Sicily - a photographic tour

Overview
At the centre of the Mediterranean, but on the periphery of Europe lays the island of Sicily. With an exotic appeal that sets it apart from mainland Italy, Sicily has long been known as a "melting pot" of ancient cultures and peoples. Sixteen foreign dominations have touched, changed and marked the Sicilian soul. First the Greeks and the Romans, then the Arabs and Normans, and finally, the French, Spanish and Italians, all of them contributing to an unparalleled historical legacy. The conquerors have left, not only an abundance of art, architecture and archaeological remains, but have transformed the landscape, fashioned the cultural eccentricities, influenced the mixed appearance of the inhabitants and shaped the social attitudes unique to Sicily and the Sicilians.

Tour Focus
The tour itinerary has been designed specifically for serious photographers; to ensure that our time is spent in the most photogenic areas. Each region and specific place has been carefully chosen in order to explore the great photographic vastness diversity of the Sicilian culture, history, landscape and people. We will visit mountainous, costal, volcanic and farmland areas for landscapes, a number of large and important cities for markets, small hidden villages for architecture and people, as well as cemeteries and a forgotten ghost town.

While the tour must have a definite outline and format, a flexible itinerary may be adapted as required to accommodate for the unexpected opportunities, and the serendipitous twists, which often transpire during tours. Ultimately the emphasis throughout is on seeing, and the priority is to ensure good creative photography, providing an ample amount of time each day so participants will have the opportunity to explore without being rushed.

Participants
This tour is for anyone passionate about photography, from novice to experienced amateur or professional who want to expand their vision while discovering the Island’s social, cultural and geographical history through photography. This tour will provide an opportunity to meet with people who are totally immersed in photography. Time spent as a group can be both a visual and an emotional journey and is conducive to exchanging ideas, sharing enthusiasms and refreshing creative energies.

About us
Elisa Paloschi is a Toronto based filmmaker and photographer who spends most of her time traveling far from the city, including a 10 year stint in Italy. While living in Palermo, Elisa explored Sicily extensively and continues to do so with yearly visits to the place that feels more like home than anywhere else she knows. She is fluent in Italian, has a deep understanding of the nuances of the southern culture and dialects and in particular knows when yes means no and that a green light does not always give you right of way. Elisa has designed and led photography and culinary tours to Italy since 2005.

Sonia Ter Hovanessian, originally from the U.K. came to Italy ten years ago and has made a home for herself in this intriguing and beautiful country. To keep herself out of trouble she divides her time between playing, teaching music & photography as well as designing and guiding biking tours and photographic tours in Europe. These include: Street Photography in London for Italians, and Tours around Italy. www.soniaterhovanessian.com

Included
Cost is based on six participants and includes surface travel while in Sicily, 11 nights accommodation based on double occupancy (we assign a roommate when possible if traveling alone), 11 breakfasts, 1 dinner.

Not Included
Flights to Sicily, airport tansfers, anything else that isn't mentioned here.

Itinerary
To best discover Sicily the tour will start in Catania and end in Palermo (one way overland travel). We will use three bases-central hotels in Catania and Palermo, and a small hotel directly in front of the port in Castellamarre del Golfo.

Night 1 to 5 - Catania

Catania
Meet in Catania at 4:30pm and begin with a photographic exploration of the immediate vicinity of the hotel before heading for dinner where we'll enjoy typical Catanese fare while discussing the tour details. Catania, Sicily’s second largest city is overshadowed by Etna. The entire city reflects the somber presence of the volcano within it’s architecture, streets and monuments made by lava. The city is well know for it’s elegance, and it’s main square is bordered by an impressive cathedral, municipal buildings, shops, cafes and an entrance to the city's famous fresh fish market.

Sicilian Baroque
After the massive earthquake that destroyed almost all of the eastern Sicily in 1693, major reconstruction resulted in cities being designed in the Baroque style. Noto, is a prized jewel of Sicilian Baroque. Stone filigree, menacing gargoyles, and wrought-iron wonders decorate the ornate buildings and churches.

Eastern Landscape
On the plains in the southeast, the colour and textures of the landscape are remarkable. In the upland area, the soil is marked with white stone out croppings and gorges, while the lowlands are covered with a layer of red soil that supports bright green grapevines. Pastures criss-crossed with walls are marked by stone homes of whites, creams, yellows and greys.

Night 6 to 9 - Castelmare del Gulfo - Portside Hotel

Castellammare del Golfo
Nestled between the magnificent bay by the same name and Mount Inici, Castelmare is a small fishing village where the men still mend their nets in the piazza and the spectacular coloured fishing boats await in the port for the tuna season. A beautiful beach, a medieval fort and crystalline waters gives the feeling of a forgotten town.

Poggioreale
The town of Poggioreale, founded in 1642 was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1968 and abandoned, leaving the impression of a town demolished by poorly targeted bombs; from a distance it looks intact. The sunlight of a spring morning makes the deserted Sicilian town, its stone and brick streets overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, look as though it were part of a divine medieval experiment. No voices. No old men talking. No children playing. No cars parked along the narrow streets. The landmarks of Poggioreale can still be seen and explored, the gutted church whose Neo Classical facade seems untouched by disaster, the façade of the theatre fallen to expose the box seats, and the church whose bell tower stands defiantly.

Erice
With its steep streets paved in characteristic patterns, the stones worn slick with time, white stone buildings, the remains of a medieval castle, flower-bedecked houses, quiet courtyards and medieval walled charm, Erice is an extraordinary town located on high ground overlooking the northern coast of western Sicily

Western Landscapes
some of Sicily's most unspoilt landscape, mountain scenery and great beaches are found here. The Belice Valley is spectacular with a new wonder with each curve of the road, ridges, rolling hills covers in vines, and fields of burn gold and bright yellow.

Night 10 and 11 - Palermo

Palermo
Settled by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC, Palermo today is a city where the contrasts are harsher, the beauty wilder, the passions more searing, and the landscape more breathtaking than any other city in Italy. Explore the Arab district La Kalsa, with its winding cobbled streets leading into a world of disparity, where laundry flutters in the wind above buildings bombed out during the second world war, and palaces of Palermo’s aristocracy line the Piazza Marina. Explore one of the many ancient city markets, where farmers and townsfolk mingle to the sounds of the vendors selling everything from spleen sandwiches to kitchen sinks. Discover Palermo’s Norman history, lush gardens, art nouveau buildings, bustling street life.

MORE INFO
Read the photolife article about a previous tour.
Contact Elisa for bookings or more information.
Please note that we may change some of the tour destinations.


	SICILY a PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR with Elisa Paloschi May 12 to 23, 2012 Six Photographers- 11 nights 10 days
	For info and bookings contact Elisa Overview At the centre of the Mediterranean, but on the periphery of Europe lays the island of Sicily. With an exotic appeal that sets it apart from mainland Italy, Sicily has long been known as a "melting pot" of ancient cultures and peoples. Sixteen foreign dominations have touched, changed and marked the Sicilian soul. First the Greeks and the Romans, then the Arabs and Normans, and finally, the French, Spanish and Italians, all of them contributing to an unparalleled historical legacy. The conquerors have left, not only an abundance of art, architecture and archaeological remains, but have transformed the landscape, fashioned the cultural eccentricities, influenced the mixed appearance of the inhabitants and shaped the social attitudes unique to Sicily and the Sicilians. Tour Focus The tour itinerary has been designed specifically for serious photographers; to ensure that our time is spent in the most photogenic areas. Each region and specific place has been carefully chosen in order to explore the great photographic vastness diversity of the Sicilian culture, history, landscape and people. We will visit mountainous, costal, volcanic and farmland areas for landscapes, a number of large and important cities for markets, small hidden villages for architecture and people, as well as cemeteries and a forgotten ghost town. While the tour must have a definite outline and format, a flexible itinerary may be adapted as required to accommodate for the unexpected opportunities, and the serendipitous twists, which often transpire during tours. Ultimately the emphasis throughout is on seeing, and the priority is to ensure good creative photography, providing an ample amount of time each day so participants will have the opportunity to explore without being rushed. Participants This tour is for anyone passionate about photography, from novice to experienced amateur or professional who want to expand their vision while discovering the Island’s social, cultural and geographical history through photography. This tour will provide an opportunity to meet with people who are totally immersed in photography. Time spent as a group can be both a visual and an emotional journey and is conducive to exchanging ideas, sharing enthusiasms and refreshing creative energies. About us Elisa Paloschi is a Toronto based filmmaker and photographer who spends most of her time traveling far from the city, including a 10 year stint in Italy. While living in Palermo, Elisa explored Sicily extensively and continues to do so with yearly visits to the place that feels more like home than anywhere else she knows. She is fluent in Italian, has a deep understanding of the nuances of the southern culture and dialects and in particular knows when yes means no and that a green light does not always give you right of way. Elisa has designed and led photography and culinary tours to Italy since 2005. Sonia Ter Hovanessian, originally from the U.K. came to Italy ten years ago and has made a home for herself in this intriguing and beautiful country. To keep herself out of trouble she divides her time between playing, teaching music & photography as well as designing and guiding biking tours and photographic tours in Europe. These include: Street Photography in London for Italians, and Tours around Italy. www.soniaterhovanessian.com Included Cost is based on six participants and includes surface travel while in Sicily, 11 nights accommodation based on double occupancy (we assign a roommate when possible if traveling alone), 11 breakfasts, 1 dinner. Not Included Flights to Sicily, airport tansfers, anything else that isn't mentioned here. Itinerary To best discover Sicily the tour will start in Catania and end in Palermo (one way overland travel). We will use three bases-central hotels in Catania and Palermo, and a small hotel directly in front of the port in Castellamarre del Golfo. Night 1 to 5 - Catania Catania Meet in Catania at 4:30pm and begin with a photographic exploration of the immediate vicinity of the hotel before heading for dinner where we'll enjoy typical Catanese fare while discussing the tour details. Catania, Sicily’s second largest city is overshadowed by Etna. The entire city reflects the somber presence of the volcano within it’s architecture, streets and monuments made by lava. The city is well know for it’s elegance, and it’s main square is bordered by an impressive cathedral, municipal buildings, shops, cafes and an entrance to the city's famous fresh fish market. Sicilian Baroque After the massive earthquake that destroyed almost all of the eastern Sicily in 1693, major reconstruction resulted in cities being designed in the Baroque style. Noto, is a prized jewel of Sicilian Baroque. Stone filigree, menacing gargoyles, and wrought-iron wonders decorate the ornate buildings and churches. Eastern Landscape On the plains in the southeast, the colour and textures of the landscape are remarkable. In the upland area, the soil is marked with white stone out croppings and gorges, while the lowlands are covered with a layer of red soil that supports bright green grapevines. Pastures criss-crossed with walls are marked by stone homes of whites, creams, yellows and greys. Night 6 to 9 - Castelmare del Gulfo - Portside Hotel Castellammare del Golfo Nestled between the magnificent bay by the same name and Mount Inici, Castelmare is a small fishing village where the men still mend their nets in the piazza and the spectacular coloured fishing boats await in the port for the tuna season. A beautiful beach, a medieval fort and crystalline waters gives the feeling of a forgotten town. Poggioreale The town of Poggioreale, founded in 1642 was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1968 and abandoned, leaving the impression of a town demolished by poorly targeted bombs; from a distance it looks intact. The sunlight of a spring morning makes the deserted Sicilian town, its stone and brick streets overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, look as though it were part of a divine medieval experiment. No voices. No old men talking. No children playing. No cars parked along the narrow streets. The landmarks of Poggioreale can still be seen and explored, the gutted church whose Neo Classical facade seems untouched by disaster, the façade of the theatre fallen to expose the box seats, and the church whose bell tower stands defiantly. Erice With its steep streets paved in characteristic patterns, the stones worn slick with time, white stone buildings, the remains of a medieval castle, flower-bedecked houses, quiet courtyards and medieval walled charm, Erice is an extraordinary town located on high ground overlooking the northern coast of western Sicily Western Landscapes some of Sicily's most unspoilt landscape, mountain scenery and great beaches are found here. The Belice Valley is spectacular with a new wonder with each curve of the road, ridges, rolling hills covers in vines, and fields of burn gold and bright yellow. Night 10 and 11 - Palermo Palermo Settled by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC, Palermo today is a city where the contrasts are harsher, the beauty wilder, the passions more searing, and the landscape more breathtaking than any other city in Italy. Explore the Arab district La Kalsa, with its winding cobbled streets leading into a world of disparity, where laundry flutters in the wind above buildings bombed out during the second world war, and palaces of Palermo’s aristocracy line the Piazza Marina. Explore one of the many ancient city markets, where farmers and townsfolk mingle to the sounds of the vendors selling everything from spleen sandwiches to kitchen sinks. Discover Palermo’s Norman history, lush gardens, art nouveau buildings, bustling street life. MORE INFO Read the photolife article about a previous tour. Contact Elisa for bookings or more information. Please note that we may change some of the tour destinations.