Photo holiday in the Peloponnese | travel on request
- The Authentic and Hospitable Village of Xirokambi as Your Base
- Beautiful Nature, Mountains, Sea, Towns and Excavations Within Half an Hour's Drive
- Detailed Information About Where and at What Times to Shoot
- Option: Urban Exploring Together With Photographer Anton Harfst
- Also a wonderful trip for non-photographing partners!
Photo holiday in the Peloponnese | travel on request
| When? | Mar 21, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025 |
| Number of participants | 1-2 |
| Places available | |
| Pricing | € 825 | 1 person + €470 |
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Focus
Photo holiday to the most beautiful photo locations in the southeast of the Peloponnese
Discover the most beautiful places in the valley of Sparta and surrounding mountains from the cozy village of Xirokambi during this 8-day photo holiday. A trip on the Peloponnese with walks, photogenic villages, excavations, impressive views and an introduction to Greek cuisine at its best.
Your guidebook includes detailed information on photo locations and the best times to shoot there. And on the way you can call on Photothema, your remote photographer/tour guide.
Location Xirokambi
Xirokambi is a pleasant village a fifteen minute drive from Sparta and a good base for your photo holiday. It is lovely to stay on the square with its large plane trees and pleasant restaurants and cafés. There are various shops, including a bakery, greengrocer and supermarket. From the village you can walk straight into the olive groves and the mountains. The small hotel – 10 rooms – is housed in a beautiful natural stone building with a green courtyard.
Reviews
Program
Peloponnese Photo Holiday Program
It is of course possible to change the order of the program. In the information package you will find information about opening hours and national holidays.
Day 1 – Outward Journey
You fly into Athens or Kalamata airport. In both cases, the rental car will be waiting for you there. You drive via excellent roads in 3,5 hours (Athens) or an hour and a half (Kalamata) to Xirokambi, a beautiful and above all authentic village in the valley of Sparta. A hundred meters from your hotel is the pleasant square with restaurants and cafes.
Day 2 – Xirokambi and Surroundings
Xirokambi is located at the foothills of the Taygetos Mountains. On your route through the village and its surroundings you will pass ancient olive trees, walk in an impressive gorge and cross the Rasinas River via the oldest stone arch bridge in Europe. In the evening you eat Greek at one of the local restaurants like you have never tasted Greek food before.
Day 3 – Sparta
Sparta is the regional center, with a lively market and excellent museums. The olive museum is an absolute must. There is also an excavation from Antiquity, where it is not only beautiful to photograph, but where you also have a great view over the city and the surrounding mountains. Everything is within walking distance. In the center is the large square; an excellent place to have a coffee or lunch.
Day 4 – Views
The valley of Sparta is surrounded by two major mountain ranges: the Taygetos Mountains on the west side and Parnonas Mountains on the east. During the drive through both mountains you can enjoy fabulous views. The day starts early today with admiring the sunrise overlooking the valley from a special temple and ends with the sunset over the Taygetos Mountains from the place where King Menelaus and Queen Helena once lived.
Day 5 – Mystras
The Byzantine city of Mystras is now an open-air museum. With a castle on top and monasteries and churches glued to the hillside, it's a great place to photograph. We will give you tips for the most beautiful photo spots inside and outside the city.
Day 6 – Taygetos Mountains
The Taygetos Mountains rise high above Xirokambi with its peaks reaching over 2400 meters. Today you go deeper into the mountains, visit one of the most beautiful mountain villages - with a plane tree that is over 2000 years old! On the way there you will be treated to views over valleys and you can see as far as the island of Kythira in one place.
Day 7 – a Day at Sea
From Xirokambi you drive in 30 minutes to the port town of Gythio. Climb some stairs and you have a beautiful view over the Gulf of Lakonia. In the streets of the upper town you have it all to yourself. After your photo walk through the city, drive to one of the nearby beaches for a refreshing swim. You end your day at sea at the always fascinating shipwreck, which you have already seen from the upper city.
Day 8 – Return Journey
For Extra Modules, See the Heading Specials.
Essential Information
Organization of tailor-made trips to the Peloponnese
Tailor-made trips to the Peloponnese are organised by Laurien van den Hoven (PhotothemaThe trip is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions of this guarantee scheme on the website of STO Guarantee.
You will receive a proposal after your request. After the final booking you will receive the booking confirmation and the invoice for the deposit (15% of the arrangement) via Photothema. The entire travel sum must be paid no later than 42 days before the trip.
When is the best time for this photo holiday in the Peloponnese?
The Greek peninsula is actually a great destination all year round. Based on the description below, you can see when you want to make this trip with a rental car in the Peloponnese.
Spring
March: spring beckons, it can be nice and warm and sunny, but also unexpectedly cold. Enjoy blossoms, anemones and orchids.
April and May: fantastic months with pleasant temperatures to be active and fantastic flowers. Also the time when Greeks celebrate their important Easter (photogenic!). In the course of May the sea water is warm enough for even non-fanatic swimmers.
June: nice weather, still green everywhere, but most flowers can now only be found at altitude.
High summer
July, August and the first week of September: high temperatures, most of the flowers are gone and the light is harsh. If you go during this time, it's best to shoot early in the morning and after 16 or 17 pm. You will find cooling both by the sea and in the mountains. Higher up in the mountains you can still find flowers. In the evening it is pleasantly busy on the square and you can sit outside, eat and watch the people until late.
Late Summer
September and October: from the second week of September you get nice temperatures, beautiful light. The grapes are being harvested and here and there people are starting to prepare for the olive harvest. The flowers come back. It's a second spring!
Photo holiday in late autumn and winter
November and December: wonderful months with really beautiful light, beautiful cloudy skies and often still good temperatures for outside activities (18-20 degrees). The olive and orange harvest is in full swing.
January and February: usually the coldest months, the olive harvest is still in progress here and there and the first spring flowers (anemones, orchids) can be seen.
Pricing
- 7 nights in a double room including breakfast
- rental car*
- extensive travel information with details about photo locations and times, routes, walks
- tasting of Greek dishes on day 2
- tips on where to eat the other days and what's good there
- remote photo tour guide**
Not included:
Not included: flights, rental car fuel, lunch and dinner (except menu on day 2), personal expenses, travel and cancellation insurance, and additional modules.
*There is a surcharge of €160 for the rental car in July and August.
** If your traveling companion is not a photographer, you will receive a €100 discount on the travel price.
Pack
- Your information package contains a list to take with you, tailored to the travel period and the type of photography.
Workshop Leading
Always included in your photo holiday in the Peloponnese
- Online meeting in advance
- We are available along the way if you have problems with your camera
- detailed package with photo locations, tips, times
- Online photo review afterwards
Remote service during your photo holiday
During this individual photo tour, you can use our remote service in case of problems with your camera. For example, a camera that no longer works, or if all your photos are overexposed. We use Signal for this.
Level
For Anyone Who Likes Photography
This photo holiday is suitable for everyone who loves photography. Whether you take photos with your smartphone, a compact or a larger camera. Based on the online meeting prior to the trip, we provide information that is adapted to your camera, experience and photography wishes. If you travel with someone who does not or hardly takes photos, your travel companion will also enjoy it.
Accommodation
You stay in the Taleton Eco Guesthouse. This 10-room hotel is housed in a beautiful stone building with a green courtyard. The hotel is a few minutes' walk from the village square.*
- Swimming pool
- Garden with sun loungers
- Shaded courtyard with seating areas
- Cozy breakfast room and a delicious breakfast
- Bicycles available
- Free WIFI
*If the hotel is (partially) unavailable, we will make a proposal for a good alternative in consultation.
Transportation
Standard rental car, to be picked up and returned in consultation at the airport of Kalamata or Athens. Adjustment possible in consultation.
There are several flights a day to Athens all year round. From May to October it is also possible to fly to Kalamata from various destinations. You book your flight yourself.
Additional information
Additional Modules
You can extend this photo holiday with extra modules. Booking is subject to our availability.
Urban Exploring* Photo Workshop – 3 Hours
You will go with one of our photographers to shoot in abandoned houses and an old flour mill. We show you how to properly visualize these intriguing locations.
€ 99 – 1 person incl. use of a tripod
€ 129 – 2 persons incl. use of a tripod
Urban Exploring* Day Workshop
Shooting at urbex locations with photographer Anton Harfst. For this full-day workshop, we coordinate which urbex locations (residential houses, train station, old factory) you would like to photograph.
€ 295 – 1 person incl. lunch, photo review and use of a tripod
€ 350 – 2 persons incl. lunch, photo review and use of a tripod
Photo Talk – 45 minutes
Schedule a photo review with photographer Anton Harfst at the start of your trip; you can use the tips and directions for the rest of your trip to come home with even more beautiful photos. The photo review takes place at the hotel.
€ 25 – 1-2 persons
Cooking workshop – approx. 3 hours
Make some delicious Greek dishes together with Laurien, which you can also easily make at home (you will receive the recipes). The composition of the menu is in consultation and takes your dietary requirements into account. It is possible to combine this workshop with a short food photography session. We conclude the workshop with a meal with the dishes prepared by you/you.
€195 – 1 person
€250 – 2 persons
*Urbex locations; Enter at your own risk
Urban exploring is a form of photography that involves risks. By shooting in locations with the permission of the owners, or in publicly accessible locations, we minimize the dangers. Nevertheless, entering the photo locations is always at your own risk. Wear long pants and a t-shirt or shirt with long sleeves. Your clothes must be able to take a beating.
