Rick Steves
@RickSteves • 235,603 subscribers
Guidebook author, TV & radio host, business owner, Lutheran, and NORML Board Member. Fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. https://t.co/gmLVmKePmA
Shorts
Videos
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 Steves5,228,735 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
I’m just finishing up 2 weeks of pedal-to-the-metal research as we update our “Rick Steves Greece” guidebook & work on a new Greek Islands guidebook, coming in 2027. Every day, I’ve found new ways to connect vividly with the local culture…which often involves eating & drinking.
Rick Steves38,621 Aufrufe • vor 6 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 Steves3,735,112 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
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 Steves2,555,597 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
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 Steves2,008,439 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 Steves1,773,665 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 Steves1,609,271 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 Steves648,716 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
The most uninviting place I found this year in Rome: The Spanish Steps, long a romantic place for people to hang out and make the scene. These days, the local cops are on the prowl, making sure no one “sits on the monument”... even though it’s a monument that was literally designed for sitting on. (How do you say “For crying out loud” in Italian?) It is amusing, however, to watch people baiting the “no-sit patrol” just for fun. Do you have any sweet memories of sitting — or not — on the Spanish Steps?
Rick Steves274,789 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
In Copenhagen, like in so many great European cities, it’s a joy to simply wander and be inspired by the different ways a city can be designed for its people. Rather than parking spots, why not have a harbor promenade with built-in trampolines for the populace? It can be done!
Rick Steves327,158 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
Now Available: “On the Hippie Trail” in Paperback! Back in 1978, when I was just 23 years old, I traveled with my best friend Gene from Istanbul to Kathmandu, with stops along the way in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. It was the ultimate trip for any backpacker: the Hippie Trail. And everywhere we went, I journaled like a travel writer in training. I came home with 60,000 words — and almost 50 years later, that journal became a New York Times Best Seller. You can read my journal and enjoy lots of vivid photos from our journey in my book “On the Hippie Trail,” and the paperback edition hits the shelves today! Pick up your own copy wherever you buy books — and stow away with me on the adventure of a lifetime. Happy travels!
Rick Steves24,198 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
As I get older, I’m enjoying more déjà vu moments. On my last trip to Rothenburg, I was wandering a back lane and realized I’d been there before…in a little half-timbered gingerbread cottage built into the town wall. I stayed there back in 1969 when I was just 14 years old…
Rick Steves184,481 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly today, President Trump said climate change is a “con job” and climate scientists are “stupid people” — and he called green energy and immigration a “double-tailed monster” that is destroying Europe. After traveling through Ethiopia and Guatemala, I find it ironic that those most concerned about immigrants and refugees are the least likely to take climate change seriously. As you’ll learn in this clip, there’s no denying that climate change is here — and by causing more hunger, more conflict, and more destabilization in the poorest countries, it actually drives migration. The solution? Climate-smart agriculture. To find out how you can help, go to — and while you’re there, check out my one-hour public television special “Hunger & Hope: Lessons from Ethiopia and Guatemala,” streaming completely free and ad-free.
Rick Steves84,690 Aufrufe • vor 8 Monaten
Lisbon is a jumbled & hilly collection of neighborhoods laced together by Rice-A-Roni trams. Of course, there’s lots of tourism. But if you venture out a little, you can enjoy a vibrant & memorable slice of life. Join me for 80 seconds of giddy funicular fun in Portugal’s capital
Rick Steves154,740 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
I recently met up with my friend Samantha Brown in New York City, and we took a moment in Central Park to share why we love public broadcasting — and why both PBS and NPR are so important. Every time I connect with Sam (of “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love”), I’m reminded of how her love of travel is such an inspiration and how thankful I am that we both host shows on public television that inspire our fellow Americans to reach out and connect with our world and celebrate it in all its diversity, humanity, and wonder. Both of us believe strongly in the value of public media to keep our country a land we can be proud of. (Once again, to help keep PBS and NPR strong, go to Thanks!)
Rick Steves88,190 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
Last Saturday, at my hometown’s “No Kings” demonstration, I had the honor of rallying the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen gather here — an estimated 4,500 neighbors coming together as patriots and raising our voices in unison for what binds us and what we treasure so deeply: our democracy. As I said to my neighbors, this isn’t liberal versus conservative or Democrat versus Republican. (God-willing, a time for that healthy political discourse will come later.) This is more fundamental than that: It’s freedom versus autocracy. This isn’t America-bashing…it’s patriotism. People from across the political spectrum are waking up to our national emergency, and it’s time for blue and red to stand together for democracy — and that’s why I wear my purple shirt! You’re welcome to share my speech — and I’d love to hear about the #NoKings events in your towns and cities, as well.
Rick Steves82,800 Aufrufe • vor 11 Monaten
Hard Hats for Soft Hearts For the last several years, I’ve been on a bit of a philanthropic kick. Rick Steves' Europe takes more than 30,000 people on guided tours of Europe every year, and with no stockholders in the company (other than me), I make lots of money. I’ve long passed the point where consuming more makes me happier — and rather than finding non-productive ways to blow this money on myself, I’ve become an entrepreneurial small-time philanthropist who delights in what I like to call “vicarious consumption.” (Yes, getting joy out of other people consuming my extra money.) In a society as affluent as ours with so many seniors, youth, and struggling people who can’t find or afford help, I like to “consume” by investing in things that make my community stronger, more stable, and healthier — it’s my way of “being wealthy”…and I consider this a political act. My travels in Europe have taught me that a truly great society collectively helps each other through progressive taxation and a caring government. But, with our current president, that just isn’t the way things work in the US. (I’ll be getting an obscene tax cut thanks to our president’s loyalty to the 1% at the expense of the 99%…just wait to see how — as a political statement against such regressive taxation — I’ll be “taxing myself” at an appropriate level…and putting it to good use.) About 25 years ago, I purchased some land adjacent to my church, and I was determined to find a smart way for us to put it to good use. Since then, I’ve given that land to my church, and we’ve partnered with Volunteers of America Western Washington to build a vibrant new hub of multigenerational and multicultural services that will serve thousands of people in our region — all powered by $5 million in seed money from me to help make it happen. And now, thanks to caring citizens, forward-thinking civic leaders, and generous grants from local foundations, corporations, and government programs, this $25M project is 95% paid for, and a 40,000-square-foot, LEED Gold Certified building is nearly built. This November, the Lynnwood Neighborhood Center will open its doors. Inside, our neighbors will find preschool classrooms, a Boys and Girls Club, a teen room, a multipurpose gym, adult day care for seniors with memory issues, medical and dental clinics, a behavioral health center, a teaching kitchen and café, housing and employment support, a tech center, low-cost meeting and event spaces for struggling nonprofits, and a multigenerational “piazza” where we can all come together as a community. “Vicarious consumption?” Yes, what a fun, gratifying — and these days, almost subversive — way to be wealthy. I’m so happy to help create this community hub, which is destined to give our community’s love traction long after those of us who built it are gone. While I may be the public face of this project, it couldn’t have happened without my 100 mission-driven colleagues at Rick Steves’ Europe — and travelers like you who enjoy our tours and guidebooks. I recently gave my staff a tour of the construction site, and thanks to this five-minute video, you can put on your own virtual hard hat and come along. As you join us, think about the power of neighbors coming together with the support of local businesses and caring civic leaders to turn dreams like this into joyful reality — and if, like me, you happen to have more money than you need to be happy…think of a creative way to steal this idea.
Rick Steves70,851 Aufrufe • vor 10 Monaten