Tour guides from the north and south of Ireland let us in on their picks for sights and experiences that will make a first trip to the Emerald Isle a memorable one. Plus, an Irish American singer explains the importance of music to the Irish and how the island's history is found in its folk ballads and songs.

Get tips for experiencing what remains of Aztec culture in modern-day Mexico City. Then hear about what recent excavations in Pompeii are revealing about first-century life in the Roman Empire. And join a historian in considering how the cultures of France's many neighboring countries have long shaped and enriched its identity.

Rick engages a panel of European tour-guide friends to find out how they're responding to recent changes in the political relationship between their countries and the US, and to discuss the home-grown populist pressures that have been gaining followers in Europe. Plus sculptor Richard Rhodes recommends European destinations with especially impressive stonework — from famous buildings to little-known sites that have endured through the ages.

Estonia's medieval charm, beautifully preserved naturescapes, and Baltic culture are cultivating a burgeoning tourism scene. Bradt guidebook author and Estonian authority Neil Taylor lets us in on the abundant appeal of the former Soviet republic. And a certified Cicerone — that's "craft beer expert" — takes us on a tour of European suds and helps us tap into the best pints across the continent.

Astronomer Philip Plait — who fell in love with Saturn after first viewing the gas giant, with its mesmerizing rings and moons, through a telescope as a child — shares some of the amazing discoveries we've made about the planet in recent years. Then actor Martin Sheen describes how his travels in the developing world have opened his eyes, and his heart, to the needs of others. And a Florence-based tour guide and culinary expert lets us in on where to find the best food in her adopted home.

An Easter Island-based travel writer and lecturer lets us in on what life is like on the cruise-ship circuit. Then journalist Lyse Doucet recounts her career as the BBC's chief international correspondent and delves into the issues her profession grapples with today.

Bradt guidebook author Joshua Zukas, who focuses exclusively on Vietnam, shares why he enjoys challenging misconceptions about his adopted home. And a writer who has spent his life captivated by the mighty Mississippi River takes us on a virtual tour of America's great waterway, from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.

One of Rick's tour guides opens our eyes to the idyllic "Swiss Riviera" that borders Lake Geneva. Then a British journalist and safari expert takes us into Africa, sharing the best ways to find authentic safari experiences. And a hiking-and-biking tour operator tells us how to escape the crowds of Europe's grand cities by spending a few days hitting the trail.

Find out why Germany's "second city," the industrial northern port of Hamburg, is a first-choice getaway for many of the country's residents. Then get the inside scoop on Rick's "Art of Europe" TV miniseries, which explores the backstories of the continent's greatest artworks. And consider what drives some death-defying athletes to go all-in for "extreme sports."

Two Dutch tour guides help us get the picture on what's new on Amsterdam's eclectic exhibit scene. Then a Blue Badge guide lets us in on where to go in London to see the exciting ways the venerable city is reinventing itself. And a journalist delves into the inexact science of borders and ponders the complicated relationship between physical geography and national identity.