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 […]

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

Exploring Franconia – Burgbernheim

In this time of lockdown and travel restrictions, it’s been fun and interesting to explore what is just around the corner, less than half an hour away from my home base of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. There are so many historic, pretty hamlets and towns. On January 1, we visited Burgbernheim, Middle Franconia, Bavaria. The […]

Rothenburg ob der Tauber under a blanket of fresh snow

A gorgeous place in any weather, medieval Rothenburg and the nearby hamlet of Detwang are splendid after a fresh snowfall. This is the European headquarters since 1999 for European Focus Private Tours. Owner James Derheim lives here full-time. Starting with the winter season of 2021-22 James will be offering winter tours in Bavaria as well […]

Enjoy Short Videos from Germany During Lockdown

I’ve been in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, my European home base, since March 15. Soon after arrival, I started making little movies lasting less than 4 minutes and posting them to my Facebook page (European Focus Private Tours) as well as YouTube. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/user/DowntownSRQ/videos?view_as=subscriberhttps://www.youtube.com/user/DowntownSRQ/videos?view_as=subscriber During this time of upheaval and no travel, I […]

The Open Window Policy of the Dutch Explained

Those we bring to Amsterdam and other large Dutch cities are always amazed that the Dutch don’t cover their windows with blinds or curtain, as is the case in Germany, for example. The Dutch have long had a philosophy of “Let the light shine in, and my lights inside shine out.” We love it. Now […]