Rick Steves' Europe

Sevilla does festivals with gusto. It's a flamboyant city of larger-than-life lovers like Carmen and Don Juan, where bullfighting is still politically correct and where little girls still dream of growing up to become flamenco dancers.

Experiencing the best of Portugal, we start in Lisbon, a ramshackle mix of glorious old and fun--loving new. Then we head for the south coast of your travel dreams--the Algarve.

In this program, we soak in elegance at the thermal Széchenyi Baths, stomp and slap with traditional dancers at a folk concert, visit the Communist All-Stars in Statue Park, remember Hungary's secret police at the House of Terror, sample some paprika in the Great Indoor Market Hall, and cruise under floodlit monuments on the Danube.

Poland is ready to be rediscovered as the old "east" transforms itself into the new heart of Europe.

A longtime favorite escape of Europe's elite, the Riviera coastline still sparkles with yachts.

Provence, known for its soft light and fierce wind, is as loved by Americans as it is by the sun.

Belgium is a land of contrasts. From the powerhouse headquarters of the European Union and Europe's grandest square in big-city Brussels, to quaint back lane bike rides in small-town Bruges.

Packing the best of Paris into one episode, we scale the Eiffel Tower, then savor classic treats- from steak tartare to crÈme brulée, and marvel at Monet, Manet and company in the stunning Orsay Gallery.

London is quintessentially English and yet cosmopolitan. It's a city where the new and modern seem to mingle enthusiastically with the old and traditional.

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.

With its thought-provoking sights and memorials, delicious cuisine, and idyllic nature, it's no wonder Normandy is such a popular get-away for nearby Parisians.

In this program Rick explores the region of Castile, starting in Toledo-so well-preserved and packed with cultural wonder that the entire city has been declared a national monument, on to Segovia for a festive day out with the locals, then Avila for a dose of medieval architecture, and finishing with a traditional stroll in Salamanca's Plaza Mayor.

In this program Rick wanders the Plaza Mayor, does a little high stakes gambling at one of Europe's biggest flea markets, ogles the lavish Royal Palace, ponders perplexing art at the Prado Museum, stares down a flamenco dancer in Sevilla, looks deep into Picasso's greatest work-Guernica-at the Centro Reina Sofia, and munches on pigs ears in a "tapa tango."