I have the distinct impression I am the only one who doesn't know the answer to this question but here goes-who is Rick Steves?Which is his web site?

www.ricksteves.com...his company is called "Europe Through the Back Door". <BR> <BR>lily

Hi All, I just want to add, that when I hear his theme music, I start to salivate like Pavlov's dog &lt;g&gt;...it gets me every time! Judy :-0

Judy, <BR> <BR>I can never resist the opportunity when it presents itself--did you know that Pavlov's dog is on display in the Museum of Hygeine in St. Petersburg (a fact I discovered from Time Out's Moscow Guide)?

I don't know about his books, but he's a great lover. I'd be happy to recommend him for that. His best recommendation for me was for an Asian restaurant called Lap Chow. Don't let the glasses and "Moe" hairdo fool you, he's a dynamo when it comes to all forms of "travel".

Marc, that is great travel info...and I wonder, is he stuffed? And why the Museum of Hygeine? Profound questions for the inquiring mind(like mine). <BR>See, and some people would say this is frivolous stuff.... not likely! <BR>Judy ;-)

Yes, Judy, the dog is stuffed (looks kind of happy, too). The Museum of Hygiene is really for children's groups; it illustrates dental care, cleanliness, and other things required to maintain good health.

Dear Marc David Miller Sir: <BR>I'm curious about the saliva. Any samples left? Would a DNA analysis find any similarity to Rick Steves? <BR>In an Investigative State of Mind, <BR>Dr. Betty

I like his shows on PBS and I use his books to help plan my trips, but I do not use his information exclusively. He has some great ideas, but misses out on some other things. I also don't take his hotel suggestions because I personally like big anonymous hotels rather than the small bed & breakfast type that he usually recommends.

We too have used Ricks books on two different 3 week tours. Regarding ages, it is amazing, when we first used his book we were 50, on our last trip my brother in law went who is 60. He may not have done some of the climbing where there were 100 stairs but he loved the walking tours as much as we did. The advantage is going at your own pace. Also, when our 21 year old daughter did a semester in Germany and toured most of Europe, she and her friends lived by Rick. So he does appeal to most ages. <BR> <BR>On the room side, he tends to be more frugal but does supply some 3*. We have found that the 3* are more than great and meet our price range. There was that 3* on the French Riviera that we could not get our husbands off the terrace over looking the Harbour, they loved it so much!! <BR>Keep in mind we still do other internet research, including this site and confirm opinions on accomodations with friends, other books, etc. in some cases. <BR>Rick provides the tools to plan independent travel, and gives you the cautions and confidence to carry it out.

My "main" travel book is always Lonely Planet (even in developed countries, where LP isn't generally as good as it is in the less-developed world). But I found Rick Steves' suggestions on Ireland really, really valuable last year. <BR> <BR>He lays out an EXTREMELY specific driving tour on the loop road around the Dingle Peninsula that was tremendously handy and much more detailed than I saw anywhere else -- and it's posted on his website, for free! <BR> <BR>In a similar vein, he gives specific suggestions for how to organize several days in Dublin. I didn't follow them exactly, but they did help me figure out logistics.

Hello. As regards Rick, I've very much enjoyed both his videos and guidebooks on Europe. His easy-going manner is appealing, and the fact that he's able to laugh at himself is part of his charm.<BR><BR>As a long-time traveler to Ireland, however, I can say that his recent guide to Ireland - while imformative and entertaining - has many important shortcomings. The book is not at all comprehensive, and I'd strongly suggest that should you plan a trip to Ireland, you should be sure to consult other guides, such as Fodor's, the Rough Guide, Michelin, or the very underrated Footprint (based in England), before setting out. <BR><BR>While I'm generally in agreement with Rick's picks as regards sights to see, I'm less than enthusiastic about his lodging and restaurant choices. He tends to emphasize budget-oriented lodging, often at the expense of comfort. That was fine when I was in my early-20s, but life is too short not to enjoy a few creature comforts, such as en-suite rooms and noise-free surroundings.<BR><BR>Still, I'm currently planning a trip to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and have just finished Rick's guide on these countries. While I enjoyed it, I won't limit myself to Rick's picks.

I really do not like him. Think he is very annoying. He picks are OK. His books are geared to the 45+ crowd. No one I know uses or likes his books. And we all find his show like fingers on a black board. <BR><BR>Much rather travel with Time Out (Yeah!), Rough Guide, and the eyewitness guide.

I don't read or use his books at all, but I think his videos are produced very well and are especially good for arm chair travelers. His videos are so much better than most other videos.<BR><BR>lynlor

I'm an origional RS groupie. His tv Shows really did alot for getting me interested in travel about 15 years ago. Seven years ago I went on his tour of Britian and Rick was actually on the tour with us! He was recognized everywhere we went with people yelling his name like he was a rock star or something. He actually ran around constantly checking hotel prices and looking at rooms and confirming opening/ closing times. His books are easy to read and humourous as well. The most current books have actual maps now as well as the hand drawn ones. I also did a France tour with his company but wasn't as pleased. I find,with tours so much depends on the guide. One of the things I really liked about his tours is that he only take half the capacity of the bus so there is plenty of room for everyone to spread out. On the Britain trip, I got quite sick with a respatory infection and he must have given me a gallon of orange juice (when we still thought it was a cold), arrainged for me to have a private room at no additional cost and encouraged me to see a doctor and get antibiotics. I was really impressed by his caring attitude and he really tried hard to give us the best experience possibe.<BR>I too used his book to drive the dingle pennisula and found sights I would have found no other way. I am currently planning a month long trip to Italy using his book along with others. The best thing about his books is the &quot;how to's&quot;. By that I mean he tells you what stop to get off at,then to face left, go one block and look to your right where you will see a flight of stairs, descend and straight ahead of you you will see the ticket counter. Other books can tell you all about a place but none tell you how to make tavel connections or to find a particular place like Rick Steves' do.

Rick Steves is great to start out with, and Mona winks is invaluable while visiting museums. But he is way too cheesy and his PBS show makes me cringe sometimes. And his complete lack of suggestions for budget accommodations in Central London is appalling.

I'm reading Rick Steves' Germany, Austria and Switzerland. <BR>Any sights/places that are over- or under-stated in this book?

Like any guidebooks, travel experts, RS has his target audience, his strengths, his weaknesses. In 40 years of travel, I've never found the Holy Grail of travel guides. I always take a Michelin Green as it gives good detail (accurate) on individual sights, but for overall planning and guidance, I take information from several different sources and put together my own guide.

I don't like Rick Steves guidebooks very much. It's not as much a guidebook as his own travelogue--&quot;These are the places I liked. You should go there too.&quot; In his Italy book, he misses out on many of my favorite places in Italy, which is a real shame. He barely touches on the south, which, in some ways, is the heart of Italy. I guess if you are the type of person who just wants to have a scheduled itinerary, a list of places that you must go, it's an okay guidebook. But if you want any freedom, I don't think he offers much.

Hi,<BR> We love Rick Steves. We have many of his books and videos. We have followed his advise in 1999 and 2001 when we went to Europe. I find him sensible and reliable. We are going to Spain and Portugal in Sept. and we have his Spain/Portugal 2003 guide that we are using. He hasnt disappointed me yet.