This week on the Travel with Rick Steves radio show: Hear a Francophile's recommendations for some of the most magnificent religious architecture to explore in Paris. Then vicariously experience a winter solstice ritual from inside an ancient tomb in Ireland, and warm up to the ritual that's central to life in Finland: the sauna. Plus, kick off the Christmas season with local holiday traditions from Estonia, Rome, and Venice. Find your local station, subscribe to the podcast, or listen online at

Historically, French cafés served as a second home to the great artists, writers, and political figures of the time, like Trotsky, Stravinsky, Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein. Today, the French still flock to cafés for business meetings, encounter sessions, political discussions, and romantic interludes. Many cafés also serve a practical purpose: Unlike restaurants and bistros, which are only open at mealtimes, cafés serve light meals throughout most of the day. You're welcome to order just a sala

I'm excited to bring you ten all-new TV shows this fall on public television, featuring some of my favorite destinations and a few of the least visited corners of Europe. We'll explore Italy (Siena, Assisi, and Tuscany's wine country), England (Cotswold villages, Wells, Stonehenge, and the southern coast), Germany (Dresden, Leipzig, Hamburg, Nürnberg, and Frankfurt), Bulgaria, and Romania. Please contact your local public television station to find out when you can watch. | Rick Steves

SATURDAY | 2:30PM In this special, travel expert Rick Steves explores five of Germany's most important cities: Hamburg, Dresden, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Nurnberg. From Baroque palaces to stunning modern skyscrapers, and from riverside promenades to rowdy beer halls, these cities are wonderful places to explore the country's fascinating culture. | South Carolina ETV