What do you think?
Rate this book
Rick Steves European Festivals
It's party time in Europe! Bestselling author Rick Steves explores the best festivals in Europe, from the Running of the Bulls in Spain to Carnival in Venice.
There will be no museums! And no art galleries! Just Europeans having lots of fun. Across Europe, festival traditions go back centuries and are filled with time honored pageantry and ritual. Entire communities hurl themselves with abandon into the craziness. We'll careen all over the Palio horse races in Siena, the Highland games near Edinburgh, the colorful masquerade of Carnival in Venice, Slovenia, and Luzern, Easter festivities in Andalucía, Tuscany, and Greece, the springtime April Fair in Sevilla, Bastille Day in Paris, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Oktoberfest in Munich, and Christmas markets and traditions in Nurnberg and Switzerland.
With fascinating insights, rich history, and vivid photos, this great gift book captures the spirit of Europe's rich and fun-loving heritage. Hang on to your party hats!
There will be no museums! And no art galleries! Just Europeans having lots of fun. Across Europe, festival traditions go back centuries and are filled with time honored pageantry and ritual. Entire communities hurl themselves with abandon into the craziness. We'll careen all over the Palio horse races in Siena, the Highland games near Edinburgh, the colorful masquerade of Carnival in Venice, Slovenia, and Luzern, Easter festivities in Andalucía, Tuscany, and Greece, the springtime April Fair in Sevilla, Bastille Day in Paris, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Oktoberfest in Munich, and Christmas markets and traditions in Nurnberg and Switzerland.
With fascinating insights, rich history, and vivid photos, this great gift book captures the spirit of Europe's rich and fun-loving heritage. Hang on to your party hats!
- GenresTravel
248 pages, Paperback
Published November 14, 2017
14 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Rick Steves
563 books700 followersRick Steves is an American travel writer, television personality, and activist known for encouraging meaningful travel that emphasizes cultural immersion and thoughtful global citizenship. Born in California and raised in Edmonds, Washington, he began traveling in his teens, inspired by a family trip to Europe. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in European history and business, Steves started teaching travel classes, which led to his first guidebook, Europe Through the Back Door, self-published in 1980.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 20, 2021
Rick Steves is knowledgeable, that much is true, but the way he comes off it's more of his favorites than rather all of Europe; for example Norway isn't the only one who celebrates St. Lucia as Sweden celebrates it just as much based off of other episodes from him and other travelers.
There are other celebrations that are celebrated, from little known ones in Estonia, Romania, Switzerland, etc, to some well known (Carnival, Oktoberfest, Bastille, Feast Days) but [all] are overshadowed by these "well-known ones" in certain cities that have been highlighted instead. If it's a really good one or original, it's understandable to a degree, but sometimes other places in Germany have amazing celebrations for Oktoberfest, or villages celebrating Bastille in France and it would be greatly appreciated as it almost shows that he's found the "best" and not just a tourist spot "original". For example New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras, but so is Mobile, Alabama and needs to be noted for that as well since it was the first organized one.
It's good, but at the same time I have found him to be borderline touristy now compared to his older shows and more so when compared to some of his contemporaries (Joseph Rosendo and Richard Bang primarily).
There are other celebrations that are celebrated, from little known ones in Estonia, Romania, Switzerland, etc, to some well known (Carnival, Oktoberfest, Bastille, Feast Days) but [all] are overshadowed by these "well-known ones" in certain cities that have been highlighted instead. If it's a really good one or original, it's understandable to a degree, but sometimes other places in Germany have amazing celebrations for Oktoberfest, or villages celebrating Bastille in France and it would be greatly appreciated as it almost shows that he's found the "best" and not just a tourist spot "original". For example New Orleans is known for Mardi Gras, but so is Mobile, Alabama and needs to be noted for that as well since it was the first organized one.
It's good, but at the same time I have found him to be borderline touristy now compared to his older shows and more so when compared to some of his contemporaries (Joseph Rosendo and Richard Bang primarily).
Displaying 1 of 1 review