Photo Tour Details
• May 9 to 13, 2027 (4 nights)
• Group size: min 5, max 8
• $3,250 | 1 room per participant
• Tour starts and ends in Pisa
Space is limited!
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If you are looking for one of the best destinations in the world for creating stunning masterpieces, join our popular Photo Tour of the five car-free, picturesque Italian fishing villages of the Cinque Terre, perched against cliffs and surrounded by terraced vineyards.
Part of the charm of the Cinque Terre region on the Ligurian coast of Italy is its timeless nature. Little has changed in its outward appearance over the past centuries. All 5 villages are car-free and are connected by walking trails, trains, and boats.
The Cinque Terre Photo Tour is offered as a stand-alone or pre-Tuscany photo tour extension.
Join us for a wonderful photography travel tour to one of the most photogenic regions of Italy on our Cinque Terre Photo Tour.
- We will spend 4 days on this photography travel tour, exploring fascinating villages and landscapes on foot, by boat, and by train.
- We have chosen Monterosso, the largest of the five villages, as our home base for this photography travel tour. Monterosso offers larger hotels, the best selection of restaurants, and the most convenient access to the other villages.
- We’ll stay at a tranquil hotel with an exquisite breakfast buffet.
- We will focus our photographic excursions on the five villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore), but also take a fun boat ride to nearby charming Portovenere and visit elegant Sestri Levante by train.
- In addition to great photo opportunities on our Cinque Terre Photo Tour, we will be lecturing (mostly in the field) on photographic topics, including:
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- Composition
- Digital Workflow
- Panoramic Photography
- Depth of Field calculation
- Focal Blending
- Blue Hour Photography
- Filters, Neutral Density, and Neutral Density Grads
- Photoshop & Lightroom Tips and Tricks
- Nik Software
May 8, 2027
Plan on spending this evening(or more if you have the time) in Pisa. This will allow you to get some rest before the Cinque Terre Photo Tour begins. It will also ensure that you arrive on time for the following day’s departure.
May 9, 2027
The group meets at the NH Pisa Hotel lobby at 8:15 am. We will have some time for a group meeting. We will then make our way via train to our home base of Monterosso, about a 70-minute journey. After settling into our hotel, we will have lunch, followed by an orientation back at our hotel. We will then have time to explore the old town of Monterosso with our cameras and get to know the lay of the land. We will have an early dinner, 6:30 pm or 7:00 pm, and then head out to photograph the blue hour along the seashore near the train station.
May 10 – 12, 2027
Three full days exploring the five villages with excursions to Portovenere (dependent on good weather for the boat journey) and Sestri Levante. We will be doing a lot of sunset and evening blue hour photography.
With all this low-light photography, a good tripod is essential. I have posted a review of the Feisol tripods on our website at www.photographytraveltours.com/equipment-reviews. You can also find some good info about tripods and tripod heads on this page on our website: www.photographytraveltours.com/packing-list.
Mid-day will provide opportunities for photography in the interior of the villages. This is a good time to find open shade for photographing the architectural facades. We will also use the mid-day hours for photo critiques and photography studies.
May 13, 2027
After breakfast, the Cinque Terre Photo Tour group heads back to Pisa via train at 9:07 am, arriving at Pisa Centrale at 10:20 am.
Dates: May 9-13, 2027 (4 nights)
Cost: $3,250 | Each participant has a private room.
A 5% discount will apply to those attending the Tuscany photo tour with us. The 5% off applies to all of the tours.
A $500 deposit will secure your spot.
Click here to make your deposit for 2027 »
What is included in the Cinque Terre Photo Tour?
- 4 nights lodging
- All breakfasts
- All train and boat fees
- Round-trip train between Pisa and Cinque Terre
- All entrance fees and tolls
- Jim & Magrit’s expertise in guiding and photographic instruction
Level of physical difficulty: 4 out of 5
Involves walking up and down steep hills, uneven steps, rocks, and gravel. Some of the paths and trails are primitive and very uneven. Participants must be able to walk up and down hills while photographing. Some of the vantage points involve 10-15 minutes of uphill walking with camera gear and a tripod. Bring collapsible hiking poles if your footing and balance are unsure.
For Terms & Conditions and insurance recommendations, please click here »
A perfect extension to the Cinque Terre Tour is our photo tour in the heart of Tuscany.
Take 5% off the total costs of any tours when you sign up for 2 or more.
Tuscany Photo Tour | La Bella Toscana »
May 14-20 | 2027 (6 nights)
Personal Items, Camera Equipment, and Weather Conditions/Cinque Terre Photo Tour
Temperature range for this time of year: 52 to 66º F
Average monthly rainfall for this time of year: 3.5 ”
Please pack light, as we will not have room in the van for more than one piece of luggage plus a camera bag for each of us. Please restrict your main piece of luggage to no more than 26 inches. Magrit & I both travel for 4-5 months with 25-26 inch Travel Pro Max Lite luggage. Most airlines are now charging for more than one piece of checked baggage. Keep in mind that laundry service is available in Pienza.
-Two pairs of shoes: One sturdy pair for the field that you can get wet and muddy. One pair for evenings.
-Small umbrella for rain and shade. I use an umbrella often to block the sun from hitting the front element of my lens. Black is the best. I like this one.
-Headlamp with Red Light Mode.
– Lightweight rain jacket and rain pants. You don’t have to go all out here, but if we have some wet weather and it is not raining too hard, we can still go out and get some good photos. * A waterproof & breathable rain parka with a hood is highly recommended. We like the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jackets and Pants. Very lightweight and affordable, and they make them in men’s and women’s models
– A lightweight fleece or down layer for underneath the shell. Magrit & I both travel with lightweight down vests and jackets. Uniqlo makes fun and affordable down layers. Also, in men and women models. We like jackets with a hood. We also carry lightweight gloves and stocking caps. For the fall tours, you may want to make sure you have ample layers. Follow the temperatures before your departure.
A hat for sun and rain protection.
Camera Equipment. On this Cinque Terre Photo Tour, I mainly use my 20-70 and 16-35. I now travel with a Full Frame Sony system and carry a 16-35, 20-70, and 70-200. A sturdy tripod is essential.
For equipment recommendations, please click here »
