Ligurian Coast | Cinque Terre
2025 Dates to be announced
7 days / 6 nights / 6-12 guests
$4600
Ask about our Taste of Tuscany extension
If you love the sea and charming seaside villages, this treasured stretch of the Ligurian coastline is a perfect fit for you. Foodies love the Liguria region for its pesto, focaccia, seafood, and crisp white wines.
Photographers love the brightly painted villages that dot the shoreline of this “Italian Riviera”. The Cinque Terre are the most famous, along with Portofino, but as usual some of your most memorable finds will be in lesser known towns nearby.
Our retreat headquarters is a seaside 4-star hotel away from the crowds in the stunning fishing village of Camogli.
Pre-Tour: Fly into Genoa, Italy, or arrive by train (Milan, 3 hours; Florence 3.5 hours; Rome, 5 hours). We suggest you arrive early and stay a night in Genoa to acclimate. This port city is the home town of Christopher Columbus and rich with maritime history. We suggest the Hotel Bristol Palace for your stay.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 | Genova / Camogli
11AM meet up at the Hotel Bristol Palace, downtown Genoa, and we’ll shuttle you to Camogli, our little slice of heaven by the sea for 7 days.
Alternately, you can meet us in Camogli. The train station in Camogli is just a few blocks from our hotel, an easy walk, even with luggage.
Workshop orientation and free time to explore the harbor town of Camogli
Meet before dinner for a blue-hour shoot on the beach.
Dinner
Day 2 | San Fruttuoso / Portofino
Begin each day with the delicious breakfast at our hotel with a view you won’t believe.
Workshop and review favorite images on the big screen, the best way to learn!
Ferry down the Ligurian Coast, stopping to visit the ancient monastery of San Fruttuoso.
Continue on to Portofino, world famous harbor town, where the rich and famous make frequent appearances, including, yes… us. Practice your “street still-lives” in the lush colors of this town and take a short hike for a classic overlook.
Breakfast
Day 3 | Cinque Terre
Early risers can photograph the fishermen bringing in their catch in Camogli’s harbor.
After a relaxed free morning we’ll catch a train to the colorful towns of the Cinque Terre.
We’ll start in the southernmost town Riomaggiore and explore parts of the town tourists miss. You’ll have free time to poke around the harbor and it’s fishing boats.
A short ferry ride lets us view the towns from the water before arriving to Manarola.
In the evening we’ll set up for a classic view of Manarola over the water. You can even sit and enjoy a glass of wine with this view while you photograph. Who says it has to be all work?
Breakfast / Lunch
Day 4 | Camogli / Free time
After breakfast we buckle down for a deep workshop session in the morning. Review your favorite images and learn new editing methods to make your photographs sing.
Enjoy a free afternoon on the boardwalk. Camogli’s harbor is a wonderful stroll from our hotel and provides a ton of opportunity to practice methods discussed in the workshop.
End the day together shooting “blue hour” views of the town reflected in its harbor.
Breakfast
Portofino Coast & Cinque Terre Photo Workshop
Day 5 | Cinque Terre secrets
After a relaxed morning of eating and learning a few new editing tricks, we head out again and dig deeper today into the towns of the Cinque Terre.
On the agenda, Corniglia perched high for an overlook of the “five lands”.
Finish with a seafood dinner overlooking colorful Venazza and the sea, a view coveted by photographers all over the world.
Breakfast / Lunch
Day 6 | Camogli / San Rocco
As is tradition, this final full day is left somewhat open to the whims of the group. Among our options are: San Rocco on the mountaintop, an easy downhill hike along the coastline, or a short hop to seaside Sestri Levante. Some may choose to just relax by the pool on on our private pebble beach.
Today instructors can offer you even more individual help as you prepare your images and practice your new found editing skills.
All week you’ll eat amazingly, but our final dinner together is something special.
Breakfast / Dinner
Day 7 | Workshop & Farewell
After a farewell breakfast and a brief wrap-up in the workshop room, we get to see each guest’s favorite images from our time together. There’s nothing more satisfying for the workshop leaders than witnessing your amazing results.
Reluctant goodbyes at our noon checkout in Camogli. We can help you arrange transportation back to Genova (OR) join us for a 3 night, 4 day extension to Florence, hosted by our own Gabriele Angelini.
Breakfast
photo: John Norvell
The Workshop
During 25 years organizing photography workshops in Italy, we’ve learned a lot about helping our guests reach their potential.
Truthfully, we’ve learned just as much about what NOT to do. For instance we won’t be standing together to photograph the same thing. Yes we’ll visit some famous locations but then we’ll offer tools to make original images.
Core principles of Italy Workshops are dramatic light, exciting composition and individual creativity. All are skills best learned seeing your own images on the big screen and getting thoughtful feedback. That’s why a little classroom time is important throughout the week.
Finding the right balance of personalized help in the field, free time to shoot alone, and classroom critique is our deepest desire on each trip.
Oh, and great eats.
Classroom Work – Not Just a Photo Tour
One thing that sets Italy Workshops apart from photo tours is seeing your own images reviewed on the big screen throughout the week. It’s invariably the most powerful learning experience to see your own work, along with other guests on screen, accompanied by thoughtful critique and editing as you watch.
Classroom time is limited to 1-2 hour sessions, usually after breakfast. Here we demonstrate specific editing tips that apply to your specific image, not just generic tips for “some other day”.
Watch your images come alive on the big screen and see what other guests photographed, and then you’ll go out each day excited to create.
In the field, we can help you individually with your camera techniques and solve the invariable technical hiccups as they come up.
Workshop Leader
Drake Busath founded Italy Workshops in 1999. He has presented seminars and workshops in eight countries and most U.S. States.
His favorite place is Italy where he has lived or traveled for over 40 years.
An “adopted son” with no actual Italian blood, Drake learned to speak the language and possesses a deep affection for Italy, its beauty, culture and lifestyle.
More about Drake…
Mauro Riva, Italy Workshops
Tour Producer / Guide
Mauro Riva is a professional guide in Italy based in Northern Italy near Venice. He will travel with us all week, sharing his insights about the Liguria Region, its culture and of course its food.
As a photographer himself, Mauro understands your needs. He’ll get you to the right places in the best possible light.
Mauro serves as Director of Operations for Italy Workshops. Having him along is your guarantee of a safe and smooth week of learning.
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!)
Advanced Photographers
As an advanced photographer you’ll be encouraged to:
- Build your portfolio, adding strong images every single day of the trip.
- Focus on style development, lighting and composition.
- 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.
Portofino Coast & Cinque Terre Photo Workshop Reviews
Portofino Coast & Cinque Terre Photo Workshop Dates
Portofino Coast/Cinque Terre | October 6-12, 2024
Arrive: Meet in Genova
Depart: Depart from Genova or Florence
Tour Group Size: 6-12 guests
Price
$450 / Single Supplement
* These trip starts in Genova, Italy, and ends in Camogli, Italy. You can arrive in any major Italian city, but Genova is recommended.
Included:
Travel
All boat, train and car transportation during the workshop beginning in Genova and ending in Camogli, Italy
Hotels
Six nights accommodations, at 4-star Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi. Register Early, as rooms are assigned by registration date.
Room Upgrade (ask upon registration for availability of suites or balcony rooms)
Meals
Breakfast each day, two dinners and one group lunch.
Workshop
Tuition is also included with daily instruction in the field and on-screen review and critique throughout the week.
Discounts
Alumni Discount $100 off.
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Trip insurance (recommended)
Payment Schedule
- A reservation fee of $500/person will hold your spot
- The balance of payment is due 120 days prior to your workshop/tour
Hotel Rooms
We use hotels rated 3 or 4 stars, always with private bath. Rooms are assigned in order of reservations received, so early signup is recommended. Ask about premium rooms if you would like to upgrade for an additional supplement charge.
Single Private Room Supplements
Fees are based on double occupancy. Single supplement may be added for individual participants who wish to have a private room to themselves. Supplements vary depending on the hotels used, but typically add $450-650 per workshop. If you are traveling alone and wish to share a room with another participant, please let us know and we’ll do our best to match you with a roommate.
Cancellation fee schedule
- Reservation fees are fully refundable for 10 days after your booking.
- After 14 days, reservation fees are non-refundable but may be applied to a future workshop event.
- Cancellations less than 120 days prior to workshop incur a cancellation fee of 25% of the total workshop cost.
- Cancellations less than 60 days prior to workshop incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the total workshop cost.
- Cancellations less than 30 days prior to workshop incur a cancellation fee of 100% of the total workshop cost.
- No partial refunds will be given for unused portions of a workshop.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect your investment. Travel Guard or Allianz are good places to start shopping for trip insurance. You can get a free quote online.
Tours Cancelled by Us
Italy Workshops reserves the right to cancel any tour for any reason whatsoever, including insufficient signup, logistical problems that may impede a workshop, hotel closures or acts of God.
Please wait to book your flights until the workshop has reached its minimum enrollment. Give us a call anytime to confirm minimum enrollment.
Refund of all fees paid shall release Italy Workshops from any further liability. Italy Workshops is not responsible for any expenses incurred by workshop participants in preparing for a cancelled workshop. In the case of insufficient signup to make a workshop feasible, notice and refund will be sent 60 days prior to the workshop.
Liability Release
You will be asked to sign a liability waiver before the tour begins, releasing Italy Workshops and any of its agents of liability for injury or loss.
Photo Release
Italy Workshops reserves the right to photograph and film its trips in entirety. Participants should be aware that images of them may be used for promotional purposes or joint marketing efforts with third parties, without remuneration.
