Day One begins just outside the beautiful seaside town of Cefalù  where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner at the stunning Le Calette hotel overlooking the Mediterranean’s clear blue waters. Le Calette is within walking distance to Cefalù, an Arab- Norman architectural masterpiece. The squares, streets and churches of this medieval town are amazingly picturesque and was chosen by director Giuseppe Tornatore to shoot the much-loved Academy Award-winning film Cinema Paradiso.

On Day Two you’ll explore further Cefalù, one of the true jewels of the Sicilian coast. This prime coastal town was settled by the Sikels, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs long before the Normans arrived in the 11th Century. You’ll find yourself getting lost in its beautiful light and you’ll feel caught up in ancient history when you are surrounded by Cefalù’s architectural mystery. In 2016, il Duomo di Cefalù (the Cathedral of Cefalù) — widely known and admired for its mosaics including the dominant Christ Pantokrator mosaic —  became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. All of this creates a very dramatic backdrop for all aspects of your photography.

For Day 3, you’ll travel up into the magnificent Madoni mountain range and explore the town of Polizzi Generosa (Santino’s home town) which dates to 6 BC. You’ll spend many pleasant hours photographing this quaint town with its beautiful panoramic position overlooking the southern and northern sides of the Imera valley. During the day, you will visit fourth-generation ceramic artist Giovanni Dangelo at his unique family studio where he is pushing the artistic envelope and challenging traditional local ceramic styles.

On Day 4 we are off to the town of Mazara Del Vallo, discovering the early interlacing of civilizations that took place in Sicily between the European populations and those of Islamic and the North African region.

This maritime village derived from ancient times, becoming one of the most important fishing ports in the Mediterranean Sea. In an ambients of Arab influence, mixed in between beautiful Baroque buildings and churches, you re-live the harmony experienced among the people of different origins that have always distinguished this fascinating city. We will explore this colorful city walking through its marvelous Kasbah streets, squares that have something great to photographic around every corner.

On our way to Mazara Del Vallo we will be stopping by Castellammare del Golfo, a small quaint litte fishing village that dates-back to the middle ages. All along this inlet are colorful fishing boats and sails boats which line this beautiful bay. Usually fisherman are selling the day’s catch at rickety tables on the quayside, while hopeful harbour cats prowl along searching for scraps, all surrounded by picturesque mountains and the Mediterranean Seascape.

Local outing and critique day.

Day 6. Like Sicily, the incredible city of Palermo is literally at the crossroads of civilizations, delivering a heady, heavily spiced mix of Byzantine mosaics, Arabesque domes and frescoed cupolas. This is a city at the edge of Europe and at the center of the ancient world, a place where outdoor markets rub against baroque churches, where date palms frame Gothic palaces and where the blue-eyed and the fair-haired have bronze-skinned cousins. Busy markets include the central Ballarò street market and the Vucciria, located near the port. The city’s crumbling staircases lead to gilded ballrooms and guarded locals harbor hearts of gold. Despite its noisy streets, Sicily’s largest city is a shy beast, rewarding the inquisitive with citrus-filled cloisters, stucco-laced chapels and vintage stores filled with the threads of faded aristocrats where you might just find yourself suddenly and unexpectedly in love at any turn.

On Day 7, you will travel back in time to Seliunte in the south of Sicily, where you will find some of the most outstanding examples of ancient ruins of Greek art and architecture. This archaeological park is one of the main attractions of Sicily, perched on hill overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. You will be enchanted by these majestic yellow sandstone structures as they are illuminated in the golden hues of the later afternoon sun. Your camera will be in overtime as you photograph these amazing temples.

Local outing and critique day.

On Day 9, we will visit the small hillside town of Monreale with its amazing Cathedral (Duomo) built between 1170-1189. This fascinating church is yet another Unesco World Heritage Site and is regarded as the most beautiful of the Norman churches in Sicily. The mosaics were made with 2,200 kg of pure gold and craftsmen from Constantinople were employed to expedite the work, which is why these Byzantine mosaics are among the most magnificent in the world. Once you have filled your eyes and photographed the splendor of the cathedral’s interior, you’ll journey up to the top of the Cathedral to see splendid views of the fertile Conca d’Oro (“golden shell”) valley. And if it’s a really clear day, one can see the volcanic-formed Aeolian Islands off in the distance.

Returning late afternoon to Cefalu to capture a final sunset in this picturesque medieval seaside town with its many perspectives shades of hues and tones….The perfect ending to an enriching photographic adventure!

On Day 10, we meet for breakfast, we say our goodby’s and head to the airport for your flight back home or further destination.