OUR SMALL-GROUP TOURS TO EUROPE

The Best of Sicily in 11 days

This tour weaves together three counties, five cultures, four languages and some of the best scenery along the Mediterranean coast.  You’ll begin with two action-packed days in Barcelona.  Then, head to France to experience medieval castles, Roman ruins and jet-setting adventures along the French Riviera.  Cap off your tour with three relaxing days on the beautiful Italian Riviera. 

SHORT ON TIME, BUT STILL WANT TO EXPERIENCE IRELAND?   Then this tour is for you!  This is the perfect eight days of sightseeing and cultural experiences, offering a worry-free journey of Ireland’s history, culture, music, and cuisine.

We kick off in Dublin, where you’ll get a solid introduction to Irish history, culture, and charm. Then we will head out into the countryside to experience three distinct regions.  You’ll visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, geological wonders, and charming villages, all the while enjoying some of the best food, music, and craic on the island! 

Ireland is the land of forty shades of green, all the sheep you’ll ever want to count, and a warm welcome on every doorstep! It is a mystical place, full of fairy forts, stone circles, ancient passage tombs, and superstitions that run deep.  This tour is the perfect twelve days of sightseeing and cultural experiences, offering a worry-free journey of Ireland’s history, culture, music, and cuisine.

Beginning in Dublin and ending in Belfast, you are sure to experience seven distinct regions and cultures.  Along the way, learn and experience Ireland’s history, culture, and charm. Visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, geological wonders, charming villages, and two capital cities. 

David has designed this travel experience to pair his Taste of Ireland and Best of Scotland itineraries. This tour is the perfect fifteen days of sightseeing and cultural experiences, offering a worry-free journey experiencing the history, culture, music, and cuisine of Ireland and Scotland.

This tour kicks off in Dublin, where you’ll get a solid introduction to Irish history, culture, and charm. Then we will head out into the countryside to experience three distinct regions. You’ll visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, geological wonders, and charming villages while enjoying some of the best food, music, and craic on the island! After a quick flight across the Irish Sea, experience the capital city of Edinburgh, its castle, and streets steeped in history and lore. Then, enjoy another four days and nights in the highlands and islands, visiting St. Andrews, Pitlochry, Inverness, Oban, and the Hebrides.

Beginning in Dublin and ending in Belfast, you are sure to experience seven distinct regions and cultures.  Along the way, learn and experience Ireland’s history, culture, and charm. Visit ancient monastic sites, fairy forts, geological wonders, charming villages, and two capital cities.

BEST OF SCOTLAND & WALES in 11 days

This tour begins with visiting my favorite destinations in Scotland.  Enjoy the grandeur of Edinburgh, its cliff-hanging castle, St. Andrews (the home of golf), and the vast, rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands.  We’ll wrap up our tour on the west coast in the fishing village of Oban and the remote Hebrides Islands.

In England, relax in the serenity and beauty of the Lake District. Then enjoy three days in North Wales, experiencing medieval castles, quaint villages, beautiful gardens, and steam locomotives.

This tour is the perfect eighteen days of sightseeing and cultural experiences, offering a worry-free journey experiencing the history, culture, music, and cuisine of Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.

Beginning in Dublin, you’ll learn about Irish history, culture, and charm. Out in the countryside, experience Ireland’s natural wonders, its people some of the best food, music, and craic on the island! After a quick flight across the Irish Sea, experience the capital city of Edinburgh, its castle, and streets steeped in history and lore. Then, enjoy another four days and nights in the highlands and islands, visiting St. Andrews, Pitlochry, Inverness, Oban, and the Hebrides. Then, enjoy a quiet moment in England’s Lake District, before visiting North Wales with medieval castles, slate mines, and scenic vistas.

BEST OF LONDON & PARIS in 9 days

The Best of London and Paris tour provides an opportunity to settle in and experience two of Europe’s major capital cities.  London presents a relatively stress-free introduction with non-stop flights from North America, almost no language barrier, and easy transportation. The EuroStar high-speed train will zip you from London to Paris in less than three hours. In Paris, we’ve included all the major tourist sights and must-see attractions, but there is also plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the City of Light!

BEST OF LONDON, PARIS, & ROME in 13 days

The Best of London, Paris, and Rome tour provides an opportunity to settle in and experience three of Europe’s major capital cities.  London presents a relatively stress-free introduction with non-stop flights and almost no language barrier.  This, coupled with our comprehensive itinerary and an opportunity to experience some of the best theatre in the world, makes London a perfect beginning to this tour.

The EuroStar high-speed train will zip you from London to Paris in less than three hours. In Paris, we’ve included all the major tourist sights and must-see attractions, but there is also plenty of time to slow down and enjoy the experience. 

Then, jet off to Rome for four days of history, culture, and cuisine. You’ll visit the “biggies,” such as the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Pantheon, and still have time to slow down and experience La Dolce Vita.

BEST OF GREECE in 9 days

My Best of Greece tour weaves my favorite Greek destinations into this itinerary. We begin in the countryside at Delphi, home of the ancient Oracle and her temples.  After crossing the Bay of Corinth, we’ll spend several days on the Pelopenes Peninsula, visiting ancient temples, worship sites, historic cities, and theatres. Hopping on a ferry, enjoy a short ride to traffic-free Hydra Island for two days of relaxation.  Then it is off to Athens, where we’ll dedicate the better part of two days to exploring this capital city. My Best of Greece tour provides the perfect mix of sightseeing, education, and relaxation.

BEST OF GREECE & SANTORINI in 12 days

My Best of Greece & Santorini tour visits my favorite Greek mainland and island destinations. We begin in the countryside at Delphi, home of the ancient Oracle and her temples.  After crossing the Bay of Corinth, we’ll spend several days on the Pelopenes Peninsula, visiting ancient temples, worship sites, historic cities, and theatres. Hopping on a ferry, enjoy a short ride to traffic-free Hydra Island for two days of relaxation. Then it is off to Athens, where we’ll dedicate the better part of two days to exploring this capital city. Finally, we will hop on a short flight to Santorini, home of white-washed villages on an ancient volcano caldera.  My Best of Greece & Santorini tour provides the perfect mix of sightseeing, education, and relaxation.

GERMANY, AUSTRIA, & SWITZERLAND in 12 days

Explore the grand imperial city of Vienna, famous for castles, kings, music, and cuisine. Then, you’ll have two relaxing days in Salzburg’s famous city center. A visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and nearby Reutte rounds out the fifth day of the tour.  We’ll head to Switzerland for my favorite alpine village experience in the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley.  Leaving the Alps, take a turn to the north and follow the Rhine River valley through the Black Forest to the cute little town of Rothenburg.  Finally, visit Hitler’s first concentration camp in Dachau before capping off your tour with two days in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS- GERMANY & AUSTRIA in 8 days

Christmas Markets pop up all over Central Europe during the first weeks of December.  Each year, we feature a winter wonderland tour to Germany and Austria during the Christmas season. These outdoor markets feature unique decorations, beautifully handcrafted arts, and endless opportunities to sample great food and countless varieties of glüwein, punch, and spiced drinks, served piping hot in souvenir mugs. But there is more to this tour than snow and markets!  Enjoy visiting many destinations that, in the busy tourist season, are packed shoulder-to-shoulder with sweaty tourists.  Traveling “off-season” means easy access to castles and sights in Salzburg, Schwangau, Rothenburg, Munich, Nürnberg, and more.  There has never been a better time to visit Europe’s winter wonderland destinations. 

CHRISTMAS MARKETS – GERMANY, FRANCE & ITALY in 8 days

Christmas Markets pop up all over Central Europe during the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Experience these markets in three countries, all with different cultures, and languages. 

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CHRISTMAS MARKETS – EASTERN EUROPE in 8 days

Christmas Markets pop up all over Europe during the weeks leading up to Christmas.  Each year, we feature several winter wonderland tours during the holiday Christmas season. These outdoor markets feature unique decorations, beautiful, handcrafted arts, and endless opportunities to sample great food and countless varieties of glüwein, punch, and spiced drinks, served piping hot in souvenir mugs. This route features four contrasting cultures and languages.  This tour visits Nürnberg, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest.  

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BEST OF FRANCE in 11 days

When I think of France, my mind always wanders to food!  Those tasty dishes are always accompanied by lots of sauce which have been distilled to a rich and silky essence.  Hence, the name of this tour distills the country down to my top destinations in and around Paris. We’ll begin (and end) with the very best of Paris, and sandwiched in between are some of the premiere sites, food, wine, and experiences in the country: the vineyards and cathedrals of Burgundy, the Loire Valley’s elegant châteaux, Brittany’s quaint villages, Normandy’s magnificent Mont St. Michel, and the D-Day battlefield beaches.

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BATTLEFIELDS IN FRANCE & BELGIUM in 13 days

Join a small group of like-minded travelers exploring some of the most historic battlefields in Europe. Over the course of thirteen days, you’ll visit battle sites, memorials, historic towns and villages, and museums and cemeteries related to battles in France and Belgium.  This tour is designed for a focused group of 6-18 people interested in the history of Europe and its ever-changing boundaries shaped by war.  

We believe in small groups, unhurried pace, immersion in local surroundings, and, most importantly, not over-emphasizing any one aspect of the tour.  Many companies are offering “military history” tours where you can spend a week seeing Normandy, or days visiting every foxhole around Bastogne, but in doing so you miss so much of what is around you. On the other hand, we know there are tour companies that only scratch the surface of battlefield events. 

Our philosophy is to offer in-depth visits to premier sites from numerous periods and wars while experiencing other elements of European culture as well.  You’ll learn how champagne is made and even get to taste it.  You’ll spend time exploring fabulous cities like Bruges, Brussels, and Paris, and smaller places like Bastogne and Bayeux, and still get your picture taken with a King Tiger tank.  Overall you will get a good mix of military history, cultural history, and plain old-fashioned sightseeing!  

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BEST OF SPAIN in 13 days

My Best of Spain Tour connects the varied cultures and rich history of the largest nation on the Iberian Peninsula. You’ll experience the “drippy” architecture of Gáudi in Barcelona, the Royal Palace and Prado Museum in Madrid, the massive Alhambra in Granada, and the jaw-dropping Cathedrals in Toledo and Sevilla.  Along the way, we’ll visit sleepy little towns, far off the beaten tourist path, to experience the diverse cultures of the country.  This, coupled with authentic dining experiences and laid-back sightseeing strategies, makes this my best way to experience Spain in 13 days.  

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BEST OF PORTUGAL in 11 days

My Essence of Portugal Tour provides a laid-back and worry-free experience while connecting the major destinations and landmarks in Portugal. There is a lot to see and do, but the travel distances are not far, the people are friendly, and the culture and ambiance are unmatched anywhere in Europe.  We will visit the capital of Lisbon and connect its history with great explorers and navigators. Then we will get out into the countryside and seaside to learn about Portugal, its people, and its rich history that transformed the ancient world into the new world.

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