Destination: Uncategorized

I spend most of my work time addressing the travel needs of adult travelers and marketing to that segment of our traveling population. My son, Andy, who’s running a tour program for students in Europe, does the same–but for the 20-year-old crowd.

I love watching Andy’s promotional video and putting myself in the mindset of a college-age traveler. I’ve been at this for over 30 years now, and it’s inspiring to see the ways things have changed…and the ways they’ve stayed the same. Today there are dirt-cheap plane flights, disposable cellphones, the same coins in nearly everyone’s pockets, bullet trains, hostels serving gourmet tapas, and no need for travelers’ checks. There’s a tunnel under the English Channel, and you can Skype home to Mom for free. Yet the adventure and thrills of good, old-fashioned vagabonding survive.

As a travel writer and teacher, one of my favorite discoveries is that the journal entries I wrote as a scruffy 20-year-old in 1975 still resonate with the generally much-less-scruffy 20-year-old American exploring Europe in 2013. Today the same timeless magic is there…and it’s a lot more convenient and comfortable to find it. As it was for me a generation ago, students are still awakening to the wonders of our world and establishing the parameters of their worldview.

Immerse yourself in a 20-year-old’s wanderlust for 100 seconds and let this video clip connect you with a vivid and people-filled Europe that has nothing to do with a having lots of money. Smiles spring, taste buds pop, sunsets warm, and the world opens up like a Dutch tulip in springtime…even on a student’s budget. Then, in the Comments, share a vivid, perspective-bending experience you had on your student European adventure…perhaps so long ago.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

[pageview width=”600″ height=”349″ url=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/5u3TD-r_rWc”]

When a country or region is in turmoil, people ask me, “Are there deals to be had for travelers there?” Not that I’m any kind of saint, but when I travel to places in crisis, it’s not to take advantage of their hardship —  but to learn from their reality and to contribute to their economy through tourism.

When I do travel to a place that’s going through hard times, I know I’ll be spending substantial money there — and I try to spend it in a way that helps the locals. Visiting Greece from a cruise ship is easy and fun, but your serious money (accommodations, dinner, and tour guiding) sets sail with you. I remember how, immediately after the fall of the USSR, the Baltic States had lots of “joint venture” businesses — such as fancy hotels that were mostly owned by Germans and Swedes. These slick bits of Stockholm were being planted in Vilnius in hopes of big profits down the road for foreign investors. I always felt better staying in a humbler hotel with local roots.

This April, I’ll be navigating the complex touristic waters of Israel and the West Bank. I asked an Israeli tourism official if he cared that I’d also be featuring the West Bank in my work. He basically said, “We’re happy if you can send Israel and the people in the Palestinian Territories some tourism. It’s really important for our economies. And if it is good for the West Bank’s economic health, then it’s good for Israel, too.” By promoting tourism in the West Bank, I hope to play some small role in helping the struggling local economy…and, in a small way, promoting peace at the same time.

Where would I travel in Europe this year with that ethic in mind? For one thing, I’d be careful not to let hysterical “if it bleeds, it leads” news coverage skew my assessment of where it’s safe to travel. I would also not let the possibility of strikes or demonstrations keep me away from a country that’s facing challenges.

Travelers are like skiers: Some like the smooth, predictable slopes. Others find those a little boring, and prefer a few moguls here and a trail through the forest there. The key to enjoying moguls is to bend your knees. And, if you’re venturing into the forest, you better have the necessary information.

Likewise, the key to enjoying Europe, from Portugal to Rhodes, is to be flexible and to have the right information. As Europe continues to face trying times, I’m not expecting prices to go way down. But the relief-per-dollar my business brings to these places will be way up. That’s why, on my next trip, I’ll be visiting these countries: Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

Happy — and thoughtful — travels!

I’m heading into the studio later this week to record some great guest interviews for my radio show, “Travel with Rick Steves” — and we are looking for callers! Sign up now to be part of the conversation and get your travel questions answered.

I’ll be chatting with authors and expert travelers about Italian desserts, the markets of Paris, Rome after dark, the beers of Belgium, and today’s Berlin.

We’ll also explore road tripping in Mexico, plan my upcoming trip to Palestine, plumb the catacombs of Paris, walk the “Lincoln Trail,” learn about the challenges for African American travelers in the days of Jim Crow, and talk with author and activist Terry Tempest Williams about her native Utah and her travels.

And if we include you as a caller during any of these interviews, we’ll send you your choice of one of my guidebooks as our thanks for participating.

I hope you’ll follow our link and send us your questions and comments for our next batch of radio interviews.

YouTube, the dominant video-sharing website, has become a surprisingly effective tool for pumping energy into my sightseeing. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video clip must be worth far more. And if you’re visiting the Swiss Alps, Pamplona, Lisbon, or the Cinque Terre, seeing a clip of the breathtakingly vertical hiking path called via ferrata, the famous running of the bulls, mountain bikers racing downhill through the Alfama, or the terrifying 2011 flash flooding in Vernazza can give a new dimension to your travel planning.

I’m considering adding a new section to my guidebooks listing YouTube clips that illustrate experiences like these. These clips can help travelers enjoy a sneak preview of their destination in action — or, if for some reason they can’t see it live, the clips can help them visualize what they’re missing. For example, you can sample Il Palio, Siena’s famous horse race, even if you’re standing on the quiet and desolate main square on an off day. And those visiting Croatia’s Istria peninsula can enjoy a little klapa music, even if there’s no live concert that day. Using YouTube clips smartly, trip planners can survey what there is to see…and make even better plans.

I’ve love to get your collective favorites and assemble them here, in the comments thread. I’ll start things off with descriptions of some of my favorite European experiences, and the words you’d search for on YouTube to locate good clips. (In each case, you may have to sort through the results to pinpoint the best option.)

Clipping in for a cliffhanging hike along the via ferrata below Mürren — and high above Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnen Valley: “via ferrata murren ”

Racing through Lisbon’s ancient Alfama quarter on a mountain bike: “lisbon downtown bike”

Catching the world’s biggest wave at Nazaré in Portugal: “biggest wave nazare”

Traditional a cappella folk singing in Croatia: “klapa motovun”

The crazy horse race in Siena: “siena palio”

The most beautiful city of Italy’s Cinque Terre during 2011’s flash flood: “vernazza flood”

A world-class organist playing for visitors in the loft of Paris’ St. Sulpice Church: “daniel roth st. sulpice”

To make this easier for everyone, please follow the model above: Describe the clip, then give a 2- to 4-word phrase to search for that will help you zoom in on the best clips.

Thanks! I’ll enjoy your suggestions.