Where's Laura? (2025)

10/01/2025

Contact me for details!

09/01/2025

Enter now!

Enter for a chance to Win a Dream Trip to Costa Rica with G Adventures

08/01/2025

Travel Agents are still and will always be the bank of inside knowledge people want to make informed decisions about their vacation plans

Cruise bookings are on the rise again, with travel advisors regaining market share lost to direct bookings during the pandemic.

08/01/2025

Learn about adult-only Virgin Voyages!

07/01/2025

What will travel look like in 2025?

"Destination dupes" are expected to be one of the biggest trends. Already increasingly popular on social media, users suggest cheaper, less crowded alternatives to popular destinations—like taking a trip to Albania rather than Greece.

Experts also expect to see more changes in the way we plan our trips, from using AI tools to help organize the ultimate getaway to opting for sleeper trains rather than airplanes. Learn more about the key developments set to influence travel in the year ahead at: https://on.natgeo.com/400FYcI

07/01/2025

Love Rick Steeves!

Isn't it a delight to revisit a timelessly engaging city…only to discover how much it's changed?

I returned to London earlier this year to update my London guidebook and prepare to film a TV special next year. My takeaway: It's impossible to be truly "up to date" here. London is a perennial work-in-progress; it's changing all the time.

"The City" (the one-square-mile financial center) — once a ramshackle slum of Cockneys, Charles Dickens, and Jack the Ripper — has sprouted a forest of glittering skyscrapers. Twiggy and the Beatles wouldn't recognize a single shop on the "Swinging '60s" artery of Carnaby Street…but they might love how the Millennium Bridge has become a wobbling path of quirky art, with finely painted wads of chewing gum trampled into the walkway.

And yet, London is still, unmistakably, London. The Queen's Guard is now the King's Guard, but tourists atop double-decker buses get the same traveler's kick from their red outfits and splashing spats. The vendors of Borough Market now accept tap-to-pay, but you can still travel the world through their dizzying variety of produce and goods. Some of the Beefeaters may be vegans now, but their razor-sharp wit hasn't dulled a bit. We're still minding the gap on the Underground, and warm, cozy British pubs still beckon to weary travelers around every corner…with names like the Bishop's Finger, Fat Walrus, Stagger Inn, and — fittingly — the Welcoming Arms.

All of Europe's major cities are unmovable at their core yet forever changing in the margins. Just like London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul will always boast their major sights and classic bites — they're also adapting to new technologies, trends, and generations. These grand cities are forever works-in-progress…so the best time to visit is always right now.

And that's one reason why Rick Steves' Europe week-long city tours run pretty much year-round. London, Paris, Rome, and Istanbul thrive no matter the month, the weather, or what new change has rippled through town. On each city tour, you'll settle into the same hotel for the entirety of your stay, letting you become a temporary local. Then, with an expert Rick Steves guide at your side, you'll peel back the many layers of each great city, master public transit, and maybe even become a regular at the Welcoming Arms, nodding along with wrinkled natives as they gossip about the changing times.

In this month's edition of Tour News, we explore London — and Istanbul — with day-by-day slideshows of our 7-day tours, get to know our favorite local guide in Rome, Francesca Caruso, share raves from recent city-tour alums, and take a whirlwind jaunt through five world-class Paris museums. It’s all available right here: www.ricksteves.com/tours/tour-news