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Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

Here you can browse through my blog posts prior to February 2022. Currently I'm sharing my travel experiences, candid opinions, and what's on my mind solely on my Facebook page. — Rick

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Video: A Symphonic Journey to Germany

A few years ago, I was a musical tour guide on an hour-long TV special that celebrated the patriotic music of seven European countries. In this clip from Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey, you’ll hear the music of Richard Wagner, the great German composer whose works stirred the souls of German kings and princes, nobles and peasants…and a certain Führer.

As I set up each piece, it occurred to me that I was demonstrating the work all our guides do at Rick Steves’ Europe Tours. On our tours, we not only bring our travelers to exciting culture — we do our best to give it meaning.

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Video: A Symphonic Journey to Austria

Just as travel broadens your perspective, so can music. A few years ago, I teamed up with Cascade Symphony to create Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey. In the hour-long special, we take a musical tour to seven different European countries.

For me, this was a fun opportunity to partner with my hometown community orchestra, right here in Edmonds, Washington. I happily huddled with its wonderful conductor and came up with a concert plan, hosted the concert (three times in order to film it thoroughly), and then let my brilliant Rick Steves’ Europe production team (producer Simon Griffith and editor Steve Cammarano) expertly cut gorgeous video clips to the music. As the musical tour guide, the challenge for me was to say more while saying less. The joy was to let the gorgeous images simply play with music from that country — rather than having my script explain everything.

Over the next week, I’ll be posting clips from the special here on my blog. Now, I’d like to share this waltz with you.

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My End Hunger Challenge: We’re Not Finished Yet!

bread for the world

On this Thanksgiving, so many of us have so much to be thankful for — yet so many around the world are struggling. Today, I’m grateful that 820 of you have responded to my “matching challenge” to empower Bread for the World, which works to fight hunger in the halls of our government.

As of today, you’ve raised $101,000. And with my match, together we’ve raised $202,000 to help Bread for the World be a strong and compassionate advocate for hungry people around the world.

But we’re not finished yet! There’s still plenty of time for you to take part. Here’s how it works: You make a $100 gift to Bread for the World at www.ricksteves.com/bread. I will match your donation — and send you my European Christmas gift pack or my Complete Collection DVD Box Set as a thank you. (Or donate $200 and get both.) This year, my personal goal is to match all gifts up to $250,000.

If you’re one of the many who have responded so generously, thank you. Consider sharing this challenge so we can further leverage our concern and give this season of thankfulness and joy more meaning.

Thank you. And Happy Thanksgiving!

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Video: Rick Steves and Samantha Brown Take Off the Pillow Cases

It’s a travel host cage match! (Don’t show this clip to small children.)

For a couple of decades, Samantha Brown was America’s travel partner through her popular shows on cable TV. I’ve long thought she’d enjoy spreading her wings and sharing a little more of her own passions and personality on public television. And now Samantha is joining our gang in public broadcasting. We were both just at a national convention of public television programmers in Salt Lake City and it was fun to give her a big, warm public broadcasting welcome.

Samantha’s new series, Places to Love, debuts in January with 13 episodes that celebrate the innovation and passion of people and the soul of off-beat places all around the world. I’ve followed Sam for many years and I think this show will give you the best Samantha Brown you’ve ever seen. Don’t miss it!

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My End Hunger Challenge

To add meaning to the holiday season, every Christmas our traveling community works together to help hungry people around the world.

Here’s how it works: You make a $100 gift to Bread for the World at ricksteves.com/bread. I will match your donation — and send you my European Christmas gift pack or my Complete Collection DVD Box Set as a thank you. (Or donate $200 and get both!) This year, my personal goal is to match all gifts up to $250,000.

I see Bread for the World not as a charity, but as a service. With our help, they are able to go into the halls of our government and speak up (or “lobby”) for hungry people in our country and around the world. Go to ricksteves.com/bread to get on board — and please let your loved ones know about this challenge too. Imagine: As an extended family of caring (and traveling) people, together we can empower Bread for the World’s work with $500,000.