Really enjoy your interview questions and so appreciate all of the tips. Thank you!!

I enjoy hearing about travels. I fast forward through the religious stories. Sadly it seems I’m having to fast forward through more than ever. I understand Rick’s 2nd wife is a pastor. But please don’t impose all that religiousity on listeners. Yes, I’ve accepted that his program focuses on religion around the holidays but it’s now May. Is it going to be year round

Amazing podcast thanks Rick!!!

If you think you can have a podcast about global travel and history without ever discussing politics I don’t know what to tell you. Keep up the good work, Rick.

Rick Thanks for your tip of visiting Venice in January. OK we were lucky with the weather this year but it’s a walking city and the ability to enjoy Venice without crowds, little to no queues and an excellent range of restaurants even though some do close after epiphany. It was a fantastic 4 nights. Beginning in Nice ( it was warm enough for a dip in the Med ) where we have family, we then traveled to Venice by train and included Bologna - an easy train ride from Venice for 2 nights which was busier with all the students but refreshingly alive and vibrant as well as historically enchanting. With 3 nights in the Nice area we felt we had been away for ever despite it being only a 10 day trip. We plan to venture out again during the off season in regions that we would find too hot for us in the summer months.

I’ve started listening to The Amateur Traveler podcast A good no frill travel podcast without the side of deprecating comments about the U.S. that Rick Steves snidely drops frequently

One of the best travel pods out there. Don’t let the snowflakes try and censor you, I haven’t heard any political takes that have melted me so far. Keep up the good work!

I’ve been a fan of Rick’s work for years and am always impressed with his tireless commitment to thoughtful travel. I understand that some folks only want travel info, but I applaud Rick for voicing his opinions and concerns even at the risk of losing customers. Bravo!

Rick teaches all of us how well & ethically business can be run & how travel fosters international understanding. Blessings to you Rick!

Too preachy. Don’t want to hear about your political thoughts. Just want to know about travel on vacation or future retirement. You don’t want to hear me preach about my political feelings, hold on to yours please.

The reason people love your material is that you seem to keep true to yourself. You are genuinely passionate about many things. You have a depth of world experience that most people will never attain which allows you to think critically and more objectively. Don’t change or be influenced by some conservative nut. There’s a clear good an bad side here. Keep doing what you’ve been doing. Thank you Rick.

I love this show! However, the editing is anxiety producing... I assume it's in an effort to save time, but each speaker's natural pause in speech is edited out, and the effect is unnerving. It also makes it seem as though Rick speaks over and interrupts his guests. I like to listen to this show to savor all the delicious details about travel I'm longing for, but when it's being crammed in like this it kind of defeats the purpose. Just keep it natural, please, and thank you either way for bringing this much needed content. UPDATE: I continue to listen, but it's become clear that it's not just the editing; Rick does actually speak over and cut off his guests mid-comment. Very cringy and unfortunate.

I’m begging you Rick! Please don’t let politics infiltrate your awesome work! Please!!! I lean a certain way and if there are too many guests that bring a certain ideology to the show and podcast I can’t listen anymore and I adore you and your work! Please don’t let guests bring politics into the fold! Love love love Rick Steve’s show and podcast episodes!

Rick & his guest take jabs at America & Americans every chance they get. Socialism might work for some small European countries, but not here. Capitalism is what helped you create the empire you have profited from, Rick.

Love Rick and been loyally watching and listening for years, but have little/no interest in u.s. destinations…sure I’ve traveled around the u.s. a lot but I come to Rick for Europe, where I prefer to spend my vacation time.

I am usually fan of this podcast, however, after listening to the first ten minutes of the episode about New Orleans, I have some serious concerns. The guests on this episode are Caucasian-presenting tour guides. I had to stop listening when the man was discussing what “Creole” means and the origins of jambalaya. He describes the dish’s origins and how the enslaved Africans attempted to create paella, and through language barriers and with only local ingredients at hand, arrived at “the mess that is jambalaya.” Why wouldn’t the team behind this production reach out to representatives of this community to speak on the history and heritage of their culture? Why are they only relying on white people to educate on the history of communities of color of New Orleans?

The content is solid and the guests are knowledgeable, but why bother host guests if they aren’t allowed to finish a sentence? Rick asks and answers all of his questions before the guest can offer an opinion.

Mindful and informative without being boring. Great for falling asleep to. The interruptions tho

Crazy media.

I grew up watching Rick on PBS with my parents, and these moments inspired me to become a travel writer. I love this show and Rick’s travel style. He has a wonderful curiosity about the world, and he focuses on people, not politics. Love this show!

Let your guests finish their sentences.

I really do love this podcast and enjoy the topics very much. However, I have to mention that I find Rick talking over and interrupting the guest speakers very hard to listen to. He does it constantly and I find myself cringing out of the awkwardness of it throughout the episodes. Rick, please allow the guests to answer your questions and share their knowledge with us too.

I have recently discovered these podcasts and have enjoyed them. Regarding comments on religion and politics, traveling with Rick involves the historical sites and art museums which preserving Europe’s fascinating evolving history. There are churches and cathedrals everywhere, art depicting religious icons, wars, battles which moved borders and political leaders of church and state. If there is current turmoil in a particular area, good to know. Listeners should bear in mind his slant toward travel and exploring. It is his trademark. Also, I agree on the interruptions with guests-Kringe. Hopefully, this will improve.

Rick often strikes just the right balance of information and entertainment - but please stop interrupting and talking over your guests. Sometimes I wonder why the guests are even there, Rick asks a question then immediately interrupts and answers the question himself. It’s awkward and annoying.

Iv never found Rick Steve’s episodes to be extreme left views or political. He uses common sense and decency. I think the trump supporters should go listen to another podcast the crybaby’s!

Through my college travels in the 1990s to the present, Rick has been there with his signature blend of Western Civ, gastronomy, and insightful understanding of human relations. I am delighted to have this podcast as an additional way to connect with other world citizens.

Never miss an episode!

I grew up watching Rick’s travel show on PBS & throughly enjoyed it. Now I am listening to his podcasts & he turned into a socialist commi! C’est dommage! Very disappointing! ☹️

I really enjoy listening to this podcast. But I don’t like the political influence. I find it uncomfortable.

This program continues to give tips on itineracy but more importantly the attitude of traveling. If jumping off and on the bus after numerous selfies is your idea of travel this could help transform your experience

I’m a former local politician who is disillusioned by the state of our politics. I love Rick Steves and specifically listen to it to get away from the disappointments that I encounter in the news daily. I want to beg you. Please, please stop using your platform to promote a political party ideology. We are currently having to endure the politicization of absolutely everything from the partisan way we are forced to choose between a pair of sneakers to trying to attend a game or concert and being compelled to take a side. We are judged for our politics by the car we drive in and even the grocery store we go to. We need one space to go where we can get away from this and escape.

I describe Rick Steves as a “political extremist.” He must have become radicalized over time. It’s important to keep fanatics from abusing us in neutral forums like this so for this reason I will no longer subscribe. I find the podcast stressful.

I’m a fan of Rick Steves but for the love of god, let your guests talk! He asks a question and then immediately interrupts his guests while they’re trying to respond. It drives me nuts. I have to stop listening to this.

Love and adore you Steve, but please make an effort not to talk over your guests .

I used to love Rick Steves programs. But as a social psychologist who has worked as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children and an advocate for victims of sexual assault, I have to say his stance on vaccine passports is disgusting. I have worked for years to convince shattered children and women that NO ONE has a right over their bodies. That they are sovereign, whole people, whose bodily autonomy was given to them by God and is protected by the US Constitution. Just as an abuser’s anger doesn’t give them the right to strike a child, and a rapist’s desire doesn’t give them the right to assault a woman, so too, a hypochondriac’s fear doesn’t give them the right to inject anyone with anything against their will. This is fascism. Plain and simple. And the fact that Rick Steves has done programs on the rise of the Third Reich and then shills for Big Pharma, medical apartheid, and a return to “papers please” is grotesque. Shame on you, Rick Steves. If we don’t have bodily autonomy we are nothing but slaves. By denying other healing modalities including native medicines, Ayurveda, etc. you are behaving like a patriarchal, neocolonial, racist. Have you stopped to ask why 75% of the black population in DC has refused the jab? Do you really think they don’t know what’s best for their bodies? What about the 99% of indigenous people on certain reservations in this country? Do their bodies need to be forcibly colonized by White man’s poison to alleviate your fear? This entire charade is just shameful. I’ve followed you for years, and you are not a thoughtless person. So I conclude you must be bought and paid for by the same Big Pharma companies that fund PBS.

I love this show but the author interviewed for this episode is unbelievably pretentious.

Every time I listen to Rick’s podcast, I add a new destination to my travel list.

I have been a huge fan of your podcasts, but this episode really shocked me! You and your guest focussed only on the ‘intensity’ of crowds and traffic in Delhi! Not one word about the beautiful Mughal architecture all over Delhi, the charm of old Delhi, the history of Indian independence that is rooted in Delhi. Would you review a historic destination in Europe and only highlight the problems? I don’t think so!

With you cutting off your guests every two seconds, it’s a miracle that anyone still wants to be interviewed by you. Stop showing off your “superior knowledge” about traveling and let your guests talk!

I have been listening for a few years and really enjoy Rick’s views and opinions on the places he travels. The guests are fun and knowledgeable and the show itself is so easy to listen to.

Sometimes the show is so good that it changes my mood in a way where I am much calmer and introspective. Also thank you for not including ads.

I am disappointed in this podcast. I am a fan of Rick’s shows and wanted to give this a try. However, he has a tendency to steamroll his guests’ interesting input with useless information and reactions. Dude, just be quiet. Just because you were on tv, doesn’t make you any better than anyone else. He is better in some episodes than others, to his credit. The episode from today (3/26/2021) was brutal though. Our boy Rick had verbal diarrhea during the Granada bit. Hey Rick, you need some Pepto and a chill pill my guy. I do like that he blazes, but maybe he needs to hit the indica instead of the sativa.

Keep it up, Rick! From a frequent Monday Night Travel attendee. (Obviously a big fan)!

Great info. Always a huge fan of Rick Steve’s Andy McNeill

I’ve utilized Rick’s travel guides for years. And his show and podcast add another layer of depth as I better understand why he appreciates particular places, people, and experiences. Now stuck in a pandemic, closing my eyes and listening to the podcast is the closest thing I have to traveling the world.

I love to travel and have used Rick Steves guidebooks on several trips. I have been getting the travel bug due to being stuck home during the pandemic, and this podcast really helps me get my travel fix! I’m really excited to travel again once it’s safe and this podcast is helping me plan my future travels and is nice relaxing listening at work.

Why bother having guests on at all?

My hero: Rick Steves is about much more than travel. For years, he has captivated our interest with his coverage of various locations around our planet. He is so respectful of other cultures, and does a great job trying to help others to be curious and show respect for how we all live differently. Oh how I wish we had more people like Rick in leadership positions. If he ran for office, he’d definitely have my vote! :-)

Living vicariously through your efforts has been a pleasure. Thank so much!

Lots of good travel info if you can stomach the far left politics.