Sicily's sprawling, gritty capital of Palermo boasts colorful markets and bustling shopping streets that signal a fun-loving city in regeneration. Take an evening stroll through the landmark Quattro Canti and discover Palermo's trendy, inviting neighborhoods. More info about travel to Sicily: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/sicily

Rick Steves' Europe Video

Palermo, Sicily: Lively Neighborhoods

In Rome, pop into churches to see art in situ — not hanging on museum walls, but exactly where it was meant to be enjoyed — including magnificent Michelangelo sculptures, dazzling Byzantine mosaics, and impressive Renaissance frescoes. More info about travel to Italy: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy

Rome, Italy: Church-sponsored Art

Made from huge stones that were quarried, carved, and moved from as far away as Wales, Stonehenge has amazed visitors for thousands of years. And throughout that time, it's continued to work as a functioning celestial calendar, lining up with the rising and setting sun on the longest day of the year. More info about travel to England: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england

Stonehenge: England's Famous Stone Circle

With one of Scotland's best distillery tours and plenty of character, Oban is a basket of Scottish traditions. And it's ideally situated for day trips to three of the most worthwhile Inner Hebrides: Mull, Iona, and Staffa. More info about travel to Scotland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/scotland

Oban, Scotland: Gateway to the Scottish Isles

Plenty of character is packed into Lisbon — and much of it is edible. One treat you're sure to find in any Lisbon restaurant, market hall, or café is bacalhau (salted cod), a Portuguese favorite. More info about travel to Portugal: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal

Lisbon, Portugal: Portuguese Salted Cod

Glasgow is Scotland's most underrated destination. With an energetic cultural scene and unique flair for art and design, this rejuvenated city is bursting with history, pride, and a love of life. More info about travel to Scotland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/scotland

Glasgow, Scotland: Glasgow's Restoration

Alabaster and wine are traditional specialties in the Tuscan hill town of Volterra. Drop by a local workshop or wine bar to see Volterra's masters at work (and enjoy the fruits of their labor). More info about travel to Italy: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/Italy

Volterra, Italy: Alabaster and Wine

The fascinating and remote Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland, offer some of the best prehistoric sites in northern Europe, including 5,000-year-old homes and burial mounds. More info about travel to Scotland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/scotland

Orkney, Scotland: Prehistoric Sites

Experience the decadence of Paris' belle époque ("beautiful age") at sights like the Opéra Garnier and the Jacquemart-André Museum. More info about travel to France: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/france

Paris, France: Belle Epoque Sights

In 1755, a devastating earthquake reduced Lisbon to rubble. The city's downtown was eventually rebuilt in a symmetrical grid plan, with broad boulevards and inviting squares — a style known as "Pombaline," named for the prime minister who oversaw the reconstruction. More info about travel to Portugal: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal

Lisbon, Portugal: Distinctive Architecture

For centuries, Kraków's Kazimierz neighborhood was the heart of the city's Jewish community. Today, the spirit of the rich Jewish tradition lives on in this revitalized and vibrant part of town. More info about travel to Poland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/poland

Kraków, Poland: Kazimierz District

On the Isle of Skye, peat was a vital resource for hundreds of years. People would use it to heat their homes, as a fuel source for cooking, and to add a smoky flavor to whisky. More info about travel to Scotland: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/scotland

Skye, Scotland: Historic Peat Farming

Step back into the 1890s at Blists Hill Victorian Town, an open-air museum in Ironbridge Gorge that re-creates the area as it was during its Industrial Revolution heyday. More info about travel to England: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england

Ironbridge Gorge, England: Blists Hill Victorian Town

An agriturismo — a working farm that offers BnB-type accommodations — is an ideal home base for exploring the Tuscan countryside. At these cozy lodgings, you'll find rustic furnishings, warm hospitality, and the chance to slow down and taste rural life in Italy. More info about travel to Italy: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy

Tuscany, Italy: Staying at an Agriturismo

Rick Steves' Europe Video — a video podcast based on Rick's popular TV series — gives you a colorful look at the sights, people and history behind Europe's most interesting destinations. Visit http://www.ricksteves.com for more European travel info on these destinations.

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Rick Steves' Europe Video

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