SICILY

Sicily, the largest island of the Mediterranean, is located in southern Italy. It almost feels like time has stood still here and there is a lot left of the genuine old Sicily. The island offers a varied nature perfect for landscape photography. The landscape is very hilly, with serpentine roads leading to the many mountain villages, stunning beaches, historical sights, and Etna, the volcano, as the centrepiece. To top it all off, Sicily offers world-famous food.

STROMBOLI

The northernmost of the Aeolian Islands is famous for Serra Vancori, perhaps Europe’s most active volcano. Not far from where the lava flows down and meets the sea is a group of small white villages, Piscitá, Focogrande and Scari, gathered around the Church of San Vincenzo. Today Stromboli resembles a sculpture created by nature, where fire and water once collided, and where the nightly spectacular volcanic eruptions provide an opportunity for fantastic pictures.

OCTOBER 7-16, 2023

DAY 1 (29/5) – ARRIVAL IN SICILY
You should arrive in Catania, Sicily no later than 15:00. At the airport, you will be met by Ulla Lohmann and her husband Basti for transport to Hotel La Terra dei Soigni which will be our base for the first four nights. The hotel is located along the coast about 40 km north of Catania. Our first trip takes us to Taormina. Located on a hillside, the city is considered one of the most beautiful in Sicily and we explore the narrow alleys and experience the rich history of the city. From the city we have a fantastic view, including of Etna, which in the coming days will give us many fantastic photo opportunities. Back at the hotel, Ulla will present the program of the week and what you can expect from the days in terms of photography. Afterwards, a really good Sicilian dinner is served and of a good Sicilian wine is of course served for dinner. (D)

DAY 2 (30/5) – MOUNT ETNA
Today it is time for our first encounter with the mighty volcano Etna and its dramatic surroundings. A cable car will take us up to 2,500 meters altitude where you are an unbeatable view meets you. Far down is Catania, and at our backs, Etna rises towards the sky. In our viewfinders we are met by the south-eastern crater and when we see gas seeping up from the fumaroles below us, it feels like being on another planet. Ulla is close at hand to help you with everything from camera settings to composition and we will also learn a lot about the fascinating world of volcanoes. Those who want to hike can take a photo hike of about 1.5 hours instead of going down with the cable car. For those who take the cable car, there are great photo opportunities to explore just behind the station while waiting for the rest of the group. When the group is reunited, we will photograph Mount Silvestri as well as finding the best photo spots to take pictures of the spectacular sunset. Depending on the weather conditions during the evening/night we can photograph a beautiful starry sky with Etna as the foreground. (B, L or M)

DAY 3 (31/5) – MOUNT ETNA
Another day of amazing photo opportunities. Depending on the volcanic activity of Etna, we will explore the best place to see and photograph a possible eruption. The contrasts on the mountain are great, and our subjects can range from hot lava flows where the temperature reaches over 1,000 degrees Celsius to imaginative formations of cooled lava that spark our photographic creativity and bring fantasy movies to mind. During the day, we will also visit local photographer Dario Lo Scavo to learn more about volcano photography. In his gallery, we will also have the opportunity of seeing pictures from major eruptions over the years. When we explore the northern parts of Etna, we have the possibility of a hike to Monti Sartorius where we are greeted by a fantastic view of Mount Etna and a view that stretches towards the sea. After a day of exploration and photography, a sumptuous dinner with wine is served. In the evening, there are additional opportunities to take a picture of the stars with Etna as foreground. (B, D)

DAY 4 (1/6) – TO STROMBOLI AND ITS VOLCANO
Time to enjoy a delicious breakfast followed by check-out. Afterwards, we go to Milazzo and the ferry to Stromboli. But before we get on board, we eat a wonderfully good pistachio ice cream at Milazzo’s best ice cream parlour. Upon arrival in Stromboli, we check into our exclusive boutique hotel, Il Gabbiano Relais. Here the rooms are far from basic standard. Federica Masin, who designed the hotel, has put a lot of love and care into designing each of the rooms. We will enjoy a homemade meal from Federica’s amazing kitchen and then hike to “Osservatorio” to photograph and observe the volcanic eruptions on Stromboli from one of Ulla’s secret photo locations. Be prepared for goose bumps and moments of utmost respect when you see your first volcanic eruption, an equally amazing photography experience as well as nature experience. With our memory cards filled, we return to the hotel for a good night’s sleep and fall asleep to the sound of the sea and the nearby volcano. (B, L or D)

DAY 5 (2/6) – VOLCANO PHOTOGRAPHY
The morning is spent by ourselves before we meet up for photo editing and image criticism of the photos we have taken in the recent days. Ulla will provide constructive feedback with tips and advice that we will take with us for the afternoon and evening photo shoot. After a late lunch at the hotel, we climb up to the volcano along with a guide from Magmatrek. It is he who determines how high is permissible on any given day, depending on the volcanic activities. The hike is about two and a half hours including breaks and photo stops. Our experienced guide will share his rich knowledge of Stromboli and what it is like to live near an active volcano. Our hike will provide lots of great photo opportunities, but it’s when the sun goes down over the Mediterranean that the highlight of the day begins: at close range, we now have the opportunity to photograph the eruption of the volcano up close. Ulla, who has visited the area many times, will show us how we can create creative images using long shutter speeds. Memorable moments and stunning photos are guaranteed. (B, L or D)

DAY 6 (3/6) – TOUR OF STROMBOLI
During this morning you will have the option of sleeping in or taking photos of the lovely sunrise. In the late morning we meet for photo discussions and an inspiring photo show where Ulla will show pictures and give us tips and advice on how to photograph people, portraits or capture snapshots in a village, something we will try with our own cameras during the afternoon. We continue the day with a boat trip where, among other things, we make a stop at “Strombolicchio”, a volcanic cliff out in the sea, perfect for both photography and a cooling dip in the water. Our next stop is Ginostra, a small, picturesque village of 40 inhabitants nestled on the slope of the mighty volcano with plenty of photo opportunities. During the day we will also photograph “Sciara del Fuoco”, when stones of lava from Stromboli tumble into the water with a characteristic hissing sound. You will be amazed at the dimensions of everything. In the evening we head back up to the volcano, this time via a shorter route and to a viewpoint at an altitude of 290 meters. You can stay as long as you feel like, until you capture that dream image. (B, L OR D)

DAY 7 (4/6) – IMAGE PROCESSING AND VOLCANO PHOTOGRAPHY
On this day, we will combine image processing with photography. During the day, Ulla will show us how to work with image processing of volcano photos. You will also have the opportunity to go up to the volcano one last time and photograph the unique spectacle of huge explosions and glowing lava. (B, L OR D)

DAY 8 (5/6) – RETURN TO SICILY
On the last morning on Stromboli, we get up very early to photograph the sunrise. After breakfast and check-out we head to the port for a relaxing trip with a cargo boat. This is a great way to see the Aeolian Islands and photograph them from an elevated point of view. During the five hours of this journey takes, you will marvel at the turquoise waters and at the same time enjoy the views as we pass the islands of Panarea, Salina, Lipari and Volcano – the island that gave its name to volcanoes. On arrival at Milazzo we continue to La Terra Dei Soigni. Depending on how you feel, we can stop for a swim in the beautiful Alcantara River along the way or relax by the hotel’s pool during the afternoon. Before the evening’s ending dinner, Ulla will choose “best photo of the trip” which automatically goes to the final of Zoom Photo Travel’s competition ”Photo of the year 2023″, where the first prize is a gift card worth 5000:-. (B, D)

DAY 9 (6/6) – JOURNEY HOME
After breakfast it is time for check-out and then the journey home begins, by your own devices. (B)

ULLA LOHMAN – Photographer & filmmaker

SICILEN: LA TERRA DEI SOIGNI****

PRICE

Price per person: £ 2 100 or USD 2 570

Included:

• All ground transfers according to the itinerary.
• Accommodation in a shared room.
• Meals according to itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
• Activities according to the itinerary.
• Participation by Ulla Lohman the entire tour.
• Workshops during the tour.
• A tour leader from Zoom Photo Tours.
• Hotel taxes and other local fees.
• Travel documents and other travel information.

Excluded:

• Single room supplement £ 280 or USD 335
• Flights to Italy.
• All expenses of personal nature like drinks, laundry etc.
• Cancellation & travel insurance. For more details, click here.
• Any other item not mentioned as included.

FLIGHTS

Airfare to  and back from Italy is not included in the price. You should arrive not later than 15:00 on May 29 . Your return flight you can book whenever you want on the June 6.

Should you wish, we will be more than happy to help you arrange all your flights. Just send an email to info@zoomphototours.com and we will respond with flight suggestions and prices.

PHYSICAL CHALLENGE

Level 3 of 5. Most days we won’t be tough hiking. Most of the times there are alternative transportation to and from the places we visit.  

GROUP SIZE

In order to for you to get personal photo guidance and the best experience with our photographer our groups are always small. On this tour the minimum and maximum number of guests are 6/8.

PHOTO GEAR

• A DSLR Camera
• Telephoto lenses up to a 500mm
• Wide-angle lens, like a 24-70mm
• A Laptop computer with Photoshop or Lightroom software.
• Extra batteries, chargers etc.

LANGUAGE

Languages: English and German

TERMS & CONDITIONS

For more information about Terms & Conditions click here.