Rick Steves Europe Awaits (15 words)
Rick Steves shares European places he’d love to visit when we can travel again post-COVID.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits (45 words)
Travel lovers have spent the last year or so dreaming of where they'll travel post-COVID. In this unforgettable journey, Rick Steves shares vivid visits to European favorites—off-beat, romantic, or just good for the soul--that he’d love to visit when we can travel again.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits (49 woords)
Travel lovers have spent the last year or so dreaming of where they’ll go post-COVID. In this 1/120 pledge event special, Rick Steves shares vivid and unforgettable visits to European favorites—off-beat, romantic, or just good for the soul—that he’d love to visit when we can travel again.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits (67 words)
Travel lovers are dreaming of where they’ll go post-COVID. In this special, Rick Steves visits some European favorites he’d love to see when we can travel again. Rick shares a montage of travel delights: Sicily, Mykonos, Porto, the Cotswolds, Tuscany, and Romania. It’s an adventure with remote beaches, gourmet food, and an English hike; Rick even drops in on an eccentric lord and a Tuscan pig farm.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits (175 words)
Travel lovers have spent the last year or so dreaming of where they’ll go post-COVID. In this unforgettable journey, Rick Steves shares vivid visits to some European favorites—off-beat, romantic, or just good for the soul—that he’d love to visit when we can travel again. 

Stow away with Rick as he explores the wonders and savors the joys of a montage of travel delights: Sicily, so tasty and historic; Mykonos, for a little Aegean romance; Porto, in the rustic and untouristed north of Portugal; the Cotswolds, for the best of the English countryside; Tuscany, Italy’s La Dolce Vita country; and Romania, with perhaps the most vivid traditional folk life in Europe. It's a far-flung adventure that comes with remote beaches, gourmet food, and an unforgettable English hike; Rick even drops in on an eccentric lord and a Tuscan pig farm.

This 1/120 pledge-event special, a celebration of the value of public television, is sure to stoke both your travel dreams and your appreciation of public television as we prepare to emerge from this pandemic.

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Rick Steves Europe Awaits Explores Favorite Destinations to Visit Post-COVID

New two-hour special premieres June 7, 2021 on public TV stations nationwide

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BOSTON, MA (May 17, 2021) – A new two-hour public television special features travel expert, author and host Rick Steves as he shares his favorite European destinations to visit when travel is possible again. From offbeat and romantic to picturesque and restorative, these locations offer inspiration to travel lovers who have spent the past year dreaming of their next vacation when the global pandemic ends. Co-produced and presented by American Public Television (APT), the leading syndicator of content to public television stations nationwide, Rick Steves Europe Awaits premieres June 7, 2021 (check local listings). 

“We are proud to be Rick Steves’ public media partner for more than three decades, presenting his insightful and enriching programs as he explores our world,” notes Cynthia Fenneman, President and CEO of APT. “Rick Steves Europe Awaits is a timely and relevant special that sparks our travel imagination from the safety and comfort of home.”

“When the time is right, Americans will rekindle their travel dreams, and Europe will greet us with a warm and enthusiastic welcome,” says Rick Steves. “Europe Awaits is my dream itinerary: places away from the hubbub, places made for embracing life, and places that are good for the soul. It’s good to dream — and once we emerge from this pandemic, it will be even better to travel.”

Join Rick Steves as he recounts his recommended travel itineraries that will delight both European travel aficionados and novices alike:

• The rich history and cuisine of Sicily;
• Mykonos, the romantic Greek island in the Aegean Sea;
• Rustic and historic Porto, in Portugal’s northern region;
• Majestic English country views in the Cotswolds;
• An authentic taste of la dolce vita in Tuscany;
• and Romania, overflowing with vibrant traditional folk life.

Rick Steves is a popular public television and radio host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. He is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe, a travel business with a tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Rick lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Select pledge thank-you gifts for Rick Steves Europe Awaits include exclusive access to a live virtual event and Q&A session hosted by Rick from his home in Seattle, WA; DVDs of Rick’s speaking engagements; anthology sets of the Rick Steves’ Europe series; “For the Love of Europe,” a 400-page collection of Rick’s favorite people, places and experiences; and the “Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces: Art for the Traveler” coffee table book.

Rick Steves Europe Awaits is a production of Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc., American Public Television, and Detroit Public Television. Visit ricksteves.com for additional information. Press materials and photography are available at APTonline.org/press and ricksteves.com/press-room.

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About American Public Television American

Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Legacy List with Matt Paxton, Front and Center, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.

About Rick Steves’ Europe, Inc.

Rick Steves' Europe (RSE) inspires, informs, and equips Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Guided by the values-driven vision of Rick Steves, the company brings tens of thousands of people to Europe annually on organized tours and produces a wide range of travel content, including a best-selling guidebook series, popular public television and radio shows, a syndicated travel column, and a large library of free travel information at ricksteves.com. RSE's mission is built around the idea of social responsibility, and it empowers several philanthropic and advocacy groups, including a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits that it funds through a self-imposed carbon tax.

About Detroit Public Television

Serving Southeast Michigan, Detroit Public TV (DPTV) is Michigan’s largest and most watched television station, with the most diverse public television audience in the country. DPTV is the state’s only communitylicensed station, meaning it operates independent of any educational, government or other institution. Its funding comes solely from the community. Each week, more than two million people watch DPTV’s four broadcast channels, and nearly 200,000 people listen to its radio station, WRCJ 90.9 FM for classical days and jazzy nights. In addition, DPTV is building the next generation of public media with a rapidly growing digital presence, which now reaches more than half a million unique visitors through its website, YouTube channels and social media platforms each month. Visit DPTV.org.

Press Contacts:

Olivia Wong 
APT Vice President, Marketing and Communications
[email protected]

Hunter Kossodo  
Public Relations Associate  
[email protected]

Read a full description of the items by clicking to their product pages in our Travel Store.

Both levels include an exclusive invitation to the virtual Rick Steves’ VIP Travel Party

$120/$10 per month Pledge Level

• Rick Steves - For the Love of Europe book (FMV $23.99)
• Live Event: Rick Steves' VIP Travel Party (FMV $5.00)
  • Station Kit Cost: $14.00
  • Fair Market Value: $28.99
  • Item Code: ZZ-VIRTUAL2021-120

$240/$20 per month Pledge Level

• Rick Steves - Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces – Art for the Traveler book (FMV $27.99)
• Rick Steves - For the Love of Europe book (FMV $23.99)
• Rick Steves’ Europe: The 20-Year Anthology DVD Box Set (FMV $99.99)
• Rick Steves’ Europe: 8 New Shows 2021-2022 DVD (FMV $9.99)
• Live Event: Rick Steves' VIP Travel Party*** (FMV $5.00)
  • Station Kit Cost: $45.00
  • Fair Market Value: $166.96
  • Item Code: ZZ-VIRTUAL2021-240

All Levels

• Rick Steves Travel Skills DVD: In this two-disc DVD set filled with information-packed travel lectures, Rick teaches travel tips, European art and history, and how to broaden your perspective through travel.
  • No market value
  • Item #: DV-BD-TRV2 "
• Rick Steves' Best Destinations" travel newsletter: 64 pages of stories, color photos, and graphics of Rick's top itineraries in Europe.
  • No market value
  • Item #: ZZ-MAIL-NEWSLTR

Send orders to: Forest Incentives, Inc.

Questions: [email protected]

Release date: June 7, 2021

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Presenter: Detroit Public Television

Order fulfillment: Forest Incentives for both digital and packaged merchandise

Process for digital premium fulfillment: Station orders all premiums through Forest Incentives. Upon pledging at any level, viewers receive an email via Forest that contains a unique link to the Rick Steves' VIP Travel Party registration page, where they can select from 14 live party dates and register via Zoom. The registration page also includes a link to a recording of the first party should they not want to attend something live. After regisering for a live event, viewers receive a confirmation email containing the link for accessing the live party and their chosen party date and time. NOTE: The event registration will collect member full nae, email address, and “preferred local public tv station” information. 

Customer service: If viewers need to cancel or change their event date after selection, they may contact [email protected].

Description for members: Any household supporting us at either level will receive a link to the Rick Steves’ VIP Travel Party. At this 75-minute event, Rick will share the latest news on post-COVID European travel, answer your questions, and dream aloud about where where he'll be traveling when the coast is clear. Then, it’ll be time to party, live online from Rick's home in Seattle! He’ll be sipping his favorite Italian vino and showing off his favorite bruschetta recipe. Get ready for the best blooper reel ever…and because a party’s not complete without music, Rick will share a piano “slippers concert,” zipping you through 300 years of music history in six melodic minutes! So BYOB, grab your favorite travel partner, and come ready to enjoy a virtual evening together. You’ll celebrate public broadcasting — and party with Rick at the same time! Your household will receive an event registration link to your choice of 14 party dates (one Sunday monthly, June through December 2021 at 7 and 9pm ET / 4 and 6pm PT).