It’s been more than Rick Steves has led one of our Rick Steves’ Europe Tours, but you’d never know it. His enthusiasm, energy, stamina, knowledge, and love of Europe seems only to have increased with those passing years. Along with 28 happy tour members, my guide colleague Ben Cameron and I (we’re Rick’s assistants onContinue reading “Italian Experiences with Rick Steves”
Tag Archives: gondola
The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love
I’m not what one would call an outdoorsy kind of person, and no one ever mistook me for a Birkenstock-wearing “granola girl,” but I sure do love hiking in the Alps. Our outdoor-loving and nature-respecting European counterparts make getting there so easy. From well-groomed trails and mountain huts to clear signage and industrial-strength cable lifts,Continue reading “The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love”
How to Find Great Values in Venice
Centuries-old former palaces crackle and peel away in the thick, briny air. Bottom floors of old merchants’ warehouses sit empty and still cling half-heartedly to their romantic patina of a time long past, slowly but beautifully decaying under the Venetian heat, humidity, and rising waters. As I glide down the canal on a slow vaporetto,Continue reading “How to Find Great Values in Venice”
Letting Fate Be Your Guide in Venice
Letting Fate Be Your Guide in Venice It’s early morning. 6:30 to be exact. I’ve yet to take my shower, but centuries-old buildings are bathing in amber-and rose-tinted sunlight and summon me for a visit. There’s so much to do today, and I need to maximize my time here. Ninety minutes of Venice practically allContinue reading “Letting Fate Be Your Guide in Venice”