6.3/1017 votes#1 - Portugal's Heartland
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/3/2000
Leaving Lisbon for the countryside, we eat barnacles in a salty old fishing town, march with pilgrims on the anniversary of a miracle, ponder the local Romeo and Juliet, sample university life, and rummage through the riches of Portugal's Golden Age.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1011 votes#2 - Paris: Grand and Intimate
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/10/2000
After marveling at masterpieces in the Louvre and strolling the Champs-Elysees, we explore a delightful Parisian neighborhood. We meet a pipe organist, drop by a butcher shop, design our own perfume, and cruise the Seine.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/1014 votes#3 - South England: Dover to Land's End
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/17/2000
From the white cliffs of Dover to Land's End, we ponder Roman, Norman, and Nazi invasions. After exploring Admiral Nelson's flagship, we chase wild ponies across the moors and discover an ancient stone circle. For refreshment, it's cream tea and Cornish pasties.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/1011 votes#4 - Heart of England and South Wales
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 9/24/2000
After King Arthur country at Glastonbury, we go back in time to prehistoric Stonehenge. We sample hard apple cider in Wells, meet an eccentric lord in the Cotswolds, and visit an evocative ruined abbey in South Wales.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/1011 votes#5 - Caesar's Rome
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/1/2000
Rome welcomes the new millennium spiffed up as never before. We tour Rome's ancient sights from the Forum and Colosseum to the glorious Pantheon. Then, after hiking the Appian Way and exploring the catacombs, we track down the best gelato in Rome.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1016 votes#6 - Germany's Black Forest and Cologne
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/8/2000
Rick teams up with his wife and kids to enjoy the good life, dipping into a classy mineral spa, trying our luck at a fancy casino, devouring chocolate-cherry cake, and exploring Germany's most romantic forest.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1014 votes#7 - Scotland's Islands and Highlands
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/15/2000
In Scotland, legends of Bonnie Prince Charlie swirl with pipers and kilts around crumbling castles. After tossing a caber (log) at a Scottish clan gathering, we remember Highland massacres. We play hide-and-seek with the Loch Ness Monster, tour a whiskey distillery, and take a ferry to sacred Iona.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/109 votes#8 - Surprising Bulgaria
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 10/22/2000
Bulgaria is a time warp of old and new — from chic shops in the city to donkey cars in the country. We hike to a mountain monastery, meet two sculptors (dad does Stalin, son does nudes), and enjoy a traditional dinner feast at a local home.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/109 votes#9 - Rome: Baroque, After Dark
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 10/29/2000
After a pilgrimage to Michelangelo's Pieta, we climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica. We seek out tucked-away Renaissance paintings and a cleverly-painted false dome. At the Borghese Gallery, it's exquisite sculptures by the master of marble, Bernini. Then we join the locals on an after-dark stroll, lacing together Rome's Baroque and bubbly nightspots.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/107 votes#10 - Eastern Turkey
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/5/2000
After a Mount Ararat sunrise, we visit Abraham's 4000-year-old home town, tour one of the world's biggest dams, cheer on grease wrestlers, meet the gods atop Mount Nemrut, and dance with new friends in a village.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/1010 votes#11 - London: Royal and Rambunctious
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/12/2000
We whisper secrets across the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral and eat our way through Soho. Then we check out the treasures of the new British Library, roll with the drums at the Changing of the Guard, and cruise the Thames to Kew Gardens.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votes#12 - Slovenia and Croatia
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 11/19/2000
We discover that Dubrovnik is still the "jewel of the Adriatic" while nearby villages decorate their dreamy archipelago with small-town Venetian charm. Ljubljana is like Salzburg without tourists. The Julian Alps glisten with pristine lakes as Lipizzaner stallions are eager to strut their stuff.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1012 votes#13 - The Best of Sicily
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 11/26/2000
After going fishing for anchovies off Cefalu, we land in rough-and-tumble Palermo. Marveling at the eerie skeletons in a Cappuccin crypt, airy mosaics of Monreale, enchanting ruins of Segesta, and the fiery rim of Mount Etna, we enjoy the best of Sicily.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1012 votes#14 - Travel Skills Special (1)
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/3/2000
Beautifully filmed on location, this 3-part, 90-minute special distills Rick's 25 years of travel experience into practical tips on: planning a trip, overcoming the language barrier, getting around, finding accommodations, staying safe, and more. In this first of three shows covering travel skills, we'll visit the Netherlands and Germany to learn about transportation by train and car within Europe, changing money, and settling in upon arrival. How well you're able to enjoy the delights of Europe depends upon how well you plan and how skillfully you travel.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/1011 votes#15 - Travel Skills Special (2)
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 12/10/2000
Beautifully filmed on location, this 3-part, 90-minute special distills Rick's 25 years of travel experience into practical tips on: planning a trip, overcoming the language barrier, getting around, finding accommodations, staying safe, and more. In this second of three shows focusing on travel skills, we'll visit Venice, Siena, and the Cinque Terre in Italy to learn about trip planning, packing, safety, and — perhaps the most rewarding skill of all — connecting with the locals. Going beyond the sights, Rick shares some practical tips to help make European travel fun and hassle-free.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.8/1010 votes#16 - Travel Skills Special (3)
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 12/17/2000
Beautifully filmed on location, this 3-part, 90-minute special distills Rick's 25 years of travel experience into practical tips on: planning a trip, overcoming the language barrier, getting around, finding accommodations, staying safe, and more. In this third of three shows focusing on travel skills, we'll visit the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London while covering tips for finding the best accommodations, getting around in big cities, and enjoying Europe's cuisine. This information is key to making the most of your travel time and, if you're on a budget, can help you cut the cost of your travels in half.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Rick Steves' Europe Season 1
Every episode of Rick Steves' Europe Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Rick Steves' Europe Season 1!
Rick Steves, America's leading authority on European travel, returns to transport viewers to the continent's bustling cities, quaint villages and picturesque countryside.
Genre:Documentary
Network:PBS
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Portugal's Heartland" is the best rated episode of "Rick Steves' Europe" season 1. It scored 6.3/10 based on 17 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 9/3/2000. This episode is rated 1.0 points higher than the second-best, "Paris: Grand and Intimate".