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  • Istanbul panorama

August Tour News

Hi from Rick: Europe’s Greatest City? It’s a Four-Way Tie

The flight booking I canceled when COVID hit in early 2020 would've taken me to Istanbul. And ever since, I've been missing Europe's great cities.

There's just something about big European cities that I find endlessly entertaining. They're springboards for diving deep into the countries they dominate. Their museums hold the treasures of an entire culture, gathered across centuries of history, through good times and bad. Their historic centers help you envision a time when that metropolis was just a few thousand citizens huddled in the shadow of a big church surrounded by a fortified wall.

Europe's cities showcase the past. And they also reflect the future, with stimulating public art and trendsetting eateries. They're a collection of neighborhoods — each with its own personality, thriving markets… Read more

In this issue

Merchant in Sultanahmet neighborhood, Istanbul, Turkey

Slideshow: Best of Istanbul, Day by Day

Our week-long tour of Istanbul takes you through doorways that only an Istanbul insider can open. You'll wander a neighborhood that's home to such international icons as the Blue Mosque and Hagia… Read more

City guides

Raves About Our City Guides

Rick Steves guides pack a lot of "wow" moments into each of our week-long London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul tours. But don't just take our word for it. Here are just a few of the guide raves coming from… Read more

Rick and Francesca walking

Enjoying the ‘Passeggiata’ in Rome

Rick meets one of his favorite local guides, Francesca, for Rome's ritual evening stroll — the passeggiata — on a walk that laces together its top after-dark hotspots. After the sun sets, the city… Watch the video

Rick and the Eiffel Tower

Midnight in Paris

Paris is known as the "City of Light," but what about after dark? Join Arnaud Servignat, one of our Best of Paris tour guides, and Rick as they share a virtual late-night stroll and dinner, after dark in Paris… Hear the track

London Underground Sign

Taming London in a Week

With 600 square miles, eight million people, and too many must-see sights to see in one visit, London can feel formidable to travelers. On one guidebook-updating trip, I had only a week to take in the… Read more

Discovering Scotland, French Kitchen Essentials, England’s Giant Horses, and More

This week's Guides' Marketplace picks: Check out the hills, mills, and unicorns of Scotland; 10 essentials of a well-stocked French kitchen; England's giant chalk horses; and Prague from above… See more