Turning two passions into a single experience is possible: photography and a love of holidays make the perfect pair in this new and wonderful trend of the moment:
photography trips. Travelling the world with your camera or mobile phone at the ready is an experience that is becoming increasingly popular and one that allows us all to immortalise the images that accompany our trips, making them eternal and even sharing them across social media to arouse the envy of those workmates who are still stuck in the office ;).
All that’s left to do is choose your destination: somewhere that can offer stunning panoramas and visuals, breath-taking views and shots that you’d be mad not to take. A photography trip gives us the chance to choose some of the most beautiful places in the world, moving freely about in search of the right angle or waiting for the time when the light is at its best.
If we are talking about possible top landscape photography locations, then Italy, with its artistic, natural and human heritage is definitely up there, with all that it offers for any type of shot.
Our idea is to find the perfect shot among the panoramic views of Umbria and Le Marche, right in the very heart of Italy. Here, nature is at its most authentic and will never cease to astound you as you descend along the short distance from the centre of the Apennines to the sea, through villages, hillsides, art cities, and panoramas that you will only be able to enjoy in this area of Italy, and which will make your photography trip unique.
In the valley of Castelluccio, the blooming flowers create a genuine sea of colour. Photographers from all over the world come to this place, in the province of Perugia, and they don’t call it the “photographers’ paradise” for nothing. Between the end of May and the beginning of July, poppies, cornflowers, daisies and many other species of flower transform the high plateau, offering views, light effects, shapes and details that are unique and which only nature can offer. The flowers generally reach their peak in early July, but it all depends a good deal on the weather. The development of the blooms is unforeseeable and can only be decided by nature. In any case, Castelluccio di Norcia and all the surrounding villages offer excellent scenery, even in winter, after a heavy snowfall, with its many villages nestled on the mountain and seeming like little nativity cribs. If you are seeking a landscape photography location in Italy, then a visit to Castelluccio while the flowers are blooming is an absolute must.
Italy means Renaissance and what place could be better for a photographic trip to Italy if not Urbino, the “Cradle of the Renaissance”? Its perfectly preserved city centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Urbino nestles in the hills, and it was here that the duke, Federico da Montefeltro called artists and architects from all over the world to his court, transforming Urbino into a jewel. Today, visitors strolling through its narrow streets, ramparts, palaces and churches can feel the Renaissance atmosphere, admiring the picture postcard views that are ideal for photographs.
There’s a beach on the Adriatic where the sand seems to come straight from the Caribbean. Ultrafine and super soft, the Velvet Beach is a symbol that makes San Benedetto del Tronto famous throughout Italy and one of the coolest seaside resorts in the Belpaese. What better setting for photos of the beach or for a walk on the seafront at sunset to the port, just in time to watch a fishing boat come in? Your photography trip around Italy also requires a stop at the mouth of the River Misa, to see the characteristic square nets used for drop fishing, or if you go just a few kilometres inland, the blue sea makes way for the deep green of Le Marche, home to the Via del Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, an itinerary of wineries and hills, with the name of a wine of Le Marche that is famous all over the world.
Taking a picture means capturing an intimate moment for all eternity and so, why not take a tour of some of Umbria’s holy sites, as a destination for some picturesque, intimate photographs? It won’t take long to map out a route passing through evocative locations such as Cascia, the Abbey of San Pietro in Valle, the Abbey of Sassovivo, Assisi, and the Abbey of Montelabate. From small churches surrounded by unspoiled nature, to the nerve centres of monastic life, it is possible to take home some unique shots of daily life, the architecture of palazzos and abbeys, and the grandiose panoramas offered by Umbria, Italy’s green lung. An honourable mention should of course go to Assisi, the home of Saint Francis, where the basilica and the fortress are enough on their own for endless photographs: monumental locations with a host of artistic treasures and symbol of the city since time immemorial.
Would you like your photos to have some of that magical 1950s atmosphere, like Elvis Presley and swing, boogie woogie and lindy hop dancers? In Senigallia you can, when the Summer Jamboree, the most famous international festival of American culture from the '40s and '50s adds colour to the summer during the month of August. Vintage cars, kilos of hair oil, acrobatic dances, Betty Page hairstyles, but above all, lots of genuine good old rock’n’roll. All the ingredients are there for photographs that look like they come straight from the period. An authentic leap back in time, thanks to one of the most famous festivals in Europe.
Umbria is also the realm of clear, cool water which, at the Marmore Falls give us an extraordinary natural spectacle. Excursionists and mountain sports enthusiasts find their ideal environment here, one that is perfect for first-hand experience of nature, as well as for photographers, who can enjoy the endless panoramic views, just waiting to be immortalised. Impenetrable gorges and sudden valleys make the course of the Black River one of the most stunning, wild areas of the Apennine valleys, right through to the Falls. Marmore, one of the highest falls in Europe, is part of a large natural park where nature is indeed mistress of all around her. Endless water effects and sudden rainbows can provide all you need for some stunning photographic results.
A photographic journey through Italy is a lot different to organize compared to a simple tourist trip. A photographer can’t make do with just seeing: they need to observe and look deeper. Planning for this type of trip needs to take all of the variables into account: when the sun comes up; when it goes down; where the sun will be in a specific place at a specific time; what happens in that place; when is the best time of year to photograph it. This is why we recommend you choose travel solutions that will leave you free to capture your perfect shot.
Le Marche and Umbria can provide the perfect backdrop for your photos: this is where art, nature, history and unique events all come together to give photography enthusiasts an infinite range of ideas. Whether under the peaks of the Apennines, with their crystalline water, or by the sea, on the velvet beaches, there is no shortage of opportunities for find the perfect frame for the photos you have dreamed of taking. So if you’re looking for some inspiration, you can always console yourselves with some of the typical foods and wines from an area that is one of the most famous in Italy, and where there is no lack of mouth-watering food and wine to be add.