9 days (September 26 - October 4, 2015)
- Photographic locations in charming Italian towns: Volterra, Pistoia, Lucca
- Photographic exploration of the Cinque Terre National Park
- Portofino - luxury resort
- Colorful and beautiful landscapes of the Ligurian coast
- Delicious Italian cuisine
- A visit to Verona - the city of Romeo and Juliet
Picturesque landscapes and the variety of Tuscan food, wines and customs are usually associated with the areas of Montepulciano, Siena and San Gimignano - and there is much truth in that. But southern Tuscany does not reflect all the richness of the region. Its northern part, bordering with Liguria and Emilia-Romagna, is equally interesting and has many treasures. And if we move a little further along the Ligurian coast, we will end up in a fairy-tale land; to 5 towns - Cinque Terre and then to the movie Portofino.
Wooded hills south of Lucca, sandy beaches near Viareggio and high peaks of the Apuan Alps on the west coast, and ancient towns lost in the hills. Every day we will be surprised by the changing views, colors, light and smell. Maybe we'll also meet Pinocchio playing on the way.
To the north-west, Tuscany borders with Liguria. One of the most beautiful places in the region is the area called Cinque Terre - five charming little towns situated by the Ligurian Sea: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore. The steep, cliff coast meant that access to them was possible only from the sea - on land, instead of roads, there were only narrow, hard-to-reach paths. The unusual landscape connecting the steep slopes with the sea, as well as the industriousness of local people and their persistence, have shaped this area so that it is impossible not to admire it. We will look for both details and panoramas available from the scenic paths. We will have time to enjoy not only the views, but also delicious cuisine based on seafood. We will also look at Portofino, one of the most exclusive holiday resorts in Italy. It is here that many films are shot, it is here that cinema stars and famous artists rest. We will look around - who knows who we will meet?
 |
Day 1 (September 26, 2015, Sat). Departure from Krakow to Italy Departure from Krakow in the evening. (possible departure from Katowice) To Krakow by pendolino. |
 |
Day 2 (September 27, 2015, Sun). Montecatini Terme and the open air in Pistoia Accommodation at the Valtorta hotel (3 nights) in Montecatini Terme - one of the most famous Italian thermal resorts, whose waters were once explored by Maria Skłodowska-Curie. Transfer to the afternoon open air to Pistoia, which is enchanting with its climate - surrounded by 14th-century walls, with the Baptistery and the cathedral tower towering over the central square. |
 |
Day 3 (September 28, 2015, Mon). San Miniato and Volterra Transfer to the open air to San Miniato - an Etruscan town located at the intersection of roads leading to Lucca, Siena, Florence, Pisa and, since the Middle Ages, on the Via Francigena route. We will spend the second part of the day in Volterra - the city of alabaster and mineral waters. Urban open air where everyone will find something for themselves. Remains of a Roman theater from the 1st century, a magnificent cathedral from the 13th century, city buildings - Palazzo dei Priori or the Medici Fortress; and for art lovers the gallery - Pinacoteca in the Minucci Palace - Solaini. Volterra |
 |
Day 4 (September 29, 2015, Tue). Lucca and Castiglione di Garfagnana Morning in Lucca, the birthplace of Giaccomo Puccini. An afternoon in Castiglione di Garfagnana - a small town in the Province of Lucca, famous for its 13th-century fortress and the surrounding walls. |
 |
Day 5 (September 30, 2015, Wed). Ligurian Riviera and Portofino open air The start of the day on the Ligurian Riviera. Cruise to Portofino. There are, among others, colorful houses, delicious ice cream, Castello Brown, a lighthouse on a headland, exclusive yachts and small boats and boats used by the residents. Overnight at Hotel Laurin in Lido di Camaiore (3 nights) Portofino |
 |
Days 6-7 (October 1-2, 2015, Th-Fri). Outdoor activities in the Cinque Terre National Park - Manarola and Vernazza Two days in the Cinque Terre. A special ticket will allow us to move freely between the towns and will give us the opportunity to enter and walks in the Cinque Terre National Park. We spend the first day in Manarola and Vernazza and the second day in Riomaggire and Monterosso al Mare. Cinque Terre - Monterosso |
 |
Day 8 (October 3, 2015, Sat). Juliet City - Verona and departure back to Poland After breakfast, drive to Verona in the Veneto region. There will be time for everything. Perhaps at the beginning Roman monuments (Arena, two gates), later medieval monuments (Basilica of St. Zeno), from the reign of the Della Scala family (Castel Vechio, family Sarcophagi), and later, from the Venetian and Austrian periods. For this delicious cuisine and wine (Bardolino, Soave and Valpolicella). And at the end of the day - a walk over the Adige. In the evening departure towards Poland. Verona |
 |
Day 9 (October 4, 2015, Sun). Return to Krakow Arrival in Katowice and later Krakow around noon. And in the country it is raining, outside the windows of a rushing pendolino. |
Number of participants: 15 people + 3 guides
 |
Witek Rajchert He once lived as a monk in a Benedictine monastery in Lanuvio, Italy. There he learned Italian and became interested in Christian monasticism and the phenomenon of pilgrimages. He continues his passions from Italy by exploring the routes of European pilgrimage routes that connect the entire continent like a network.
His interest in the Far East led him to the eastern martial arts and now he trains Muai Thai and the systema. |
 |
Ewa Prus and Piotr Dębek After studying Roman and German studies, Ewa switched from languages to photography - because one picture is worth a thousand words. Piotr soaked up photography when he was a few years old, assisting his father in the darkroom - he remembers the smell of reagents well to this day and appreciates digital photography even more. For over a decade, since 2002, first in the monthly "CHIP", then "CHIP Foto Video Digital" (which changed into "Digital Foto Video" and later "FOTO PLUS"), they popularize photography with hundreds of guide and workshop articles. They are the authors of several books on photography and a growing number of e-books. Together, they have been running photography workshops since 2010, and photo expeditions since 2011. Their favorite landscapes are the hills of Tuscany, Iceland's waterfalls and the coasts of Greek islands, and they like the alleys of cities in every part of the world. They write about travel photography not only on the blog www.ewaipiotr.pl |
Common photo in Portofino:
In the photo, from the left: Wiesław, Czesław, Monika, Anna, Małgorzata, Beata, Joanna, Witek, Adam, Izabela, Grzegorz, Katarzyna, Marzena, Damian, Lech
First row from the left: Piotr, Ewa, Mirela