Hi from Rick: Have It Your Way
It's 7:45 a.m. and you're perched on a wicker chair at a café that clings above the bustling Grand Canal. A flat-top boat drops off the day's bouquets to the flower shop next door, and fresh towels are delivered by handcart to the hotel across the water…Venice is waking up all around you. As you nuzzle your upper lip into the froth of your cappuccino, you ask yourself: What should I do today?
Head to St. Mark's Basilica, where the mystery of ancient Byzantium whispers through gilded mosaics? Ride a vaporetto out to Murano to wander rows of pastel houses and stumble upon glassblowing workshops? Or maybe just let Venice lead the way as you meander into quiet back alleys and sleepy campos, snacking on cicchetti at hole-in-the-wall bars while losing yourself in the far reaches of the island city?
Travel is filled with decisions. If you love making them, our guidebooks are the perfect tool: They equip you with all the tips, recommendations, and strategies you need to know to plan your trip like a pro…even if you're a novice. Or do you prefer to leave decision-making to an expert? Just sign up for one of our fully guided tours, and we'll take care of the rest — choosing the very best guides, accommodations, sights, meals, experiences, and more.
And then there are those "Goldilocks" travelers, who want the pros but not the cons of both independent travel and joining a guided bus tour. That's why we offer My Way® vacations, a cost-friendly way to experience Europe that strikes a balance between structure and freedom.
On a My Way tour, we give you an unbeatable itinerary, comfortable rooms in centrally located hotels, and transportation from city to city (on a comfy and uncrowded tour bus). You choose how to spend your time (and your money) in each place. While My Ways are not fully guided, they still feature an onboard manager, there to offer expert advice and answer your questions. Then, once you've arrived, you're on your own to enjoy Europe…however you wish.
We offer four My Way itineraries, featuring some of our most popular destinations: Italy, France, Spain, and the Alps. They're a perfect fit for a wide variety of travelers: crack-of-dawn sightseers, eager to pack in as many experiences as the day can hold; families who want to focus on kid-friendly activities — and have the flexibility to deal with the ups and downs of kids on vacation; café-sitters who value the freedom to slow down and take siestas; and independent types who simply want to dine and sightsee away from a group. On a My Way, each day is done your way.
In this month's Tour News, hop aboard a day-by-day slideshow of our My Way Italy in 13 Days tour, get to know one of our My Way tour managers Axel Thorson, check out raves from recent My Way travelers, and join me on a video tour of the elaborate Palacios Nazaries, exuberant gardens, bubbling fountains, and peaceful pools of Granada's rexquisite Alhambra.
And speaking of travel decisions: When you choose to travel with us, you're choosing a company that pays a self-imposed carbon tax, which mitigates the environmental impact of our tour members' flights to and from Europe. Each year, our Climate Smart Commitment invests $1 million in a portfolio of nonprofit organizations working to help small family farmers in the developing world employ climate-smart technologies to produce more while contributing less to climate change. (We just announced our 2025 grant recipients.) While this is nothing to brag about, as a tour organizer, we think it's only ethical to pay for our carbon this way. Take a moment to peruse the impactful projects you'll help make possible by joining a Rick Steves tour.
Keep on travelin' — thoughtfully, and responsibly.
Rick