Be part of Italy through its culture, traditions, food, wine, people and backroads.
We’ll explore the most famous cities in the world, discover the secrets of Italian life and people of the small towns, enjoy wine tastings in different regions, visit museums and travel down old roads rich in history inland and along the coast, have dinner with locals – all while exploring Italy and improving your photography skills.
>>>BOOKINGS ARE OPEN<<<
>>>SOLO TRAVELLERS ARE WELCOME<<<
This tour is an authentic treat. You will experience the essence Italy with a local tour guide that thephotowalkers.com have established a wonderful relationship with. This tour is TRUE ITALY – at its best. REAL ITALY – not the typical tourist tour. Enjoy the itinerary below and Come Join Us!
Dates: 22 April – 3 May
There is a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 16.
Please see below for price and payment policy for these details – as well as what is included and excluded.
The Team:
Our Guide in Italy:
Leanne travelled to WTM (World Travel Market) in London in 2015 – with the aim to meet and partner with travel specialist in interesting and beautiful places. It was here she met Stefano from Italy and together they have been compiling the Ultimate Italian Photo-Tour. In 2017 they had their first tour together and it was an incredible experience. Leanne and Stefano have the same vision which is not only to give the clients an experience that introduces them Italy’s history in the main cities – but to give them an authentic, local ‘back road’ tour that will leave you feeling like you have been a part of Italy.
“Those who want to learn about a new special Italian territory, those who want to be fascinated by beautiful monuments and want to get in touch with the daily life and traditions of a real Italian town. Our regions are in the heart of the beautiful country, and in each of them offers you a unique atmosphere, outside the traditional schemes of the most famous Italian destinations. With a territory that goes from the sea to the mountains with art, history, culture, food and wine and people…” Stefano. Italy..
Our Photographers:
Peter Hassall (National President of SA Pro-Photographers with 35 years experience) and Leanne Dryburgh (Western Cape Manager of SA Pro-Photographers with 27 years experience) from thephotowalkers.com are the photographers selected for this tour. Peter Hassall will join if there are more than 8 photographers booked.
Photographic Skills:
Hobbyist and travel photographers of all skills level are welcome. Solo Travelers are welcome. Come Join Us!
Partners and Non-Photographers:
Partners/Non-Photographers are welcome to join at the same price as the photographers.
Our photographers years of experience behind the lens and our guides many years of living in and scouting Italy is what puts thephotowalkers.com tours into a league of its own.
Photographic Highlights Include:
- Low light in a small Italian village – walking the streets after dinner and capturing the people, street cafes and beautiful shop windows
- Architecture in Florence, Rome, the Italian Riviera and the beautiful old buildings of Lucca.
- Shutter Speed workshop including how to use a Neutral Density Filter* to on the waterfalls that flow between the ancient arches
- Street Photography capturing ‘Real Italy’
- Reflections on the Italian Riviera
- Parallel lines through the vineyards, olive trees and fields on private farms
- Perspectives across ancient rooftops
- Macro on the small discoveries
- The importance of good composition using your foreground, middleground and background.
- How to photograph food – and food preparation during a cooking class in Lucca
- Portraits and Environmental portraiture
- How to handle all different types of light in in the valleys
*we have these filters available for loan and sale on the tour – in all sizes.
International Travel:
The meeting point is in Florence and the ending point in Rome. This allows us more time in each of the special gems that we have carefully chosen for this tour. There is an express train from that runs between the two cities and takes 1.5 hours.
Itinerary and Tour Highlights: (finer details are sent to all bookings – transport & accommodation details are below)
Monday 22 April:
Meet at 14h00 at a central meeting point in Florence for a welcome from Stefano and photography brief by Leanne and Peter who will also check your camera settings to help make sure that you are set up and ready to capture Italy as best you can.
At 16h00 explore De Dome, Ponte Vecchio and onto welcome dinner at the Italian Restaurant that the locals love. This is an authentic and wonderful experience and all the food and wine is included.
Tuesday 23 April:
Breakfast on own and meet at 09h30 with bags packed for Lucca. En Route – we will have a wine tasting experience in Tuscany at Val d’Orcia followed by an incredible Italian feast and day of hospitality on one of Tuscany’s oldest wine farms, followed by a bus trip to Lucca with an orientation walk by Stefano and dinner on own.
Wednesday 24 April:
An early morning photoshoot in the streets of Lucca followed by breakfast – a shopping break, lunch on own and meet in the afternoon for a traditional Italian Cooking Class. Here you will make your own dinner and the group will share an Italian picnic together on a rooftop overlooking Lucca.
Thursday 25 April:
Breakfast at leisure and meet at 09h00 to discover Lucca’s hidden gems – through Artisans, Food, Lace, Antiques, People and Food. Drive to Cinque Terre at 15h00 and check in. Orientation walk by Stefano combined with photography and Dinner with group on the waterside and some low-light photography.
Friday 26 April:
An early morning photo shoot of the reflections and boats and then a day of discovery, leisure, boat trips and incredible walks along paths, mountainsides, beaches and through the small streets. The fitter folk can hike from Monterosso to Vernazza along the footpaths during part of this day if you wish. Dinner on own.
Saturday 27 April:
Breakfast and check out. Depart for Bologna at 10h00. Check in. 14h30 Meet Lino for special guided tour of Bologna. This is a photography treat – as Lino ha s been a professional photographer in Bologna for many years and shows us the gems of the city as well as the best angles to capture them at. Dinner and any additional information on the city with the group.
Sunday 28 April:
Free day shopping, exploring, downloading pics, resting in beautiful Bologna. Dinner on own.
Monday 29 April:
Breakfast at Hotel – depart 09h00 for Ascoli Piceno – stopping along the way to photograph some small towns and beautiful landscapes. Check in and meat Stefano at 14h30 for orientation walk through this little gem. Dinner on Own.
Tuesday 30 April:
Breakfast and meet at 10h00 for a History tour of Ascoli Piceno followed by lunch with tickets at fried festival. This afternoon, evening and night are wonderful We are in a beautiful small Italian town and will photograph the streets, people and nightlife. This day is a treat.
Wednesday 1 May:
Depart at 09h00 after breakfast stop and stop and photograph the 7 wonderful waterfalls and bridges that surround Ascoli Piceno. Head to celebrate Workers Day on Cocci Grifoni wine farm that is run by three generations of woman. Today we are the only guests and enjoy lunch with everyone who works on the farm. The farm is closed to the public for the day. A wonderful experience of Italian people celebrating the fruits of their labour on their land. A private tour of the farm and cellars after lunch with unique photo opportunities. Back to Ascoli Piceno and dinner on own.
Thursday 2 May:
Breakfast and check out at 10h00. Free time and depart for Rome at 14h00 with a stop or two on the way. Check in around 17h30 and meet for our farewell dinner across the road from the hotel. This is the very best food that you will eat in Italy and the chef comes and meets us and is wonderful! (by this day you will not believe that the food could be better than you have already had!)
Friday 3 May:
Early morning Shutter Speed Workshop at the Trevi Fountain. Back to hotel for Breakfast and check out. Leave bags at hotel. Pick up at 11h00 for guided History and Photography tour in Rome. This is great few hours that takes you to the Roman ‘hotspots’ to learn about them and how to capture them well. Lunch en-route and back to Hotel. Depart at 16h00 to FCO Airport or train station to go back to Florence for departure. Please make sure your international flights depart from 21h00. If you require an additional night in Rome at the same hotel, we can arrange that for you. We can also arrange any transport if you wish to stay in Italy and travel to another Italian town or city.
Accommodation:
There are two options for accommodation on this tour:
- 3 Star with Bed and Breakfast
- Self Catering in hotel or studio apartment
This is based on sharing either in twin or double beds
(Please see “Price and Payment Policy” below.)
You are welcome to arrive a day earlier or stay a day later and we will book your room for you at the same hotel that you choose at no additional booking cost. You will only pay for the room and taxes – and additional airport transfers.
All of the above options are in the Drop downs when you fill out the “Booking and Enquiry” form at the top of the page.
Transport:
- All transport based on the itinerary is included.
- Day of arrival – 22 April: Collection from Florence Airport or the Florence Train Station are included. Please arrive by 10h00 the latest.
- Day of arrival – 3 May: Transfer to Rome Airport (FCO) or the Rome Train Station are included. Please book your flight tickets from about 21h00 – and the train from about 19h00.
- If you require an airport or train transfer other than on the morning of 22 April or the evening of 3 May there will be an additional charge.
- Transport of a personal nature during free time is excluded (a local taxi to shops or an activity that you may choose).
- Any emergency transport or additional transport due to unforeseen circumstances is excluded.
Please click the ‘BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES’ button towards the top of the page. There are drop-downs that prompt you to tell us what accommodation requirements and if you would like to share transport . You will then receive an email with all of the relevant details.
Should you have any questions, you are welcome to call or WhatsApp Leanne on 083 293 7208 or email Jeanne tours@thephotowalkers.com. One of them will get back to you as soon as possible. (If Leanne is taking a tour or on a shoot – she may take a couple of days to reply –WhatsApp is most effective form of communication for her)
Price and Payment Policy:
This is an incredible tour and we are trying to keep the costs as low as possible.
In order for us to offer the best price for this tour – we need 14 people – so spread the word!
The prices quoted below are in rooms sharing either in double or twin beds. (If you come on your own, we will match you with someone similar to you from the group and introduce you before the tour starts).
If you would prefer to be in a room on your own – please add €450.00 to the price of the tour. (€50.00 additional per night)
The full price of this tour based on 14, 15 or 16 people booking is:
- €2990.00 per person sharing in bed and breakfast
- €2740.00 per person sharing in self catering
(A total of €290.00 or €274.00 per day for professional photography instruction, a cultural guide specialist, accommodation, and all transport in Italy, 2 dinners, three wine tour experiences, cooking class in Luca, photo-guides in Bologna and Rome as well as a history guide in Rome)
- If we have 10 or 11 people booked – the price is an additional €500.00 per person and if we have 12 or 13 people booked there is an additional €250.00 per person – so bring your friends and family and lets get to 14 people!
- A deposit of €500.00 per person is required to secure your place/s. This will be held in a trust account and refunded to you should the correct number of people (fourteen) not be reached by the closing date for the tour – 31 January 2019. However, when we have bookings of 10 people we will confirm the trip with you and your deposit will count as a part payment. If at this date we have less than 14 – we will contact you and let you know the price per person based on the numbers confirmed. You will then have the option to hold or cancel your booking.
- 50% of the balance is payable by no later than 10 February 2019 and the balance is payable in full by 31 March 2019.
- For Credit card payments, or Payfast payments – a 5% surcharge is added to the final payment. Payments bank transferred into our bank account do not incur an additional expense.
All package include:
- Two Accredited SA Pro-Photographers to guide and teach you throughout the tour
- An Italian Tour Guide to take you through the ‘real’ side of Italy.
- Photo-Guides in Rome and Bologna to take you to the best secret spots to photograph
- Specialist History guide in Rome and Bologna
- Welcome dinner in Florence in the locals favorite Italian Restaurant
- Farewell dinner in Rome in thephotowalkers.com favorite Restaurant
- Airport and train transfers on 22 April and 3 May as well as all transport included in the itinerary
- All Accommodation including 2 nights in Lucca, 2 nights in Ascoli Piceno, 2 nights on the Italian Riviera in Le Cinque Terre Area, 2 nights in Bologna, 1 night in Florence, 1 night in Rome.
- Breakfast if you choose to stay in Bed and Breakfast option
- Workers day celebration on a wine farm with all of the local workers – hosted by the 3 generations that have owned the farm for more than 500 years. We are invited as the only outsiders and this is a unique and wonderful experience.
- Boat Tours in Terre
- Cooking class in Lucca
- Lunch at a festival at Ascoli Piceno
- Wine tasting in Tuscany
- The greatest feast that you will experience on one of the oldest wine farms in the Tuscan Hills of Italy. Here you will experience a tour of the farm and cellars and when the ‘Italians Mama’s’ call – you head to their dining room where there are wine tastings paired with all food produced on their farm. This is a slow afternoon of laughter and cheer – the feast takes about 4 hours and it’s followed by a sleepy bus trip back to your hotel.
All packages exclude:
- Transport / Flights at the start of the tour to Florence and at the end of the tour from Rome
- Camera gear and accessories, travel insurance, visas, gratuities and medical insurance.
- All meals and refreshments not listed above
- Entrance fees into Museums and other places of interest
- Breakfast if you choose to stay in the Self Catering option
- Any incidents or additional activities of a personal nature
- Transport outside of the itinerary.
Passports, Visas, Travel Insurance, Medical Aid, Cash and Vaccinations:
- All visitors must have a passport that is valid for at least six months.
- Please check if your country and require a Schengen Visa. The link for South Africans is:
http://www.conscapetown.esteri.it/Consolato_Capetown/en/per-chi-si-reca-in-italia/
- Please make sure you have adequate travel insurance that covers thephotowalkers.com and your international flights cancellation policies.
- Please bring EUROS or US DOLLARS with you to use or change at travel desks. We have found that drawing cash in Italy and paying with a credit card can be troublesome. Make sure you let your bank know that you are taking your card overseas to use or bring a travel wallet.
- Ensure your Medical Aid knows that you are travelling abroad.
- No vaccinations are required for Italy
What to Bring for Photography:
In order to achieve the most from the Accredited South African Professional Photographer, a camera body with a manual mode function is recommended. However, all makes of cameras and cell phones are welcome. Please bring a spare battery or two – and enough memory cards.
If you would like thephotowalkers.com help with camera gear (what to bring from you bag, what to buy – please email tours@thephotowalkers.com.)
Head torches for the evenings.
What to wear:
Comfortable clothing and walking shoes are recommended. The evenings and mornings can get chilly – and there may be light showers. There are beautiful shops in Italy and you will have time to shop if you would like to. In Bologna there are all the leading international brands in one mall!
Fitness:
A certain level of fitness is required to enable you to transport your own camera bag and personal effects. Reasonably short to medium distances are covered. If during ‘free time’ you would like to partake in other adventures, additional fitness may be required.
Should you suffer from any chronic medical conditions, we recommend that you get a full medical clearance before committing to this Tour.
Duty Free Allowance:
- Alcoholic liquors or wines up to 1 litre per person can be purchased in Duty Free and brought into Italy.
- 200 Cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams tobacco can be brought in.
Cancellation Policy:
- Cancellations within 3 months of the tour: No refund will be issued.
- Cancellations more than 3 months before the tour: 50% refund will be issued on any monies paid to date – less any expenses incurred – including accommodation and transport.
Liability:
Although every possible care is taken to safeguard you and your property, no company involved in this Tour accepts responsibility for any accident, injury, illness or death incurred during or arising from any tour, or loss or damage to clients property during a tour. We strongly advise you take out Good Travel Insurance for yourself and your property before the start of the tour.
No company involved will be held responsible for any expenses or loss of tour days resulting from changes in flight schedules, delays or loss of baggage by international air carriers or local air charter companies.
Indemnity:
By booking this Photo-Tour you agree to be bound by thephotowalkers.com indemnity terms and conditions. thephotowalkers.com, it’s staff, employees, suppliers and partners will not be held responsible for loss, injury, death or damage including consequential loss of any nature whatsoever while on the tour, in the shared transport, in the accommodation or during an activity. By booking this tour you understand and accept this. thephotowalkers.com will do their best to avoid any circumstances that may lead to the above.
Intellectual Property and Confidentiality:
By booking this tour you understand, accept and agree that any information given as well as any service providers, locations, workshops, partners, techniques or any part of the tour whatsoever is the Intellectual Property of The Photowalkers (t/a thephotowalkers.com).
