nunyaman Loc: huntsville Alabama

We are headed to Italy for some quick R&R in mid November. 3 Days near Rome, 4 in Tuscany area and 3 near Venice. Have rental car and would love any info on landscape photo ops or should not miss areas. We have no real itinerary other than hotels and flights are booked. My wife will carry her Canon d80 and I will carry my EOS R. I have multiple lens but will narrow it down to the 15mm F/2.4, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II, and most likely one of the mid zooms. One consideration is visiting the Manarola scenic viewpoint. if so, how much zoom would I need to get a good shot of the marina and buildings on the hill? I have a EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II, EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS, and the monster weight 150-600 5-6.3 Sports DG OS HSM lens but that thing is a little heavy. I do have a good carbon tripod and mono pod. I assume I can use those in most areas. Thanks for any input from the group.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Re - Manarola scenic viewpoint

Have a look at some of the flickr images here (some of them have exif info)

https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Manarola%20scenic%20viewpoint&view_all=1

repleo Loc: Boston

At least ninety percent of your shots will be with the 24-70 (FF?). The 15mm may be handy for interiors, but not essential. 24mm will be fine. The 70-200 will be a millstone but I would bring it in preference to the 15mm. The 600mm would be ridiculous. You will have very limited opportunity to use a tripod in Rome or Venice and with your fast lenses and VR (I assume) not much need for one. I brought a small Sirui 3T-35K Table Top Tripod and found it quite useful for night shots and interiors on a recent rip to Spain if you really feel the need.

If driving from Rome to Tuscany, include Civita di Bagnoregio on your itinerary. Its about a 20 minute detour from the E35 highway and worth every minute of it. Most of the classic Tuscan scenes with rolling hills and winding Cypress lined lanes are in the Colli Sinessi area especially between Pienza and Asciano. The rolling hills will be mostly all ploughed soil in November, but the vineyards may still have some color. I assume Florence is on your itinerary, but Sienna is my favorite - very special at night. San Gimignano is another ‘must see’ but not at the expense of the other places I mentioned. The town interior is nice, but I have not been able to find a good vantage point from outside the town.

Vernazza is the prettiest of the Cinque Terra villages , but Manorola is a close second. In Vernazza, take a right turn just after the Gellateria up a windy stepped lane and it will take you out to the best viewing spot over the village. In Manarola, just head down to the harbor and take a right and follow the path around to the viewing spot on the headland. It is not far. It may be the only time you need anything longer than 70mm. In Rio Maggiore, find your way up to the terrace on the South side of the harbor or down onto the rocks of the breakwater. Manorola is tough to get a view of and not really worth it unless you have time on your hands. If you are more adventurous there are trails higher up on the hills , but you need to buy a pass and many of them are in poor shape or closed in the off-season. Use Photopills to plan a sunset shot of one of the villages. You can also use it to check the angle of view you will need to decide what lens to bring. Park your car in La Spezia and take the train between the villages.

The best advice I can give for Venice is to get out at dawn and watch the city wake up slowly. Venice has a totally different character if you can catch it before the cruise ships dump their hoards. Burano is now busy during the day, but there are still nice quite neighborhoods off the main drag that are very rewarding. A definite 'must see'. Keep an eye out for reflections on the water. The weather in Venice in November can be iffy. Bring appropriate clothing and gear protection.

Enjoy and post pics when you get back.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

On the European trips I've made, I only needed my Tamrom 18-270. It had all the range I needed. Newer versions are available in the 18-300 and 18-330 mm ranges. I strongly suggest you limit your lenses to no more than two, and leave the tripod and monopod at home.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

How much zoom you will need is something you will have to determine for yourself. A 18-200mm should cover most needs.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I agree. I rarely takes shots beyond 200mm. I have a friend that owns a Sony a6000. He has the two kit lenses for it. The 16-50mm and the 55-210mm. He said that's all he needed during a trip to the UK. However, some say the 55-210mm is a crappy lens. He's wanting a Sony a6500. Perhaps the best of all the a6000 series.

Judy795

Take good rain gear for yourself. i was there in mid Nov and it rained a lot.

nunyaman Loc: huntsville Alabama

Thanks repleo
pretty much what I was looking for. appreciate the reply.

blanam Loc: Detroit

Repleo. You have provided a terrific overview and advice. I have been to most of those places, as well, and agree with your assessment totally. I would add that of the walkway and scenic point that you and Nunyaman mentioned, goes from Manarola to Corniglia on the ocean side. You can walk to Corniglia and take the train back or just walk at least to the suspension bridge and walk back to Manarola (preferred?). Many great scenic and plant shots.

Nunyaman, I would skip the tripod and consider bringing only the 24-70mm, 15mm and 70-200mm. You could keep the 70-200 on the 80D with an FFE of 112-320mm, it will be plenty long enough. Then I'd switch between the 15mm (interior and some scenic) and the 24-70mm for over 1/2 of the shots. By the way, I took several shots from the Manarola scenic point using 35-60mm FFE.

For a 21 day trip that I took to Italy (Venice, Florence, Rome, Radda, Cinque Terra, San Margarita/Lake Coma). I took 1897 keepers and of those: 526 were @ 24-34mm, 232 @ 35-49mm, 222 @ 50-74mm, 422 @ 75-105mm, 495 @ > 105mm.

Quick list of other locations not mentioned by the terrific ones that Repleo suggested

nunyaman Loc: huntsville Alabama

Thanks. Maybe the weather will cooperate because we love to hike. good advice but I will most likely carry the tripod for night shots. I have been to Rome a few times and we just wanted to get out for a bit even though this is not the perfect time of year. The crowds shouldn't be bad though. I wasn't sure how far away the scenic point was hence the questions. I appreciate your response

repleo Loc: Boston

Correction to my earlier post where I said "Manorola is tough to get a view of ..." I meant Corniglia. Corniglia is up on a high headland and a tough climb from the station - there is a sporadic bus service from the station to the village. If you do get to Corniglia, there is spectacular vista point of the coast from the cliffs. Follow the trail running along the back of the village.

Bill P

If driving, about an hour north of Rome is Orvieto. Don't fail to stop, it is an ancient Etruscan town. Be sure to take the tour of the underground caves. Farther North, go to Siena and San Gemignano. and don't be afraid to stop at the many small towns along the way. But I wouldn't take the tripod, you won't use it much.

Allow time for Florence. I've spent a total of about 6 weeks there over several trips, and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface.

Whoever said take rain gear wasn't kidding. Likely cool and a bit windy too.

Old Coot

San Marino. You will get some fantastic shots

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Long enough zoom to capture hilltop white villages from half a mile - and a wider angle for vine yards etc. The 70-200 and the 24-70 would be a wise choice.

11bravo

Rome: the Pantheon, amazing, my favorite. Agree with Orvietto, pick up some great wine. Florence is nice, but I prefer Siena (bucket list-watch a Palio at the bleachers at San Martino curve). If driving to Venice, check out Bologna on the way.

Enjoy the food. Have a prosciutto and melone to start, a tartufo nero for dessert (ice cream - vanilla ice cream golf ball surrounded by a hemisphere of chocolate ice cream, with hard chocolate shell covered with powdered chocolate).

Skip the tripod, too much hassle for too little use. Leave NOTHING in the car, and, when parked, the glove box open to show nothing inside.