With pilgrimages, the point is to go beyond tourism and connect more deeply with a place, a culture or a faith. Rick Steves shares several favorites.
Author: Rick Steves, Special to USA TODAY
Going to Ireland in 2020? Here’s what you need to know before you go
Ireland is an isle filled with cultural and historic wonders … and lately with lots of tourists, too, prompting many sites to require reservations.
Booming Belfast: See how Northern Irish capital went from Titanic to Troubles to ‘Thrones’
There’s much more to the booming Northern Irish capital than the Titanic and the Troubles. See why you should consider a day trip from Dublin.
Defend yourself against 21st-century travel scams: Tips from Rick Steves
Be skeptical of fake officials, selfie-taking tourists behind you at the ATM and Airbnb hosts demanding wire transfers, warns Rick Steves.
Tomar: The quiet, historic Portuguese town the tourists haven’t discovered yet
Set under a historic fortress, Tomar is a place with lots of local ambience, yet remarkably untouristed – and well worth a stop.
Lesser-known bones: Rick Steves’ guide to Europe’s most offbeat crypts and cemeteries
Paris’ Père Lachaise – final resting place of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde – isn’t Europe’s only must-see cemetery. Rick Steves suggest a few more.
Why you should take the stairs at the Eiffel Tower, the Reichstag and Italy’s cathedrals
From church domes to bell towers, fanciful rooftops to sky-piercing monuments, Europe is full of climbable structures.
European royalty’s most over-the-top summer retreats, from Versailles to Neuschwanstein
From France’s Versailles to Portugal’s Pena Palace, the best royal retreats provide insight into the dynamic, often quirky monarchs who built them.
Rick Steves: The majestic Isle of Skye is home to Scotland’s most dramatic scenery
Among Scotland’s countless islands, the favorite among travelers is the Isle of Skye, where mountain roads weave among grassy slopes and rocky ridges.