Puglia & Matera

Magical Hill Towns and Seascapes on the Heel of the Boot

Puglia & Matera

Magical Hill Towns & Seascapes on the Heel of the Boot

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Puglia and Matera Photo Tour

Puglia Photo Tour Dates

Puglia

May 7-14, 2025

 

Arrive: Bari, Italy
Depart: Bari, Italy
Tour Group Size: 10 guests

8 Days / 7 Nights

$5250/Person (Add $600 supplement for private single room)

Included:

Travel

Complete ground transportation starting and ending in Bari, Italy.

Hotels

Seven nights accommodations, including 4 nights in historic Trulli resort rooms and 2 nights in premium 5 star cave hotel.

If you wish to share a room, we’ll do our best to find you a roommate.

Suites and balcony rooms may be available at extra cost, upon request.

Meals

All breakfasts, 3 dinners, 2 lunches

Workshop

Workshop tuition, including instruction in the field throughout the week and on-screen review where allowed by time and hotel space.

 


Not Included:

  • Airfare
  • Trip insurance (recommended)

*Also not included are crowds of tourists, slow moving tour guides and lectures on the history of plague 🙂

 

Post-Workshop Extension

Lecce & Gallipoli

May 14-18, 2025 | 5 days, 4 nights

Continue with us to the Salento Peninsula.  Explore Lecce, called the Florence of the South. Then stay on the 3 nights in Gallipoli on the splendid Ionian Sea coast, day tripping to beautiful beaches and villages.

Included:

  • All your transportation
  • 4 nights lovely accommodations
  • Several meals included
  • Relaxing free time a priority
  • Sunset and blue hour overlooks
  • Local guides and entrance fees

Plan your departure from Bari (BRI). We’ll deliver you to the Bari airport  or to a hotel in Bari mid-day on the 18th.  Bari is a lovely city if you have another night or two to stay on your own.

$2450/person

$450 single private room supplement

Puglia & Matera / Best of Southern Italy

May 7-14, 2025

$5250 Double Occupancy | 6-10 guests

Extention to Salento May 14-18 | See below for details


Call it a graduate course in Italy.   Our tour of Puglia is for adventurers looking for something different and exciting.  Located on the heel of the boot along the Adriatic Sea, the Puglia region remains largely undiscovered and holds a rawness and authentic experience for photographers.

Partners are welcome!  The warm climate, the delicious foods and fascinating history of this region make it a rich experience whether you’re photographing or not.

Meet us in Bari.  Stay in beautifully restored Trulli houses and visit the Itria Valley with its charming hilltop villages and seascapes.

ACTIVITY LEVEL

This tour requires good fitness, as we’ll walk 2-3 miles per day in and around the towns we visit.

iPHONE FRIENDLY

Whether you’re new to photography or you’re a seasoned pro, this tour is designed to give you the instruction needed and to rock your portfolio.  iPhon-ographers are welcome!

Puglia Italy Photo Tour Itinerary Map

Tour Itinerary

 

Puglia Offida women Drake BusathDay 1 | Bari

Arrive by air to Bari

Meet up at our hotel (TBA) in the seaport town of Bari for a walkabout shoot in the historic center and seaside.

Orientation, some street photography and a welcome dinner.

Overnight: Bari

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Days 2-3 | Hill towns and seascapes

Check in to our own private Masseria and stay in beautifully restored Trulli houses.

Sunrise on the Adriatic Coast and a visit to the seaside town of Polignano a Mare.

Visit fishermen in the tiny harbor of San Vito.

Picturesque harbors and seaside piazzas.   We hope you like seafood!

Overnight: Masseria Aprile / Locorotondo

 

Puglia Alberobello Drake Busath-1068

Trulli houses in Alberobello

Day 3-4 | Valle d’Itria

Slowly explore the historic Valle ‘Itria with its famous Trulli houses.  Alberobello, Locorotondo, Cisternino and more.

Visit and photograph a small mozzarella producer, olive orchards, wildflowers and wonderful Pugliese cuisine.

Overnight: Masseria Aprile / Locorotondo

Matera-Drake-Busath-2951

Day 5-6 | Matera

Stay in the historic heart of Matera, UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the most unique stays you’ll ever have, sleeping in a 5-star cave hotel.

Overnight: Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, Matera

Puglia Day 8 Italy Photo Workshop

Day 7 | Workshop wrap-up

Another wonderful breakfast and restful morning in Matera.

We’ll review images and final editing methods.

Return to Bari at 2:00PM.

Extension / 4 nights

Salento and the Ionian Sea

Begin with a day and night in Lecce (called the Florence of the South).

Then three relaxing nights in Gallipoli on the Ionian Sea.  From there we’ll day trip to beautiful beaches, seascapes and charming hill towns.

Finish May 18th in Bari.

Workshop Sessions

On-screen reviews of participant images serve to inspire the group and give us a demonstrate Lightroom editing techniques.  As our hotel facility allows, we try to have 3 or 4 short reviews.  

 In the field, we begin each day with a themed discussion and then allow the rest of the day for individual shooting.  Our discussions center around finding more interesting compositions, perspectives and more dynamic light.  

Drake Busath Italy Workshops

Gabriele Angelini_Italy Photo Workshops

Gabriele Angelini

Host / Guide

Gabriele Angelini, professional photographer, publisher and licensed guide, will join us on this special tour.

Gabriele has great contacts in Puglia  and introduces us to wonderful people and places Americans just can’t find on their own.  He also anticipates all our travel needs as a group (i.e., restaurant reservations, ferry tickets, gelato, snacks for your room, etc.).  This is your guarantee of a safe and smooth week of learning.

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Drake Busath

Workshop Leader

Drake Busath originated Italy Workshops in 1999.  Having lived in Italy he speaks the language and has guided hundreds of photographers of every skill level to favorite regions all over the country.

Drake will share what he’s learned over 35 years photographing Italy and encourage you to identify and develop your own personal style while traveling. More about Drake

Frequently Asked Questions

What Type of Camera Should I Bring?

Any camera is acceptable, including smartphones. Automation for the beginner can make the trip fun and stress-free and, at times, increase creativity.

Should I Bring a Computer

Participants who are very comfortable with their computer are encouraged to bring it along. Editing your images during the week can enhance your learning experience. We currently use Adobe Lightroom CC for our on-screen reviews sessions. You will learn new LR editing methods and workflow shortcuts during classroom reviews and critique. Even if you’ve used Lightroom, we highly recommend brushing up before the workshop by watching the free tutorials available on Adobe.com.

If you are not fluent downloading and managing digital images, you might consider leaving the computer behind and just focusing on camera work. You can still submit images daily for review, and perhaps find more time to learn about your camera and develop a discerning eye. (Not to mention sleep happily while others are editing into the night)

Observer Participants may be beginner photographers, attending all instruction and field trips, but not required to submit photos for critique. This is a fun way to learn without pressure. You’ll still photograph the same things and we’ll still want to review your work on the back of your camera and offer individual instruction in the field.

All Skill Levels Are Welcome

Beginner and Intermediate Photographers

We enjoy helping you master those buttons and menus on your camera! Short, daily field lessons will tackle one technique at time. Further individual attention in the field helps you lock in the concepts.

Any camera is welcome (yes, even smartphones!).

Non-photographer partners are welcome to sit in on all discussions and participate at their own level of interest. (Beginners often make some of the best images we see!)

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“I learned as much in a week with you two as I learned in two semesters of photography classes.” Read More

-Jeri Petersen | Tuscany

Advanced Photographers

As an advanced photographer you’ll be encouraged to:

  1. Build your portfolio, adding strong images every single day of the trip.
  2. Focus on style development, lighting and composition.
  3. Work in “concentrations” to produce a collection of work suitable for a gallery showing or book project.

You will return home with a body of work suitable for a gallery showing or book project that will express your personal style, as opposed to a random collection of travel photos.

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” I was delighted to end the week with not only hundreds of excellent images but nine new friends as well.” Read More

– Jim Pierotti CRA, 30 yr. pro photographer | Tuscany

Puglia Photo Tour Reviews

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“We thought we’s seen all of Italy, then Drake took us to Puglia! Some of our all-time favorite experiences happened on this trip.” Read More

– Stu & Lori Wheelwright | Puglia Tour

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“Puglia was a perfect for those of us looking for something off the beaten path. It’s hard to imagine that people don’t know about this area… What an adventure! “ Read More

-Liz Bromley | Puglia Tour

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