Travel and Leisure
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| Credit: Carlos Manzano |
This is probably
the number one tip I give to people if they haven't been, or are returning to Europe. If you haven't heard of
Rick Steves, then you haven't been doing enough trip planning. Or watching PBS. Rick's site is one of the best places to start if you are thinking of going to Europe, and either don't know where to start, or just to get some helpful hints or tips. We love to watch his shows for places that we are about to visit, just to make sure we take it all in. Yes, he does sell stuff on his site, but I'm not promoting that you buy his guidebooks, take his trips or buy his luggage (although I do like his convertible
carry on backpack). However, if you take away only one thing from his site, it would be the
Audio Europe App.
Why Rick Steves?
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| Café Hawelka lunch |
Maybe it's because he's become so familiar to us through his PBS travel segments, but Rick has a casual, easy-going style that is easy to watch and listen to. Unlike high-end travel magazines and sites that would have you spending beyond your means to explore Europe, Rick shows you how to travel from the most thrifty, hostel-style accommodations to €100+ per night hotels. Highlights of his programmes will show you the must-see places, highlights within the major attractions, areas to shop and eat, and of course, the local specialities. We probably saved around 20€ on lunch in Vienna, when he suggested to step off The Graben to Dorotheergasee to find a place to eat. He also cuts through the touristy-style activities, and tries to get you onto the path less trodden -
the 'Back Doors' of Europe; showing you how to avoid the line ups and making sure you see the best-of-the-best.
Audio walking tours
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| Guided tour in Budapest |
If you have been to Europe, you've undoubtedly seen groups of tourists, walking with a local guide, carrying a placard on a stick, speaking into an audio device as they explain the city's history and culture. Or when you went into a major museum, there was an option for an extra 7-10€ to have the audio device to hear about the paintings and sculptures while you wander the various exhibition halls. Having the attractions and history described while you are touring is fantastic, and adds immense value to the experience. I remember seeing people without any audio device, as we went through the Uffizi, unaware of what they were looking at, oblivious to the history behind it. But what if you could do this, using your own smartphone, for most of the major European cities and attractions,
at no cost? Yes, that's Rick Steves Audio Europe App.
Why we love it
As indicated, Rick is American, and as such, you'll have no trouble understanding him, unlike some local walking tour guides we've had where English was not their first language. He'll usually have another speaker, Lisa, helping guide you around town or the sights. But since you are using your smartphone, you don't need to worry about the schedule or when the tour starts; simply start touring whenever you feel like. You can also pick up the tour at whatever point you want. Already at the Powder Tower in Prague? Just go to the track listing for that attraction, and hit play. You can see a map of the tour, and see a picture of what you should be looking at, while Rick describes it. Getting hungry? Or see a shop you want to investigate? Simply pause the audio tour, and take a break; that is certainly something you can't do with a guided walking tour. You'll find and see things that otherwise you would have missed; like the time we were doing the Amsterdam City Walk, and he sent us down Kalverstraat, a busy shopping street. Lisa says, "just before the McDonald's, on the right hand side...". There we found the hidden De Papegaai church, tucked in between the modern shoppes; anyone else would have just walked on by.
Rick's app does not use the GPS services of your smartphone, and as such, it doesn't suck up your battery like other audio tour apps do. You should probably download both the app and any tours or audio tracks before you leave home; Wi-Fi speeds can be dodgy in Europe, and you absolutely do not want to use your phone's data while overseas. Each tour will describe the sights you will see, and how long it will take to complete, at a leisurely pace. Sometimes we'll do the guided walking tour with one of the locals, and then go back on our own later with Rick's tour; we always end up hearing and seeing things that the locals missed, or didn't go into detail about.
Use one pair of bluetooth earbuds for two listeners
The one tip that I recommend, is to use bluetooth earbuds, and share-a-pair when touring with your partner. We often find that with the two of us on separate devices and headsets, we get "out of sync", where I'll be on the Temple of Julius Caesar, when she's still at the House of Vestal Virgins. To avoid this, I now recommend using just
one pair of bluetooth earbuds, so that each person can use one earbud, and then playback from only one smartphone. I also prefer to have the audio commentary playing in only one ear, so that the ambient sounds of the city (trams, cars etc.) can be heard through the other.
Regardless of what type of earphones you are using, I'm certain that you will enjoy Rick's colourful commentary as you tour the streets and attractions of Europe.
As indicated, Rick is American, and as such, you'll have no trouble understanding him, unlike some local walking tour guides we've had where English was not their first language. He'll usually have another speaker, Lisa, helping guide you around town or the sights. But since you are using your smartphone, you don't need to worry about the schedule or when the tour starts; simply start touring whenever you feel like. You can also pick up the tour at whatever point you want. Already at the Powder Tower in Prague? Just go to the track listing for that attraction, and hit play. You can see a map of the tour, and see a picture of what you should be looking at, while Rick describes it. Getting hungry? Or see a shop you want to investigate? Simply pause the audio tour, and take a break; that is certainly something you can't do with a guided walking tour. You'll find and see things that otherwise you would have missed; like the time we were doing the Amsterdam City Walk, and he sent us down Kalverstraat, a busy shopping street. Lisa says, "just before the McDonald's, on the right hand side...". There we found the hidden De Papegaai church, tucked in between the modern shoppes; anyone else would have just walked on by.
Rick's app does not use the GPS services of your smartphone, and as such, it doesn't suck up your battery like other audio tour apps do. You should probably download both the app and any tours or audio tracks before you leave home; Wi-Fi speeds can be dodgy in Europe, and you absolutely do not want to use your phone's data while overseas. Each tour will describe the sights you will see, and how long it will take to complete, at a leisurely pace. Sometimes we'll do the guided walking tour with one of the locals, and then go back on our own later with Rick's tour; we always end up hearing and seeing things that the locals missed, or didn't go into detail about.
