Difference between RS TV Episodes and RS Tours

Posted by Tony (Sonoma County, California) on 11/14/25 06:19 PM

I have now been on 5 RS tours and have booked my 6th, so I really like them. I also like the RS shows on PBS. However, there's a big difference between them: The RS tours often focus on interactions with locals, either proprietors in bars and restaurants, or local guides; but when on a RS tour there seems to be very little interaction with locals.

To put it another way: the Rick Steves' "philosophy" seems to be to meet the locals and travel to learn more about others. But the tours don't really seem to include that too much. Maybe it's impossible to include that in a tour?

I was wondering what others thought about this.

Posted by G3rryCee

Bellingham, WA

11/14/25 06:41 PM

1456 posts

Another way of saying it: Rick's philosophy is travel, but his business model is tourism.

Posted by LIZinPA 🧳

SE Pennsylvania

11/14/25 06:59 PM

3103 posts

Well, that's hard to do as a group, though there is some interaction with the locals who do the local walks and such. The tours include more free time than most other companies, so you certainly have the opportunity during those times. I know I have, especially in laundromats.

Posted by BarbaraB

Arcadia, CA

11/14/25 07:10 PM

648 posts

I’ve had lots of interaction with the locals on my free time during the tours. A group of 28 people would have a hard time doing that, but often there are group meetings with locals-like the Bulgaria tour where you talk with a local about the country, many times during demonstrations of things like the alabaster workshop in Volterra or all the cooking classes or wine tastings or on the little boat in the Swedish archipelago on the Scandinavian tour. Mostly though, it’s just the one on one interactions with shopkeepers or hoteliers.

Posted by jeanm

Chicagoland

11/14/25 07:16 PM

1403 posts

I always thought the TV show was more for educating independent travelers as opposed to tour participants.

It's much easier to interact with the locals when you can stay in the same area for a couple of days. As LIZinPa said, you'll almost always meet someone at the laundromat. Or frequenting the same bakery, shop or cafe.

I also find I have more opportunity for interaction with locals when I travel alone. Sometimes it's as simple as commiserating over a late bus.

Posted by margie

Bend, OR

11/14/25 07:52 PM

1713 posts

We have been on 12 RS tours and I can’t think of one where there hasn’t been some type of interaction with the locals. For instance, on the Southern Italy tour, as a group we had a dinner, cooked and served by a local family in their home and they sat and ate with us. On the Village Italy tour, we joined in and help prepare our lunch at a family home. On the Portugal tour after a ride around their cork farm, the family served us a home made lunch and sat and joined us. On the Greece tour we sat under an awning and had a special coffee with some of the locals. We’ve had local musicians in Ireland sit down with us and explain their instruments and perform in our B&B living room. We’ve had a sheep farmer in Wales talk to us about his dogs and give us a demonstration. We’ve watched one of the last living craftsmen make a gondola paddle hull as we asked questions and his son interpret.