Hello from Rick: The Best $30 Travel Tool

When I’m on the street and I run into somebody utilizing considered one of my guidebooks, I get a rush. Not solely as a result of I’ve simply seen somebody consulting one thing my group and I’ve put many years of arduous work into…however as a result of I’ve simply met somebody who’s invested in not simply seeing a brand new place — however actually experiencing it.

If you are going to take the time without work and spend the cash to journey to Europe, you need to get probably the most out of day-after-day and each greenback. To not simply go to that sight “because you know you should” — however to actually turn out to be a short lived native and dwell that sight. To know the enjoyment of well navigating a international metropolis’s metro system and ordering an unfamiliar dish in a brand new language. To dine with confidence, respect native historical past, perceive native customs, and meaningfully join with the individuals and tradition round you.

And one of the simplest ways to do that is to spend $30 on the appropriate guidebook and use it.

A Rick Steves guidebook is not a dry bundle of information. It’s a lovingly researched, designed, and up to date journey buddy — a tour information in your pocket that not solely provides you suggestions and methods, but in addition equips you with information in a way that is enjoyable and fascinating. We minimize by way of the superlatives so you’ll be able to spend your treasured trip time properly. When you utilize considered one of our guidebooks, you may discover it sensible and insightful — anticipating what it is advisable know, even earlier than you notice it — whereas additionally having character…and a humorousness.

That’s as a result of our guidebooks are written by vacationers — not influencers, and never AI. We do not settle for kickbacks and freebies in alternate for listings, and we positive as heck aren’t entrusting these listings to a robotic that pretends it has been there. Instead, our books are lovingly up to date by a group of researchers who (collectively) spend over 300 days a yr in Europe visiting locations in individual, working down leads, scouring museums, and connecting with the great Europeans who put the “mom” and “pop” within the mom-and-pop accommodations and eating places that epitomize our journey type. If we get confused or ripped off, we find it irresistible — as a result of we have simply discovered a lesson, and now we get to cross that lesson alongside, so our readers do not make the identical mistake. It’s all a part of the recipe that makes Rick Steves guidebooks outsell the competitors mixed — and why, yr after yr within the United States, 16 or 18 of the best-selling 20 guidebooks to Europe have “Rick Steves” on the duvet.

Our library of metropolis, nation, and regional guidebooks numbers over 80 titles and covers Europe from Portugal to Poland and Iceland to Turkey. Researching, writing, and updating one of the best Europe guides in print is our ardour, and we imagine shopping for one is one of the best funding a traveler could make.

Want to go deeper? We even have phrase books that enable you hurdle the language barrier — and loads of “read-before-you-go” titles like Europe Through the Back Door (our flagship journey expertise handbook), Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces (a vivid showcase of Europe’s biggest artworks), For the Love of Europe (a set of my hundred most vital articles), Italy for Food Lovers (a “how-to” information to getting one of the best out of Italy’s culinary surprise), and Travel as a Political Act (celebrating one of the best memento from any journey: a broader perspective).

Browse the complete listing at our on-line Travel Store and you will find loads of inspiration — whether or not you are deep into journey planning, or nonetheless within the armchair dreaming section.

In this month’s Travel News, I’ll demystify the lifetime of a guidebook author; provide you with a peek at my latest public tv particular, the Best of Rome; and share my suggestions for locating good meals in Europe that will not break your finances. And Cameron Hewitt considers how journey is all of the extra helpful in unsure instances as he prepares for a late-season journey to Croatia.

I’ve been saying this for many years, and it is as true at this time as ever: guidebook is a $30 instrument for a $3,000 expertise. Getting one and utilizing it’s your ticket to…

…Happy travels!

Rick

Read extra Travel News