London, England: Treasures of the British Library

The British Library houses over 12 million books though the highlight for travelers is the room full of well-displayed documents that changed the course of history. You'll find original ancient maps, illuminated Gospels on parchment, the Gutenberg Bible, the Magna Carta, Shakespeare's plays and precious musical manuscripts ranging from Handel's Messiah to hand-written Beatles lyrics. For more information on the Rick Steves' Europe TV series — including episode descriptions, scripts, participating stations, travel information on destinations and more — visit www.ricksteves.com.