Photo tour “Weekend in Portugal,” June 29 to July 3, 2012

We will visit one of Europe’s most ancient cities – the Portuguese capital Lisbon. We will go to the parish of Belém, take a walk around ancient Sintra, and see the sun set over the westernmost extent of Europe, Cape Roca.

Our tour will offer you the opportunity to feel the touch of antiquity and improve your photography skills.

Photo tour program

June 29.

Flight from Moscow.

Arrival in Lisbon. Hotel check-in.

We will walk around the ancient center of Lisbon, with its magnificent palaces renowned for their amazing façades. We will walk through the labyrinths of narrow streets of old districts and see the fountains and squares. Known to exist since the 2nd century BC, Lisbon was devastated by an earthquake, restored and painted wonderful colors: blue, pink, pastel, ochre and green. Its streets and squares are paved with white limestone and black basalt.

Not far from our hotel we will explore the Castle of São Jorge, founded by the Moorish settlers in the early 7th century. It is the only location to have survived the Lisbon earthquakes. We will walk through its passages, over its moats, between loopholes and towers, feeling the touch of antiquity.

We will reach Rossio Square, the very heart of Lisbon, once the execution site for heretics and bullfighting.

There will be evening introductory class with the instructor.

June 30

We will start our morning with an amazing walk along the river to Belém. We will conduct a photo shoot at the iconic sites of Lisbon – Belém is rich in interesting places. The first monument we’ll see on our way from Lisbon will be the 52-meter-tall Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) in the form of a caravel hoisting her sails.

We will also see another pearl of Portuguese architecture - the Hieronymites Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos). Today this masterpiece of Manueline-style architecture is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We will take photos of genre scenes and views in Praça do Império square with its streams, geometrical lawns and carefully trimmed bushes.

At a short distance from the Monastery stands the famous fortified Belém Tower, built 500 years ago. It was constructed to commemorate Vasco de Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India and in various epochs served as a small defensive tower, powder depot, prison and a customs house.

Return to Lisbon. Free time.

Night photo shoot in the city with the instructor.

July 1

We will see one of the wonders of Portugal – Sintra, a town classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its many monuments.

We will practice taking photos of architecture at the famous estate of Quinta da Regaleira and its Regaleira Palace, as well as the magnificent park.

The biggest mystery of Regaleira is the well that burrows deep underground. The spiral stairwell inside of the well has nine levels symbolizing the nine circles of hell, the nine circles of Purgatory and the nine circles of paradise described by Dante.

We will take a walk around the center of the town to see the Sintra National Palace. Then we will head to the hill above the town to see the Pena National Palace, one of the oldest Romanticist palaces in Europe in the early 20th century included in the list of the Seven Wonders of Portugal.

We will take photos of the sunset from the westernmost extent of Europe – Cape Roca. Surrounded by beautiful grounds, this rock towers 140 meters above the level of the Atlantic Ocean.

Return to Lisbon.

Evening class with the instructor.

July 2

A walk around Lisbon.

We will begin the day with a photo shoot at the front gate of Lisbon – Praça do Comércio square near the site where the Tagus River empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

We will see the city’s main cathedral, the Sé Cathedral – the symbol of Christianity’s victory over the Moors, simultaneously reminiscent of a fortress and a mosque.

We will ascend in the Santa Justa Lift to the observation platform to see the breathtaking view of Lisbon, the river and the white statue of Jesus Christ, Cristo-Rei, overlooking the city from the high southern bank of the Tagus River. It is the exact copy of the famous Christ monument in Rio de Janeiro, only half its size.

Free time.

If you so choose, you will be able to visit the Marionette Museum, the Museum Of Carriages and the Navy Museum in your free time.

July 3

Check-out from the hotel. Flight to Moscow.

We will study:

~ architectural photography,

~ landscape and panoramic photography,

~ genre photography,

~ street portrait,

~ peculiarities of evening and night photography,

~ theory and practice in composition for traveling,

~ shooting in difficult lighting conditions.

Daily practical exercises during joint photo shoots.

Cost of the photo tour: 565 euro.

The cost includes:

• accommodation in a splendid 4 star hotel with a panoramic view of Lisbon, room for two, breakfast (single room is available upon request);

• transfer to Sintra, transfer to Cape Roca;

• almost all transportation around the city;

• practical and theoretical classes in photography during the photo tour and the final class after the photo tour.

The cost does not include:

• airline tickets;

• lunch, dinner;

• medical insurance;

• visa

• other expenses

Regular customers will get a discount!

Would you like to join? Contact us at kellynow@narod.ru.

Upcoming tours:

- Weekend in Istanbul – September 13-16, 2012;

- Photo tour to Japan for the red maple leaves season – November 10-17, 2012;

- Venice – November 28 to December 2, 2012.