Description
Tuscany: In The Footsteps of the Etruscans: Cortona Photography Workshop – May 31 to June 7, 2024
it’s my pleasure to welcome you to my Italian home away from home: Cortona, Tuscany
Before I get into the details, I’d like to make mention of an important fact:
Cortona is Steep.
It’s so steep that the locals have a nickname for the ONE flat street in town: Ruga Piana (“Flat Wrinkle”). Most of the town is either uphill or downhill from the city center. We’ll spend enough time in Cortona itself that you should be prepared to climb (and descend) hills. In other words, if you have any sort of mobility issue or are not in relatively good physical shape, this week is probably not for you.
The powerful, technologically advanced and fascinating Etruscans were among the original inhabitants of this hilltop stronghold, and Cortona became one of the original 12 Etruscan cities in central Italy around 700BC. The Romans followed, and, despite a defeat of the Roman army by Hannibal and the Carthinginians, Cortona was a Roman town for several centuries after which the Ghibillines and then the Medici held sway.
On the morning of Friday, May 31, our driver will pick us up in Central Florence and we’ll head off toward Cortona, about a 90-minute drive. We’ll check in to our home base for the week, the beautiful and historic Hotel San Michele.
Our next two days will be spent in and around Cortona, photographing its fascinating churches, stunning views, interesting museums, winding streets and rustic countryside. The city and its surroundings are a photographic dream – the pictures fall out of the sky and into your lens. Among many sights, we’ll see Cortona’s Duomo, the important Chiesa di San Francesco and a few sweet little country churches that most tourists don’t get to. We’ll also tour the Etruscan Museum, housed in an old palazzo, and visit Fra Angelico‘s Annunciation painting nearby. We’ll find our way outside the city walls to Le Celle, where, in 1211, St. Francis built a small hermitage – his first.
After two days in Cortona, a private van will take us to visit two nearby towns. First will be Arezzo, which some may remember as being the setting for the opening scenes of the movie Life Is Beautiful. We’ll photograph in and around Arezzo, and also will visit the Basilica di San Francesco, where we’ll be able to see Piero della Francesca‘s famed Legend of the True Cross cycle of fresco paintings. Quiet Castiglion Fiorentino will be next, where we’ll explore the streets of this seldom-visited medieval town.
The next day… Chianti! We’ll head north and a little west to the fertile valleys of Chianti, visiting and photographing a couple of the most important wine production towns and of course, tasting some wine.
We’ll head for the hills the following day – going up into the mountains to the east of Cortona, visiting and working on telling the stories of two or three neighboring towns: Anghiari, Sansepolcro and Città di Castello. Each of these little hill towns is charming and beautiful in its own right, with winding streets and sweeping vistas. Our time will be our own and we can choose to stay in one or two towns longer, or visit all three.
Our last full day will be back in Cortona, where you can make a few more images while exploring the streets, and work on your final slideshow of photographs produced during the week – telling your own story of following in the footsteps of the Etruscans.
On the morning of Friday, June 7 we’ll have a private van transfer to Florence, where you can head back home or on to other destinations.
Mixed in with our explorations will be time spent on photographic instruction – both in the field and at our centrally-located meeting point, where we’ll critique images, learn nuances of technique and vision and discuss our photographic intentions and how they inform your personal sense of the places we’ll explore together. Through ample time for image making, a blend of formal and field instruction and time for discussion and critique, we will work to uncover themes and lines of vision that may not have been previously evident to you. I limit my groups to a maximum of 6 photographers to ensure a high level of personal instructional attention.
Non-photographer companions are welcome and warmly invited to attend – contact me for details.
Tuscany: In The Footsteps of the Etruscans: Cortona Photography Workshop – May 31 to June 7, 2024
Land Cost: $5800
Your non-refundable deposit of $1000 reserves your workshop – Balance of $4800 is due by February 15, 2024. See our Terms and Conditions here.
Questions? Contact Jeff: jeff@jeffcurto.com or call 630.202.3635
On the Itinerary:
- Florence – We’ll pick you up in the Cradle of the Renaissance at the start of our week
- Cortona – Jeff’s Italian “home away from home”
- Le Celle – St. Francis’ first hermitage
- Arezzo – On the Piero della Francesca trail
- Castiglion Fiorentino – A beautiful medieval town
- Chianti – A day in the Chianti hills, valleys and vineyards
- Anghiari, Sansepolcro and Città di Castello – Three great remote hill towns
- Florence – We’ll drop you off in the Cradle of the Renaissance at the end of the week.
What’s Included:
Our strategy? Arrive in Italy, make photographs and learn – we take care of the rest (ground transportation, meals, guides, tips, etc – it’s all included).
- Expert instruction by Jeff Curto, including small group field instruction, plenty of one-on-one time & critique sessions
- Maximum of 6 participants
- Extensive pre-trip planning documents for both photography and Italian culture
- Travel and instructional materials during the workshop
- All ground transportation during the workshop
- Admissions for all Included sightseeing
- All lodging during the workshop – single occupancy
- Local expert guides
- All included Gratuities, Taxes and Fees
- Breakfast daily
- Some lunches
- All dinners (including wine)
Important Notes:
Physical Activity:
All of the Italy Photography Workshop destinations require a fair amount of walking, hill-climbing and physical activity. You should be comfortable with being on your feet for up to three hours, often walking on uneven surfaces. if you have any questions about the physical activity level of this workshop, please ask.
Airfare:
Since our workshop participants join us from places all over the world, airfare is not included.
Other Travel:
You may decide that you’d like to travel around other places in Italy either before or after the workshops. Or after reviewing flights, you may discover that you may want to arrive the day prior to the beginning of the planned trip in order to meet the group in Italy. La Dolce Via Travel can assist you with transfers, accommodations, or other travel needs you may have. Regardless, we advise early arrival at least a day in advance so that you can be at your best and ready to go when we begin.
Exchange Rate:
The land cost is based on current exchange rate between the Euro and US dollar. Should these rates change significantly, there may be an adjustment in the trip price.
