Sicily Photo Tour Dates
Sicily | September 21-28, 2025
Meet: Catania, Italy
End: Catania, Italy
Tour Group Size: 8-10 Guests
8 Days / 7 Nights
$4950/Person (Add $650 supplement for private single room)
EXTENSION to the Aeolian Islands (more details coming soon)
5 Days / 4 Nights (Sept 28 – Oct2)
$2350/Person (Add $350 supplement for private single room)
Included:
Travel
Daily excursions and all ground-transportation starting in Catania, Italy and ending in Catania
Hotels
8 nights accommodations in 3 and 4 star hotels (best available hotels in the towns)
If you wish to share a room, we’ll do our best to find you a roommate. Register early because rooms are assigned by registration date.
Suites and balcony rooms may be available at extra cost, upon request.
Meals
All breakfasts, 2 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 groups and lectures on the history of plague 🙂
Discounts
$100 off per person having attended a previous Italy Workshops event (6 days or longer)
Sicily | Passionate Traditions
We’re proud to offer this un-common tour, as we journey through ancient sites and baroque towns in the east of Sicily.
Authentic Sicilian cuisine and wines will play a big part in our “deep dive” into Sicily traditions. Come hungry.
Partners are welcome! The sunshine, seafood and unparalleled local history make this a rich experience whether you’re photographing or not.
Southeast Sicily offers an embarrassment of riches to photographers, vibrant street markets, elaborate baroque hill-towns and coastline landscapes to die for. Street photographers are in heaven here with some of the most colorful characters you’ll ever experience.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
This tour requires good fitness, as we’ll walk 2-3 miles per day in and around the towns we visit.
BEGINNER FRIENDLY / PARTNER FRIENDLY
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or do this just for fun with your iPhone, this tour is designed to offer valuable instruction and to rock your portfolio.
Tour Highlights
Taormina with its Ancient Greek theater overlooking Mt Etna
Stay on charming Ortigia island just off Syracuse
Visit Baroque masterpiece towns of Ragusa, Modica and Noto
Stay and explore in old-town Ibla
Experience festivals and meet local characters along the way
Choose to extend and relax on the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily
The Workshop
Each day we focus on one technical skill and one esthetic concept. Assignments are given daily with printed examples, so that in your free time you can work on those skills.
Daily classroom time is short but important, because that’s where we can evaluate our images and present helpful editing tips in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
Workshop Co-Leader
Drake Busath is the originator of Italy Workshops. Having lived and worked extensively in Italy, he speaks the language and has guided hundreds of photographers on week-long workshops in different regions, from the Alps to the heel of the boot.
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
Workshop Co-Leader
Gabriele Angelini is an Italian photographer and publisher from Imola, near Bologna. He will teach street photography, his first love. Gabriele will show you what to look for, what camera techniques he uses and how to approach and engage people on the streets.
Gabriele will also immerse us in the history of street photography in Italy, having taught this subject among others at University of Bologna. Among his published books are collections from the streets and the hidden gardens of Bologna. More about Gabriele
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of Camera Should I Bring?
Ours is not a camera fashion show. In fact, bringing a well worn camera, one that you’re super comfortable with, promises to be better in many ways, especially for street photography.
Tripods are optional on this particular tour. If you’re already a regular tripod user, there will certainly be opportunities for it (especially if you’re an early riser). But if you’re not comfortable with a tripod, don’t worry about bringing one.
iPhone users (whether your main camera or your backup) will be offered exciting techniques to set-up, capture and edit on the phone.
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
Intermediate Photographers
We want to help 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 concepts of lighting and composition.
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.
Italy Workshops Photo Tour Reviews
