March 16-29, 2023 | Thursday at breakfast through Wednesday's final dinner | arrive by the 15th (although we recommend that you pay for an extra night — or two — and arrive on the 14th to combat jet lag and possible airline delays), depart on the 30th | 14 full days, 15 nights

COVID SAFETY: Please read our COVID-19 Information and Prep page.

Several years ago, a group of BCPA alumni persuaded us to run a workshop in Portugal to explore this amazing, little country. 2022 was our first adventure here, and we fell in love with the country and the people.

For this workshop, we will be staying at least two nights in the majority of our hotels so that we do not have to pack and unpack each day. Breakfasts are included, and the Portuguese breakfasts are delicious. We have a small, private bus that ensures our own, safe bubble, arranged for our own private tour of the Douro Valley to sample Portugal's famous port wine, and have a guided, introductory tour for Porto so that we can quickly get familiar with our new surroundings. The fees include just about everything from the time you arrive at our hotel in Porto until the time you leave our hotel in Lisbon at the end of our workshop. That means driver, hotel, and baggage tips, too! Exceptions are meals, libation, and normal personal expenses. We will hold as many critiques as we can, although it may not be possible every day.

In order to give an good potpourri of what Portugal has to offer, we will be based in four main areas, Porto in the northwest and gateway to the famous wine-growing (port, of course) region of the Douro Valley, the Douro Valley itself, Albufeira on the dramatic south coast of the Algarve, and the capital city of Lisbon with side trips to special, don't-miss cities and villages. Along the way, we will spend time in some seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, marked here with "(UNESCO)". For a small country, Portugal has quite a number of these treasures.

Our hotels all have complimentary breakfast, private, en-suite bathrooms, and free WiFi, among other ammenities (see the Click here for more info... link at the bottom of this page). Transportation will be in buses dedicated to our group, so when we stop, your gear will be totally safe.

Our adventure begins in Porto, also known as Oporto (UNESCO). This city on the northwest coast of Portugal dates to medieval times. It is famous for its port wine production, stately bridges, and in the Ribeira district, narrow cobbled streets, merchants' houses, and of course, cafés. There are the traditional wooden rabelos, shallow draft boats that bring the port barrels down from the Douro Valley. Porto is also known for its azulejos, or painted ceramic tiles, usually blue and white.

While based in Porto, we will have a private, introductory walking tour with a local guide as well as a full-day tour of the impressive, terraced, Douro Valley, a couple of wineries with tastings, and we are working on a boat ride along the river.

Another day will see us on an excursion to Guimarães (UNESCO), regarded as the birthplace of Portugal. In addition to its history, museums, and magnificent castle (may be reached by a cable car), there are fine examples of medieval and gothic architecture. And for relaxation, we may find an open-air café in one of the charming plazas.

From there, we will head up into the famed and stunning Douro Valley (UNESCO) with its terraced slopes dedicated to the growing of grapes for the delicious port wine. In order to see this area at both ends of the day, we will be spending two nights in this area. The scenery can be unbelievably breathtaking, but waiting for the right light brings its own rewards.

Meanwhile, we will be in the production areas of a couple of port labels with much to photograph. Of course, there will also be wine sampling, and it is important to note that you may want to bring some of those lightweight, padded bottles to bring some of the delicious wine home.

There are intimate little villages in this area, accessed by narrow lanes with surprises around the next bend.

We will overnight in Coimbra (UNESCO), whose 13th century university is a testament to the long-standing importance of education in Portugal. Situated along the Mondego River, this medieval city is a delight to wander, and we look forward to exploring it.

From Coimbra, we'll head over to the west coast north of Lisbon to take in the sometime-wild coastline, but also spots where surfers gather to test the waves. In 2022, we missed the record 100-foot wave by a mere day, but the seas were still pretty spectacular.

There is no shortage of small villages with photographs galore, and it will be hard to tear ourselves away to finish the day in Sintra (UNESCO). Our driver lives in this town, so knows it very well and will take us to some of his favorite spots. He, too, loves photography!

In fact, knowing and enjoying our group In 2022, he introduced us to a number of non-touristy places that we pretty much had to ourselves. We look forward to seeing what he will show us in 2023.

Next stop will be Évora (UNESCO) that we missed in 2022 because of time constraints. We modified our schedule and added another couple of days to be able to spend time in this beautiful city and take in one of its most famous sites, Capela dos Ossos, or Chapel of Bones. This will be another great place to wander around and find your own subjects to photograph.

Once down in the Algarve, we'll explore the southern coast ... to the east one day ... to the west another, We will also dip into the interior to get a different flavor of this region. Along the way, we will visit a famous market and a town decidated to the octopus. Punctuated by soft, sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, sea-side caves, lighthouses, and charming villages, we will get a taste of it all. Margo and Arnie have a longtime friend who bought a house in Albufeira years — decades — ago and obviously has insider information for us. We have some special treats planned. Our friend introduced us to two of his friends, Paulo and Nuno, locals with whom we became wonderful friends. They have intimate knowledge of this area and will show us some of their favorite spots, many off the beaten track.

Finally, we head to Lisbon (UNESCO), Lisboa in Portuguese, another coastal city known for its colorful, pastel houses. Steeped in history, with museums, cathedrals, and more charming cobbled streets, there will be plenty to occupy us. Built on a series of hills overlooking the wide Tagus Estuary, Lisbon is considered one of Europe’s most visually striking cities. In 1755, a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami destroyed much of the city, and when it was rebuilt, it achieved an elegant, harmonious appearance. The Alfama neighborhood, however, was spared, clinging to the hillside underneath the Castelo São Jorge, and retains its original medieval alleys and Moorish influence.

We will find a good, local place to listen to the traditional fado music, sung passionately and soulfully by men and women alike.

Here, as always, you'll be able to celebrate your passion for photography, hone your seeing and imaging skills, and learn about the magic of light to make wonderful photographs. And you will learn a lot about this special country.

Plan on staying on to see more of Portugal, as it is too big to cover in a workshop where we can only give you a mere taste ... but what a taste it will be!

Meanwhile, be sure to carefully read our FAQs, as well as the various links in the box above. They should hopefully answer almost any question you might have.

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Please get travel and medical insurance!

Fees: By check - $8,000 participant | $11,270 participant & guest | $12,770 photographer couples
Non-refundable deposit due with application $2,000/person (get travel insurance) | Half of balance due Nov. 16, 2022 | Balance due Jan. 16, 2023
By PayPal (includes their nearly 4% fee) - $8,320 participant | $11,722 participant & guest | $13,282 photographer couples
Please do not mix payments between check and PayPal; it creates a bookkeeping nightmare for us.

2023 Pricing is for 14 full days (three more than in 2022) and 15 nights (see inclusions and exclusions below)

Fees include all hotels during the workshop, all breakfasts, all excursions, entry fees, guides, and all transporation once you arrive at our hotel in Porto until you leave our hotel in Lisbon. Tips are included for drivers, guides, hotel staff, and baggage/porters.

Not included are lunches and dinners, snacks, libation, thank-you tips for models, and personal expenses. There is transportation from the airport outside Porto and to the airport ourside Lisbon at reasonable rates. As our time gets closer, we will post suggested budget items.

Travel insurance is highly recommended to ensure protection against any unforeseeable events. We are a small company and cannot be held liable for those who choose not to buy trip insurance.  Sharon Erickson, our trusty travel agent, can help you with that. And, no, we do not get any credit for referring you to her, only a thank you!