You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when planning a Grand Tour of Europe. In this guide, Rick covers the best of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.

You'll find a healthy mix of big cities, small towns, and exciting regions, including:

London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Prague, and BarcelonaRothenberg, Siena, Toledo, Hallstatt, and GimmelwaldProvence, the French Riviera, the Romantic Road, the Berner Oberland, and the Cinque Terre
Rick's candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants. You'll learn how to find the right bus in Rome, an inexpensive crêpe in Paris, and which museums and sights are worth your time and money. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

Since 1973, Rick has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 20,000 travelers to Europe annually. He does all of this with the help of a hardworking, well-traveled staff of 100 at Rick Steves' Europe in Edmonds, Washington, near Seattle. When not on the road, Rick is active in his church and with advocacy groups focused on economic justice, drug policy reform, and ending hunger. To recharge, Rick plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade Mountains, and spends time with his partner Trish, son Andy, and daughter Jackie.