On the debut broadcast of Travel with Rick Steves, Rick learns how a bicycle can get you into more places than you'd ever expect from adventure bicycling enthusiast Willie Weir, and explores the ma...
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