Ancient domed temple.
     If your imagination is fried from trying to reconstruct ancient buildings out of today's rubble, visit the Pantheon, Rome's best-preserved monument. This domed temple, more than any other building, gives us a feel for the magnificence and grandeur of Rome at its peak. Engineers still admire how the Romans built such a mathematically precise structure without computers, fossil fuel-run machinery, or electricity. On this half-hour visit, we'll marvel at the magnificent dome, learn how it was built, see where Romans paid homage to their pagan gods, and visit the tombs of some famous people buried here. Finally, we'll stand under the Pantheon's solemn dome and gain a new appreciation for the enlightenment of these ancient people. Don't forget to download the handy PDF companion maps.
     Sightseeing nitty-gritty: Admission is free. The Pantheon is open Mon–Sat 8:30–19:30, Sun 9:00–18:00, holidays 9:00–13:00, closed for Mass Sat at 17:00 and Sun at 10:30. To reach the Pantheon neighborhood, you can walk (20 minutes from Capitol Hill or 5 minutes from Piazza Navona), or take a taxi or bus (e.g. #64 and #40) to the square called Largo Argentina located a few blocks south of the Pantheon. Photos allowed, even with flash. The nearest WCs are at neighborhood cafes, including downstairs in the McDonald's on the Pantheon's square.
     The Pantheon neighborhood is well worth exploring, with historic churches, restaurants, Piazza Navona, and not far from the Trevi Fountain. The area is especially atmospheric at night.
     [This audio tour was updated in 2023]
     For more specifics, consult my guidebook. This was excerpted from Rick Steves' Rome 2010. Copyright 2009 Avalon Travel. Related information at www.ricksteves.com.

Rome: Pantheon Audio Tour - Audio Europe: Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome)

Ruins of old city center.  
     The Agora was the heart of ancient Athens — its "downtown." Walk through the remains of former shopping malls, theaters, taverns, and government buildings. You'll see the dusty ruins come to life as Rick describes the fascinating people who once worked, shopped, and played here.
     Starring: Athens' best-preserved ancient temple, a rebuilt "stoa," a fine museum, and the footsteps of great Athenians.
     Practicalities: €4 or covered by €12 Acropolis ticket. Open daily May–Sept 8:00–20:00, Oct–April 8:00–15:00. Located at the foot of the Acropolis, Metro: Monastiraki. Tel. 210-321-0180, www.culture.gr.
     More info: Excerpted from the book "Rick Steves' Greece," www. ricksteves.com

Ancient Agora Audio Tour - Audio Europe: Greece

Famous hill with Parthenon.  
     Athens' show-stopper is this dramatic hill topped with the ancient world's greatest temple, the Parthenon. Stroll among historic ruins and eroded statues, and appreciate those Golden Age people who set the tone for all of Western civilization. 
     Starring: The Parthenon and its reliefs; the carayatid lady-statues of the Erechtheion; and expansive views over modern Athens.
     Practicalities: €12 ticket also includes the Agora. Open daily May-Sept 8:00–20:00, Oct-April 8:00–15:00. To avoid crowds, go before 10:00 or after 14:00. The bare hilltop can be blazingly hot and has no tourist services except WCs and drinking fountains, so plan ahead. Backpacks are allowed. Tel. 210-321-4172, www.culture.gr.
     More info: Excerpted from the book "Rick Steves' Greece," www. ricksteves.com

The Acropolis Audio Tour - Audio Europe: Greece

Nina Bernardo, a tour guide based in Rome, walks Rick through the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, frozen in time since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Pompeii - Audio Europe: Italy

Munich-born tour guide Daniela Wedel chats with Rick about laid-back, traditional Bavaria, where pretzels and beer combine with legendary castles and fairy-tale scenery. They also share ideas for enjoying Oktoberfest and the Passion Play performed every 10 years in Oberammergau. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

Munich and Bavaria - Audio Europe: Germany, Austria

Author Sedaris, who has lived in Europe and Japan, talks about irritating tourists in Paris, staying in hotels, and reveals a dirty little secret about some flight attendants. Related travel information at www.ricksteves.com.

David Sedaris in Paris - Audio Europe: Paris

World's best Impressionism.
     The Orsay Museum, or Musée d'Orsay, houses French art of the 1800s, starring the Impressionists — the art of sun-dappled fields, bright colors, and crowded Parisian cafés. It's the best general collection anywhere of Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gogh, Cézanne, and Gauguin. If you like Impressionism, visit this museum. If you don't like Impressionism, visit this museum. I personally find it a more enjoyable and rewarding place than the Louvre. Sure, ya gotta see the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, but after you get your gottas out of the way, enjoy the Orsay. Don't forget to download the handy PDF companion maps.
     Sightseeing nitty-gritty: The Orsay costs €8, €5.50 Fri–Wed after 16:15 and Thu after 18:00, free first Sun of month. It's open Tue–Sun 9:30–18:00, Thu until 21:45 year-round, last entry one hour before closing (45 min before on Thu), closed Mon. Contact the Orsay at tel 01 40 49 48 14 or www.musee-orsay.fr.
     Admission is covered by the Paris Museum Pass, which also lets you skip the long ticket-buying line — passholders enter on the right side of the museum (Entrance C). The Impressionist galleries begin closing 45 minutes early. Tuesdays are particularly crowded, because the Louvre is closed.
     The museum is at 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, at the RER-C stop called Musée d'Orsay. The nearest Métro stop is Solférino, three blocks southeast. From the Louvre, it's a lovely 15-minute walk through the Tuileries Garden. Also handy are bus #69 from the Marais or rue Cler, taxis, and the Batobus boat.
     A pricey but très elegant restaurant is on the second floor, with affordable tea and coffee served 15:00–17:30 (daily except Thu). A simple fifth-floor café is sandwiched between the Impressionists. Bag check is free. Photography without a flash is allowed. 
     [This audio tour was updated in 2023]
     For more specifics, consult my guidebook. This was excerpted from Rick Steves' Paris 2010. Copyright 2009 Avalon Travel. Related information at www.ricksteves.com.

Orsay Museum Audio Tour - Audio Europe: Paris

A Spanish tour guide discusses what makes Barcelona a booming tourism destination, and offers suggestions for visiting the city's less touristy attractions.

Barcelona Guide

Italy tour guide and art historian, Anna Piperato, describes the Renaissance treasures from 15th-century Florence.

Renaissance Florence

Two Hungarian guides take us on a stroll along the beautiful blue Danube in elegant Old World Budapest.

Budapest River Walk

A Florence-based tour guide shares her favorite food and wine shops for showing off her city's culinary delights.

Flavors of Florence

Eszter Bokros and Cameron Hewitt, walk us through the highlights of Budapest, criss-crossing the Danube and soaking in the Habsburg-era elegance. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com.

Budapest - Audio Europe: Eastern Europe

Communicating successfully with the French involves mastering the cultural nuances and unwritten rules of engagement of this rich language, as explained by the authors of "The Bonjour Effect."

French Lessons

Greek tour guide Effie Perperi helps us get acquainted with the fascinating ancient structures atop Athens' Acropolis.

Athens' Acropolis

Tour guide Andrea Wolf offers tips for enjoying elegant Vienna, Austria's capital and the epicenter of a once-mighty empire.

Visiting Vienna

Istanbul tour guide Lale Sürmen Aran shares the latest developments on sights in Turkey's thriving cultural capital.

Sights in Istanbul

Author Diccon Bewes explains why the Swiss are deliberately different from the rest of their European neighbors.

Understanding the Swiss

English tour guide Charlie Rawson champions the charms of Bath's scrappy neighbor, Bristol, a former maritime powerhouse that today teems with an edgy, creative energy.

Exploring Bristol

Tour guide Jim McDonough tells why the city of Potsdam — home to elegant Prussian palaces as well as sights of Cold War history — is worth the easy side trip from nearby Berlin.

Potsdam Day Trip

Portuguese tour guides Cláudia Costa and Rafael Pereira explain how Lisbon's neighborhoods display the city's history and offer strategies for navigating its more crowded sights.

Evolving Lisbon

Belfast tour guide Lynn Corken explains why Northern Ireland, with its rugged beauty, complicated history, and enthusiastic welcome for visitors, is worth a visit.

Touring Northern Ireland

Guidebook researcher Cameron Hewitt shares discoveries from his travels in the Balkans, a scenic, affordable, and rewarding alternative to the tourist crowds of western Europe.

Balkan Discoveries

Tour guides Francisco Glaría and William Rosendin enthuse about Spain's robust high-speed rail network and its aspects that they enjoy the most.

Spain by Train

Polish tour guides Tomasz Klimek and Agnes Syroka chat with Rick about their proud country's rich and dramatic history, its grand cities, and its dynamic contemporary vibe.

Rediscovering Poland

From great cathedrals and Swedish islands to Viking ships and Legoland, tour guides Camilla Colding-Joergensen and Anja Cuznar share ideas for day trips from Copenhagen.

Denmark Beyond Copenhagen

Turkish guide Lale Surmen Aran sheds light on this easily accessible region, overlooked by many tourists but favored by locals for its low-key charm and natural beauty.

Turkey's Aegean Coast

English tour guide Jeanie Carmichael tells how the industrial titan has reinvented itself, with top-class museums, a vibrant culture, and — of course — the indelible imprint of the Beatles.

Lively Liverpool

A trio of France tour guides banter about the nuances of northern and southern France, from climate and demeanor to food and fashion.

France: North vs. South

Dutch tour guides Ellen Janzing and Jody van Engelsdorp Gastelaars illuminate the differences between the fairy-tale provinces of Holland and the country of the Netherlands.

Holland vs. the Netherlands

Two Lisbon-based guides give advice on where to go in the vibrant Portuguese capital and how to enjoy their city like a local.

Rick Steves Audio Europe

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