Rick Steves' Europe: Previous Broadcasts | KQED Public Media for Northern CA

London: Mod and Trad (Episode #305)

KQED Life: Tue, May 21, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

London is quintessentially English, yet cosmopolitan. We check out the new - the Millennium Bridge and the British Museum's Great Court, and admire the old - well-wrapped mummies and a rare Leonardo. After bantering with Beefeaters at the Tower of London, we do some riverside beach-combing. Strolling the trendy South Bank of the Thames takes us from the Tate Modern to the dizzying London Eye.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Tue, May 21, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Belfast and the Best of Northern Ireland (Episode #304)

KQED Life: Mon, May 20, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

No trip to Emerald Isle is complete without a visit to Northern Ireland. We tour bustling Belfast, sneaking a peek at its politically charged neighborhoods. Then we head for the Antrim Coast and go wild in Portrush, Ulster's Coney Island. We taste-test Irish whiskey, scramble over six-sided rock columns, putter through a world-class golf course, and stomp our feet to Irish music in rough-and- tumble Derry.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Mon, May 20, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Munich and the Foothills of the Alps (Episode #213)

KQED Life: Sun, May 19, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

In Munich, where locals specialize in good living, we visit boisterous markets and go for Baroque palaces...while office workers surf in the Isar River. Heading into the foothills of the Alps, we take a spin around a Maypole; drop by Oberammergau-the Shirley Temple of Bavarian villages; and tour the fairy-tale castles of "Mad" King Ludwig. After hiking up to a desolate ruined castle, we soar even higher in a glider over the Tyrol.

Rome: Baroque Brilliance (Episode #702()

KQED Plus: Sat, May 18, 2013 -- 6:30 PM

This second of 3 episodes on Rome reveals a city busy with life and bursting with Baroque. We ramble through the venerable heart of Rome, admire breathtaking Bernini statues, ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and mix and mingle with the Romans during an early evening stroll. Following an exquisite Roman dinner, we join locals after dark, lacing together the Eternal City's most romantic nightspots.

South Ireland: Waterford to the Ring of Kerry (Episode #209H)

KQED Plus: Sat, May 18, 2013 -- 6:00 PM

We find the story of Ireland strewn along its fascinating south coast: Waterford's much-loved crystal factory; the Kennedy family homestead; the Dunbrody famine ship; and Kinsale's star-shaped fortresses. After learning why locals don't kiss the Blarney Stone, we savor the scenic charms of the Emerald Isle-driving the Ring of Kerry.

Munich and the Foothills of the Alps (Episode #213)

KQED Life: Sat, May 18, 2013 -- 4:30 PM

In Munich, where locals specialize in good living, we visit boisterous markets and go for Baroque palaces...while office workers surf in the Isar River. Heading into the foothills of the Alps, we take a spin around a Maypole; drop by Oberammergau-the Shirley Temple of Bavarian villages; and tour the fairy-tale castles of "Mad" King Ludwig. After hiking up to a desolate ruined castle, we soar even higher in a glider over the Tyrol.

Switzerland's Jungfrau Region: Best of the Alps (Episode #214)

KQED Life: Sat, May 18, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

If Heidi is alive, she's in this sky-high corner of the Swiss Alps, with cows on breathtaking ridges. After settling into a traditional village where locals scythe hay by hand, we hike, bike, and parasail. We blast an alphorn, get sprayed by waterfalls raging deep inside a mountain, and munch muesli for breakfast at 10,000 feet. For a finale, we ride Europe's highest lift up the mighty Jungfrau for hot cocoa, glacier sledding, and oh-wow views.

Normandy: War-Torn Yet Full of Life (Episode #303)

KQED Life: Fri, May 17, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

After exploring the half-timbered charm of Rouen, we reflect on Monet's lily ponds, peek in on local artisans, and set up an easel at Honfleur's harbor. We venture into composer Eric Satie's eccentric world and feast on the finest of Normandy cuisine. After pondering sacrifice and celebrating freedom on the D-Day beaches, we hike with pilgrims to the enchanted island abbey of Mont St. Michel.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Fri, May 17, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Highlights of Castile: Toledo and Salamanca (Episode #302)

KQED Life: Thu, May 16, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Castile sparkles with Roman Segovia, walled Avila, student-filled Salamanca, and holy Toledo! We marvel at El Greco, pop some explosive pickles, and ramble Spain's most awe-inspiring medieval walls. Then, just for fun, we drop in on a bachelorette party with local troubadours, slice and savor tasty jamon, stroll with the crowd, and grab a front-row seat to enjoy Europe's most enchanting square.

Highlights of Paris: Eiffel and Monet to Creme Brulee (Episode #306)

KQED Plus: Thu, May 16, 2013 -- 1:30 AM

Packing the best of Paris into one episode, we scale the Eiffel Tower, then savor classic treats - from steak tartare to creme brulee. We marvel at Monet, Manet and company in the stunning Orsay Gallery. Tracing the sad steps of Marie Antoinette, we relive French history from its bloody revolution to its extravagant belle epoch.

Highlights of Castile: Toledo and Salamanca (Episode #302)

KQED Life: Thu, May 16, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Castile sparkles with Roman Segovia, walled Avila, student-filled Salamanca, and holy Toledo! We marvel at El Greco, pop some explosive pickles, and ramble Spain's most awe-inspiring medieval walls. Then, just for fun, we drop in on a bachelorette party with local troubadours, slice and savor tasty jamon, stroll with the crowd, and grab a front-row seat to enjoy Europe's most enchanting square.

Highlights of Paris: Eiffel and Monet to Creme Brulee (Episode #306)

KQED Plus: Wed, May 15, 2013 -- 7:30 PM

Packing the best of Paris into one episode, we scale the Eiffel Tower, then savor classic treats - from steak tartare to creme brulee. We marvel at Monet, Manet and company in the stunning Orsay Gallery. Tracing the sad steps of Marie Antoinette, we relive French history from its bloody revolution to its extravagant belle epoch.

The Majesty of Madrid (Episode #301)

KQED Life: Wed, May 15, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Madrid is studded with riches from its glory days. We tour the lavish Royal Palace, enjoy art-packed museums, and look deep into Picasso's greatest masterpiece. Experiencing Madrid at its fun-loving best, we' re mesmerized by flamenco dancers and munch on pigs' ears. Then, for a dose of Spain's dramatic history, we side-trip to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Wed, May 15, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Switzerland's Jungfrau Region: Best of the Alps (Episode #214)

KQED Life: Tue, May 14, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

If Heidi is alive, she's in this sky-high corner of the Swiss Alps, with cows on breathtaking ridges. After settling into a traditional village where locals scythe hay by hand, we hike, bike, and parasail. We blast an alphorn, get sprayed by waterfalls raging deep inside a mountain, and munch muesli for breakfast at 10,000 feet. For a finale, we ride Europe's highest lift up the mighty Jungfrau for hot cocoa, glacier sledding, and oh-wow views.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Tue, May 14, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Munich and the Foothills of the Alps (Episode #213)

KQED Life: Mon, May 13, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

In Munich, where locals specialize in good living, we visit boisterous markets and go for Baroque palaces...while office workers surf in the Isar River. Heading into the foothills of the Alps, we take a spin around a Maypole; drop by Oberammergau-the Shirley Temple of Bavarian villages; and tour the fairy-tale castles of "Mad" King Ludwig. After hiking up to a desolate ruined castle, we soar even higher in a glider over the Tyrol.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Mon, May 13, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Dublin and Mystical Sidetrips (Episode #208)

KQED Life: Sun, May 12, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Dublin's story is of feast and famine: from its 18th-century Golden Age to its 20th-century struggles for independence to its boomtime today. We explore the town's foreboding castle, patriotic jail, and TrinityCollege with its illuminated Book of Kells - a bright light from the Dark Ages. At night we party in Temple Bar, awash with Celtic music and frothy pints of Guinness. We sidetrip to the prehistoric necropolis of Newgrange and the medieval monastery at Glendalough, tucked in the scenic Wicklow Mountains.

Rome: Ancient Glory (Episode #701H)

KQED Plus: Sat, May 11, 2013 -- 6:30 PM

Part 1 of 3 on the Eternal City, this episode resurrects the rubble and brings back to life the capital of the ancient world. Focusing on the grandeur of classical Rome, we marvel at the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the empire's exquisite art. Then we go offbeat by bicycle to see the Appian Way and marvels of Roman engineering.

Dublin and Mystical Sidetrips (Episode #208)

KQED Life: Sat, May 11, 2013 -- 4:30 PM

Dublin's story is of feast and famine: from its 18th-century Golden Age to its 20th-century struggles for independence to its boomtime today. We explore the town's foreboding castle, patriotic jail, and TrinityCollege with its illuminated Book of Kells - a bright light from the Dark Ages. At night we party in Temple Bar, awash with Celtic music and frothy pints of Guinness. We sidetrip to the prehistoric necropolis of Newgrange and the medieval monastery at Glendalough, tucked in the scenic Wicklow Mountains.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Plus: Sat, May 11, 2013 -- 6:00 PM

South Ireland: Waterford to the Ring of Kerry (Episode #209H)

KQED Life: Sat, May 11, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

We find the story of Ireland strewn along its fascinating south coast: Waterford's much-loved crystal factory; the Kennedy family homestead; the Dunbrody famine ship; and Kinsale's star-shaped fortresses. After learning why locals don't kiss the Blarney Stone, we savor the scenic charms of the Emerald Isle-driving the Ring of Kerry.

Germany's Romantic Rhine and Rothenburg (Episode #212H)

KQED Life: Fri, May 10, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Cruising the Rhine River, we dodge riverboat traffic and the legendary siren, Lorelei. After climbing castles and descending into dungeons, we relax with Rhine wine. We tour Burg Eltz-a lived-in castle where the noble lady still puts out fresh flowers. Then we enter the walled town of Rothenburg for Germany's best wood carving, a vivid dose of medieval punishment, and a tour with the night watchman of the town's lamp-lit ramparts.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Fri, May 10, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Berlin: Resilient, Reunited, and Reborn (Episode #211)

KQED Life: Thu, May 9, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Berlin is back, resuming its place as a great European capital. We climb the Reichstag's new glass dome, sway at a modern-day cabaret, and pop a few chocolates in the now thriving eastern sector. Along with Germany's finest art, complicated Berlin also has hidden remnants of its fascist and communist past. In a city that's rebounding and rebuilding, we crane our necks at Europe's newest Times Square-Potsdamer Platz.

London: Mod and Trad (Episode #305)

KQED Plus: Thu, May 9, 2013 -- 1:30 AM

London is quintessentially English, yet cosmopolitan. We check out the new - the Millennium Bridge and the British Museum's Great Court, and admire the old - well-wrapped mummies and a rare Leonardo. After bantering with Beefeaters at the Tower of London, we do some riverside beach-combing. Strolling the trendy South Bank of the Thames takes us from the Tate Modern to the dizzying London Eye.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Tue, May 21, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Berlin: Resilient, Reunited, and Reborn (Episode #211)

KQED Life: Thu, May 9, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Berlin is back, resuming its place as a great European capital. We climb the Reichstag's new glass dome, sway at a modern-day cabaret, and pop a few chocolates in the now thriving eastern sector. Along with Germany's finest art, complicated Berlin also has hidden remnants of its fascist and communist past. In a city that's rebounding and rebuilding, we crane our necks at Europe's newest Times Square-Potsdamer Platz.

London: Mod and Trad (Episode #305)

KQED Plus: Wed, May 8, 2013 -- 7:30 PM

London is quintessentially English, yet cosmopolitan. We check out the new - the Millennium Bridge and the British Museum's Great Court, and admire the old - well-wrapped mummies and a rare Leonardo. After bantering with Beefeaters at the Tower of London, we do some riverside beach-combing. Strolling the trendy South Bank of the Thames takes us from the Tate Modern to the dizzying London Eye.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Tue, May 21, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

The Best of West Ireland: Dingle, Galway, and the Aran Islands (Episode #210H)

KQED Life: Wed, May 8, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Ireland in the extreme is best experienced on its west coast in Gaeltachts, where the people speak Gaelic and the rugged villages have changed little over the generations. After exploring the rugged and remote Aran Islands, we settle into Galway, dance in a castle at a medieval folk banquet and delve into Ireland in the extreme: Dingle Peninsula. Ringing with traditional music from its rustic pubs, dotted with prehistoric "fairy forts," if you'll fall in love with Ireland, chances are it'll be right here.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Wed, May 8, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

South Ireland: Waterford to the Ring of Kerry (Episode #209H)

KQED Life: Tue, May 7, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

We find the story of Ireland strewn along its fascinating south coast: Waterford's much-loved crystal factory; the Kennedy family homestead; the Dunbrody famine ship; and Kinsale's star-shaped fortresses. After learning why locals don't kiss the Blarney Stone, we savor the scenic charms of the Emerald Isle-driving the Ring of Kerry.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Tue, May 7, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Dublin and Mystical Sidetrips (Episode #208)

KQED Life: Mon, May 6, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Dublin's story is of feast and famine: from its 18th-century Golden Age to its 20th-century struggles for independence to its boomtime today. We explore the town's foreboding castle, patriotic jail, and TrinityCollege with its illuminated Book of Kells - a bright light from the Dark Ages. At night we party in Temple Bar, awash with Celtic music and frothy pints of Guinness. We sidetrip to the prehistoric necropolis of Newgrange and the medieval monastery at Glendalough, tucked in the scenic Wicklow Mountains.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Plus: Sat, May 11, 2013 -- 6:00 PM
KQED Life: Mon, May 6, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Basque Country (Episode #612H)

KQED Plus: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 6:30 PM

The homeland of the proud and resilient Basque people is split between France and Spain. From our San Sebastian home base, we tour the ancient Basque capital of Gernika, the dazzling Guggenheim Modern in Bilbao, and then cross into France for more Basque Country charms. From yummy tapa bars to lightning-fast jai alai games, we'll experience Basque culture at its most vivid.

Florentine Delights and Tuscan Side Trips (Episode #705S)

KQED 9: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 6:27 PM

In this second of 2 episodes on Florence, we enjoy more of the exquisite artistic treasures of the city that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages. Then we side-trip to a couple of rival cities and cultural capitals in their own right, Pisa and Lucca, where we'll marvel at a tipsy tower, circle a city on its ramparts, and enjoy some Puccini in his hometown.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 6:27 PM

Sevilla (Episode #313)

KQED Plus: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 6:00 PM

Sevilla is the flamboyant city of Carmen and Don Juan. It's where bullfighting is still politically correct and where little girls dream of growing up to become flamenco dancers. Sevilla has soul - and we feel it in its lacy Moorish palace, massive cathedral, lavish royal tombs, labyrinthine Jewish quarter, and its people-filled streets. After munching tasty tapas, we head south for Andalusia's ultimate whitewashed hilltown, Arcos de la Frontera.

Venice: City of Dreams (Episode #710()

KQED 9: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 5:51 PM

After sorting through the monuments of Venice's powerful past, we trace its decline from Europe's most powerful city to its most hedonistic one. We cruise the Grand Canal, luxuriate in a venerable cafe, and savor fresh fish canal-side with Venetian friends. Becoming as anonymous as possible in this city of masks, we'll be dazzled by masterpieces of the Venetian Renaissance and get intimate with the city of Casanova - on a gondola under the moonlight.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 5:51 PM

Florence: Heart of the Renaissance (Episode #704()

KQED 9: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 5:14 PM

15th-century Florence was the home of the Renaissance and the birthplace of our modern world. In this first of 2 episodes, we gaze into the self-assured eyes of Michelangelo's David, enjoy Botticelli's Birth of Venus, delve into the 3D wonders of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, appreciate Fra Angelico's serene beauty, and climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance. Then we cross the Arno to where Florentine artisans live, work, and eat - very well.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 5:14 PM

Rome: Back-Street Riches (Episode #703()

KQED 9: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 4:37 PM

In this third of 3 episodes on the Eternal City, we explore this grand metropolis - so rich in art and culture - on a more intimate scale, delving into its back lanes and unheralded corners. Venturing through the crusty Trastevere district, visiting the historic Jewish Ghetto, and enjoying art treasures in a string of rarely visited churches, we uncover charms of hidden Rome that compete with its marquee sights.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 4:37 PM

Rome: Baroque Brilliance (Episode #702()

KQED 9: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 4:00 PM

This second of 3 episodes on Rome reveals a city busy with life and bursting with Baroque. We ramble through the venerable heart of Rome, admire breathtaking Bernini statues, ponder sunbeams inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and mix and mingle with the Romans during an early evening stroll. Following an exquisite Roman dinner, we join locals after dark, lacing together the Eternal City's most romantic nightspots.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 4:00 PM

Siena and Assisi: Italy's Grand Hill Towns (Episode #204)

KQED Life: Sat, May 4, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Italy's Grand Hill Towns In red-bricked Siena, we tour its innovative medieval hospital, lavish cathedral, and a bakery that makes panforte (like fruitcake, only better). Exploring the Chianti region, we taste Brunello di Montalcino - with its makers. Spending the night at a farmhouse, we meet the family and the sheep, learn of the Slow Food Movement, and enjoy a homegrown dinner. In Assisi, we follow the footsteps of St. Francis from his humble chapel to the grand basilica - frescoed by Giotto - that holds his tomb.

Prague and the Czech Republic (Episode #207)

KQED Life: Fri, May 3, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Newly energized Prague, slinky with sumptuous Art Nouveau facades, is perpetually playing Mozart and Vivaldi. Eastern Europe's top destination has Europe's best beer, biggest castle, liveliest pedestrian bridge, and most evocative Jewish Quarter. From Prague, we sidetrip to Kutna Hora, once a silver-mining boomtown, to descend into its medieval mine and ponder its eerie chapel, decorated centuries ago with 40,000 bones.

Amsterdam and Dutch Sidetrips (Episode #206)

KQED Life: Thu, May 2, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

With Rembrandts and stately architecture from its Golden Age, hidden churches and holocaust memorials from its troubled times, and Van Goghs and titillating street life from its modern age, Amsterdam stimulates all the senses. Then, side-tripping from Europe's capital of tolerance into the countryside (and below sea-level), we hike dikes, climb windmills, tour the world's biggest flower market, and see how in Holland, "Everything's just so Dutch!"

Belfast and the Best of Northern Ireland (Episode #304)

KQED Plus: Thu, May 2, 2013 -- 1:30 AM

No trip to Emerald Isle is complete without a visit to Northern Ireland. We tour bustling Belfast, sneaking a peek at its politically charged neighborhoods. Then we head for the Antrim Coast and go wild in Portrush, Ulster's Coney Island. We taste-test Irish whiskey, scramble over six-sided rock columns, putter through a world-class golf course, and stomp our feet to Irish music in rough-and- tumble Derry.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Mon, May 20, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Amsterdam and Dutch Sidetrips (Episode #206)

KQED Life: Thu, May 2, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

With Rembrandts and stately architecture from its Golden Age, hidden churches and holocaust memorials from its troubled times, and Van Goghs and titillating street life from its modern age, Amsterdam stimulates all the senses. Then, side-tripping from Europe's capital of tolerance into the countryside (and below sea-level), we hike dikes, climb windmills, tour the world's biggest flower market, and see how in Holland, "Everything's just so Dutch!"

Belfast and the Best of Northern Ireland (Episode #304)

KQED Plus: Wed, May 1, 2013 -- 7:30 PM

No trip to Emerald Isle is complete without a visit to Northern Ireland. We tour bustling Belfast, sneaking a peek at its politically charged neighborhoods. Then we head for the Antrim Coast and go wild in Portrush, Ulster's Coney Island. We taste-test Irish whiskey, scramble over six-sided rock columns, putter through a world-class golf course, and stomp our feet to Irish music in rough-and- tumble Derry.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Mon, May 20, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

Cinque Terre: Italy's Hidden Riviera (Episode #205)

KQED Life: Wed, May 1, 2013 -- 12:00 AM

Italy's Hidden Riviera In these five idyllic port towns, we sample village life: fishing for anchovies at midnight, savoring the best pesto, picking grapes, and cheering cliff divers as we hike the "walkway of love." Each pastel town is a delight, but my favorite is Vernazza - where Giovanni makes pasta and Granelli sells porcini mushrooms at the tiny street market. We sidetrip to Carrara's quarries where Michelangelo selected his marble, then return to Vernazza to stroll the only street with the entire village as the sun sets.

Repeat Broadcasts:

KQED Life: Wed, May 1, 2013 -- 9:00 AM

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