Question: After spending so much time in Europe for so many years, how do you keep things fresh, once you’ve been to a place and already seen all the sights?
Answer: I sometimes ponder dedicating an entire year of travels to all new places. But then, when I return to a city I think I know, I learn so much and am able to improve an existing guidebook chapter. This year so far virtually new destinations for me have been: Cordoba, Tangier, Zagreb, Bosnia, and Montenegro. And I’m really quite high on each of these places. But I’m just as excited about how I’ve spiffed up my Barcelona, Sevilla, and Italy material. And there’s no thrill for a tour guide like producing a dynamite new TV show (which we just did covering Barcelona and the Dordogne). Fresh? Everything’s still wiggling.
Question: I’m worried about taking a camera due to European pickpockets. Will it be safe packed in my day bag? I’m especially worried about the “packed-in” situations at train stations, on busses, and so on.
Answer: As Europe gets more affluent, I no longer hear about the brazen “break the car window and grab your purse while at a stop light” kind of theft. Throughout Europe’s rough spots, I feel much safer now than a decade ago. You still need to exercise caution and assume thieves will target American tourists. But the least of my concerns is a thief grabbing my camera. The real risk is a mental lapse on my part and just forgetting something when out and about.
Question: Any useful phrases to say in Europe, like vada via (“go away”)?
Answer: I enjoyed saying complimenti a lot when wanting to give Italians my complements for something well done or served.
Question: Do you have any tips on how to get around Venice and Dubrovnik with mobility issues?
Answer: Bring a sedan chair with two strong boys. These places (along with the Cinque Terre villages and Italian hill towns) are about a miserable as can be for anyone who has trouble with steps. Go off-season to avoid the heat and crowds. I think choosing places where “car touring” works (West Ireland, England’s Cotswolds, France’s Dordogne, Danish countryside) would be easier and more enjoyable.
Question: Do you still lead tours for your tour company? Also, is there any way to select one of your tours based on the tour guide before committing to a tour?
Answer: I led our tours for 25 years (until 2002). I have 60 guides that do our tours now…and I can promise you most of them (specialists in their regions) do a better job then I (the generalist) could do. I personally am thrilled to be trusting my wife’s and my two-week vacation this September in Greece to one of our Greek guides. Sure, our guides vary in degrees of excellence. But I have complete faith in each of our guide’s ability to exceed the high expectations of our tour customers. There are always some tour members who don’t click personally with a guide. In these cases, while I empathize with the tour member…I support our guide. But if a guide can’t exceed expectations for the majority of the people on their tour, they don’t work for us.
Question: How do you keep from losing the perspective of the inexperienced traveler who needs to pack lightly and spend frugally? It seems the fact you have a production staff in tow would prevent that possibility.
Answer: This is a great question…and challenge. I make a point to be befuddled, to be stressed by the high cost, to be wide-eyed and green. (It seems to come naturally.) It is critical for me not to loose the mind-set of the less-experienced travelers who use my material, but then to draw on my experience to distill and design all the data and information into a helpful little package. Because I’m the generalist on my staff (who doesn’t speak another language), I can remind my researchers who specialize in a particular country what it’s like to be overwhelmed, tentative, and frustrated by the challenges presented by a new city. I still don’t know the words for “push” or “pull” in any language other than my own…and look forward to walking into doors all over Europe for a long time to come.
Rick, Help…kids and IPods and charging them in Italia! Is the appropriate adapter all that’s needed to charge the Apple IPods? … or is a power converter in order needed as well? Thx
A story about cameras, and one of my favorite photos of the hundreds on my site. One year our daughter and family were visiting her husband’s relatives in San Daniele, Italy. While shopping, they lost their digital camera. This was the last day of their vacation, but a couple of days after they got home, the phone rang, and it was the relative, calling from Italy. A young man found the camera, looked at the photos, recognized the apartment building where they had taken photos of the relative standing on her balcony. The young man knocked on doors at the building until he found someone who knew of a lost camera, and now my daughter has her camera, complete with vacation pictures. I accused my son-in-law of doing this on purpose, so he would have a story that told how wonderful the Italians are. We already knew that. (Story was printed in the Los Angeles Times, Travel Section.) (2006) A Favorite
Dennis, I went to Italy 2 years ago with my ipod. Apple sells a converter that snaps on to the charger. The part that plugs in comes off and you can replace it with the european adapter. It works beautifully. Hope this is helpful.
Complimeni to Rick! You have found your passion in life and share it with others. You’re a blessing to the travel bound. Ciao! I’m going to Italy…someday soon. :)
rick, I have used your guide books for each of our trips to ireland and france, My family makes fun of the fact and will hide “the book”. Your books are my major source of info but I also find looking to other sources and it has paid off. That said I don’t think I could have the confidents without your knowledge to “go for it” and I thank you for taking the fear out of touring europe. I was in a parisian restaurant that you had suggested there were 3 or 4 of us looking through your book,but ever so discretely. ThankYou Stephanie
I find your travel reports fascinating and I certainly envy your occupation and admire your talents for communicating experiences. In your opinion, what place on this earth has held the most charming atmosphere and cultural richness by it’s sights, sounds and people?
I just took my wall charger for my ipod, plugged it into the adapter I bought at REI for all my electrical stuff and just used the correct prongs for the country I was in. I had no problems keeping ipod and cameras charged
Regarding theft issues: Just thought I’d mention I’ve been to Europe four times now and have never had to deal with the slightest hint of crime, and never witnessed any happened to anyone else either. We walk down streets past midnight, too, sometimes off the main drag. Not to say there’s no crime, but it’s such a minor fear that I’m more concerned about things like the bars of soap in my hotel room not being big enough. I wish I were so safe in America!
Heard an amusing story last night from a friend who just returned from a trip with her newly graduated son. Carrying her Rick Steves Guidebook in her jacket pocket so her carry-on wouldn’t exceed the weight limits on Ryan Air, she absolutely relied on the info and notes in her book. She laid it down to do something while touring the Doge’s palace in Venice and realized later as they were leaving that she didn’t have it, in a panic she went back and happily found it. Her son laughed at how relieved she was as she hugged the book. “I don’t know what I would have done! I’d have been lost without it!” she said. Eating dinner in one of Rick’s recommended places a woman next to her struck up conversation. She was from Germany and had Italian friends who had recommended this restaurant and she wanted to know how my friends had found the place. “Rick Steves guidebook” my friend replied. “Oh no!” she said, “The word is out! Next time I try to get in here the place will be packed with tourists!”
Fortuity! My daughter is in Dubrovnik with FSU! She has just contacted us this evening, asking if it would be ok if she went to sarajevo this weekend with a fellow student (Croat who speaks the language). the info my husband is getting from the state department is a bit disconcerting, so i decided to check with my daughter’s travel advisor-and there you are!! she backpacked to amsterdam, munich and prague on the advice in “Best of Europe 2007′(dutifully tore out section to bring)prior to joining her classmates in Croatia and has had a wonderful time (from the bottom of a mother’s anxious heart-I thank you-truly!) So please!! Your sage advice!! My first concern is her safety, yet this is rare and wonderful opportunity for a young woman…
I went back to Europe 2 years ago this summer (France, Spain, Italy and Croatia) and without the help of Rick’s tour books, it would not have been nearly so much fun and so rich. We lost our Italy tour book while in Italy and with a quick call to headquarters, we had the latest chapters on cities we still had to visit on my computer within an hour. Thank you Rick, for your passion, your love of travel and your willingness to just be you — which all seems to have rubbed off onto all your staff and guides (whom we met in Sorrento at dinner).
Got a kick out of “push, pull comment. On our first trip to Italy I asked the waiter in a ristorante in Pisa where the bathroom was. He directed me with gestures. I got to the door upon which was a large printed sign “SPINGERE”. After debating on whether or not this was indeed the the bagno I finally decided to peek inside. It was! Since then, I have never forgotten the word SPINGERE, meaning PUSH!
I’ve been to Europe 4 times in 2006-2007 — London, France, and Italy (twice). I agree with John (above). I feel much safer in Europe than I do in the U.S. My approach is to do everything I can to look like a European, not an American tourist. That means no shorts or jogging suits, no touristy-looking travel hat, no flashy jewelry, no white running shoes, and no American sports team clothes or baseball caps. And don’t stop to read your map or guidebook in a crowded tourist spot! Rather wear stylish casual clothes and shoes with a French or Italian flair. A French woman in Nice advised me to avoid carrying a purse, but I carry a small leather shoulder bag that zips tight and tucks neatly under my arm, so I always know it’s there. My important valuables (passport, credit cards, etc.) are in my moneybelt. Always be aware of who’s standing near you and move away if you feel uncomfortable. It’s simple — just don’t let people you don’t know get too close to you physically.
I have purchased your Portugal and Spain Guide Books. Have you recently visited the coast of Portugal and near Seville and Granada? How can I get this info? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Rick, I just read the comment from the person who was worried about getting their camera stolen in Europe. That happenned to me on a subway in Rome last fall. I discovered it was missing as I stepped off the car. Since my husband and I were the only people who had gotten off I knew my camera was still on the train. We got right back on and hollered at strangers until we found it. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do but my pictures from Florence and Tuscanny were on it. I couldn’t give them up. I would advise people to travel with extra memory cards so they can change them out every couple of days, that way they wouldn’t lose all their pictures.