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  • Monday Night Travel with Rick Steves

Join Us for Monday Night Travel

Are you ready for some virtual travel? Join Rick's live Monday Night Travel party! Experience the fun, conviviality, intimacy, and spontaneity as Rick hosts a travel happy hour on Zoom from his living room. Each week he'll share his personal, inspirational, and sometimes hilarious behind-the-scenes commentary, followed by a Q&A — your chance to ask questions and interact with Rick.  

You do not need a Zoom account to participate but you must register below for each event. After registering through Zoom, you'll receive a confirmation email with a link to the event. Registration doesn't guarantee admission. These events fill up quickly, so your best bet is to join us on time (or even a bit early) — and if you don't make it into the first show, please try again at 7:00 p.m. PT. By registering for an event, you're agreeing to the Rick Steves' Europe Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

european-artisans

June 21: Celebrating Europe’s Artisans

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

In Europe, so many things are done with artisanal care. Join Rick in meeting a wide variety of Europeans who bring this pride and attention to detail to their own little slice of the world: Cesare, the coppersmith of Montepulciano; the Dutch, whose art is farming tulips and creating new land by reclaiming it from under the sea; Stanway House in England's Cotswolds, where the eccentric Earl of Wemyss builds a towering homemade geyser; Swiss cheesemakers in the high Alps; and an entire street of artisans in Bulgaria's Veliko Tarnovo. Then we’ll zip down to Egypt to enjoy the lovable chaos of merchants and artisans. To accompany our virtual journey, Rick will be enjoying some finely crafted French foods: pâté, cheese, baguette, and wine from Bordeaux.

basque-country

June 28: Watch with Rick Steves —“Basque Country” with Francisco Glaria

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

Rick is fascinated by "nations without states" — European cultural enclaves that were ignored when borders were drawn. Join him and his co-host, tour guide Francisco Glaria (from Pamplona in Spain's Basque region), for commentary and behind-the-scenes stories about the TV episode featuring one such destination, the Basque Country of Spain and France. From our San Sebastián home base, we tour the ancient Basque capital of Guernica and the dazzling Guggenheim Bilbao, and then cross into France for more Basque Country charms. From yummy tapa bars to lightning-fast jai alai games, we’ll experience Basque culture at its most vivid. For dinner, we'll be enjoying some Basque-style tapas from local Seattle restaurant Harvest Vine, along with a bottle of Tempranillo.

mosaics-in sicily

July 5: Europe’s Quirky Museums

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

Europe's offbeat museums are some of its most memorable sights. And on this virtual tour, Rick links up some of his favorites. Glasgow captures the early 20th century — from a perfectly preserved old tenement apartment to Art Nouveau with a Scottish accent. Hidden away deep in the Sicilian countryside, the Roman Villa Romana del Casale shows off beautifully preserved ancient mosaics. In England, Ironbridge Gorge has several steel-and-steam sights that commemorate the birth of the Industrial Age. Bulgaria shows off its discredited communist art in a park full of stony comrades. The castle of Český Krumlov, in the Czech Republic, has one of Europe's best surviving Baroque theaters, with special effects from the 18th century. And in France's Beaune, we'll ogle gorgeous paintings designed to comfort patients in a charity hospital. Our dinner tonight will be a French feast from Seattle restaurant Café Campagne; for an equally tasty evening, order some takeout and support your favorite local restaurant.

July 12: Favorite Islamic Side Trips

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

Much as Rick loves Europe, some of his favorite "side trips" are into the Islamic world. Join us for a virtual tour of fascinating slices of Muslim life: Cairo, Egypt; Hebron and Bethlehem, Palestine; and Tangier, Morocco. We'll watch a dervish whirl in a worshipful trance in Turkey. Our grand finale is a visit to Istanbul, the place where East meets West and the most exciting and accessible city in Islam. For dinner, we'll enjoy Moroccan dishes from Marrakesh — not the city, but the restaurant in Seattle, in keeping with our goal of broadening our culinary horizons while supporting local businesses.

castle

July 19: Favorite Castles and Palaces

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

For many sightseers, Europe is synonymous with castles and palaces. Join Rick for a grand tour of his favorites, scattered far and wide: In Romania, we’ll see the fanciful palace of its first king, a fortified Lutheran church, and a castle swarming with Dracula legends (which we'll happily debunk). England specializes in great castles, and we'll visit two, in Warwick and Dover. France's Loire Valley is famous for its grand châteaux. Stout Suomenlinna Fortress guards Helsinki's harbor. Carcassonne is one of the best-preserved walled cities anywhere. And high in the Alps between Innsbruck and the Dolomites, antique fortresses guard the Brenner Pass — an artery of trade dating back to Roman times. We'll enjoy a German feast (from local Seattle restaurant Altstadt Bierhalle & Brathaus) and Bier from Deutschland. Prosit!

scottish-favorites

July: 26: Scotland Favorites with special guest Colin Mairs

5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER
7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET | REGISTER

Scotsman and tour guide Colin Mairs joins Rick for a virtual tour through the highlights of Scotland. We’ll start in the rugged Highlands, with its clans, hairy coos, and dramatic castles. At Loch Ness, we’ll better understand the legend of the monster and marvel at Caledonian Canal —an early-19th-century engineering triumph. Then, we'll head to Edinburgh to conquer its historic castle and get a dose of the kilted spirit of the Scotsman. Finally, for a real-world contrast, we'll head to Colin's hometown: gritty yet revitalized Glasgow, which, in its prime, produced 25 percent of the world’s ocean-going ships. It’s a rough and tumble city where (if you can understand the accent) they say “a funeral is more fun than an Edinburgh wedding.” Along the way, we'll sample a wee dram of whisky and nibble on some shortbread.

 

Video Recordings

It's never too late to enjoy Rick's live Monday Night Travel party with our weekly video recordings. Experience the fun, conviviality, intimacy, and spontaneity of joining Rick in his living room as he drinks his favorite wine and shares his inspirational and sometimes hilarious behind-the-scenes stories.

france-beyond-paris

France Favorites Beyond Paris with Co-host Steve Smith

This event was recorded on June 14, 2021.

Celebrate Bastille Day — one month ahead of the French — with Rick and his co-host (and France guidebook co-author), Steve Smith, on a virtual tour around France. We'll check out France's second city, the tragically underrated culinary capital of Lyon, before exploring the châteaux of Vaux-le-Vicomte and Cheverny. In the Dordogne, Sarlat hosts a thriving market—one of France's best. And in the sunbaked South of France, we explore the urbane resort of Nice and the Roman temple and arena in the city of Nîmes. For dinner, we'll have a gourmet charcuterie board of French meats, cheeses, and tapenade from Le Pichet, a local Seattle restaurant, and a bottle of French wine. Get your own French takeout and join us for this Bastille Day party.

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