Rick Steves' Europe

As we ramble through the heart of Rome, we’ll admire breathtaking Bernini statues and ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter’s Basilica. After dinner, we’ll take a nighttime stroll, lacing together the city’s piazzas and fountains.

We explore Rome on a more intimate scale — dodging Vespas in Trastevere, roaming through the historic Jewish Ghetto, and enjoying art treasures in a string of rarely visited churches to uncover the charms of hidden Rome.

In Florence, we'll revel in the genius of Michelangelo and Botticelli, climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance, and cross the Arno to take in modern-day artisan life.

We enjoy Renaissance art in Florence, the city that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages. Then we visit two cultural capitals in their own right: Pisa, where we’ll marvel at a tipsy tower; and Lucca, where we’ll celebrate Puccini.

In Paris, we'll cruise the Seine River, pay a visit to Napoleon’s tomb, and take in the majestic Louvre. Then we'll shop in a village-like neighborhood, attend church in a pipe organ loft, and celebrate Bastille Day.

We'll ride a unicorn into the Middle Ages at Paris’ Cluny Museum, get a heavenly look at stained glass in Sainte-Chapelle, go on a tombstone pilgrimage at Père Lachaise Cemetery, and savor the Parisian café scene.

In London, we’ll ponder royal tombs in Westminster Abbey, discover treasures in the British Library, enjoy the vibrant evening scene in Soho, uncover Churchill’s secret WWII headquarters, and straddle the Prime Meridian at Greenwich.

Hiking through the Cumbrian Lake District, we'll admire idyllic lakes, discover misty waterfalls, tour a slate mine, and climb up to a stony summit. Then we’ll play some cricket, hike Hadrian’s Wall, and be dazzled by Durham’s cathedral.

In Venice, we'll sample the splendor of the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, Grand Canal, and masterpieces from the Venetian Renaissance — then take a glide on a gondola.

We’ll start with a cruise through Venice’s lagoon, pausing to savor fresh fish canal-side. Then we’ll sample the treasures of the Accademia Gallery, explore some back-street wonders, and luxuriate in a venerable café on St. Mark’s Square.

In this first of three shows focusing on European travel skills, we’ll visit the Netherlands and Germany to learn about transportation by train and car, changing money, and settling in upon arrival.

In this second of three shows focusing on travel skills, we’ll visit Venice, Siena, and the Cinque Terre in Italy to learn about trip planning, packing, safety, and — perhaps the most rewarding skill of all — connecting with the locals.

In this third of three travel skills episodes, we’ll visit the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London while covering tips for finding hotels, using transit, and selecting restaurants.