October Travel News
Hi from Rick: Lessons from the Road
I just returned from two perspective-broadening weeks in Guatemala and El Salvador — my final international trip of the year. Now, after 50 intense days of research in Europe and my time in Central America, I'm settled back in my home, reflecting on my 2026 travels. The lessons I've learned from the road are many, but three stand out.
#1: Americans are enthusiastically welcome abroad. When I set off for Europe back in spring, this was the concern I kept hearing: Are we Americans still welcome?
After nearly two months in Greece, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, I learned that — despite political turbulence and changing policies coming from Washington — American travelers are still warmly received. And that's the feeling the 35,000 Americans who took a Rick Steves' Europe tour in 2026 came home with too… Read more
