Rick Steves's Blog, page 23

Driving north after a full day of guidebook research in Blackpool, I had to share a few English road-tripping thoughts. I’m heading for the pristine nature of the Lake District in Cumbria, which — after I’ve just spent several concrete-pounding days in Liverpool and Blackpool — have a mighty pull right about now. I love how, after a week on the road in England, I feel right at home on the left side of the road.

What about you? I’d love to hear about your experiences motoring in Britain.

Fifty years ago today, I was a gangly 14-year-old, in Europe for the first time. I’d been dragged to the Old Country by a conspiracy of grandparents and parents solely to visit Norwegian relatives. I hadn’t wanted to go, and I’d arrived with a bad attitude. It was teen culture-shock: No Fanta. No hamburgers. But after a few days, I was wild about Solo (Norway’s orange pop) and addicted to pølser wieners.

I watched the Apollo moon landing with my cousins, sitting on the living room floor of t...

Time travel back to the 13th century with me, to a sacred pagan site at the intersection of two ley lines. This little church in the Cotswolds is dedicated to St. Michael, the archangel who was both an anecdote and an antidote to paganism. (I mistakenly said anecdote, intending to say antidote…but it actually works both ways.) Sheep’s wool once paid for everything here, and — judging by the grooves worn into the pews by the sheepdog leashes — a shepherd’s “best friend” even accompanied him to...

This is my kind of cocktail — a new experience that’s a mixture of pristine nature and history. I’m drunk on travel here at Hailes Abbey in the Cotswolds, where the tweets are from birds instead of politicians. This Abbey was built with Cotswolds stone in the 13th century, and it was a pilgrimage site for almost 300 years — until King Henry VIII tore it down during his Suppression of the Monasteries.  

What about you? Please share your own “drunk on travel” cocktail. 

Hello from Bristol! This is a city that we haven’t covered in past editions of the Rick Steves Great Britain guidebook — but I’m writing it up now, starting with a fascinating sight: Brunel’s SS Great Britain.

This massive ship was built here in the 1830s, when Bristol was Britain’s gateway to the Atlantic and a critical link between London and New York City. The SS Great Britain is a museum now, serving up lots of Industrial Age thrills. If you visit, be sure to tour more than just the hull....

It’s the first full day of my summer trip to Europe, and I’m on a natural high. (No, it’s not last night’s snuff!) Here, at the ancient baths that gave this city its name, I’m learning a lot — and just taking it all in: the music (Hallelujah!), the medieval minster, the nice light, and a great local guide.

Join us now as Mike shares some of Bath’s many-layered history, beginning with 2,000-year-old Roman lead and some green muck.

My guide today was Mike James. To get the absolute most out of...

After a quick trip home, I’m back on the road again, diving headlong into Part II of my 2019 travels.

I’m kicking off the second half of my 100 Days in Europe series in Bath, England. And to celebrate on my first night here, I thought I’d try something new. Join me in this clip as I sample a bit of the complimentary snuff that’s offered at the Star Inn. It’s just a little tobacco twinkle, right out of my very own anatomical snuff box.

Even in a touristy town like Bath, you can find a good sp...

I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, thinking back to the days when our “tour program” was just me driving a minibus with eight other travelers, and at particularly scenic spots — to enjoy the views to the absolute max — we’d take turns riding on the rooftop. (I’m back in Europe now, and I drove some of these same roads today. The views are beautiful as ever…but I stayed inside the car.)   We’ve come a long way since those early days — and these days, more than 30,000 free-spirited travelers co...

I’m one happy dad right now — because both my kids called me today from Europe. Andy FaceTimed me from the Cinque Terre, and I got to wave to 25 happy travelers on the Rick Steves Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour he is leading. The group was all smiles, tanned, rested, and ready for their Italian seafood feast. Andy’s little sister Jackie is leading a tour of her own — a couple of girlfriends — in Greece and Croatia. Jackie texted me photos that captured one of my favorite moments in Europe: s...

 

Who are my favorite writers? Other travelers. Just regular people who become great writers by traveling well and sharing their feelings and discoveries thoughtfully.

I’m home for a week before continuing my 2019 travels, and I’ve been catching up on my mail. I’ve been inspired by many of the emails I’ve read, such as this one from Don, who shared how — even when he found himself in a tourist trap — he was able to dig deep and connect with the locals. Thanks for the trip report, Don. Keep o...