Author: Rick Steves, Special to USA TODAY

After seeing Switzerland’s famed Matterhorn, Rick Steves says he finally understands why tourists trek to Zermatt. But when’s the best time to go?

Ireland is an isle filled with cultural and historic wonders … and lately with lots of tourists, too, prompting many sites to require reservations.

Be skeptical of fake officials, selfie-taking tourists behind you at the ATM and Airbnb hosts demanding wire transfers, warns Rick Steves.

When the museums in cities Rome, Florence, and Vienna are overrun with tourists, Rick Steves advises skipping the crowds and visiting these spots.

Set under a historic fortress, Tomar is a place with lots of local ambience, yet remarkably untouristed – and well worth a stop.

Paris’ Père Lachaise – final resting place of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde – isn’t Europe’s only must-see cemetery. Rick Steves suggest a few more.

An easy day trip from Edinburgh, St. Andrews. Scotland, is the birthplace of golf and where the future king and queen of Britain fell in love.

Within an hour or so of the Swedish capital, you can check out a palace, ancient rune stones, visit a college town or island-hop.

From France’s Versailles to Portugal’s Pena Palace, the best royal retreats provide insight into the dynamic, often quirky monarchs who built them.

Public transportation in Europe is great but sometimes, a rental car is the best – and, sometimes, only – way to get off the beaten path.