Royal Families may seem like the stuff of fairy tales, but you can appreciate their starring role in Western history next time you visit your favorite museum.

So when you go see those incredible paintings and incredible sculpture, really you can thank a king from centuries past.

Coming up, we look at the Royal Foundations to our modern world.

Nearly a hundred years ago, writer Agatha Christie's year-long grand tour took her to the far reaches of the British Commonwealth.

These days it would be hard to imagine people embarking on a tour like that. I know they go on long cruises,

but they don't usually last that long.

And on Blooms Day you'll find fans of James Joyce's

Ulysses reenacting scenes from the novel on the streets of Dublin.

Sweeney's pharmacy is a popular stop.

And while he's there, Leopold Bloom buys a barrel of lemon soap.

So every visitor who visit us on Blooms Day particularly, they buy the bar of soap.

Enjoy a walking tour of Dublin, Royal History, and Agatha Christie's grand tour of the Empire.

It's just ahead on Travel with Rick Steves.

Imagine how much fun it would be if Agatha Christie, the Queen of Mystery Writers, wrote about travel.

Before she became famous as a mystery writer, she actually spent nearly a year sailing around the world as part of a trade mission to promote the British Empire.

We'll find out from her grandson how her far-flung travel tales turn up in her wonderful novels.

In the glory days of the British Empire, Dublin was second in importance only to London.

A walk around Dublin today shows you the city's elegant Georgian architecture, as well as

evidence from 700 years of British rule.

We'll get an insider's tour of Dublin in just a bit today on Travel with Rick Steve's.

The empire that once ruled Ireland is now just a memory,

as is the power once enjoyed by a small group of

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