For Immediate Release
Contact: Ashley Southwick
(425) 608-4293
Rick Steves' 2008 Tours
Making Europe a Family Affair
From magical castles to jet-lagged tantrums, traveling through Europe with children can bring unforgettable highs...and lows. Planning a trip to keep both the kids and grownups on an even keel is a daunting project for any parent. The goal is to end up with memories like this traveler from Pleasanton, California: "The ‘wow' moment was the evening we spent in Burgundy at a renovated farmhouse. We had dinner on the lawn and there was a local band. I danced with my husband and my kids. My husband and I agreed that even with the most detailed planning on our own, we couldn't have planned that moment. It was truly magical."
This comment didn't come from an experienced European traveler, but from a parent participating in a two-week Rick Steves "Family Europe" tour. She and her family returned from their trip not exhausted, but wowed – all thanks to none other than European travel writer Rick Steves.
In 1978, Rick Steves organized his first "Back Door" European minibus tour. Now, 30 years later, Rick and his team of over 100 guides help 13,000 annual travelers experience Europe in ways unlike any other tour company. Rick's groups are small, stay in memorable accommodations, and experience the charms of Europe in the "close-to-the-ground" travel style mapped-out in Rick's guidebooks, public television series, and radio program.
"I design these tours, I go on them, and I love them all," writes Rick. To keep travel family-friendly, all of his tours are open to families with teens, in addition to two special itineraries — Family Europe in 14 Days and Family Paris and the Heart of France in 11 Days — that welcome families with kids as young as eight.
Rick's touring innovations go beyond family trips. By opening the back door to new European discoveries, like the new Best of the Adriatic Tour, Rick Steves' tour members are consistently wowed. Not intended for the faint of heart, this new tour (lead by a Rick's hand-picked guides – like Marijan Kriskovic, a Slovenian fluent in six languages) provides an eye-opening look at formerly war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina while treating travelers to island relaxation in picture-postcard Korcula. "This was a brilliant trip," comments Susan from Seattle. "A perfect balance of beautiful experiences with new insights and understanding...it raised the bar."
To request Rick Steves: Blog Gone Europe be part of your website or for more information on Dancing with Europa II, contact Ashley Southwick, Publicist.