Rick Steves, Special to Postmedia Network

LATEST STORIES BY RICK STEVES, SPECIAL TO POSTMEDIA NETWORK

Porto: Portugal’s salty ‘second city’

I’m really into “second cities” these days.

March 20, 2018 Travel Europe

Traditional "rabelo" boats, which were once used to deliver port wine from the Douro Valley, line Porto's harbour at sunset.

Making the most of a European cruise

Last year I spent two weeks on a Mediterranean cruise, filming a one-hour TV show designed to present an honest look at the pros and cons of cruising and equip travellers with the knowledge they need to be smart cruisers.

March 19, 2018 Travel Europe

To avoid the worst cruise ship crowds, use amenities such as swimming pools during off-peak hours.

What’s new in France and Switzerland

France and Switzerland are two of Europe’s most appealing destinations, but they’re constantly changing, so I’ve gathered these new items for your 2018 travel planning:

March 17, 2018 Travel Europe

Performances at Chateau Royal d'Amboise include live actors, fireworks, and an English audioguide.

Italy more spectacular than ever

Italy bubbles with emotion — and crowds. Irate ranters will be shaking their fists at each other one minute and walking arm-in-arm the next.

March 8, 2018 Travel Europe

Amid the tangle of downtown Rome, convents can provide a restful oasis for weary travellers. RICK STEVES PHOTO

What's new in the Nordic countries

Here are some newsworthy travel developments in the Nordic countries:

March 7, 2018 Travel Europe

Oslo's redeveloped waterfront includes a 5-km-long promenade and stunning architecture. CAMERON HEWITT PHOTO

Hamburg has edgy new vibe

Germany’s second-largest city, Hamburg, is awash with history — and played especially key roles in the stories of 19th-century emigration, World War II, and the Beatles.

March 6, 2018 Travel Europe

Hamburg creatively recycles its urban past: This graffiti-covered WWII bunker is now the largest climbing wall in the city. RICK STEVES PHOTO

Always something new across the pond

England, Scotland, and Ireland are constantly improving tourism infrastructures, adding worthwhile exhibits to well-known sights and investing in new experiences for travellers. Here are some of the recent developments:

February 23, 2018 Travel Europe

Visitors who want to walk across Northern Ireland's Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge now need a ticket. Go first thing in the morning, before the cruise groups -- and the wind -- take over.

Intriguing Sicily a world apart

It may lack the Botticellis, Guccis and touristic icons of Venice, Florence or Rome, but Sicily still packs a punch.

December 31, 2017 Travel Europe

Some of the most well-preserved Greek temples in the world -- such as Agrigento's Valley of the Temples -- are in Sicily.

City of czars has turbulent past, but St. Petersburg is Russia’s most tourist-worthy city

A former imperial capital and the home of the czars, St. Petersburg is Russia’s most tourist-worthy city. Pastel palaces, bucolic gardens, commanding statues and graceful waterways evoke romantic images of Peter the Great and the Romanov dynasty.

December 8, 2017 Travel International

St. Petersburg's Church on Spilled Blood, with its fairy-tale onion domes, commemorates the spot where anarchists assassinated Russian Csar Alexander II.

No place like Rome for the holidays

I find the holiday season in Rome a joy: Crisp air, stylish big-city Italians cupping hot espresso in corner cafes, and hurried shoppers bundled up with panache, thoughtfully pausing at grand manger scenes. The season here stretches for over a month — not to maximize shopping days, but to fit in the season’s many holy days.

December 8, 2017 Travel Europe

Families enjoy Piazza Navona's Christmas market.