Italy was beautiful. We hired a taxi cab driver who became our uncle for the day. He was awesome

We went to Perugia last year, and found a restaurant on our street, pretty hole-in-the-wall type of place. So we go in there, ask for a menu. The old dude (who's like the main waiter and probably the owner as well) says «menu? io sono il menu» (I am the menu). So we sit down, without a menu, and no idea of the price. He starts brigning us (and everyone) piatti after piatti after piatti, everybody eats the same thing. Then the waitress and some clients take turns on the piano, singing for everyone. All of the patrons sing along. It is MAGICAL. The music is so great (especially with vaulted ceilings) that the middle0aged guy sitting next to us is crying his eyes out. The food, of course, is delicious, and he keeps serving us house wine in a pitcher. He tops it off with some grappa at the end. Mind you, we are beyond full and a little drunk, and I'm dreading the pricetag at that point. As we line up to pay, I hear someone say «50». I'm like «man, 50 euros per person for this? that's a bargain». Turns out, it was 50 euros FOR TWO PEOPLE. Taxes and tip included. Completely crazy. We probably tipped 30% and they couldn't believe and couldn't stop thanking us. We shook everyone's hands, thanking them for a great evening. That, right here, is Italy.

Italian here, I should say that this presentation is very accurate. Listen to Rick and came to visit!

Italy, France, Spain & Portugal are 4 of my favourite European countries, so too, for my nearest & dearest. These countries, for the most part, possess the richest, most interesting history, respective cultures, the best scenery, weather, people & the list goes on & on. Many talk about NW & Northern Europe, but in all honesty, as much as i also love & appreciate NW & Northern Europe, so too, Central & Eastern Europe etc;, my preference is Southern Europe. For eg; Rome's history & historical architecture. so too, its remaining historical/ancient ruins are simply mind blowing! It's hard to believe, that such ruins can still be seen in local streets as you walk around. Pompeii's very interesting and the Southern Italian islands are simply stunning & you'll meet countless friendly & welcoming locals. You'll also be treated to superb local cuisine & much of it, home made, if you know exactly where to look. Almost always in the back streets, or where many would never think to go. Those adorable & cosy, wee family run establishments. Many will even make you feel like extended family & not just feel like the mere tourist. Southern Europe is sometimes ignored & is often underrated & this should never be so. Thanks for sharing this talk, because it's very interesting & informative. Rick Steves really helps us all, to better understand & appreciate human diversity, but equally, human similarity everywhere, within this world in which we all live.

Love Rick! I watched him as a child and now as an adult. He implanted a joy of travel, curiosity, history and authenticity of a favorite family member. He’s a living legend and the salt of the earth caliber of human. Thank you Steve times infinity!

There are so many travel vlogs or whatever but Rick Steves gets it right. He's knowledgeable and respectful of the country he's talking about and it's not about HIM. It's about the country.

Italian here. Watched 15 minutes. Rick knows Italy well and his advice is sound and solid. Great video!

I spent more than two hours watching this... and I am Italian

Thank you Rick for your presentation of my Italia... Who wants to come in Italy is welcome... So I think my country is beautiful but has also many imperfections that we try to solve. Thank you so much.

Went there twice, in the North, and Italians were simply amazing. The rest (architecture, history, you name it) is just as stunning.

I think Rick Steves just expressed everything I think. I'm watching the food part. I absolutely agree with him on how to choose restaurants, etc. I am not American; I am a Brit who only discovered the joys of Italy a couple of years ago. Walking around, I stumbled on Trastevere. I had no idea that Raphael had worked on the Villa Farnesina there. It is full of restaurants but right next to fancy ones for the tourists you can find cheap ones. Always look for cheap ones, preferably with no English menus. I have been back to Rome twice, and soon will be going to Florence. Avoid cars. Walk or use public transport. Avoid the summer.

I was lucky. I got to visit Rome in the mid 1980's, before it was as crowded. We also went for the Christmas holiday, as opposed to the height of tourist season, so we breezed in and out of all the iconic sights. That said, what I treasure most is the memories of knocking around in my dad's hometown, further south on the coast, and time spent just wandering in the Italy most Italians actually live in, or car rides with my brother in the surrounding hills. Lots of WWII history in those places.

Huh, this is funny, bec i recall our old neighbour, who was also Norwegian, as Rick Steves ancestry is, sharing with my family & i, that his favourite European country was also Italy, just as Rick states. I also worked with a Norwegian lady many years ago & she too, really loved Spain & Italy. I guess they come from colder, darker climatic conditions & with the South being much sunnier/warmer, so too, possesses such incredibly rich art, history & architecture, combined with great, tasty food, plus the added Southern scenery, both inland & coastal & it's easy to see why they may feel as they did/do.

Rick Steves! You are the man that ignited my desire to travel. I've been traveling with great enjoyment and desire for 8 years now, and now I feel like a citizen of the world and its people. Thank you.

Lived in Italy and in town during strikes the hop on hop off busses still run and got me where I needed to go when local bus strikes

I went to Rome in 2018 - LOVED it. We ate in the small local deli’s down side streets as often as possible. Ate in a small town near Florence - OMG - the best food we could imagine. We had a lot of fun and met a lot of locals. I’d go back in a heart beat!

I stumbled across this video 2 years ago and decided to go to Europe for 3 months. Spent 2 weeks in Italy and Naples was my favorite. Florence second favorite

I live in Italy and I tell friends the same. You just need to go with it and enjoy the ride. Well said Sir!

Beautiful City! I feel proud of Italy! Love from India 🇮🇳

I visited the Cinque Terre in late May and it was lovely; my favorite place I visited in Italy. I hiked from Monterroso Al Mare to Vernazza just before sunset. I’m told this is the most difficult hike. The beginning was a bit difficult, but the view was spectacular and I had the trail almost totally to myself. I watched the sunset at Vernazza’s Harbor and bought wine and truffles for next to nothing. I was so pleasantly surprised by Manarola, but I didn’t get to two of the towns, so I have to go back. I loved it. ❤️

02:45 Train + driving tips 11:40 Pickpockets 12:42 Dining 21:58 30:38 Cruising 43:17 Northern Italy 44:03 Cinque Terre 45:57 Vernazza 54:43 Bellagio 55:05 Milan 1:03 Venice Florence Tuscany and Umbria Montalcino 2:04:00 Assisi 2:06:10 Rome

I gotta give him credit for his excellent speaking abilitys

Absolutely loved listening to Rick’s take on Italy! As an American expat in Tuscany, l completely agree👏👏 also Vernazza (Cinque Terre) is my favorite, we would arrive every summer by sailboat, anchor and swim and explore the little town, eat up at the “castle” looking down at the sea🤩SPECTACULAR!! Another place that should be seen is Lucca, completely closed inside it’s Beautiful Walls!! Really worth it👍

Still one of the best travel channels around! Thanks, Rick!

Da viaggiatore e da italiano un Grazie grandissimo Rick. Hai parlato dell'Italia come mai l'Ente del Turismo Italiano ha fatto.

It's because of you I traveled to Italy and Spain 2004 and 2008

You are talkatively amazing. Am never tired of listening to your endless narration and interesting topics. I just feel hungry when you showed those mouthwatering Italian food. Grrrrr.....

I live in Canada at the moment, but I am so lucky my home country is so close to Italy. Will visit it at least 3 times a year, when I return.

My favorite country in Europe too. I love Italy.

I'm delighted to have achieved my dream -- dual Italian/American citizenship AND an Italian passport! My daughter just got hers, too, and next is my grandson. We love being in Italy, as we have many friends and family here. (In fact, I'm in Italy as I write this.) Your recommendations are spot-on. I've always been disappointed in the tourist-oriented restaurants... bad service, mediocre food, and a disdain for Americans. My suggestion is to ask your hotel concierge where they go to eat... and don't let them steer you to the tourist places. Ask where they send their friends because that's where you'll find the real Italy.

Switzerland is my favourite country but Italy is a very very close 2nd. Amazing to visit!

I love Italy very nice place to life

Sienna one of my favorite cities, a first cousin stayed in a former nuns convent while she attended Sienna university within the city center, doorway intrance very short, I hit my head a couple times.

Italy and Spain are my favorite places in the world 🌎 that I have been to outside of the U.S. the people, the food, the culture! Gimmie all of it!

What an incredible understated speaker and salesperson.

Hi Rick...Such down to earth advice thank you ! Having lived in France for 40 years,Paris,Normandy and Nice and of course fluent in French a lot of this talk brings a smile to my face as many travellers or tourists complain all the time but common sense planning and going with the flow and then unexpected adventures and discoveries are yours. So an old Brit used to strikes in France is now ready to get back to Italy and to be one of those 'Italians' in a picture at the beginning of this super talk ! Grazie mille !

Rick, family, and guide team, your untainted talk, in-depth insight, and insane passion are truly a treasure... I can't wait to travel again. Thank you Sir!

Venice is quiet after the tourists have left. At 6 pm, it is relaxing

Thanks, Rick Steves. You gave me another opportunity to travel and see the world in the comfort of my tiny apartment. I love travelling with you and the food was heavenly. Grazie mille, Signori 👍🏼

Steve is elite human being

25 minutes in - fantastic information! Waiting to watch the rest with Hubby 🥰🤯

He's such a dork, but we love his knowledge.

Rick Steves Thank you so so much for imparting your knowledge and experience of traveling for the novice. It is a delight to see & hear (and almost taste & smell & feel) in your brilliant deliver & articulation of travel advice for those who are super keen to get off the beaten tracks & find hidden treasures of the likes of alley ways etc.. You have my heart & mind all a flutter as iam planning a solo trip of a life time for my 50th birthday to Italy (Trieste is top of the list to visit with my father's sister & her family after 11 years of his passing... too much time has been wasted but this year 2018 is the right time) also Spain France possibly Germany (my mother's heritage) and India (however there is something completely not so travel related that i will embark on there).. I will purchase your informative books & study your insights (like its my new job) to ensure I am prepared for all manner of adventures. Can't thank you enough for all you are sharing from history, culture, food, accommodation, getting from place to place and so much more & how to take advantage of thinking outside the usual traveler's paths.. Thoroughly enjoy watching reading & listening to all your travel trips, hacks, where to, how to, what to, do see & be as a visitor in amazing parts of this great earth.. So grateful for all your assistance even though you probably wouldn't know how much you are helping make a life plan come to fruition.. Thanks again.. 😁😁

Hi Rick, lovely talks about Italy. As an off-subject aside, Austria did not start "WWI". It was rather provoked into war by the entities who were behind the murderer of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. WWI and WWII were two stages to destroy the German Empire, a project that was concocted already in 1871 when Otto von Bismarck unified the German states into one empire by defeating the French. Nevertheless I love Italy and Süd Tirol (Alto Adige). I've been to Merano on my way back from Emilia-Romagna where we spent 4 nights at a lovely Agroturismo farm just outside Ravenna. From there we visited Bologna, Florence, and Venice. I never travel in groups, I think that's quite degrading. I've always booked my own lodging at Chambres d'Hôtes, farms, or country estates in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Cheers.

I have been watching your informative videos since college days. Thank you, sir.

Love your show, get to know the nice countries, places, culture, foods n people etc...thank you!

A small tip: try to go all the way South, to Messina, Taranto, Vieste, Alberobello, Bari, Brindisi.

Love Italy, just be more cautious though. 👍💕😎

Thank you for posting this video, I appreciate it. I love Rick Steve's travel shows they are informative, entertaining and fun I so enjoy his shows. Be safe healthy and happy Jesus Christ loves you ❤️ God bless you. If your traveling safe happy travels bon Appetit. Fun fun fun

Thanks for all the explanation!

I think that jacket of Steve's is the same one since he started the series. Thats how he can afford all that expensive wine

When the history of politics & govt Rome italy is a legend.

Awesome content ! Really loved the images ! I wish I'll be able to get here one day

Wish I could go back to visit new places and known ones like Volterra and Assisi, Perugia, Montepulciano, Cinque Terre... 😊

What would we happy travelers do without Rick... bar bar bar :)

Great job, Rick!

:) You are so funny and give smart tips!

Thanks so much for posting :)

Thanks for your your knowledge. I look forward to seeing it all in September.

Thankful to you. I have learnt from you so much. You have inspired so many times and Thank you for all the work that you have done.

Yes , i agree. If you want perfection , you go in Denmark , if you want beauty you come to Italy. Because beauty is not perfection.

fantastic talk-loved the bits about the cruises. made me aware of when to schedule time in cruise-frequented locations. thank you for your hard work!

30 seconds in; yep, my thoughts exactly on Italy. - And yes, definitely more of a Denmark - or even more: Norway - kinda person. That being said, however, I really, really, really liked Florence, San Gimignano and Siena. But it was March. And I was there for museums and architecture and looking around. By foot (except for getting from one town to the next). On a budget. - Was great though.

I really like your content :) Keep it up!:)

Thanks!

Rick is a Phil Lesh look-alike, it's amazing. Especially when he was younger, with the reddish hair and beard.

Hi I love your channel. I watched all of your movies. It's one of a kind that no one has it, but it stands out the crowd. The way you speak is friendly and nice. Hope you and your family have a great health to produce more videos in the coming days.

Great content ✌️

Thank you!

Where was the hotel travelers share their experience? So cool

Great video buddy, keep up the good work

Good info action Nick.on travelling in Itly.

Great video Rick

Ravenna is not in Veneto, it’s in Emilia Romagna

Awesome video

This is incredible!

Italy n.1!

I liked this. 💕

your vid makes me want to be a tour guide!!

Great tips

I,m from northern Italy it true what he said people don’t visit often it overlooked

Awesome work! New to KZfaq. Would love some tips!

This is absolutely awesome content. What i have not heard however is if your are traveling during peak season months you better bring a few water bottles and be hydrated. Heat stroke is no joke and they insert a rectal thermometer into your rectum where you lay with no privacy. I have seen it happen and it is not pleasant.

"When you find a cheese festival in the countryside of Italy, Stop your car. Get out. Eat some cheese."

love love love

this is better than watching netflix

what is the name of the Trattoria with the HUGE Bistecca Fiorentina cuts @20:07 please? I am a huge fan of no frills trattorie. Ma favourite one up till now had to be Trattoria Dall'Oste right next to SMN

Italy ❤️

This guy is not sending you in Sicily and Sardinia... marvellous islands with stunning blue seas and white beaches...

Actually, Italy center of Risorgimento is Turin, where the country was born. Not Milan.

You're my hero Rick !

Being from the U.S. and calling Italy rough and tumble is wild lol.

Nice..Subscribed...

is there another link for a PDF for this talk available?

I m living in Macau I like your vidio so beautiful and amazing

Calling the Mediterranean sea "Lake" is a crime here in Italy ehehehe

Suggestions on best company/website to pre-book coliseum and pantheon tickets?

❤ Steve's from India

Rome was brutal for me. I've been to lots of places across Europe and I've never been treated so rudely before. Maybe I was doing something wrong but I did not feel welcome at all. I slipped and fell, hit my head hard on the steps of Pantheon and the tourists came rushing to my help and my daughter said the guards just stood there. The only people who were nice were people at the hospital. If there was a tourist in my town spending their money in my city I would not just ignore them and walk away if they came up to me to ask a question or whatever. I could deal with the heat, the crowds, graffiti, etc. but unfortunately the people just ruined it for me.

Best Italian small tours that include Naples?