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Destination: Greece

Daily dose of europe: venus de milo.

The Venus de Milo — the goddess of love, sculpted in about 100 BC — sums up all that ancient Greece stood for.

As America continues to suffer crisis upon crisis, it has never been more important to broaden our perspectives and learn about the people and places that shape our world. And for me, one of the great joys of travel is seeing art masterpieces in person. Learning the stories behind great art can shed new light on our lives today. Here’s one of my favorites.

rick steves travel video greece

The Venus de Milo created a sensation when it was discovered in 1820, on the Greek island of Milos. Europe was already in the grip of a classical fad, and this statue was a hit. The ancient Greeks pictured their gods in human form — which meant that humans are godlike. Venus’ well-proportioned body embodied the balance and orderliness of the Greek universe.

Split Venus down the middle from nose to toes and see how the two halves balance each other. Venus rests on her right foot (that contrapposto pose so popular with classical sculptors). She then lifts her left leg, setting her whole body in motion. It’s all perfectly realistic: As the left leg rises, her right shoulder droops down. And as her knee points one way, her head turns the other. Despite all this motion, the impression is one of stillness, as Venus orbits slowly around a vertical axis. The twisting pose gives a balanced S-curve to her body. The balance between fleeting motion and timeless stability made beauty.

Other opposites balance as well, like the smooth skin of the upper half of her body that sets off the rough-cut texture of her dress. She’s actually made from two different pieces of stone plugged together at the hips (you can see the seam). The face, while realistic and anatomically accurate, is also idealized — like a goddess, she’s too generic and too perfect. This isn’t any particular woman, but Everywoman — all the idealized features that appealed to the Greeks.

The statue became famous for a number of reasons. Venus’ classic beauty was seen as the ideal of female grace. The statue is a rare Greek original, not a Roman copy. Its sudden discovery (by a humble Greek farmer) made great news copy.

Most of all, Venus brought with her an air of mystery. Who was this beautiful woman? She’s probably Venus, but no one knows for sure. What is she thinking? Her expression is alluring yet aloof. Her dress dangles suggestively; she’s both modestly covering her privates but hinting at more. And what were her arms (which were never found) doing? No one knows. Some say her right arm held her dress, while her left arm was raised. Others think she was hugging a statue of a man or leaning on a column. I say she was picking her navel.

Regardless, though Venus’ arms have been lost over the centuries, her eternal beauty remains intact.

This art moment — a sampling of how we share our love of art in our tours — is an excerpt from the new, full-color coffee-table book, “Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces,” by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. Please support local businesses in your community by picking up a copy from your favorite bookstore, or you can find it at our online Travel Store . To enhance your art experience, you can find a clip related to this artwork at Rick Steves Classroom Europe ; just search for Louvre.

Daily Dose of Europe: The Parthenon

Rising up from the teeming heart of modern Athens, this gleaming temple shines from the top of the Acropolis hill like a beacon…a beacon of civilization.

rick steves travel video greece

The temple — dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron of Athens — was the crowning glory of the city’s enormous urban-renewal program during its Golden Age in the fifth century BC. After the Persian War, Athenians set about rebuilding the Acropolis, creating a vast and harmonious ensemble of temples and monuments with the Parthenon as the centerpiece.

Climbing the fabled hill, you reach the summit and, of everything there, bam: The Parthenon is the showstopper — the finest temple in the ancient world, standing on the highest point, 500 feet above sea level. Constructed about 440 BC, it’s massive, the largest Doric temple in Greece — about 230 feet long and 100 feet wide. It’s surrounded by 46 white-marble columns, each 34 feet high, 6 feet in diameter, and capped with a 12-ton capital.

But even more impressive than its sheer size is the building’s sheer beauty. The columns are in the classically simple Doric style — lightly fluted, with no base, and topped with plate beneath a square slab. In its heyday, the pure white structure was adorned with colorful statues and reliefs painted in vivid colors. Inside was a legendary 40-foot-tall statue of Athena (though now lost to history). All in all, the temple was a model of balance, simplicity, and harmonious elegance. It epitomized the goddess of wisdom, Athena, as well as the enlightenment of the Athenian people.

The architects achieved that harmonious effect with some clever optical illusions. For example, the Parthenon’s steps subtly arch up in the middle — to compensate for the sagging effect a flat line makes to the human eye. Similarly, the columns lean slightly inward to appear parallel, and they bulge imperceptibly in the middle to give a pleasing sturdiness as they support the stone roof.

The Parthenon’s builders used only the finest white Pentelic marble — 100,000 tons of it, brought in from a quarry 15 miles away. Unlike ancient structures constructed by the Egyptians and Romans, the Parthenon was not built by slaves, but by paid workers. The columns were made from huge marble drums, stacked like checkers, and fixed with metal pins in the center. Each piece of the Parthenon was unique — individually sized and cut to fit — then assembled on the spot like a giant 70,000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

The Parthenon, then and now, stands as the symbol of Athens’ Golden Age — that 50-year era of prosperity and enlightenment when the city laid the foundations for what came to be known as Western civilization. It’s one of the most influential works ever created by humankind. For 2,500 years, it’s inspired architects, sculptors, painters, engineers…and visitors from across the globe.

This art moment — a sampling of how we share our love of art in our tours — is an excerpt from the full-color coffee-table book Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. Please support local businesses in your community by picking up a copy from your favorite bookstore, or you can find it at my online Travel Store . To enhance your art experience, you can find a clip related to this artwork at Rick Steves Classroom Europe ; just search for Parthenon.

Daily Dose of Europe: Greece’s Underrated Peloponnese Peninsula 

The Greek Islands are famous and beautiful. But the next time I can make it back to Greece, I’m heading to its heartland, for less glitz, lower prices, and more substantial sightseeing.

rick steves travel video greece

Even if we’ve had to postpone trips to Europe, I believe a daily dose of travel dreaming can actually be good medicine. Here’s another one of my favorite travel memories — a reminder of what’s waiting for you in Europe at the other end of this crisis.

At a beachside restaurant, with my chair and table lodged in the sand, I hear a repetitive beat and feel a faint but refreshing spritzing. Looking around for the source, I see a tough young Greek man in a swimsuit the size of a rat’s hammock. He’s tenderizing an octopus by whipping it like a wet rag, over and over, on a big flat rock. That octopus will be featured soon for dinner…someone else’s dinner.

I order moussaka and — to be emphatically Greek — a glass of Greece’s infamous, resin-flavored retsina wine. It makes me want to sling a patch over one eye and say, “Argh!” It’s like drinking wood. A vintner once told me there’s no such thing as a $50 bottle of fine Greek wine. I asked him, “What should I buy if I want to spend $30?” He paused, shrugged, and said, “Three bottles.”

Taking another sip of retsina, I think that, like its wine, the Peloponnese is rough, but with a complex history. I’m pondering where to go next. Hordes of tourists flock to the Greek islands, unaware of the salty pleasures awaiting right here, on this peninsula — without requiring a ferry ride or flight. Stretching southwest from Athens and studded with antiquities, this ancient land offers plenty of fun in the eternal Greek sun, with pleasant fishing villages, sandy beaches, bathtub-warm water, and none of the tourist crowds.

I could go to the charming port town of Nafplio. It’s small, cozy, and strollable, with great pensions, appealing restaurants, a thriving evening scene, and inviting beaches nearby. As the first capital of an independent Greece, it’s historically important, and it’s a handy base for touring the ancient sites at Mycenae and Epidavros.

Nafplio’s harbor is guarded by a castle capping a tall cliff above the city. It’s an old Venetian outpost, built in the days when Venice was the economic ruler of this end of the Mediterranean. On my last visit, I looked down from its highest ramparts, spying distant islands and peering deep into the mountainous interior of the Peloponnese. Looking down at the town, I noticed that the locals weren’t climbing the castle steps; they were drinking tall iced coffees called frappés. Evidently, they had decided that the best-preserved castle of its kind in Greece is well-worth the thousand steps…once.

East of Nafplio, Epidavros has the most magnificent theater from the ancient world. It was built nearly 2,500 years ago to seat 15,000. Today, it’s kept busy with tourists by day and reviving the greatest plays of antiquity at night. The theater’s marvelous acoustics are best enjoyed in near solitude. On my last visit, I sat in the most distant seat as my partner stood on the stage. I could practically hear the retsina rumbling in her stomach.

Just north of Nafplio are the ruins of Mycenae. This was the capital of the Mycenaeans, who won the Trojan War and dominated Greece 1,000 years before its Golden Age. That means that for 3,000 years, people have stood before this stony citadel and gaped at its fabled Lion’s Gate. It was made with stones so huge that it was long believed that no man could have built it. It must have been the work of the Cyclopes — so it was called “Cyclopean architecture.” Nearby, the tholos tomb, built in 1500 BC, stands like a giant stone igloo, with a smooth subterranean dome nearly 50 feet tall and wide. Standing alone under that dome, I realized that the people who built it were as ancient and mysterious to Socrates and Plato as Socrates and Plato are to us.

Another possibility is ancient Olympia. Modern tourists just can’t resist lining up for photos on the original starting block from the first Olympic Games in 776 BC. The games were held as part of a religious festival, but also served a political purpose: to develop a Panhellenic (“cross-Greek”) identity. Every four years, wars between bickering Greeks were halted for a sacred one-month truce, when leading citizens from all corners would assemble to watch the athletes compete. It was a hard-fought competition with strict rules. Drinking animal blood — the Red Bull of the day — was forbidden. Official urine drinkers tested for this ancient equivalent of steroids.

Further on, the Peloponnese boasts impressive remnants of Byzantine rule. Monemvasia, a colossal Gibraltar-like rock jutting up from the sea, has a romantic walled town at its base and ruins sprawling across its summit. In its 14th-century heyday, Monemvasia was one of the great commercial centers of the Byzantine Empire. The walled town is so well-preserved that, until I actually visited, I was convinced an aerial view I saw featured on a postcard was a computer-produced fantasy.

Wiping the salty spray from my glasses, I realize I haven’t made much progress in deciding where to go next. I’m worried: The retsina is starting to taste good. I’m finishing my third glass, entering the danger zone. If I drink any more, I’ll reek of it tomorrow…and never get around to tasting the other charms of the Peloponnese.

(This story is excerpted from my upcoming book,  For the Love of Europe  — collecting 100 of my favorite memories from a lifetime of European travel. It’s coming out in July, and available for pre-order .)

Daily Dose of Europe: Cockcrow on Hydra

Greece has many famous islands. But my favorite is off the beaten path — the terrain of donkeys, roosters, and cats: the traffic-free isle of Hydra.

Europe is effectively off-limits to American travelers for the time being. But travel dreams are immune to any virus. And, while many of us are stuck at home, I believe a daily dose of travel dreaming can actually be good medicine. Here’s another one of my favorite travel memories — a reminder of what’s waiting for you in Europe at the other end of this crisis.

rick steves travel video greece

Hydra — just an hour by fast ferry from Athens — has one town, a quaint little harbor, isolated beaches, and some tavernas. There are no real roads, no cars, and not even any bikes. Other than zippy water taxis, donkeys are the only form of transportation. Slow and steady, these surefooted beasts of burden — laden with everything from sandbags and bathtubs to bottled water — climb the island’s stepped lanes. On Hydra, a traffic jam is three donkeys and a fisherman.

In addition to the tired burros, this is a land of tiny cats and roosters with big egos. While it’s generally quiet, dawn has taught me the exact meaning of “cockcrow.” The end of night is marked by much more than a distant cock-a-doodle-doo: It’s a dissonant chorus of cat fights, burro honks, and what sounds like roll call at an asylum for crazed roosters. After the animal population gets that out of its system, the island slumbers a little longer, as if hitting “snooze.”

This afternoon, I’ve decided to head uphill, with no intention of anything more than a lazy stroll. One inviting lane after another draws me up, up, up… At the top of the town, shabby homes enjoy grand views, burros amble along untethered, and island life trudges on, oblivious to tourism.

Over the crest, I follow a paved riverbed (primed for the flash floods that fill village cisterns each winter) down to the remote harbor hamlet of Kaminia — where 20 tough little fishing boats jostle, corralled within a breakwater. Children jump fearlessly from rock to rock to the end of the jetty, ignoring an old man rhythmically casting his line.

A rickety woven-straw chair and a tipsy little table at Kodylenia’s Taverna are positioned just right, overlooking the harbor. The sun, as if promising a worthwhile finale to another fine day, commands, “Sit.” I do, sipping ouzo and observing a sea busy with taxi boats, the “flying dolphin” hydrofoils that connect people here with Athens, freighters — like castles of rust — lumbering slowly along the horizon, and a cruise ship anchored as if threatening to attack.

This cloudy glass of ouzo, my anise-flavored drink of choice, and the plastic baggie of pistachios I purchased back in town are a perfect complement to the setting sun. An old man flips his worry beads, backlit by the golden glitter on the harbor. Blue and white fishing boats jive with the chop. I swear the cats — small, numerous, and oh so slinky — are watching the setting sun with me. My second glass of ouzo comes with a smudge of someone’s big fat Greek lipstick. I decide not to worry about it before taking a sip that seems to connect me with the scene even more.

As twilight falls, my waiter brings a candle for my table. He lingers to tell me he returned here to his family’s homeland after spending 20 years in New Jersey, where he “never took a nap.” The soft Greek lounge music tumbling out of the kitchen mixes everything like an audio swizzle stick. Downing the last of my ouzo, I glance over my shoulder to the coastal lane that leads back to my hotel…thankfully, it’s lamplit.

Walking back under a ridge lined with derelict windmills, I try to envision Hydra before electricity, when it was powered only by wind and burros. At the edge of town, I pass the Sunset Bar, filled with noisy cruise-ship tourists, which makes me thankful I took the uphill lane when I left my hotel. Resting on a ferry cleat the size of a stool, I scan the harbor. Big flat-screen TVs flicker on the bobbing yachts moored for the night.

Back in Hydra town, I observe the pleasant evening routine of strolling and socializing. Dice clatter on dozens of backgammon boards at tavernas, entrepreneurial dogs seek out scraps, ball-kicking children make a playground out of a back lane, and a tethered goat chews on something inedible. From the other end of town comes the happy music of a christening party. Dancing women fill the building, while their children mimic them in the street. Farther down, two elderly, black-clad women sit like tired dogs on the curb.

Succumbing to the lure of a pastry shop, I sit down for what has become my day-ending ritual: honey-soaked baklava. I tell the cook I’m American.

“Oh,” he says, shaking his head with sadness and pity. “You work too hard.”

I answer, “Right. But not today.”

(These daily stories are excerpted from my upcoming book,  For the Love of Europe — collecting  100  of my favorite memories from a lifetime of European travel, coming out in July.  It’s available for pre-order . And you can also watch a video clip related to this story: Just visit  Rick Steves Classroom Europe  and search for Hydra.)

Video: Easter Celebrations Across Europe

Happy Easter! All this week, I’ve been sharing daily clips from Rick Steves’ European Easter , my one-hour public television special that’s airing now nationwide (check your local listings) and streaming online . And the “He is risen” finale is today’s clip: It’s Easter Sunday, and families in Spain, Italy, Slovenia, and Greece come together to celebrate, just as they have for generations. Enjoy…and thanks for sharing this beautiful holiday season with us.

Join our traveling community — connect with me on Facebook and Twitter .

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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Athens, Greece, According to Travel Experts Like Rick Steves

The ancient Greek city delivers one memorable vacation.

rick steves travel video greece

Cavan Images/Getty Images

There’s not much that hasn’t been written about the perks of visiting Athens, Greece. The ancient city has long been a popular travel destination, thanks to its bountiful historical sites, distinct architecture, and oh-so fantastic food. But just because it’s all been said doesn’t mean it isn’t worth repeating. So, we’ll say it one more time: Athens is, without question, one of the world’s greatest travel destinations, especially for those famed attractions. And we’re not the only ones who share this sentiment. 

“The Acropolis, one of the most important ancient sites in the Western world, is crowned by an architectural masterpiece: the mighty Parthenon,” Rick Steves told Travel + Leisure . “I visit in the cool of the early evening, when the crowds are gone and the setting sun turns the marble golden.”

But Athens' appeal goes far beyond its history lessons. “Athens has a vibe. The restaurants and bars feel intimate, and visitors can either indulge in the city's vibrant nightlife scene or simply go for a stroll at night — the city is second to none during the evening,” Alys Colayera, the lead travel expert for Greece at Black Tomato, shared with T+L. Colayera also called out the city's shopping scene, noting, "The boutique shops have tons of local artisans selling high-quality Greek crafts, jewelry, and clothing.”

Ready to start plotting your own Athens adventure? Here’s how to plan the perfect trip. 

Top 5 Can’t Miss

  • Don't miss Greece's most recognizable landmark — the Acropolis. Get there early to experience it with fewer crowds.
  • Spend a night at the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, T+L readers' favorite hotel in 2023 World's Best Awards.
  • Head to Syntagma Square to watch the official changing of the guard every hour on the hour.
  • Grab a souvenir or a snack in the famed Plaka neighborhood.
  • Order a coffee at Minu, arguably the coolest cafe in Greece, and then sit in its garden or take it to go to explore the antique shops nearby.

Courtesy of The Four Seasons

Best Hotels and Resorts 

Four seasons astir palace hotel athens.

The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens — a T+L reader favorite in 2023 — holds a prime location along the Athens Riviera, providing ocean views while remaining just a short drive from all the city's major attractions. It also sits on 75 private acres, making it an ideal spot for those looking for a bit of solitude. 

Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens

“My all-time favorite [hotel] is the Grande Bretagne , a landmark right in the heart of the city that celebrates 150 years of history this year,” said Christos Stergiou , a T+L A-List Advisor and founder of TrueTrips . “From its rooftop restaurant to its elegant lobby and rooms, it epitomizes class and culture.” Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this property is consistently a top choice in T+L’s World’s Best Awards, coming in second for our readers’ favorite hotels in Athens in 2023. 

Gatsby Athens

For a truly central stay in the city, there's no better place than the Gatsy Athens . Located right outside the Plaka neighborhood, the property makes for a fantastic home base for those looking to walk just about everywhere in the city. Inside, guests will find a playful space filled with art deco touches and a fantastic food and beverage program. Just don’t miss the guest-only rooftop, which provides spectacular views of the city. 

Gautier Houba/Travel + Leisure

Best Things to Do 

Visit the acropolis..

As Steves alluded to, no trip to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis . And it’s a sentiment Colayera agrees with. “The Acropolis is the epitome of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of Athens. It houses several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon,” said Colayera. The best time to go is early morning or late evening, when the crowds are thinner, though you should always expect other tourists hanging around. Want to make the most of your visit? Colayera also suggested checking out the Acropolis Museum, home to a collection of artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations of the Acropolis. “The exhibits offer insights into the daily life, rituals, and artistry of the people who lived in Athens during different periods,” Colayera added. 

See Hadrian’s Library.

Another fantastic historic landmark to visit while in Athens is Hadrian's Library. The building, built in 132 A.D., was used as an entertainment space, lecture hall, and, yes, an actual library. Today, just a few columns and sections remain, but visitors are welcome to walk through and imagine what used to be. Tickets are only $3 or can be purchased as a combination with the Acropolis. 

Watch the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square.

Looking for a fun free activity in the city? Visitors to Athens can watch the changing of the guard in front of the Parliament building at Syntagma Square every hour on the hour. And every Sunday at 11 a.m., the official event takes place in full regalia. Just plan to arrive a little early to snag a front-row seat. 

Visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

For something a little more new school, head to the National Museum of Contemporary Art . The museum’s mission is to preserve contemporary works by Greek and international artists across disciplines. It includes both permanent and rotating collections, so check its website before going to know what to expect. 

Ken Welsh/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Best Shopping 

It’s hard to ignore the Plaka neighborhood of Athens. It is, after all, at the base of the Acropolis. But really, there’s no need to ignore it, especially if you want to go home with a memorable souvenir or two. Explore the area by simply allowing yourself to wander its streets, popping into any shop that catches your eye and perhaps grabbing a frappe along the way on a hot day, too. 

Find yourself in one of the city’s most colorful neighborhoods with a visit to Psirri. Located about a 15-minute walk from Plaka, Psirri offers travelers the chance to admire some of the best street art in the world ( book a tour with Kalliopi for the ultimate insider experience), peruse unique stores, step into a few third-wave coffee shops, and eat plenty of local Greek cuisine. 

Anthologist

For those seeking an all-around shop, where you can pick up everything from high-end goods to more affordable trinkets curated from around the globe, look no further than Anthologist . The store, owned by travel tastemaker Andria Mitsakos, is a visual paradise, filled with goodies you’ll want to stuff in your suitcase. 

RUBEN RAMOS/Getty Images

Best Restaurants 

Begin a day in Athens by mixing fantastic food with shopping at Minu , a third-wave coffee shop and boutique. The space is gorgeous — find a back corner to settle into, go all the way up to its loft area, or sit outside on the patio when the weather is right. Order a coffee and a bite to eat (menu items include smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and more).

Enjoy another delicious alfresco meal in Athens at Soil , a sustainably focused, Michelin-starred restaurant. The ingredients here are grown in the chef’s private garden, providing flavors you can’t taste anywhere else. Book a table (preferably outside) and don’t even worry about ordering, as you can opt for the seasonal tasting menu and enjoy every bite. 

Don’t leave Athens without digging into some tasty Greek desserts. When I was a child, my Greek grandmother would make loukoumades , so it’s a personal favorite, and in Athens, you can get a taste of the same at Lukumades . Smothered in honey and cinnamon, the dough balls are small enough to pop in your mouth one after another — and you won't be able to stop at just one.

Starcevic/Getty Images

Best Time To Visit

There's no bad time to visit Athens, but according to Steves, the spring shoulder season is particularly lovely. “I was last in Athens in April 2022, and it was a great time to visit. The weather was cool and pleasant, and the city wasn’t crowded,” he said. “It just felt good.” Indeed, both the spring shoulder season (April to mid-June) and the fall (September through October) offer visitors the chance to explore the city in milder weather. Summer is the peak period, and with it comes sweltering temperatures . So, if you don’t tolerate heat (or crowds) well, try to book your stay outside of July and August.  

How to Get There

By Air: Travelers from around the world can make their way to Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos). It’s serviced by every major airline, including Delta and American, which offers direct flights from the U.S. 

By Sea: Athens is an ultra-popular port for cruises, including MSC Cruises , Crystal Cruises , Seabourn , Royal Caribbean , and more.  

How to Get Around

By Rental Car: Rental cars are readily available in the city, at the airport, and at the ferry terminal. Just make sure to book an automatic as early as possible if you can’t drive a manual, as they tend to be in short supply.  

By Taxi: Both yellow cabs and Ubers are plentiful around Athens. Simply open the app or hail the next one you see. Prices are about €1 per kilometer .

By Metro: Athens has a robust metro system to get you around the city with ease. There's also a metro line directly to and from the airport. Pick up a rechargeable Ath.ena ticket , which starts at €1.20. 

By Foot: Athens is a walkable city. If you enjoy slowly taking in the sights and popping in and out of shops and cafes, this is the way to go. You never know what you may find along the way.

The Abilene Reporter-News

Road Show: Travel guru Rick Steves packs the Paramount

Travel buffs were treated to a thrill Tuesday night at Abilene's historic Paramount Theatre's "Travel Well with Rick Steves."

Steves, the host of PBS's long-running "Rick Steves' Europe," shared his experiences and insights from his over 40 years wandering the continent. In addition to his show on Dallas' KERA-TV, he can also be heard Fridays at 1 p.m. on local PBS radio station KACU 89.5, who also sponsored the evening's visit.

Steves mixed humor and insight into his over two-hour presentation, describing how travel can be transformational as well as educational. In his segment "Travel as a Political Act," he testified how interaction with a foreign culture can be a path toward personal understanding and compassion for "brothers and sisters" around the globe.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Road Show: Travel guru Rick Steves packs the Paramount

Travel personality Rick Steves autographs books and programs beneath the marquee of Abilene's Paramount Theatre after his show there Tuesday.

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Argostoli, Greece

Although we have been many places in Greece, we have never been to Argostoli, where our ship lands for 1 day, early this August.

Always up for new adventures, are there any suggestions on how to best spend our time in Argostoli (7am-4pm)?

i did the standard highlights tour- the cave, ( meh) the lake ( nice, not overwhelming but unusual) and the Monastery (very pretty). Driving back to the port, the beautiful beaches were extremely appealing. Think I would try to do the beaches as well as the other three especially if you don't have beach time anywhere else on your cruise.

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    Daily Dose of Europe: Cockcrow on Hydra. Greece has many famous islands. But my favorite is off the beaten path — the terrain of donkeys, roosters, and cats: the traffic-free isle of Hydra. Europe is effectively off-limits to American travelers for the time being. But travel dreams are immune to any virus.

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    -Hi, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. This time, I thought I'd take you on a little cruise. We're sailing to three iconic Greek islands, Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes.

  12. Greece! 2 weeks, 12 people, what a great vacation!

    Just back from 2 fantastic weeks in Greece (Santorini, Naxos, Nafplio, Athens). Here's how the adventure went! A group of 12 people: 2 families, 4 parents (ages 50s/60s), 6 kids of our own (ages 17 to 28), 2 extra kids joining the party (because we are a fun group!). We've traveled together before (here is a link to our adventures in Spain ...

  13. Travel Videos: All "Rick Steves' Europe" TV Episodes

    This week's featured episode of Rick Steves' Europe: Budapest: The Best of Hungary. Watch Full Episodes of Rick Steves' Europe. Rick Steves' Europe is public television's most-watched, longest-running travel series. Written and hosted by best-selling guidebook author Rick Steves, each half-hour show takes viewers to Europe's most interesting places, from great cities to off-the-beaten-path ...

  14. Rhodes, Greece: Old Town

    More information about travel to the Greek Islands: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/greece/greek-islandsRhodes is built upon layers of civilizations — Ital...

  15. How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Athens, Greece, According to Travel

    Best Time To Visit. There's no bad time to visit Athens, but according to Steves, the spring shoulder season is particularly lovely. "I was last in Athens in April 2022, and it was a great time ...

  16. Rick Steves' Genius Tips For Traveling Through Europe With Kids

    Luckily, travel expert, author, and TV host Rick Steves has a few tips to make the trip more enjoyable for everyone via his website. His first suggestion is to start bridging cultural connections ...

  17. Delphi, Greece: Spectacular Ancient Site

    More info about travel to Delphi: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/greece/delphi Ancient Delphi, perched high on the slopes of Mt. Parnassos, was not a city...

  18. Best of Greece Tour

    Athens & the Heart of Greece in 14 Days Tour. from $3,745 per person + air. Single Supplement $675. See Dates & Prices. The Rick Steves Athens & the Heart of Greece tour is an odyssey of time-travel thrills, from Athens' majestic Acropolis to the must-see ancient sites of Delphi, Olympia, Epidavros, and Mycenae.

  19. Road Show: Travel guru Rick Steves packs the Paramount

    Travel buffs were treated to a thrill Tuesday night at Abilene's historic Paramount Theatre's "Travel Well with Rick Steves." Steves, the host of PBS's long-running "Rick Steves' Europe," shared ...

  20. Argostoli, Greece

    973 posts. i did the standard highlights tour- the cave, ( meh) the lake ( nice, not overwhelming but unusual) and the Monastery (very pretty). Driving back to the port, the beautiful beaches were extremely appealing. Think I would try to do the beaches as well as the other three especially if you don't have beach time anywhere else on your cruise.

  21. Rick Steves' Europe

    As host and writer of the popular public television series "Rick Steves' Europe," and best-selling author of over 50 European travel books, he encourages Americans to travel as "temporary locals."

  22. Travel Talk & Lecture Videos

    Here you'll find a virtual university of travel wisdom containing more than 90 information-packed, entertaining video lectures, all filmed before a live audience. Rick Steves' Europe TV shows are fun armchair travel, but these classes are where the rubber hits the road. Your trip matters, and these travel talks are designed to answer your ...