Linderhof Castle, King Ludwig’s So-Called Hunting Lodge

September 30 from a visit on September 28 Bavaria’s last real ruling monarch, King Ludwig II, left behind many IOUs and debts from his wild building program. He built three castles, two of which were never completed. He wrote out huge IOUs, was declared crazy, put into a hospital and was a short time later […]

Finding the Beauty in a Rainy Day in Tyrol, Austria

September 27 Rain, rain, go away, but tomorrow they promise a sunny day. Something like that. We took a short excursion from our home base in Lans, Austria to the Ötztal Valley to the west of Innsbruck for photography and a short hike along the longest and highest waterfall in Tyrol. Even though it rained, […]

Welcome New Arrivals from Texas

September 22 Brothers Philip and Lin and their wives Diane and Jennifer just arrived in Germany to begin their two week adventure in Germany and Austria. This is the first time in the heart of Europe for the two couples. We started with Germany’s best-preserved medieval town, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where by coincidence their […]

Welcome First Time Travelers Ken and Gloria

September 2 Ken and Gloria have taken one of those ‘If it’s Tuesday this must be Belgium’ bus tours through Europe. You know the ones. Breakneck pace, a different city every night and a different country every other day. They enjoyed the experience for what it was, but this time, for their return to Germany […]

Guimarães, birthplace of Portugal

August 19 – from a visit to this region in early June The city of Guimarães is historically associated with the foundation and identity of the Portuguese nationality. Guimarães, among other settlements, precedes the foundation of Portugal and because of its role in the foundation of the country it is known as the “cradle of […]

Christmas Market Tours in Germany

July 23 European Focus Private Tours will be happy to design and lead a Christmas Market Tour for your family up to 10 people. Or, for just two. We can create the itinerary built around your timeframe and your interests. With more than 24 years of experience traveling in Germany and other parts of Europe, […]

Lunch with a view in Beilstein, Germany

July 11 It’s always a highlight (even if you have been there, as we have, more than 100 times) to bring guests to the lovely Klostercafe above the miniature hamlet of Beilstein on the peaceful Mosel River. We love to share the not-so-secret hideaway at the top of the restaurant, the little room surrounded on […]