Rick Steves' Most And Least Favorite Places In Europe

When it comes to travel destinations in Europe, Rick Steves is just about the undisputed master. He can tell you where you go, what to see, and when to make those flight reservations to experience each city at its peak. It stands to reason that, after spending so much of his life traveling the continent, he would have accumulated some favorite and not-so-favorite destinations. And since he's been gallivanting abroad since the 1960s, we're sure he's got quite a laundry list of disappointments — if only we could have a beer with him and get his real, unvarnished opinions.

Steves eagerly talks about the cities and sites he loves most, but it's a little harder to identify the places he's less fond of. After all, he's trying to sell Americans on the idea of traveling through Europe, and it doesn't necessarily help to be negative. Still, over the years, Steves has made more than a few comments that clue us in on what places he would recommend wholeheartedly and what cities he might suggest fledgling travelers skip — especially if they're on their first trip to Europe and want to focus on the greatest hits. Here we have both sides of the coin: Rick Steves' best and worst picks across Europe.

Decades ago, Bratislava would have been firmly on Rick Steves' "'don't even bother' list," a former Eastern Bloc relic with little pull for casual travelers. It certainly doesn't have the iconic sites that lure hundreds of thousands of tourists, as many of its Western counterparts boast. When Steves rattled off his lineup of best central European cities, he specifically called out Bratislava for being the opposite of that. However, this came with a caveat. He mentioned that, over the past few years, the city has undergone a significant revitalization, to the point that it's not a complete waste of time.

"I admit that Bratislava used to leave me cold," Steves wrote on his website, Rick Steves Europe. "Life has returned with a vengeance and Bratislava's old-town charm is on full display." He also referred to it as "inspiring" and "arguably the fastest-changing city in Europe." So, if you're looking for an unlikely tourist destination off the beaten path yet conveniently located just a short train ride away from Vienna, Bratislava might just be the one. Still, the Slovak capital hasn't always been a treasure for Rick Steves.

Belgium might be a tiny little country in Western Europe, but it has a champion in Rick Steves, who considers it one of the most underrated vacation destinations on the continent. Steves wrote on his website, "To me, Belgium remains one of Europe's best kept secrets." He's especially fond of Bruges, a European town with picturesque canals often referred to as the "Venice of the North." Beyond earning that nickname, Bruges holds a magic that makes it stand out.

With untold numbers of meandering side streets and hidden nooks, it may still be possible to find moments of peace and quiet in Bruges that have been lost to Europe's more congested travel destinations. Steves considers it "one of Europe's medieval gems, a wonderfully preserved town which expertly nurtures its tourist industry." And what makes it an especially great choice for an international tour is its convenience: Well connected by train and within easy distance of several other popular cities, Bruges is the perfect option for a one or two-day pit stop along the way.

Ireland is full of natural charms, but it also has more than its fair share of tourist traps looking to capitalize on the country's folksy reputation. Chief among them is Blarney Castle, a location in Cork mobbed with visitors intent on one extremely unsanitary task: kissing the famed Blarney Stone. Legend has it that those who kiss the stone — placed on the outside of the castle wall, requiring tourists to lean awkwardly upside down to lock lips with the rock — acquire what Rick Steves called the "gift of gab," a stereotypical hallmark of the Irish people. Those who flock to the castle might find themselves with an infectious disease rather than a sudden burst of charisma, but who are we to ruin the dream?

Well, bursting that particular bubble is not something Steves is afraid to do. He included the Blarney Stone in his list of the Top 10 European Tourist Traps and was not particularly inclined to hide his contempt for it. "The best thing about this lame sight is watching a cranky man lower lemming-like tourists over the edge, belly up and head back, to kiss the stone while an automated camera snaps a photo," Steves said. At the end of the day, he wrote poetically, "the stone is slathered with spit and lipstick." Not exactly the most appetizing prospect — even before COVID-19 made its mark on international travel, we can't imagine lining up to swap saliva with thousands of other tourists.

Most of Rick Steves' brand is dedicated to Western and Central Europe — he has dozens of tours that go through Italy, Germany, and France alone, and the bulk of his TV episodes detail sites to visit on that part of the continent. For that reason, it's something of a surprise that Istanbul, a city in Turkey on the eastern edge of Europe, would be one of his most cherished destinations. However, in a Facebook post, Steves listed Istanbul as one of Europe's four greatest cities to visit.

According to an article Steves wrote about Istanbul for his website, he fell in love with the city for its chaotic atmosphere and rough-around-the-edges charm during his first visit back in the 1970s. And although Istanbul has undeniably changed in the decades since then, he still considers it a must-visit. Steves is particularly drawn to its "Old World magic," calling it a "rich and rewarding" experience, especially for those who have already done the whole Western Europe circuit. It also happens to have a top-notch airport that offers tours specifically catering to travelers with long layovers, making it a perfect stopover on the way to elsewhere.

Rick Steves clearly loves many locations in Germany — the Black Forest just doesn't happen to be one of them. Despite its atmospheric name, it's not a particularly exciting region, and visitors may arrive expecting gothic eeriness and instead find, well, just a forest. Rick Steves included the Black Forest on his list of best and worst locations in Europe, claiming that "the average American visitor who's seen more than three trees in one place would prefer mountainous southern Bavaria, or the countryside around the Rhine and Mosel rivers."

In another article, Steves complimented the Black Forest on its mastery of the art of relaxation. It certainly has more than its fair share of spa towns and local hikes, primed and ready to help you disconnect. But it's clear from this faint praise that he believes many visitors, particularly those who have come from far afield, may consider it a bit of a let down. Rick Steves might not want you to skip it entirely — it does have all those famous cuckoo clocks that you can bring home with you as a perfect souvenir, after all — but he would probably recommend devoting the bulk of your time in Germany to other regions.

Who doesn't love Rome? It's often regarded as the perfect place to kick off an Italian vacation, after all. And Rick Steves is hardly alone in his admiration for the capital city of Italy, which is made clear by the massive footprint it has on his business — he has over a dozen tours that journey through Italy, many of which stop in Rome, and several episodes of his show extoll its virtues. In multiple posts on Facebook, he has praised Italy in general and claimed Rome in particular as one of his top four favorite cities in Europe, with seemingly endless positive things to say about it. Even the hordes of tourists — usually something Steves will try to avoid — haven't put him off of Rome.

Multiple time periods seem to exist within Rome all at once; however, its ancient history holds a particular fascination for Steves. He wrote in a travel article for his site, "For most of us, Rome is Caesar, gladiators, chariots, and thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Ancient Rome is the one we come to see." He recommended that first-timers make sure to visit its most famous historical landmarks, including the Colosseum and the Pantheon, as well as sampling all of the mouth-watering cuisine Rome has to offer.

Hold on to your bowler hats, everyone: This one's a little controversial. No, Rick Steves doesn't hate the United Kingdom, but it's clear that he regards it as a slightly boring entrypoint into international travel that quickly pales in comparison once a tourist has seen a little bit more of the world. "England, compared to anywhere else in Europe, is pretty dull," he argued in an interview with KCTS 9.

Although he claims London as one of his favorite cities and has lots of fond memories of certain areas in Northern England and Wales especially, he has a bone to pick with plenty of other parts of the U.K. From the southernmost portion of Scotland ("so boring that the Romans decided to block it off with Hadrian's Wall," according to Steves) to Southwestern England ("a minefield of tourist traps. The British are masters at milking every conceivable tourist attraction for all it's worth"), very few spots are safe from his critiques. Among the sites he regards with most derision in his anti-tourist trap article is Land's End in the otherwise gorgeous Cornwall, where he says "greedy businesses have chewed up whatever small bit of charm or authenticity this place might once have had."

Prague is without a doubt one of the most romantic cities in central Europe, and its charms don't seem to have been lost on Rick Steves. From its atmospheric Charles Bridge to the winding streets of Prague's Old Town, the entire city is a feast for the eyes. It's worth exploring first thing in the morning, when it's significantly less crowded than later in the day. (Especially in the summer — Prague isn't exactly central Europe's best-kept secret, and it can get plenty crowded around its most popular sites in the afternoons.)

Steves especially recommends Prague for those looking to dip a toe into the part of Europe formerly controlled by the Soviet Union, which limited its appeal as a tourist destination for many Americans until the collapse of the U.S.S.R. (Although Prague, with its immaculate medieval center, didn't seem to need the rebuilding era required of many other former Soviet bloc cities.) There's no end to the praise Steves has for the delightful Czech city, writing, "Its seamless marriage of evocative Old World charm and modern urban bustle makes Prague ideal for experiences beyond the typical sightseeing routine."

Switzerland is a beautiful country, there's no denying that. But it also has a few major cities that are much less charming than their small-town alpine counterparts, and Geneva features on Rick Steves' list of overrated destinations. He gave it his "'nice place to live but I wouldn't want to visit' award" on his website, largely because it just doesn't seem to have that much personality. And when you have strikingly picturesque alternatives like Bern and Luzern, it's hard to make the argument that you should give Geneva the time of day.

It's perhaps telling that in an article entirely devoted to Lake Geneva, he didn't dedicate a single word to the city it shares a name with. Steves sang the praises of Lausanne, Gruyeres, and Montreux, but nothing for poor old Geneva. There's nothing really wrong with Geneva; some travelers just see it as a slightly dull city without a strong identity, especially in comparison to the beauties of Switzerland that surround it. Sorry, Geneva — you seem like a nice enough place.

The Mosel may not have much name recognition — at least in comparison with Paris, London, and Rome — but Rick Steves recommends it because of its relaxing vibes. He has concluded that travelers often venture to Germany to see castles, historical towns, and impressive river landscapes. And while people tend to head to the Rhine for all of those things, they'll also find plenty of crowds there, along with a slightly less authentic atmosphere as a result.

But if you travel to the southwestern corner of Germany, you'll find the Mosel River Valley, an area much less populated and bespoiled by tourists. Without all the hustle and bustle, it gives visitors the experience they thought they would get from other, more famous parts of the country. Filled with vineyards producing world class wines and idyllic villages, this is the place to go for a little peace and quiet. It also extends into both France and Luxembourg, so it creates a perfect opportunity to check off a few more countries on your European list.

Rick Steves doesn't always wear his negative feelings on his sleeve, but when he does, chances are they're for Costa del Sol. This southern Spanish region is (as you may have guessed from the name) blessed with plenty of sunshine, and its position on the Mediterranean coast as a would-be beach destination makes it similar in many respects to the French Riviera. Steves, however, is less than impressed, calling it out for being one of "Europe's most overrated spots."

Both the crowds and the rampant commercialism they inspire make this far from a relaxing spot on the sand. In a piece about Europe's biggest tourist traps, Steves painted a picture of Costa del Sol during the summer that will be difficult to get out of your mind. With gleeful antagonism, he wrote, "Oblivious to the concrete, pollution, ridiculous prices, and traffic jams, tourists — looking for a change in weather but not a change in culture — lie on the beach like game hens on skewers — cooking, rolling, and sweating under the sun." This might be one destination to skip when booking your European beach vacation.

Rick Steves has long been on the record about how much he adores Norway, even suggesting that if he had to pick a European country to move to, he would go with the frosty Nordic land. This is partially due to a personal connection to the country — he has extended family in Norway, and it was actually the first country he ever visited in Europe back when he was a teenager in the 1960s. "I was a gangly 14–year–old, dragged to the old country by a conspiracy of grandparents and parents solely to visit strangers who happened to be Norwegian relatives," he reminisced in a piece he penned for the Chicago Tribune. "These days, I don't visit Norway just to read my family name on tombstones. The roots I seek are also cultural. It's stimulating to learn about different social systems (many of which confound Americans)."

But his Scandinavian ancestors aren't the only reason Steves has a fondness for the country. He's continually impressed by its landscapes, calling it "a land of intense beauty ... the most mountainous, most scenic, and most prosperous of all the Scandinavian countries" on his website. And considering how well Rick Steves has explored nearly every inch of the continent, he would know.