Rick Steves' Europe

We jog with locals in Hyde Park; marvel at treasures in the V&A Museum; enjoy a trendy East End food tour and take afternoon tea; then celebrate the city's regeneration of industrial wastelands into inviting commercial zones.

We start with red-coat pageantry at Buckingham Palace; pop into the Houses of Parliament and visit Churchill's war rooms; look into the eyes of some great Britons at the Portrait Gallery; and cruise the Thames to the mighty Tower of London.

We sample the wonders of this city that bridges two continents: the bustling port of the Bosphorus; shops of the Grand Bazaar; sights along the Golden Horn; captivating whirling dervishes; tasty treats in Taksim Square; and a ferry to Asia.

We start our tour of Istanbul's rich heritage through the centuries at the Roman-tinged Hippodrome; indulge in the ancient ritual of the Turkish bath; visit the Blue Mosque, grand Hagia Sophia, and Spice Market; and explore Topkapı Palace.

World-class Paris is, to millions, simply home. On this adventure, we're going local: visiting the Eiffel Tower; cruising the Seine; exploring distinctive neighborhoods, markets, and trendy streets; then finishing with a nighttime joyride.

We set a course for indulgence on a tranquil cruise of the waterways of France's Burgundy region. Aboard our century-old barge-turned-hotel, we're treated to a relaxing pace and natural beauty - plus plenty of gourmet meals and fine wine.

On this whirlwind look back through our travels, we sample "la dolce vita" in seductive Venice and cultured Florence; soak up the riviera and Tuscany's hill towns; and embrace eternal Rome, intense Naples, and Sicily's beautiful chaos.

We take in Warsaw's grand palace, hard-fought 20th-century history, and Chopin concerts. After tasting gingerbread in red-brick Toruń and ogling massive Malbork Castle, we finish in maritime Gdańsk, home of Hanseatic and Solidarity history.

We linger on Kraków's grand square, marvel at Wawel Castle, and make pierogi by hand. Nearby, communist-era Nowa Huta recalls the Cold War days, and the sobering concentration camp memorial of Auschwitz-Birkenau honors victims of the Nazis.

Europe's ultimate road trip is Iceland's 800-mile loop - the Ring Road. We visit the geothermal hot zone of Lake Mývatn; the rugged Eastfjords; glacier lagoons, waterfalls, and beaches; and side-trip to the Westman Islands to see puffins.

Reykjavík is a world capital with a small-town feel. We tour the city's endearing sights, get to know the uniquely Icelandic way of life, and take a dip in a thermal pool. Then we side-trip into majestic Icelandic nature: its famous Blue Lagoon; the classic Golden Circle, bubbling geysers, thundering waterfalls, and otherworldly scenery; and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, an "Iceland-in-miniature" loop.