What Is Rick Steves Europe and What Can You Find on ricksteves.com?

Updated

Rick Steves Europe (ricksteves.com) is the website of Rick Steves, described there as "America's leading authority on European travel." It is a planning-and-resources hub rather than a booking-only site: you can research destinations, read practical travel tips, watch or listen to Rick's shows, compare small-group tours, shop for travel gear, and talk with other travelers in a forum. It suits independent travelers planning their own Europe trip, people considering an organized tour, and teachers or students looking for free video material.

The main sections of the site

The homepage organizes the site into a few clear paths:

  • Explore Europe — destination-focused starting points. At the time of the page snapshot, Greece was the featured destination.
  • Our Tours — information on Rick Steves' small-group tours, described as "51 finely crafted itineraries for 2027."
  • Travel Tips — guidance on itinerary planning, packing, transportation, eating, and sleeping.
  • Travel Forum — a place to "share tips with other travelers."
  • Watch, Read, Listen — Rick's TV shows, plus a radio show and other media.
  • Shop — Rick's Travel Store, positioned around packing and trip planning.
  • Classroom Europe® — a free video library for teachers and students with "400+ video clips from Rick's TV shows."

There are also recurring editorial features such as "Lessons from the Road" and destination pieces like "Totally Yodel-y Germany," which sit alongside the practical planning content.

What each part is useful for

If you want to… Go to… What you get
Decide where in Europe to go Explore Europe Destination features and starting points for trip research
Plan your own itinerary Travel Tips Advice on planning, packing, transport, food, and lodging
Compare organized trips Our Tours Small-group tour descriptions and itineraries
Hear from other travelers Travel Forum Traveler-shared tips and discussion
Watch or listen before you go Watch, Read, Listen TV specials (e.g., "Best of London") and radio episodes
Find classroom-ready video Classroom Europe® Free clip library drawn from the TV shows
Prepare gear Shop Packing and planning products

Live and community features

Beyond static pages, the site lists a few ongoing ways to engage:

  • Monday Night Travel — a weekly Zoom session where Rick and "a team of travel-savvy teachers" explore Europe together.
  • Radio — a weekly show; the featured episode covered Scotland's Orkney Islands, European cities rethinking car priority, and nomadic societies.
  • Email newsletters — separate Travel News and Tour News subscriptions, with a Subscription Center to manage them.

These are worth knowing about if you prefer guided or conversational content over reading guidebook pages.

Who runs it and how to get help

The site includes an About section with contact information, staff profiles, and statements on social responsibility and climate. A Travel Help area collects FAQs for both general travel and tours, plus an "Ask Us" option, guidebook updates, and a book-feedback form. The footer lists the company as Rick Steves' Europe, Inc., with a CST number, and links to terms of service and privacy pages.

Practical notes before you rely on it

  • The tour listings reference 2027 itineraries, so check the Tours section directly for current dates and details rather than assuming availability.
  • The site references a "subscription" in its pricing signals, but the snapshot does not state prices or whether any content requires an account; treat login or payment requirements as something to confirm on the relevant page.
  • Classroom Europe® is described as free, which makes it a reasonable first stop for educators before looking elsewhere.

In short, ricksteves.com works best as a research and preparation layer for a Europe trip — destination ideas, practical tips, media, and a traveler community — with the option to book a small-group tour if you decide you'd rather not plan independently.