Porto’s Newly Renovated — But Still Characteristic — Bolhão Market
I’m a connoisseur of city markets. I gravitate toward them. In Seattle, we have our beloved Pike Place Market (with the iconic fishmongers tossing their fresh and slippery salmon), and I’ve found that throughout Europe, markets are just as much a part of the urban scene.
One of my favorites is Porto’s Bolhão Market. It was closed for a few years for an extensive renovation, and I was bracing for the loss of a neighborhood fixture made all modern and overly hygienic. But happily, Porto’s newly reopened market meets European Union hygiene standards — and yet is still as inviting, picturesque, and delightful as ever. Join me and my local guide, André, for a quick visit in this clip as we celebrate the market of Europe’s future.
BTW, Europe doesn’t just throw in the towel when a big corporate supermarket or hypermarket threatens to put the traditional markets out of business. Traditional vendors are protected by governments that function as referees for capitalism, knowing that little characteristic shops can’t survive against big aggressive corporations leveraging economies of scale. (For example, zones with no chain outlets are established in the style of the old markets.) And very often, I’m happy to report, communities have their cake (big businesses can capitalize on economies of scale) and eat it too (small mom-and-pop one-offs, such as farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs, thrive as vestiges of a town’s traditional charm).
Do you have a favorite market scene in Europe? And have you thought about the value of our own government serving as a referee in the rough and tumble arena of capitalism to help the intimate and fragile bits of our culture survive — and make life livable for those who choose not to go big (massive chains)…but celebrate the small (mom-and-pop shops)?
Funicular Fun in Lisbon
Crusty, rickety old Lisbon is a jumbled and hilly collection of neighborhoods laced together by Rice-A-Roni trams and funiculars. Of course, there’s lots of tourism (as Lisbon has become quite trendy). But as you’ll see in this little clip, if you venture out just a little, you can enjoy a vibrant and memorable slice of Lisbon life.
Join me for 80 seconds of giddy funicular fun in Portugal’s capital.
Coffee and a Shot of Brandy with Cláudia
It was the little experiences — especially the moments that connected me with people and food — that brought me the most joy and the happiest memories during the two weeks I spent in Portugal researching my guidebook. For example, I learned the local slang for “coffee with a shot of brandy” (a favorite among workers who like to add a little punch to their lunch). Then, when I casually asked my waiter, “Café com cheirinho?” the guy he thought was just another clueless tourist became a special guest...and that shot of brandy in my “bica” (espresso) was served with a big smile…and on the house.
Savoring the Moment in Lisbon
Lisbon has a special joie de vivre (or “alegria de viver” here in Portugal).
Ever since I was a backpacking student, the Miradouro de Santa Luzia viewpoint has enthralled me…not just for the view of Lisbon’s romantic Alfama quarter but for the embrace-life-with-gusto vibe that mixes it up with antique blue azulejos tiles and dripping bougainvillea flowers. Old timers play cards while romantic couples strum their guitars and each other’s hair... and I grab a shady corner to savor the moment.
A Traveler’s Thoughts on the Upcoming Election
As a traveler, I’m both a proud American and a citizen of the world — and I’ve got a few thoughts on this coming election.
This election is deeper than partisanship. It’s far more than Republican versus Democrat. In the future, big challenges like pandemics, refugees, and climate change will be blind to borders. They’ll be everyone’s problem and only solved by working together as a family of nations.
The world needs not American isolation, but American leadership. Not the chaos of Trump, but the stability of Kamala Harris.
Of course, how you vote is your choice. But if you believe, as I do, in the importance of nations working together constructively, the stakes are really high...and the best candidate is clear. Register to vote today at vote.gov — and encourage your travelin’ friends to do the same!
The Ring Road: The Ultimate Icelandic Road Trip
Planning a trip to Iceland? Be sure to check your local public television listings for our new TV special, “Rick Steves Iceland” — or stream the information-packed hour anytime with PBS Passport.
In this little behind-the-scenes clip, we needed to film a “drive-by” on Ring Road...and my producer, Simon, really wanted me to get moving. But I just had to take a moment to share a handy tip: There’s one road around the country, Highway 1, and it passes a parade of fun little detours — each with a fun and practical pullout featuring a sightseeing information board and a handy schematic chart that clearly shows what’s where.
Group Swinging — Why Not?!
I love how travel stokes cultural introspection. While my country is struggling with a troublesome rise in loneliness, I felt none of that in Iceland. In fact, day after day, I encountered a land that — even during the long dark nights of winter — both understood and embraced the importance of community.
All across Iceland, you’ll see reminders of how tight-knit the local community is. On a break from filming our new Iceland special, I came upon a great example…and something I’d never seen before: circular swing sets. Instead of swinging on parallel tracks in individual worlds, kids were swinging into the center and then out again, like a laughing squeeze box of neighborhood joy.
Seeing these kids collectively giggle with delight, I thought of all the happy hours I spent as a tyke on a swing, never thinking that this was anything more than a solitary activity.
Group swinging…why not?! It’s so Icelandic.
Harvesting Eggs on Iceland's Westman Islands
Historically, the people of Iceland were humble and struggled to survive. They had to get creative to stay fed — and after growing tired of rotten shark, perhaps they craved eggs. The rugged and wind-blown cliffs harbored bird nests with treasured eggs, and locals learned to lower a rope and swing in to harvest them.
Today, that tradition is kept alive on the Westman Islands — as we demonstrate in our new Iceland special, airing now across the US. Enjoy this look behind the scenes, and for the full hour, check your local public television listings or stream “Rick Steves Iceland” with PBS Passport.
Welcome to the 2024 Guide Summit House Party!
Last week, we flew in more than a hundred tour guides from all over Europe to our Edmonds headquarters for a busy series of workshops, lectures, and brainstorming sessions — along with lots of good food, nice wine, and happy conviviality.
For me, a highlight of the week was inviting the entire gang over to my house — an exhilarating exercise of gathering 100+ fun-loving, high-energy, and fascinating people under one roof. Want to join the party? Join me now in this clip to experience some of the warm and happy excitement we shared.
Thanks to all the guides who traveled all the way to Washington State to help make Rick Steves' Europe tours the best in the business. And thanks to all of the travelers who join us on the road. We love our work. And we love traveling with you!
"Rick Steves Iceland" Trailer
It’s here! Check your local listings for my new one-hour TV special “Rick Steves Iceland” — or stream it on PBS Passport beginning this Sunday.
We’ll begin in Reykjavík, with endearing sights and thermal pools, plus a side-trip to the Golden Circle’s gorges, geysers, and waterfalls. Then, after fording rivers in a desolate valley and spotting puffins on volcano-shaped islands, we’ll drive the 800-mile Ring Road — connecting glaciers, fjords, geothermal hotspots, sod-roofed settlements, and majestic Icelandic nature.
Enjoy this sneak peek — and let me know what you think!
Enjoying Traditional Fish ‘n’ Chips in London
For the last dinner of my trip — and my last "tea," or dinner, in London — I wanted a classic "chippy tea." My food guide for the evening, Laine, and I debated: Indian or fish. I'd already had two Indian meals, so we went with the fish. And since I'll be adding Poppies Fish & Chips to the new edition of my London guidebook, it was important that I actually eat there. With Laine's help, we did it right — complete with my chippy wally. (In southern England, a large gherkin pickled in vinegar and served with fish and chips is called a "wally." And, on your second beer, you can dream up your own wally joke.)
It's hard these days to find a good, traditional "chippy" in London. Here's a draft of my write-up of Poppies for the next edition of "Rick Steves London":
Poppies Fish & Chips: If you like your haddock served on newsprint, your chips with vinegar, your waitstaff wearing name tags and sharp little hats, and your pickle called a "wally," look no further. Nothing's changed on Poppies' circa 1950s traditional English menu but the prices, the jukebox stays busy, and their fish & chips are rightfully considered some of London's best.
Do you have a favorite fish & chips joint or memory from England?
Skyscrapers and Leadenhall Market: Exploring Modern and Historic London
If the advent of new and striking skyscrapers is any indication, London, even after Brexit, seems to be maintaining its role as a center of international trade and finance. And at the same time, it preserves its cozy pub heritage. Dwarfed by 21st-century towers, Leadenhall Market — which was a big deal when built in 1881 — marks the spot where a market has thrived for 500 years.
Cheers!
I Found It — The Untouristy Positano
After a month of research in Italy, my great triumph was finding the untouristy alternative to glitzy Positano, Amalfi, and Capri. Welcome to Minori, the overlooked Amalfi Coast town where, for a third the cost — and with a third the crowds — you get triple the Italy.
I can promise you Minori will be well-covered in the next edition of my “Rick Steves Italy” guidebook. But wait!! Am I just ruining a rare, fragile, and pristine bit of untouristy Amalfi Coast? Honestly, I don’t know. What do you think?
Airbnb Ethics: The Impact of Short-Term Rentals on Local Communities
Sorrento is a great example of a charming town where short-term rentals like Airbnb are causing rents to skyrocket, creating a limoncello nightmare for locals who find they can no longer afford to live…well, local. Watching this clip, what are your thoughts on the ethics of this issue for us travelers?
Carmello — My First Driver on the Amalfi Coast
I’m so thankful for the career-long friends from all over Europe I’ve made — and been able to share with you — for literally decades now. Over 30 years ago, I met my first friend in Sorrento: a taxi driver named Carmelo Monetti. He charmed me and his passengers with his bubbly taxi-English and stories of Sophia Loren — who actually warmed the seat of his cab one unforgettable day long ago.
Carmelo waited outside my hotel for a happy ambush after breakfast, and we made this little video for you.
