For help with this edition, Rick relied on…
Virginia was born and raised in Abruzzo, in central Italy. After graduation she moved to Seattle, where she taught Italian studies at the University of Washington while finishing her doctorate. Besides travel and teaching, Virginia has a passion for Italian cinema and detective fiction. When not leading a Rick Steves’ Europe tour, she spends her time in the Pacific Northwest swimming, reading, and sipping a cappuccino at the nearest coffeehouse.
As a high-school Spanish teacher, Trish regularly led student trips in Europe, sharing her passions for language, history, culture, and cuisine. She now combines her love of teaching and travel as a Rick Steves’ Europe tour guide, guidebook researcher, and language instructor. When not working in Europe, she binge-watches favorite shows, practices archery, and perfects her chocolate and caramel chip cookie recipe in her hometown of San Diego. You can follow Trish and her journeys at TheTravelphile.com.
Born in Denver and raised in central Ohio, Cameron settled in Seattle in 2000. Ever since, he has spent three months each year in Europe, contributing to guidebooks, tours, radio and television shows, and other media for Rick Steves’ Europe, where he serves as content manager. Cameron married his high school sweetheart (and favorite travel partner), Shawna, and enjoys taking pictures, trying new restaurants, and planning his next trip.
Suzanne, an editor with Rick Steves’ Europe, began her travel career riding in a station wagon with her six siblings from Michigan to Florida for spring break. Since then, she’s broadened her destinations to include much of Europe and parts of Asia. A librarian by training and a longtime editor of art publications, she’s happiest in her Seattle garden or when planning a meal for family and friends.
Sarah, trained as an architect, abandoned her drafting board in 2000 to lead tours and research guidebooks for Rick Steves’ Europe. Specializing in Italy, she occasionally speaks with her hands and drives like a Sicilian. She blogs about her life at adventureswithsarah.net and often writes about her passion for the perfectly packed bag. Sarah lives in Seattle but prefers to be out on adventures with her sons Lucca and Nicola.
Before Gretchen became the online-content editor and an occasional tour guide for Rick Steves’ Europe, she lived in Europe for four years: studying philosophy in Scotland, then teaching English in southern Germany—meanwhile exploring the rest of Europe at every opportunity and accruing stories of misadventure that she’s been happily retelling ever since.
Raised in Memphis, Robert funded his first dream trip to Europe in 1998 by selling his entire Star Wars collection—proof that where there’s a will, there’s a way. He fell in love with Spain and Portugal and returned many times, all while living in Argentina for 14 years. Robert recently married a sevillano and moved to Spain. He continues to enjoy Iberian architecture and loves uncovering forgotten connections between Spain and Portugal’s intertwined history.
Gene has co-authored more than a dozen Rick Steves books, specializing in writing walks and tours of Europe’s cities, museums, and cultural sights. He also contributes to Rick’s public television series, produces audio tours on Europe, and is a regular guest on Rick’s public radio show. Outside of the travel world, Gene has co-authored The Seattle Joke Book. As a composer, he has written a full-length opera called Matter, a violin sonata, and dozens of songs. He lives near Seattle with his daughter, enjoys giving presentations on art and history, and roots for the Mariners in good times and bad.
