Your Post-Election Moment of Zen

Rick Steves offers a set of ten photos of Europe from his 2026 travels as a break from the US midterm election.

The author says he is exhausted after a long, negative midterms season and is now looking forward to his travels in 2027. He wants to share pretty images that might bring back happy memories or inspire a trip, and that give readers a lift as they move past election fatigue.

He borrows the format of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which ends each episode with a "moment of Zen," to present the photos as "10 European moments of Zen" as the year closes.

Key points

• The article is a photo feature, not news, and was published on 4 November 2026.
• The author presents 10 favourite photos from his 2026 travels in Europe.
• The purpose is to offer a mental break after the US midterm elections.
• The photos are meant to evoke memories or inspire trips planned for 2027.