Rick Steves
@RickSteves • 257,007 subscribers
Guidebook author, TV & radio host, business owner, Lutheran, and NORML Board Member. Fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. https://t.co/gmLVmKePmA
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It’s easy to put down Mykonos and Santorini for crowds and high prices, but I came away from this year’s research liking both even more. Here’s a moment of Mykonos bliss…two boys lost in friendship, sharing a moment oblivious to everything but their soccer ball.
Rick Steves124,073 Aufrufe • vor 7 Tagen
One of the great sights from antiquity is the uninhabited island of Delos, 20 minutes away from Mykonos by shuttle boat. Here’s a look at Delos (and why I much prefer visiting in the early evening, on the last shuttle of the day). What’s your favorite ancient Greek sight?
Rick Steves103,186 Aufrufe • vor 9 Tagen
Many don’t realize that the first people Hitler sent to his concentration camps weren’t everyday Jewish citizens, but his political opponents. So, when Trump rants about retribution, locking up his opponents, and giving them “very long sentences,” I can’t help but take him seriously… because history teaches us that is what fascist dictators do during their “Day One” period to consolidate their power. (After all, if you’re hellbent on staying in power but aren’t likely to win the next election, you can’t have your political opponents running around free.) To keep fascism out of our lives, vote for democracy!
Rick Steves5,231,771 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
I love Vernazza. Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve enjoyed a mindless stroll down my favorite Riviera town anywhere on the Mediterranean, Vernazza. Join me for two minutes of Cinque Terre delight. This is my favorite piece of Mediterranean coastline — what’s yours?
Rick Steves106,116 Aufrufe • vor 21 Tagen
As a traveler, I'm both a proud American and a citizen of the world — and I've got a few thoughts on this coming election. This election is deeper than partisanship. It's far more than Republican versus Democrat. In the future, big challenges like pandemics, refugees, and climate change will be blind to borders. They'll be everyone's problem and only solved by working together as a family of nations. The world needs not American isolation, but American leadership. Not the chaos of Trump, but the stability of Kamala Harris. Of course, how you vote is your choice. But if you believe, as I do, in the importance of nations working together constructively, the stakes are really high...and the best candidate is clear. Register to vote today at — and encourage your travelin’ friends to do the same!
Rick Steves3,736,110 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is no longer at risk of falling down thanks to a herculean and high-tech effort. A highlight for many is to climb the tower — here’s what it’s like. What bell towers and church towers—without elevators—have you felt are well worth the climb?
Rick Steves99,355 Aufrufe • vor 22 Tagen
One thing predictable about lesser-known Greek islands (along with a more traditional scene and few tourists) is great rustic restaurants, wonderful Greek salads, and a culture that encourages splitting plates. Here, my guide, Kosta Panagos (on Rhodos), coaches me. Kalí órexi!
Rick Steves69,009 Aufrufe • vor 16 Tagen
When I’m in Europe, I hear a lot of people complaining about the crowds. And generally, it’s because they’re all going to the same famous places at peak times. But I’d estimate 99% of Europe has no crowds at all. So, stop moaning about crowds and instead think about avoiding them. The theme of my spring trip was exploring neighborhoods and finding serendipitous magic moments — in a market, in a park, at the cobbler’s, popping into a church — to turn into travel memories. In this clip, it was early evening in a crusty district of Naples called Sanitá (your choice of neighborhoods makes a big difference)… the church was open… a middle school orchestra was practicing… and I stumbled onto a moment I’ll never forget. What magic moments have you found in the untouristy parts of Europe? Inspire me with a little positive serendipity you enjoyed… because you left the crowds.
Rick Steves2,555,693 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
A century ago, Germany’s democracy was hijacked by a bombastic and charismatic tyrant — and in this five-minute video, you’ll learn how he did it. Why did I produce this? Because I believe that history is speaking to us, and all too often, those who refuse to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. As you watch, imagine filling out a Bingo card filled with Germany 1933/USA 2024 parallels: big rallies, rage-filled and hateful rhetoric, simple answers promising quick and easy solutions to complicated problems, empty promises of a great-again future, scapegoating outsiders, and political enemies silenced on day one. And notice the caring wisdom and concern from my German friends as they share these lessons from their dark history. It’s hard to understand how Trump could, on the eve of a tight election, paint a picture of Liz Cheney before a firing squad by actually saying, “Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? And let’s see how she feels about it when the guns are trained on her face.” You can’t get into the mind of a dictator with an insatiable appetite for power — but you can recognize the playbook they all seem to follow. Just watch this clip. It’s excerpted from my hourlong public television special “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” which is streaming free (and ad-free) at If you care about our democracy and love our country, it’s hard to stop watching. When I produced this in 2018, I hoped this day would never come in our country. But November 5th is upon us. Please share this with anyone in your life who might need a reminder that the stakes are high...and this is very real.
Rick Steves2,009,631 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
I miss the Grand Old Party (GOP) and long for the day when we can return to healthy and principled partisan debates. (We idealistic hippies sometimes need to be reined in by practical conservatism.) But this election is different… and much deeper than D versus R and left versus right. It’s a clear choice, and the survival of our democracy is on the line. The world needs not the chaos of Trump but the stability of Kamala Harris. The world needs America.
Rick Steves1,774,105 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
America could wake up on Wednesday with all three branches of our government — the — Executive, Legislative, and Judicial — Trumpist. With this clip, take five minutes to ponder Germany’s memorials and the price that nation paid for being bamboozled by a bombastic autocrat. Listen to the heartfelt message of my German tour guides, for whom these memorials are like ghosts of mistakes made and evils allowed… ghosts that haunt their society still. These are the same guides who clink glasses in the beer halls and yodel from the hilltops with our American tour members. They admire America. They love America. And they are worried for America. If we vote for fascism, it’ll likely be won by one or two percent (or even less)…and perhaps just a few stadiums of people will tip the balance. And history has taught my European friends that the cost of a course correction is infinitely more heartbreaking after a wannabe dictator wins an election than before. We are all participants, we are all responsible, and we will all bear the consequences of our collective choice.
Rick Steves1,610,187 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
How do fascists derail democracy? If you study history (or read Project 2025), it’s almost like there’s a recipe book: goose the economy, abolish unions, privatize what’s public, win the support of tycoons. But at what cost? Mesmerize your base so they don’t care. Blind them with your fear-mongering, lies, and promises. Fascism needs a bold leader…the only one who can fix things…a dictator who has the vision and expects others to follow (including women…whether they like it or not). I believe that history is indeed speaking to us — and those who refuse to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. To learn how fascism hijacked Germany a century ago, just watch this five-minute clip. If you care about our democracy and love our country, it’s hard to stop watching. This is an excerpt from my hourlong public television special “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” which is streaming free (and ad-free) at When I produced it back in 2018, I hoped this day would never come in our country. But November 5th is upon us. Please share this with anyone in your life who might need a reminder that the stakes are high…and this is very real.
Rick Steves648,942 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
On Naxos, meet a 15-foot-tall boy who broke his leg 2,600 years ago. The Flerio Kouros hasn’t healed...he seems kind of lonely...and you can enjoy an unforgettable moment alone in a shady corner of that sun-burnt island with him. Look for our new Greek Isles guidebook in 2027!
Rick Steves82,521 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas featured me in its "Great Americans" series. The story reflects my passion for broadening Americans' perspectives through travel. As we celebrate our nation's 250th anniversary, one of the best ways to appreciate America is to understand the world beyond it.
Rick Steves28,219 Aufrufe • vor 28 Tagen
Pisa's Piazza of Miracles is an amazing collection of architectural sights (cathedral, baptistry, cemetery, and the bell tower). It has another dimension I find endlessly entertaining: tourists posing for a good photo while instructing friends how to shoot it. (I enjoy this too.)
Rick Steves20,522 Aufrufe • vor 23 Tagen