People on a big bus tour rarely get to stop and smell the flowers, much less take the time for a well-composed photograph. With European Focus Private Tours philosophy of “your pace is our pace,” our guests have all the time they want to capture the moment. Our recent guest Art shoots his ancestral village of Stilfs (Stelvio am Stilfersjoch) during a visit to this gorgeous area of Southern Tyrol in early October.
The Via Dell Amore from Riomaggiore to Manarola
May 18
News hit the world like a flash. The beautiful Cinque Terre of Italy’s Ligurian coast was destroyed by terrible mudslides in October, 2011. Torrential downpours had reduced the villages to colorful versions of Pompeii. Well, not entirely true, as we found out on a recent visit to this sparkling part of Italy.
Interesting geology on display along the pathway
Two villages were damaged. Monterosso al Mara at the north end of the five village chain and its neighbor Vernazza had plenty of deep mud and thousands of tons of rocks to clean up after the October 25 deluge. Nine people were confirmed to have died. But destroyed? Gone for good? This was all media hype and hysteria and as we saw with our own eyes on May 14, the villages are thriving and at full operational ability.
There is one exception. The stunning path which takes the hiker from village to village has been cut off at various points. One can still enjoy the easy path from Riomaggiore to Manarola, which takes about 25 minutes (much more actually because you stop so many times to take photos) but then the path ends in a locked gate with warning signs. You cannot continue to tiny Corniglia, which is stranded with no hike in to the village from east or from west. There is a much higher route to take, but it’s difficult to get to and it seems, most people were just satisfying themselves with a short stroll and then a boat ride to either Vernazza or to Monterosso al Mare from the little “port” at Manarola.
The Cinque Terre is a national treasure. Work is ongoing to ensure that torrential rain does not damage these jewels again.
Our guests George and Susan Then admire the view of Manarola from the Via Dell Amore
Landslide evidence between Corniglia and Vernazza
It's tradition to "lock" yourself together symbolically along the Via Dell Amore. The key is thrown into the sea.
Pittigliano, Tuscany seen from the west
May 10
There was once a flourishing Jewish community in this fortified Tuscan village. Kicked out of the Papal States (those areas immediately surrounding Rome) by Popes in the 16th century, a large settlement developed in Pittigliano where they were given protection by the local ruling family. In ‘Little Jerusalem’ there can be seen many traces of their existence, including a ritual bath, a kosher butchery, bakery, dye house where textiles were prepared and perhaps most importantly, the rebuilt synagogue.
Entrance to the restored synagogue
Built at the end of the 1500s, the synagogue once stood on an outcrop of the tufa stone hanging over the southwest wall of the town. The Jewish population of Italy had been granted legal emancipation after Italy was united in 1871. By the 1930s, many had left this little town for better opportunities in the cities. With facism, their rights were suppressed and many who could left for other countries. A few were deported. After the war, there were only a handful left. The synagogue, abandoned after the tumult of World War II, had been destroyed by landslides in the 1960s. It stood as a ruin for many years. Finally, in 1995, it was rebuilt by the town government using recollections from surviving members of the community, drawings and photographs.
A small entry fee allows one to wander through the subterranean chambers where animals were butchered by having their throats slit with a knife. Blood ran down a steep decline and through a hole in the wall to the valley below. Textiles were soaked in tubs cut out of the rock. Wine was produced in a kosher cellar. Bread was baked in an oven which looks as it it is ready to use today.
The baking oven
Pittigliano, ‘Little Jerusalem,’ a new discovery for European Focus but one which we shall return to again and again.
Nearly deserted Via Roma in the afternoon of a fine spring day
Castle dell'Aquila, Tuscany has been largely restored to its former grandeur.
While on my way to Rome recently to pick up clients, I stopped in northern Tuscany to visit good friends Giulio and Elisabetta Salemme. We stayed the night in a simple but lovely Agriturismo within sight of a massive gray pile of rock which I learned was the Castello dell’Aquila. Giulio offered a visit to the castle the following morning and who can resist the chance to see the inside of a mighty fortress?
View over nearby Gargano, Tuscany from the castle tower
The kitchen of the private apartment is huge but still manages to be cozy
A shooting hole for defense of the castle
The castle's current owner and her dog
The Foro Romano, heart of ancient Roman civilization
April 2
(From Wikipedia with photos by European Focus) The Roman Forum (Latin: Forum Romanum, Italian: Foro Romano) is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum. It was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections, venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches, and nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city’s great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archeological excavations attracting numerous sightseers.
The Senate met in the chamber at right center of this view
Driving a car is a luxury these days in Italy, where fuel prices are at an all-time high
March 31
With fuel prices at an astounding $9 per gallon for unleaded, slightly less for diesel, the Romans are leaving their cars parked and taking public transportation. What used to be a white knuckle drive into the heart of Rome from the airport is now a breeze, with very few vehicles on the road except for official government cars, taxis and delivery vehicles. The sticker shock at the pump also has an effect on the price to take a taxi in Rome, now at an all-time high. So far, these very high fuel costs have not trickled down onto the prices on the menus at Rome’s many Trattoria and Osteria, but give it time.
We’re offering an itinerary full of our most favorite places on the European continent. This tour can be booked “as is” or it can be used as the nucleus for your own suggestions and ideas, which we will then incorporate into the perfect trip for you and your party.
Remember, we never mix and match strangers on any of our custom-designed, private tours. Get together with your friends or family and book this Grand Adventure today. (Limit is six people)
Day 1: Arrival at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Haarlem, Netherlands (2)
After arrival at Schiphol we take you to an outdoor museum where you can get up close to a real, working windmill. After lunch of typical pannekoeken, we drive on to Haarlem for early afternoon check-in at our hotel. Rest and relaxation for the afternoon (the complete opposite of the big bus tours, which push their guests until they literally collapse) and then dinner tonight in a fun Tapas bar. (Dutch food is by its very nature bland, and so we eat international when we are in the Netherlands)
Day 2: Amsterdam
We explore the biggest city in the Netherlands by taking the train from Haarlem into the center of the city, less than 15 minutes away. We then enjoy a canal cruise on one of the smaller boats. The cruise lasts an hour and shows you most of the highlights of the city. Lunch and then time for individual exploration whether that be a visit to the Anne Frank house, the Van Gogh exhibition or shopping. Return to Haarlem in the late afternoon in time for a siesta before dinner at a fun Italian restaurant where you can sample wine from a variety of “spigots” set into the wall. (Dinner both nights in Haarlem included)
Day 3: Bruges, Belgium (2)
We drive about three hours south, seeing some of the massive dikes which hold the sea from flooding low-lying Holland. We stay three nights in the heart of Bruges, one of the world’s prettiest small cities. Attention chocolate lovers! This city will more than satisfy your taste buds. And, it’s also famous for its wide assortment of handcrafted beers. We see the sights today and tomorrow. We enjoy dinner tonight in a traditional restaurant with excellent Flemish stew.
Day 4: Bruges, Belgium and excursion to Ieper
We drive this morning to the small city of Ieper, totally destroyed by artillery in WWI and then rebuilt by the Belgians and the British. This old city features a huge medieval cloth hall, and it is there that you will find the excellent WWI museum “In Flanders Fields,” was composed near here. Return to Bruges for late afternoon free time and independent dinner.
Day 5: Koln, Germany (1)
Guests have the morning to shop or relax and sightsee in Bruges. After a quick bite, we drive south past Brussels and on into Deutschland for a visit to the city most famous for its massive cathedral and its excellent Kolsch, a light, crisp beer served in tiny glasses. We stay a night within walking (or crawling!) distance of one of the best brewery restaurants in the city.
Day 6: Trier, Germany (2)
We drive further south into the lovely Mosel River Valley and a visit to Burg Eltz, one of the few medieval castles in Germany which has never been destroyed by war or captured by a foe. We then continue to Germany’s oldest city, Trier, for a two-night stay in a lovely little hotel located high above it all on the Petrisberg hill. You can see all of the Roman sights from your room’s private balcony. Dinner tonight at the hotel, coldcuts and soup (included).
Day 7: Trier
We see the sights of Trier today including the Roman Gate, the baths, the cathedral and former Roman palace and the Basilica of Constantine. Guests then have free time to shop or explore on their own. Dinner tonight in a traditional restaurant in a village just a couple of minutes from our hotel. (Included)
Day 8: The Mosel River Valley and Bacharach, Rhein (2)
We drive along the gorgeous Mosel River Valley with a stop for shopping and sightseeing in Bernkastel-Kues. Continuing on, we stop in the miniscule hamlet of Beilstein for lunch with a view. We then continue on to Bacharach, a medieval village on the Rhein River for a two-night stay at a traditional hotel serving what we think is the best sauerbraten and rinderroulade in Germany. (Included)
Day 9: Rhein Valley by boat
Guests enjoy the morning cruise from Bingen to St. Goar, starting at 9:15 and lasting to 11. We pick you up at St. Goar and then continue on along the Rhein as far as Koblenz, where we turn around and come down the other side, stopping often to sightsee or take pictures. Return in the middle to later part of the afternoon to Bacharach. Dinner independently with our suggestions.
Day 10: Miltenberg am Main (1)
We travel past the big city of Frankfurt am Main and on into Bavaria for a one-night stay in the charming half-timbered town of Miltenberg. We stay in Germany’s oldest inn, built in 1590 and restored in the 1970s and 80s.
Tonight we have dinner in a brewery featuring, yes, the best rabbit we have ever had. (You don’t have to have rabbit!) Dinner is included.
Day 11: Rothenburg ob der Tauber (1)
We continue along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the crown jewel of Germany’s medieval towns. Guests enjoy a night in a fine hotel located in the center of town. Tonight, after independent shopping or sightseeing time, enjoy dinner in a pub built on top of Rothenburg’s oldest house, then the rounds with our own Night Watchman, who takes guests on a rollicking hour-long walk around the town, explaining what it was like to live and work in “the good old days.” Dinner, tour included.
Day 12: Lans, Austria (2)
We travel into the Alps for a two-night stay in our favorite hamlet above Innsbruck. Arrival late in the afternoon after sightseeing stops along the way from Rothenburg. Dinner tonight at the family-owned and operated restaurant is included.
Day 13: Austrian Alps
We explore into the Alps with a visit to Hall in Tyrol and more. Independent dinner tonight.
Day 14: Brenner Pass to Venice, Italy (2)
We drive down the stunning Brenner Pass into Italy and to one of the most romantic cities on the planet. Guests enjoy two nights in a charming hotel in the San Marco district, just ten minutes from the Piazza San Marco and yet tucked away from the noise of the Grand Canal. Enjoy the many pleasures of Venice. Independent dinner tonight with our suggestions.
Day 15: Venice
Sightseeing in Venice, including an excursion to a glass factory on the island of Murano.
Dinner in a traditional Trattoria tonight, included.
Day 16: Departure from Venice Marco Polo International Airport
Escort to the airport for your flight home.
Requirements: Guests must be physically fit and able to walk, climb stairs and generally be mobile. This tour requires walking, including up and down hills. This tour is not suitable for people with extreme dietary restrictions.
Offered for: May, early June, early September in 2012
Tour guides: James or Jenean Derheim
Price per person all-inclusive including many dinners (noted above) with beverages, hotels, transportation, sightseeing, all incidentals, guide’s fee: 4,800 Euro per person
Based on a full load of six people, couples preferred.
Deposit amount: 1,500 Euro per person
Final balance due: 30 days before trip commences
Please note that this micro group tour includes luxurious hotels, small inns and private hotels, excellent and drink and sightseeing. Only a few dinners are left up to the individual. Most of our guests are fed so well during the days and nights that we take care of the bill that they take advantage of these “independent dinner” evenings to do as we do, and just skip dinner entirely.
To learn more, contact us today. By the way, most of the places mentioned in this itinerary are featured right here on the European Focus blog.
The ancient village was razed to the ground to make way for a large reservoir. All that remains of the 13th century church is the tower, poking up like a ghostly reminder from the waters.
PARIS, PROVENCE & CÔTE D’AZUR Micro Group Tour for June or July (Max 5 adults) This trip starts off with two nights in one of the world’s most enchanting cities, with a guide who knows how to make the most of your time. We then move away f...
PARIS, SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE & BARCELONA Micro Group Tour for 2013 This trip starts off with three nights in one of the world’s most enchanting cities, with a guide who knows how to make the most of your time here. We then move away from the ci...
PARIS, PROVENCE & CÔTE D’AZUR Micro Group Tour for July or August or October, 2013 (Max 5 adults) This trip starts off with two nights in one of the world’s most enchanting cities, with a guide who knows how to make the most of your time here....
