Venice & Dolomites Landscape Photography Tour

Itinerary

Tuesday, September 24

Fly from U.S. to Venice, Italy.

Wednesday, September 25 (D)

Arrive in Venice. You’ll be picked up from the airport and transferred to our hotel in the old town of Venice. Tonight we’ll make the five-minute walk from our hotel to St. Mark’s Square, locally known as Piazza San Marco. Here we’ll enjoy a group welcome dinner at a fine Venetian restaurant followed by a sunset and blue hour shoot at one of the classic locations in the square. Overnight at The Ala – Venice or similar

Thursday, September 26 (B, D)

We’ll have a full day to explore and photograph Venice, with the main focus being sunrise and sunset photography at iconic locations. Enjoy some free time today and take in all that Venice has to offer, including St. Mark’s Square and its bell tower, and the city’s interesting canals, bridges, and churches. You might want to include Burano Island on your Venice bucket list for a chance to capture its colorful buildings, small canals, and charming details. In the evening, we’ll gather for a fine seafood dinner and some Italian wine. Overnight The Ala – Venice or similar

Friday, September 27 (B, D)

Morning photography in Venice, and after breakfast we’ll head to the Dolomites. We have a long drive today and will arrive in Alpe di Suisi, the largest high-altitude alpine plateau in all of Europe, in the afternoon. Tonight will be our first sunset shoot of the splendid Dolomites. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Rosa or similar

Saturday, September 28 (B, D)

We’ll hope for a mist to create dramatic scenes during our sunrise shoot this morning. After, we can head back to the hotel for a hearty breakfast.

We have a full day to explore the legendary Alpe di Suisi. Get a glimpse of local culture and tradition as we wander around capturing wooden farmhouses and incredible views of the surrounding mountain peaks, Italian countryside at its finest.

You’ll have some leisure time in the afternoon before we meet up for a sunset shoot. Visit the hotel’s spa, relax in your room, or sit outside and breathe in the fresh mountain air. Overnight Hotel Rosa or similar

Sunday, September 29 (B, L, D)

A final sunrise shoot in the alpine meadows of Alpe di Suisi followed by breakfast before we head north.

On our way to Funes Valley, land of the “pale” mountains, we’ll make a stop at Ortisei. Ortisei, a small mountain village, has an inviting pedestrian area and is famous beyond its borders for ornate woodcarving. If we’re lucky to have good weather, we can take the Seceda gondola for spectacular views of the Odles massif.

Continue on our journey to Funes Valley where we’ll check into our family run hotel. A sunset shoot of the famous St. Johann Church and the jagged Geisler mountain peaks is on the menu for this evening. Overnight Hotel Ranuimüllerhof or similar

Monday, September 30 (B, L, D)

Sunrise shoot at St. Johann Church this morning. After breakfast, we’ll have a full day to capture the magnificent Dolomites (and hopefully its golden larch trees too!) as we travel throughout the fantastic alpine country of Funes Valley.

We’ll visit two additional churches in the area: Santa Maddalena, a picturesque medieval church, and also the quaint St. Jacob’s Church, one of the oldest churches in the valley. Overnight at Hotel Ranuimüllerhof or similar

Tuesday, October 1 (B, L, D)

Today will be a delightful travel day. If road conditions allow, we’ll drive through the scenic mountain pass, Passo delle Erbe, and visit another amazing church before we return to Brunico and Lago di Braies on the main road. Sunset shoot at Lago di Braies, known as the “pearl of the Dolomites” and arguably the most beautiful lake in all of Italy. Dinner and overnight at our hotel, Hotel Pragser Wildsee or similar

Wednesday, October 2 (B, D)

Photograph sunrise lakeside and then back to the hotel for breakfast. There are a few ways you can spend your day today, venture on a hike around the lake, or hop into a wooden boat and paddle on the lake. Or you could simply relax and soak up the serenity and splendor of your surroundings. Overnight Hotel Pragser Wildsee or similar

 Thursday, October 3 (B, L, D)

We’ll gather for a sunrise shoot and breakfast before we depart the enchanting Lago di Braies. Today we travel toward our final destination, Cortina d’Ampezzo, known as “Queen of the Dolomites.” Along the way, we can make a stop or two to capture the grandeur of the Dolomites and its serene reflections on the alpine lakes.

You won’t be in Cortina d’Ampezzo for too long before you’re aware of the town’s proudest moment: hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics. Cortina is a dream destination for skiers and nature enthusiasts alike.  Autumn is the time of year the Ampezzo Valley explodes with color as the larches spread their vivid shades of red, gold, and yellow.

Tonight we’ll have dinner at our hotel for the next two nights, Boutique Hotel Villa Blu or similar

Friday, October 4 (B, D)

We have a full day to explore and photograph the stunning mountain views of this area.

We can drive up high mountain passes such as Passo Giau and Passo Falzarego. If weather permits, we can take cable cars to the nearby mountain hut at Lagazuoi and to the impressive rock formations of Cinque Torri (five towers).

A highlight for us in the Cortina area will be a visit to the iconic Tre Cime. These three dramatic Dolomite peaks are famous worldwide for their unique charm, nature at its best!

When not shooting the beautiful scenery that surrounds us, we can take the opportunity to stroll around Cortina’s old town and drink an Italian coffee or Aperol Spritz. And keep your eyes peeled, this mountain retreat is a popular vacation spot for celebrities, intellectuals, poets, and other aristocrats from around the world. James Bond fans may find interest in the 100-year-old Miramonti Majestic Grand Hotel and several other locations in the area that were featured in the 1981 Bond film For Your Eyes Only. For those attentive to the industry, Cortina is also home to some of the most prestigious names in fashion, including Gucci, Bulgar, and Geox.

Overnight Boutique Hotel Villa Blu or similar

Saturday, October 5 (B)

If our flight schedules allow it, we’ll take time for a sunrise shoot before heading back to Venice for our flights home. Depart Venice (after 1:00pm) and fly home today.

NOTE: You should be in good general health and be able to walk reasonable distances, sometimes over uneven terrain. The activity level will be moderate on this trip, though not strenuous, there is no serious hiking or much elevation gain, but being able to walk on the tracks and trails will help a lot. All guests should prepare prior to trip time. Also we will be on cable cars in different locations. This trip is not for those who have a fear of heights!

*With international trips being booked so far in advance, we are at the mercy of the constantly changing exchange rate from year to year.  If there is a dramatic change from 2017 – 2019 in the Euro, we may have to add a small surcharge to help cover overall costs. Natural Exposures will share in any extra costs if there is an influx but we want to make sure all guests know prior to booking this may or may not happen.