Rick Steves' annual roundup of European travel

Nearly every year, Europe and its most popular nations outdraw the rest of the globe among U.S. travelers of every stripe, and there's no reason to believe 2014 will be any different - assuming, of course, that Vladimir Putin doesn't attempt to "annex" the rest if the Continent between now and December.

While there's no shortage of sites, books and blogs that cover the highlights, trips that are more efficient, more fun and, one would hope, more culturally relevant require savvy insider information.

"For travelers, Great Britain is a work in progress, richly rewarding those who visit with up-to-date information," says Rick Steves. And "France is always working to show off its rich heritage in innovative ways. You'll see some impressive changes this year."

For more than a deacde, Steve shared his guidebook research notes with The Chronicle about the latest developments around Europe, which eventually became an annual roundup. Here are his latest updates about Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.

GREAT BRITAIN: Stonehenge upgraded as London sparkles

London continues to grow and thrive post-Olympics. Free Wi-Fi is everywhere, bus transportation is more efficient than ever, and the city's freshly scrubbed monuments have never looked so good. Some of the biggest changes are in East London, where backhoes and bulldozers buzz around busily turning the 2012 Olympics site into what is now Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (great for Londoners, but a bit far from the center for most tourists).

The Shard, a shimmering glass pyramid that soars 1,020 feet above the Thames in central London, started welcoming visitors to its observation decks last year. Perched in the building's pinnacle, the decks offer great views of the Tower of London (directly across the river), St. Paul's, and the South Bank (underfoot). But a visit to the top costs a jaw-dropping $41 (for advance tickets) - not worth it for most visitors.

Years ago the venerable Tate art gallery ( www.tate.org.uk) split in two, with the original site dedicated to British art and the new site - the Tate Modern - filled up with modern art. An extensive renovation at the Tate Britain has wrapped up, which means even better gallery spaces in the oldest parts of the building.

Now the Tate Modern is adding a new wing (currently under construction yet opening bit by bit), allowing the museum to expand beyond its current European and North American focus with exhibits on Latin American, African and Asian art. A new space called the Tanks (formerly underground oil tanks) is already open and hosts live performances, film screenings and installations.

Greenwich's famous Cutty Sark, the last and fastest of the great tea clippers, was gorgeously restored in 2012 after a devastating fire. It's now suspended within a glass building, allowing visitors to walk on its decks, through its hold, and below its gleaming golden hull. Multimedia and hands-on exhibits bring the ship's record-breaking history to life.

Finally, after nearly 5,000 years, Stonehenge has a decent visitors center ( www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehenge). The new center features artifacts found at the site and a 360-degree virtual view of what the stone circle looked like back then. The highway that once ran adjacent to the iconic edifice has been closed. Instead, people start at the visitors center-located more than a mile west of the stones - then take a shuttle or walk to the stone circle. Advance reservations are required, and tickets feature a timed entry window (though a few walk-up tickets are available each day).

In the Georgian city of Bath, the Georgian House, which gives an intimate look at life in the 18th century, has reopened following an extensive renovation. The American Museum (I know, you need this like you need a Big Mac) on the outskirts of town is now easier to visit, thanks to a free hourly shuttle that runs from the town center.

In Portsmouth, the Mary Rose Museum opened in May ( www.maryrose.org). The $59 million facility, shaped like an oval jewel box, preserves the hull of Henry VIII's favorite warship, which sank in 1545. You can view the hull (through protective glass, for now), but the highlight is the collection of Tudor-era items that were found inside the wreck, such as clothes, dishes, weapons, a backgammon board and an oboe-like instrument. There's even the skeleton of Hatch, the ship's dog.

Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games July 23-Aug. 3, with 6,000 athletes expected to compete.

The Battle of Bannockburn - Scotland's most significant military victory over the English - will mark its 700th anniversary this year. In honor of the occasion, the Bannockburn Heritage Centre in Stirling ( www.battleofbannockburn.com) is being spiffed up with an interactive 3-D battle simulation and 360-degree film. A three-day festival called Bannockburn Live will take place June 28-30. Activities include music, highland games, re-enactments of the battle and themed Scottish villages.

GERMANY: Lots of work is going on at Berlin attractions, but new airport is still a ways away

In Berlin, a multiyear renovation project continues at Museum Island, filled with some of the city's most impressive museums. Beginning in the fall and continuing until 2019, the star of the Greek antiquities collection in the Pergamon Museum ( www.smb.museum) - the Pergamon Altar - will be closed to visitors. The museum's north wing (formerly home to other classical antiquities) is already closed. In the meantime, some classical Greek artifacts can be seen at the nearby Altes Museum. In other Museum Island news, reserved timed-entry tickets are no longer required at the Pergamon and Neues museums.

Berlin is also trying to finish construction of its new, $6.9 billion airport: Willy Brandt Berlin-Brandenburg International ( www.berlin-airport.de). But the project has been perennially delayed by a faulty fire-safety system, glitches in the baggage-sorting equipment, and other technical problems; even a partial opening this year is not likely.

Each year it seems Berlin, the scene of so much tumult in the 20th century, has new memorials. Near the powerfully evocative Memorial to the Murdered Jews is a memorial dedicated to the homosexual victims of Hitler's rule, and a new Roma and Sinti memorial. The latter is to remind all who mourn the slaughter of 6 million Jews during the Holocaust that Hitler aimed to exterminate Europe's Roma and Sinti (a.k.a. Gypsy) population as well. To the south, travelers sleeping in the Bavarian town of Fuessen are now entitled to the Fuessen Card, paid for by the hotel tax. This card allows free use of public transportation in the immediate region (including the bus to "Mad" King Ludwig's famous castle - Neuschwanstein), as well as discounts to major attractions.

Similarly, the Aktiv-Card for the Reutte area just across the border in Austria includes free travel on local buses and free admission to some attractions. Also new in Reutte, the Alpentherme Ehrenberg is an extensive swimming pool and sauna complex, featuring two indoor pools and a big saltwater outdoor pool, as well as two waterslides.

In Frankfurt, the new European Central Bank building, with its glistening twin towers topping out at 607 feet, is scheduled to open this year. The "New Frankfurt Old Town" construction project, stretching from the cathedral to the city hall, is also under way. It will include up to 35 new buildings, several of which will be reproductions of historic structures destroyed during World War II air raids.

In Nuremberg, the Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) has reopened after a restoration. Visits to the castle's "Deep Well" (which, at 165 feet, is ... well, deep) are now accompanied by a guide. Wittenberg's Town Church of St. Mary's - which was Martin Luther's home church for many years - is being renovated.

From now until early 2015, the nave of the church will be closed, and no organ concerts will be held. By the way, Germany's many Luther sights (especially in the Luther cities of Wittenberg, Erfurt and Eisenacht) are gearing up for a very festive 2017 (on a Lutheran scale anyway) - the 500th anniversary of Luther kicking off the Protestant Reformation in 1517.

FRANCE: Paris going green, but you can also explore Blue Period

The big news in Paris is that the extensive, multiyear makeover of the Picasso Museum is nearing completion. The museum, which will reopen sometime in 2014, is home to the world's largest collection of Picasso works, representing the full range of the artist's many styles (check www.musee-picasso.fr for the latest).

Online reservations for the Eiffel Tower, notorious for its lines, are easy if you book at least a month in advance. You can print out a paper ticket, or have the ticket sent to your mobile phone. An attendant scans the bar code on your phone, and voila, you're on your way up.

Paris is going green: The Left Bank expressway from near the Orsay Museum to the Pont de l'Alma is being converted to a pedestrian promenade and riverside park was scheduled to be complete by now. Modeled on the city's popular Vélib' self-serve bike rentals, the Autolib' electric car program (where users can pick up a car in one place and drop in another), is a smashing success.

France's second city, Marseille, is still undergoing a massive $4.8 billion face-lift as part of its designation as a European Capital of Culture for 2013. The pedestrian zone around the Old Port was redesigned - it's now as wide as the Champs-Elysées - and a new tramway system is up and running.

In Nice, construction on the green parkway La Coulée Verte continues. When completed, the 30-acre parkway will extend from the sea through Place Masséna to the Museum of Modern Art, carving a people-friendly swath for biking and walking through Nice's urban center.

In the Dordogne region, the prehistoric cave-painting sight Grotte de Font-de-Gaume currently is not taking reservations and is admitting just 80 people a day. Some visitors are camping out overnight to get a ticket. I recommend getting there by 7:30 - the ticket booth opens at 9:30. At the Lascaux II cave, reservations are strongly recommended for July and August, and accepted only three to four days in advance (in France, call 05 53 51 96 23 for ticket availability and estimated English tour times).

In Normandy, June 6, 2014, will mark the 70th anniversary of the landings of the Allies on French soil during World War II. There will be huge D-Day commemorations around this date, so anyone planning a Normandy trip near the anniversary may find all the hotels already booked. New at the Caen Memorial Museum is the restoration of German Gen. Wilhelm Richter's command bunker next to the museum.

ITALY: New card helps ease hassle of seeing the sights in Florence

Florence is notorious for long lines at sights. Thankfully, ticketing and line-skipping options for the city's blockbuster sights continue to improve. The Firenze Card, which admits you to 60-some museums for $99, is now good for these cathedral (Duomo) sights: Baptistery, Campanile bell tower, dome climb and Duomo Museum. If you want to see any single cathedral sight without a Firenze Card, you'll need to buy the new 10-euro combo-ticket. It's still free to enter the cathedral and have a look at Brunelleschi's sublime dome from the inside.

At Florence's Uffizi Gallery, known for Renaissance art, there's an exciting change. A new gallery is devoted to Michelangelo, with his famous Doni Tondo painting of the Holy Family as its centerpiece. It's the only easel painting that's definitely known to be by the master's hand.

The private NTV/Italo high-speed train service is up and running, serving Florence along with Venice, Naples, Milan, and Rome. Because rail passes are not accepted, pass holders should choose Trenitalia's equally fast Eurostar Italia or Le Frecce services instead.

Volterra has my vote for the best less-touristed hilltown in Tuscany. Its new Alabaster Museum, featuring workmanship in the prized local stone from Etruscan times to the present, has opened within the 15th-century Pinacoteca painting gallery.

In Rome, there's good news for those traveling on a budget or who enjoy eating in bars (or both). A pleasant practice traditionally found in northern Italian cities has migrated south: the aperitivo service. Bars set up an enticing buffet of small dishes and anyone buying a drink (at an inflated price) gets to eat "for free." Drinks generally cost 8 to 10 euros, and the spread is out from 6 until 9 o'clock.

Venice is working hard to cope with its mobs of visitors. As ever-growing waves of tourists wash over the city every year, residents are struggling to ward off the trash (and trashiness) left in their wake. Picnicking remains illegal anywhere on St. Mark's Square, and offenders can be fined. The city is taking a good-cop/bad-cop approach: On St. Mark's Square, "decorum monitors" admonish snackers and sunbathers, while around town friendly posted guidelines cheerily encourage people to pick up their trash, refrain from pigeon-feeding and save the beachwear for the Lido.

Structural renovation work on the iconic bell tower that looms over St Mark's Square is finally finished; a titanium girdle wrapped around the underground foundations now shores up a crack that appeared in 1939. The city's top art gallery, the Accademia, is still undergoing a seemingly never-ending renovation, with major rooms still closed.

The Peggy Guggenheim Collection has also done some rearranging, largely to accommodate the recently bequeathed Schulhof Collection, which brings the museum's holdings up to the late 20th century with works by Rothko, Calder, de Kooning, Warhol, and many others. Peggy would have loved it.

In Ravenna, a new museum is dedicated to Dante Alighieri, who spent three years here before succumbing to an infernal (or at least malaria-ridden) mosquito. While it's a buzz for Italians, it's skippable for those who aren't fans of the author and his work.

Milan is preparing to host the 2015 World's Fair. To welcome the expected 20 million visitors, the Rho-Pero district is revamping its layout with new parks, museums and American-inspired skyscrapers.

Life is pretty much back to normal in the Cinque Terre, where flooding devastated the area just a few years ago. But the beautiful coastal trail system remains at the mercy of nature, with washouts or bad weather closing popular stretches. The popular Via dell'Amore (Path of Love), which was hit by a landslide in 2013, will reopen sometime this year. In Vernazza, a new "beach" was formed with debris from the floods. It's great for wading and sunning, but wear shoes, as bits of rubble are mixed in with the pebbles.

Italy has long been my favorite country in Europe and some of its thrills will never change with the calendar. Sit silently on a hilltop rooftop and get chummy with the Tuscan view. Write a poem over a glass of local wine in a sun-splashed, wave-dashed Riviera village. Lifelong travel memories are like low-hanging fruit in Italy-yours to harvest and preserve for years to come.

Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television. E-mail: rick@ricksteves.com