Travel with Rick Steves

Saturdays at 7 a.m. & Sundays at 1 p.m.

"Travel with Rick Steves" goes beyond the Europe that Mr. Steves is famous for, with shows covering travel and cultures across every continent.

The author of 30 travel guidebooks and longtime host of the "Rick Steves' Europe" TV series, Steves was attracted to radio because of its ability to interact with listeners in ways that TV cannot.

"Radio provides a virtual café for travelers to meet up, sharing tips, insights and discoveries," says Steves. "On my radio show, rather than being the tour guide, as I am on TV, I get to host the coming together of experts on various cultures and travel themes with our callers and listeners. Serving as the conduit for all this exciting travel information comes with a downside: now I want to travel everywhere our radio show does."

744 Falling for Saturn; Heart of Martin Sheen; Florentine Favorites

Astronomer Philip Plait — who fell in love with Saturn after first viewing the gas giant, with its mesmerizing rings and moons, through a telescope as a child — shares some of the amazing discoveries we've made about the planet in recent years. Then actor Martin Sheen describes how his travels in the developing world have opened his eyes, and his heart, to the needs of others. And a Florence-based tour guide and culinary expert lets us in on where to find the best food in her adopted home. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
743 Happens in Vegas; Morocco's Sahara

The most popular storyteller of our time, author James Patterson, shares insights from the people who work behind the scenes to turn Las Vegas into America's ultimate fantasy destination. And a Morocco-based tour guide recommends letting yourself be amazed by the night sky in the Sahara Desert, a view that's guided travelers for millennia. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
742 Sharks; Beyond Havana; Pompeii

A deep-sea diving instructor from Australia explains why he's not afraid of sharks — well, most of them. Then a Cuba travel expert looks at the places and experiences you can explore beyond Havana, as well the rules that govern travel to Cuba for US travelers. And a guide from Italy helps us step into a day in the first century, frozen in time, at the ruins of Pompeii on the slope of Mount Vesuvius. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
595a The Story of Spanish; First Timer's Spain

Hear the unlikely story of how Spanish grew from a Latin dialect in northern Iberia to become one of the world's most important and widely spoken languages. Then get tips for enjoying your first trip to Spain, and for getting the most out of a visit to the Prado's massive art collection in Madrid. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
741 Visiting Vienna; Visiting Bosnia; Athens Acropolis

Get tips for enjoying elegant, easily navigated Vienna, Austria's capital and the epicenter of a once-mighty empire. Then hear a Bosnian describe what his country, a generation after its infamous war, has to teach us about getting along with our neighbors — and why the nation is now blossoming as a travel destination. And get acquainted with the fascinating ancient structures atop Athens' Acropolis. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
740 Cruising the Nile; Paradise on Earth; Lost Pianos of Siberia

A tour specialist from Cairo explains how you can cruise through five thousand years of history on the Nile River in Egypt. Author Pico Iyer suggests paradise on earth might be in some of the most unexpected places. He tells us about his sojourns from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka to experience what South Asia had to show him. And hear how Sophy Roberts searched for the historic "lost pianos of Siberia," and what she actually found. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
739 Travel Like a Diplomat; Making a Difference; German Pop

Get some travel advice from the former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria, who recommends his favorite vacation getaways in the Balkans. Then listen in as a climate scientist describes the efforts that have worked — and some that haven't — in combatting the pollution that causes climate change…and what you can do now to make a difference. And hear how Germany's pop music has evolved to reflect a half century of intense cultural transformation. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.
738 Christmastime in Bavaria, Croatia, Sweden, Rome, Sardinia, Costa Rica, Amsterdam

Brighten your holidays with an international perspective on Christmas celebrations: Learn about Europe's Old World holiday traditions, and meet some of Santa's cousins, as some of Rick's friends drop by to discuss the sometimes sublime, often quirky ways they observe the season in Bavaria, Sardinia, Croatia, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Rome. And get a taste of a tropical Christmas in Costa Rica. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.