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Rick Steves

Rick Steves is an American travel writer, host of travel shows on PBS and NPR. Both his books and television shows deal with travel only in Europe and are directed at an American audience. He has published numerous books, some of them bestsellers, and is a contributing writer for ABCNews.com.

Rick Steves advocates smart independent travel. As host, writer and producer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe and best-selling author of 30 European travel books, he encourages Americans to delve deep into Europe and become “temporary locals.” His readers and viewers not only discover major cities, but also cozy villages away from tourist-trampled routes. He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe — and Europeans — for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.

Despite many Americans' fears about international travel since the attacks on 9/11, Rick's television series, guidebooks, and his company's European bus tours continue to attract loyal “Rickniks” and a growing stream of new devotees.

Over the past 15 years, Rick has hosted nearly 100 travel shows for public television (most still airing in rebroadcasts) and numerous pledge specials. Rick's relationship with public television began with his first series, Travels In Europe With Rick Steves. Since then, he has become one of public television's top pledge drive hosts, raising millions of dollars annually for stations across the U.S. His current Rick Steves' Europe TV series has grown to 43 half-hour shows carried by 312 public television stations annually, reaching 95 percent of U.S. markets. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his company, Back Door Productions.

Rick recently launched a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. Focusing on world travel, each program has a guest travel expert for interviews, followed by call-ins with questions and comments.

Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door, in 1980. He has also written twelve country guidebooks, nine city and regional guides, six phrase books, and co-authored Europe 101: History and Art for Travelers. His Italy guidebook is the bestselling international guidebook in the U.S. In 1999, he tackled a new genre of travel writing with his anecdotal Postcards from Europe, recounting his favorite moments from 25 years of travel. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel Publishing.

In addition to his guidebooks, Rick also pens columns for newspapers and magazines and is a contributing writer for ABCNews.com. He appears frequently on television, radio, and the Internet as the leading authority on independent European travel.

Personal

Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started a business called Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), which has since grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of 60 full-time employees. ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, website (www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide, and free travel newsletters. ETBD also runs a successful European tour program with 300 departures — attracting over 6,000 travelers — annually.

A March 14, 2006 article in The Seattle Times revealed that Rick is a card-carrying member or NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and has given the keynote speech at one of the organization's annual conferences. Rick admitted to occasionally smoking Marijuana in small amounts, but his busy schedule keeps such occasions to a minimum.

Rick Steves is married and has 2 children.

External links

• Rick Steves' web page
• Rick Steves on ABCNews.com