One of the major stress points of travel is where to eat. There can be so many choices, it’s dizzying. What if you only have two nights in Florence? Ideally, those two nights should include some memorable dinners, right? With experience verging on four decades, European Focus Private Tours’ owner James Derheim can provide tips, guidance and booking assistance depending on the guests’ taste and budget. James consults with his guests on what they want and makes arrangements well in advance of the trip starting. Here are just a few examples of fun and food during the 2025 tour season with more information in the captions.
Family-style traditional dinner in a cozy restaurant with seats for just 30 lucky people in Evora, Portugal. There is no menu. Guests just sit down and eat – it’s so simple and just delicious! The owners are there to explain each dish and its relevance to local agriculture and history.
Lamb shank in a cozy hotel with open fires in County Galway, Ireland. In this case, knowing we would be several nights here, I chose a hotel with an excellent reputation for food. This gave us the convenience of not having to drive on those narrow roads after dark.
Finding traditional food in Berlin is not as easy as one might things, with the prevalence of international foods (Italian, Turkish, Greek, American) on every corner. I have loved this authentic place “Max and Moritz” for decades. The owner recognizes me and always stops over for a chat. This time, in July, we even got a lovely tour of the upper floors, which have really not changed since before the war.
A unique place to celebrate a birthday in a wine village in Franconia, Germany.
Melanie enjoys traditional apple strudel in a family-owned hotel and restaurant I have brought guests to since 1998. This was Melanie’s third trip with European Focus.
Sometimes it’s good to hand off to the local expert. We took a food tour in Krakow in July ans it was awesome. Here’s our guide holding a plate of pierogi. This was one of six stops on the tour. To say we were well satisfied is an understatement!
Yes, there is good gelato and there is bad / fake gelato in Italy. James Derheim knows the difference. And, after a tour with James, so will you! John and Kathy ham it up for the camera on their fourth trip with European Focus.
Sometimes people suffer from “great food fatigue” and I get it. No one can dine and wine 10 or more nights in a row. That’s why when appropriate I might suggest a picnic, with items picked up from the local deli or a pizza to go, a bottle of local wine and a view. We did this in Provence during Jodie and Billy’s second tour with me.