As I enter the fourth quarter of my career, I am finding that I have some luxuries that I did not have in my first and second quarters. I now have more requests for my time than I have time. This is in part thanks to the many loyal guests who come back for their […]
Category Archives: Private Tours in Europe
Private tours throughout Europe including Germany, France, Italy, England, Ireland and many other European vacation destinations.
Open Letter from Rick Steves to all Canadians
From our friend in travel Rick Steves. An Open Letter from an American-Owned Tour Company to our Canadian Travel Buddies Recently, we’ve heard from a few of our longstanding Canadian customers who signed up for a 2025 Rick Steves tour but are now considering canceling. They still love our style of travel, but they’re struggling […]
The Mrak Family Tour in England
What a tour! This trip was put together in October, 2023 for June 23 arrival at London’s Heathrow Airport. Putting together various interests from all members of the group of five was a challenge, definitely, but it was a fun one! I’m able to leverage more than three decades of experience to mold the best […]
Driving on the Left? No Problem.
The stories my guests and I hear while touring around Ireland or England are all the same. Americans, unprepared and inexperienced with “driving on the left” telling their stories of pure terror. Recently, five adults in their 60s admitted they had given up trying to do it on their own and hired a driver to […]
2024 Rundown
2024 Rundown with “/” separating trips. With 35 years of experience, only European Focus Private Tours can take you to all of these places and many more, with one guide, one driver, one organizer even in multiple countries on the same trip. No hand off to third parties, no uncertainty, no missed opportunities due to […]
How many (or how few) people can book a tour?
I have done many trips for solo travelers and will continue to offer them in the future. Custom-designed trips built around discovery of ancestral origins or just fun, hassle-free and worry-free travel for up to a maximum of 12 persons. If your party is more than six persons, we use a second vehicle and I […]
Postcard from Ireland
With Sam, Judy, Colleen and Don at Connor Pass, near Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland. Photo taken by a tourist on Sept 21, 2023.
Unforgettable Stay at an Irish Castle
Repeat guests Sam, Judy, Colleen and Don enjoyed a night at Dromoland Castle in County Clare at the tail end of their recent tour in Ireland, Sept 13 – 23, 2023. This was Don’s sixth tour with European Focus, Colleen’s seventh, Sam and Judy’s fourth.
Dromoland should be called “Dreamland,” because it’s so… yes. The estate was owned by the O’Brien family, and it was not burned during the Irish Revolution of the early 1900s because the family had good relations with the locals, whom they treated with respect. The estate has an 18-hole golf course, extensive woodlands, wonderful paths for walking, a large lake with free rowboats and a gorgeous, peaceful walled garden. Inside, at least three large fireplaces are kept going all day long, adding to the warm atmosphere punctuated by reds, browns and blues. Lush doesn’t begin to describe Dromoland.
I look forward to bringing many more guests to this special place in the future.
Images from our September 21, 2023 stay at Dromoland Castle