Streets of Italy: Rome, Florence, and Naples

Nowhere are urban streets more alive and cinematic than in Italy. Three cities at the center of the country, woven together through thousands of years of joined history, provide a varied tapestry of visual delights no photographer can resist. Ancient Rome, bustling Naples, and elegant Florence provide an indulgence of rich photographic opportunities whittled down into eight days for a workshop led by National Geographic photographer Massimo Bassano in his home country.

Intentional wandering with a camera is one of the best ways travelers can explore and discover the true essence of a city, especially a visually delightful Italian city! This workshop is a blended travel photo experience as seen through the lens of a photographer walking the streets. The program and daily itinerary were put together by Massimo and Santa Fe Workshops Director, Reid Callanan, who spent two weeks scouting Rome in April 2024.

Home base for this workshop is eternal Rome, the city that once ruled the Western world and is today a living museum. Rome is a living, breathing metropolis of timeless wonders where residents live amidst 3000 years of history, layer upon layer of it. The visible remains of the Roman Empire are everywhere. Marble bridges across the winding Tiber, tree-shaded Renaissance villas and parks, the magnificent light, the distinct leisurely pace of its residents, and a skyline of domes and campaniles all take your breath away. After dusk Rome lights up, illuminating its historic sites and creating an entirely different photographic experience across the cityscape.

A large, rambling apartment overlooking Piazza della Liberta and the Tiber River in the Prati neighborhood provides a comfortable place for group meetings, meals, classroom presentations, time for image editing and processing, or as a respite for a refreshing nap or a quick bite before heading out for the next adventure. In addition to leading daily field sessions around Rome, Massimo conducts group image reviews, one-on-one sessions, and assists with picture editing. His wife, Myriam Casper, is in charge of logistics and also leads field sessions. She is an accomplished photographer, editor, and documentary filmmaker.

Day trips to nearby Florence and Naples punctuate your time in Rome. Rising early to board the 90-minute high-speed Frecciarossa train to Florence and then later in the workshop week to Naples. These excursions offer compelling and contrasting city personalities to Rome and to each other. Traversing these storied cities with a camera is worth getting up early and staying out late for.

To the north of Rome, Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and the hometown of its leading lights—Michelangelo, da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Giotto, and Galileo, to name a few. Their collective wisdom and achievements echo throughout this urban city. Photographing art-filled Florence is not to be missed.

To the south of Rome, Naples is a city of contrasting superlatives. It is the birthplace of pizza, home to more than 450 churches ranging from historic chapels to mighty baroque masterpieces, it’s Italy’s most densely populated metropolis, and parts of the city are a chaotic tangle of laundry-strung lanes full of animated people. In other words, a photographer’s paradise.

Rome, Florence, and Naples offer a trilogy of unique experiences that become more enjoyable and memorable when coupled with a photographic perspective.

A virtual class reunion in May will be organized by Santa Fe Workshops. Participants along with Massimo, Myriam, and Reid Callanan will gather on Zoom to reconnect and enjoy an image presentation of each photographer’s best images from the workshop.

View daily itinerary (subject to change).