Val and I have traveled with David on six tours, maybe seven. We have sincerely enjoyed everyone and are delighted to be repeat customers. On this tour it was just Valerie, me, and David. We went to Barcelona two days early to get acclimated and I wanted to ensure ample time to visit La Sagrada de Famila cathedral, which is simply divine in every way. We also visited the Picasso museum which was a revelation to both my wife and I. It went from Picasso works as a teen throughout his life. With the exception of guenerica Sp…it housed numerous works which we thoroughly enjoyed. We actually followed up with a trip to the Picasso museum in Paris, which didn’t even come close.

With David, you eat well and sleep well. We stayed in nice places and had a lot of wonderful dining experiences. David loves to experience local flavor and some places off the beaten path. Some of my favorite spots were sunsets, having a cocktail, or more likely a bottle of wine on the rooftop terrace overlooking a castle or cathedral, just enchanting! We did the best of Spain tour, and Spain truly exceeded our expectations in every way. We stayed in a small mountain town on top of a hill overlooking a spectacular valley. An open-air rooftop cafe from our hotel started our day. Cookies from the hidden nuns was a new experience….lots of cathedrals and impressive Moorish castles with incredible architecture over a thousand years old.

I absolutely loved this tour and can’t imagine a better experience. We are repeat customers and love traveling with David and Charlotte. You can’t beat the small tours and personal attention.

David's knowledge and willingness to educate, along with his personable hospitality, outside of his "tour hat", made our vacation that much more enjoyable. The small groups made it easy to travel and get to know each other. We made friends with people we keep in touch with now. He provided a great adventure that left us ready to plan our next adventure. The David McGuffin Tours experience was the icing on the cake!

THE ESSENCE OF ITALY TOUR &  THE ESSENCE OF IRELAND TOUR- This was my second tour with David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe. It was an amazing trip. A very relaxed pace during the day that allows you to see the sites and plenty of time to take pictures. Of course, the dinners and meals were amazing. It’s so very nice to travel with all lodging, schedules, and transportation already planned.  Possibly our group had just too good of a time! Our small group really enjoyed every minute and had an absolute blast with Charlotte (our guide). We just laughed and had fun every day. While that makes for a fantastic vacation…it does make the ‘re-entry’ to normal life just painful.

Being of Irish heritage, we took our first trip to Ireland with David in the spring of 2022. As promised, we had a small group. David accompanied us on our planned excursions and gave his insight from his many years of traveling through Ireland. He expertly transversed the streets of Ireland via the public transportation system and included “walking tours” to get the real feel of the area. For our treks to the countryside, we had an excellent driver who navigated the narrow roads like a pro! Our accommodations included hotels, to Bed & Breakfasts with a homey feel. The Bed and Breakfast in Dingle was our favorite. It was comfortable, had an excellent location, had a friendly owner, and had a washer and dryer, which were a must when traveling in a carrying-on suitcase! We personally loved the gardens of Blarney Castle and the EPIC museum, also known as The Irish Emigration Museum.

For future trips, I would include the EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum, as part of the tour, especially since it was next to our hotel in Dublin.

Thanks, David for making our first trip to Ireland a memorable one!

Carol and Kevin M.

France was truly a memorable experience in many ways. It was a blend of history, architecture, religious sites, and landscapes. Although it is not a “ Catholic pilgrimage “, because of the rich Catholic history of France, the tour achieved much of what I wished to see on self-exploring time and freed me to discover other sites important to my faith, such as the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Paris which I was able to walk to from the hotel one morning.

Thank you for allowing me to explore Lisieux on the way back to Paris from Normandy. I am appreciative of the limited time we had there, which means a lot because of the life of St Therese.

In hindsight, I wish I had spoken up and toured Los Cluces, Davinci’s home in Amboise, in his later years. I was trying to follow everyone else and regretted not speaking up.

I am glad I did speak up and tour the Hotel Dieu’ in Beaune. The altarpiece artwork located there was a treasure to view! If we had been in Beaune for the day, I would have toured the wine caverns also. There is also a famous altarpiece, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, in St Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium which I discovered on an afternoon side trip several years ago. It is fascinating and has stories and history behind it from the Middle age to the present day.

Port en Besin where we stayed in Normandy was unique. I enjoyed Bayeux, especially the Tapestry, and exploring the 1000-year-old Cathedral, which William the Conqueror was present when it was consecrated. I have learned a lot about him as well as Catherine de Medici who I knew nothing about before Paris and the Chateau at Chenonceau. Thanks to her foresight, I enjoyed the Luxembourg gardens in Paris and the gardens at the chateau.

Normandy beaches were a highlight in many ways. The bonus was your suggestion of the Museum late in the day at Arronmaches that told the history of the artificial port built there and how the supplies and equipment were unloaded. Thank you for that suggestion, in which I enjoyed exploring the exhibits every moment.

Each day brought about new adventures and learning, and I thank you for your guidance and undivided attention. What I was able to see and explore while on my travels with you was more than I could have ever imagined.

I will definitely travel one day again with you! Dining was awesome and was fun to kick back each day also with your choices of local eateries.

Again, utmost thanks and appreciation for your guidance and friendship in France.

A Taste of Greece Tour - June 2021 - Touring Greece with David & Charlotte was a Vacation of a lifetime! We went as soon as Greece opened back up after COVID… We arrived a day late, but David made sure we didn’t miss a thing, so his wife (Charlotte) stayed on schedule with the group, while David took the 3 of us on a personalized tour of what the group did earlier that morning… We didn’t miss a thing… It meant a lot… Thank YOU David! Also, David had a relaxed Itinerary, so when he asked us IF we wanted to go out on a Sunset Catamaran sail (at our own expense), we said “Yes”! It was the “perfect day”, spent with family and (new) friends. The whole vacation was memorable, but that day (sailing the seas) was my favorite! Thanks again David & Charlotte!

Best of Italy Tour: October 2021 - My wife and I chose David's Best of Italy tour (September-October 2021) for our first visit to Italy. We could not have chosen better!

The variety of destinations made every day fresh and exciting. For example a day in Rome, featuring the awesome Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica, was followed by a day that introduced us to the natural beauty and small-town charm of Monterosso in the Cinque Terre.

David's relationships with local guides and families were another advantage of traveling with him. We will never forget wine tasting in the midst of gorgeous Tuscan countryside at the del Duca family's Podere Marcampo -- and dining on delicious

Pappardelle al Cinghiale (wild boar) and delectable steak at the same family's Ristorante del Duca in Volterra.

At every city or town, there was a nice balance between time with David (as he oriented and educated us), and time on our own. He knows where the good restaurants are, too! Also, our hotels and albergos were well-chosen -- comfortable, and convenient to the places we wanted to visit.

We will definitely travel with David again! The Amalfi Coast and Islands look intriguing.

I have wanted to see Greece since I was young...and this trip was a dream! David and Charlotte handled every single detail to ensure a perfect experience. Every day was an adventure...our group of 18 became fast friends and shared all the fun and laughter...including the photos! We had so much food at our group dinners in the best restaurants. From the historic tours to the sunset catamaran cruise where we got to swim in the beautiful waters...to the chill time on the beach, This trip could not have been more perfect.  My favorite experience was the sun set catamaran cruise on the caldera in Santorini.

It's hard to believe that a year ago today, we left for Italy. We had been planning this first trip to Italy for 3 years and everything was great. David and Charlotte made it interesting and challenging. We were there when the 2nd heat wave hit Italy. We accepted the challenge and hiked the trail from Monterosso to Vernazza in 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The private guides that David had for us in Volterra and Florence made us appreciate the history and art more than you can imagine.

The food was wonderful. Our favorite meal was at David and Charlotte's favorite restaurant on the last night in Volterra. They served basil bread, which was out of this world. (I still want that recipe!) They served the lightest pasta out of all the cities we ate at. David had everything arranged from transportation, (including his driving of the rental van and car), B&Bs and the group meals. There was never a bad meal, even at new locations he tried us "guinea pigs" out on.

Our group was small, 6, and just the perfect size to get to know the other couple, Leslie and Steve, and willing to try anything different.

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip with David and Charlotte and recommend to anyone going to Europe to book with David McGuffin. You'll be glad you did.

David has designed a perfect trip to see highlights of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He has obviously developed great relationships with the hotels we stayed in, and has found the best possible attractions and restaurants to visit during the 13 days. Highly recommend this trip to all! May favorite experience was hiking in Switzerland.