In this one-hour special, we get to know Poland — where a hard history has created a proud, strong, and soulful culture. In Kraków, we linger on one of Europe's most crowd-pleasing squares, marvel at past glories in art galleries and at historic Wawel Castle, visit neighborhood churches, and savor Polish cuisine — including a lesson in making pierogi by hand. Nearby, the communist-planned town of Nowa Huta offers a nostalgic spin through the Cold War days, while the sobering concentration camp memorial of Auschwitz-Birkenau honors more than one million victims of the Nazis. Then it's off to Warsaw, the heartbeat of contemporary Poland —  gilded with a grand palace, bristling with skyscrapers, packed with thoughtful museums, home to a hard-fought 20th-century history, and busy with Chopin concerts both grand and intimate. After a stop at the gingerbread bakeries in Copernicus' red-brick hometown, Toruń, we ogle the massive Teutonic Knight fortress of Malbork. Finishing in maritime Gdańsk, on the Baltic coast, we experience handsome Hanseatic townhouses, dazzling amber jewelry, lavish old halls, and the stirring Solidarity story of how shipyard workers toppled the communist regime.

Join Rick Steves and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on a spectacular musical journey through Europe. This unique special blends powerful Romantic-era anthems from composers like Strauss, Grieg and Verdi with breathtaking visuals and Rick's cultural insights. Experience Europe's history, the passion for freedom and the spirit of unity across borders. Perfect for lovers of music, history and travel.

In this entertaining, information-packed hour, join Rick Steves as he shares lessons from a lifetime of travel. With Europe as our classroom, we'll learn the essential skills for smart travel from itinerary planning to venturing off the beaten path. Get Rick's tips on packing light, escaping crowds, avoiding scams; and maximizing your cultural and culinary experiences.

This one-hour special begins in Reykjavík, with endearing sights and thermal pools, plus a side-trip to the Golden Circle's gorges, geysers, and waterfalls. Then, after fording rivers in a desolate valley and spotting puffins on volcano-shaped islands, we drive the 800-mile Ring Road — connecting glaciers, fjords, geothermal hotspots, sod-roofed settlements, and majestic Icelandic nature.

The wild, colorful, surreal and fun art of the 20th century, from Spain to Hungary to Glasgow to Oslo; the works of Pablo Picasso.

Impressionist works, including Monet's lilies, Renoir's ladies, Degas' snapshots and Rodin's statues; tracing the travels of Van Gogh through his art; wild and crazy buildings in Spain

Join Rick Steves on a European alpine adventure, with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers, and unforgettable hikes. We conquer the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria. In Switzerland, we savor the beauty of the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau, and Appenzell. And in France, starting from Chamonix, we ride the lift up to the Aiguille du Midi and hike the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc.

Europe's Neoclassical buildings of columns and domes, dramatic Romantic paintings depicting extreme emotions and nature; touring castles.

Lacy architecture and ethereal paintings by El Greco in Spain and Portugal; in Germany and Belgium, technologies enable Durer's mass-produced engravings, Jan van Eyck's oil paintings, Brueghel's peasants at play and the futuristic visions of Bosch.

The "rebirth" of Florence is powered by Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael and Michelangelo, whose David sculpture and painting of the Sistine takes the Florentine Renaissance to new heights.