Top 10 Tours (so far) for 2013
Not sure where to go next? Here's how travelers are "voting" with their 2013 tour deposits. As of this month, our top 10 are...
1. Best of Eastern Europe in 16 Days
Starting in beautifully-preserved Prague, for 16 days you'll experience the rich diversity of Eastern Europe, from the energetic cities of Kraków and Budapest to tradition-rich "back door" towns and villages across the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia — including the waterfall wonderland of Plitvice and the picture-perfect Alpine beauty of Lake Bled.
Watch Rick's video clip on Prague, City of Music
2. Paris & the Heart of France in 11 Days
Stringing together an all-star collection of Rick's favorite places in and around the City of Light, you'll experience the very best of Paris along with its most stunning surroundings: the Loire Valley's exquisite Châteaux; Brittany's half-timbered villages; Normandy's magical Mont St. Michel and stirring D-Day beaches; Monet's dreamy gardens at Giverny; the stained-glass wonders of Bourges Cathedral; and a medieval castle being built in Burgundy today — using lots of muscle and 13th-century technology.
Watch Rick's video clip on Monet's Gardens in Giverny
Our most exotic tour in Italy immerses you in the distinctive culture, crafts and history of Sicily. On your eye-opening loop around the island, your guide will introduce you to the hearty welcome and home cooking of a Sicilian family farm, the steamy power of Mount Etna, Italy's brightest pottery and boldest wines, Europe's most amazing Ancient Greek ruins, and slow sunsets from picture-perfect seaside villages.
Watch Rick's video clip on Palermo's markets
Paris is synonymous with the finest things that culture can offer — in art, fashion, food, literature, and ideas. On this tour, your Paris-savvy guide will immerse you in the very best of the City of Light: the Louvre, Orsay, Orangerie and Cluny Museums, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle, and Versailles Palace. You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks through the city's historic heart, and quieter moments to slow down and savor the city's intimate cafés, colorful markets, and joie de vivre.
Watch Rick's video clip on the The Magnificent Louvre
5. Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days
Rick Steves' Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour begins with Venice's timeless St. Mark's Square and Basilica, then on to Michelangelo's stunning David and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and ends with Rome's Ancient Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks, memorable meals and full-bodied Italian wines.
Watch Rick's video clip on Michelangelo's David
Rick Steves' Best of Italy tour is exactly that — the very best. Starting on beautiful Lake Como, this tour treats you to Italy's must-see destinations: timeless Venice, Renaissance Florence, Eternal Rome and St. Francis' Assisi. You'll also soak in Italy's quieter side: hill-town vineyards, mountain-ringed Alpine meadows, cliff-clinging Cinque Terre villages, and cozy fishing harbors — all accompanied by memorable meals and local wines. And Rick's guides will make Italy's art, history and dolce vita come vividly to life.
Watch Rick's video clip on Italy's Lake Como
Our two-week adventure kicks off with the best of Dublin, followed by Ireland's must-see historical sites, charming towns, music-filled pubs and seaside getaways — including Kinsale, the Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, Galway, Connemara, Giant's Causeway, Old Bushmills Distillery, and the compelling city of Belfast. All along the way, Rick's guides will share their stories to draw you in to the Emerald Isle, and the friendliness of the people will surely steal your heart.
Watch Rick's video clip on Kinsale, Ireland
Dreaming of how to pack Europe's top travel thrills and cultural treats into a two-week vacation? You've found it! Your guide will surround you with the art treasures of Paris, followed by a hearty taste of Burgundy, a hike in the majestic Swiss Alps, festive Bavaria, the romantic canals of Venice, Renaissance Florence, a countryside stay in Tuscany, the must-see sights of Rome — and chances to connect with Europeans like you never thought possible.
Watch Rick's video clip on Rome's Ancient Wonders
Starting in the Netherlands, you'll experience the best of Amsterdam, Germany's Rhine Valley and Romantic Road, castles and forests of the German-Austrian Tirol, canals of Venice, Renaissance Florence, the art and history of Rome, seaside villages of the Cinque Terre, the majestic Swiss Alps, country charms of France's Burgundy region, and the City of Light — Paris.
Watch Rick's video clip on Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Tight on time? This tour is Rick's personal "best of" distillation of our Best of Italy tour. Beginning with the "must see" sights of the Eternal City of Rome, you'll experience the very heart of this remarkable country: the Tuscan hill town ambiance of Volterra, the pedestrian-friendly streets of Lucca, cliff-hugging villages of the Cinque Terre, and the amazing art of Renaissance Florence. Along the way, you'll enjoy Italy's distinctive culture, wine and cuisine.
Watch Rick's video clip on Italy's Cinque Terre
Why stop at just ten tours?
11. Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days
On #11, mountains, Mozart, and mugs of beer all clink together to create a totally yodel‑y adventure. Starting in Trier, along Germany's scenic Mosel River, your Rick Steves guide will make this region's history and culture come alive in sophisticated Munich, fairy-tale Neuschwanstein, Baroque Salzburg, stately Vienna, relaxing Baden-Baden, the cut-glass Alps of the Swiss Berner Oberland, and beautiful lakeside Hallstatt — with plenty of breathtaking scenery along the way.
Watch Rick's video clip on Fairy Tale Castles
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