Photography Course in Spain with Genevieve Girling
Dates: 7 - 14 Aug 2026
Venue: Parador de Almagro, Castilla La Mancha, Spain
Course Leader: Genevieve Girling
£1795 per person
Set in the heart of La Mancha, the Parador de Almagro offers a beautiful and tranquil place to base this photography course, our fifth with Genevieve Girling. Housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century convent, the Parador combines historic character and modern comfort, offering a setting of quiet elegance and ease. Elegant courtyards, generous rooms, lush gardens and a beautiful swimming pool together create a calm and inviting setting that encourages careful looking, thoughtful exploration and creative focus, making it an ideal place to spend a week immersed in photography.
Just beyond the Parador’s walls lies the historic centre of Almagro, known for its theatrical heritage and exceptional hospitality. From the extraordinary Corral de Comedias, one of Spain’s most important historic theatres – to palacios, museums and monasteries, Almagro has a rich cultural heritage and a wonderfully welcoming spirit. The Parador is only moments from the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain’s loveliest squares, where arcaded cafés and friendly local bars form the social heart of the town.
The combination of the Parador’s quiet elegance and Almagro’s gentle buzz creates an atmosphere that is both inspiring and restorative, a truly special backdrop for a creative holiday.
The aim of this course is to develop your photographic skills in many ways with opportunities to put theory into practice. After an introductory session at the start of the week, participants will be given creative and technical direction in various aspects and themes of photography such as street, architecture, travel, landscape, portraits and more, as well as how to develop personal style through experimentation and storytelling.
Mornings will be spent at the Parador in group workshops followed by afternoon excursions which will give participants the opportunity to photograph the fascinating landscape, people and surroundings of this wonderful region. Excursions to Toledo and other local sights are included in the course itinerary as well as opportunities to capture local life in Almagro.
One-to-one tutorial sessions will be offered where participants can benefit from individual feedback on any aspect of their work. Each day, participants will share their images for discussion with the rest of the group.
As well as providing a rewarding creative experience, we aim to give participants the opportunity to enjoy a truly memorable holiday. A typical day will include a morning workshop session followed by a buffet lunch, after which there will be small group or individual sessions. Afternoon excursions usually depart at around 3.30pm and return in time for dinner, with the exception of the excursion to Toledo which will depart at lunchtime and return late evening.
On the penultimate evening there is an al fresco paella dinner with informal performances by participants of the guitar and singing courses that are running alongside this course. A slideshow of selected photographs from the course will be shown as part of this event.
La Mancha, central Spain’s timeless heartland, is a region of wide horizons, striking light and layered history. Immortalised in Don Quixote, it offers a compelling visual landscape of medieval towns, dramatic fortresses and long-established vineyards, where history, daily life and the natural environment sit comfortably side by side. Throughout the week there will be ample opportunity to explore Almagro itself, whose theatres, monasteries, museums and elegant squares provide rich photographic material, all easily explored at a relaxed pace from the Parador.
Alongside the course sessions, a small number of carefully chosen excursions are woven into the week, offering varied settings and subjects that complement the photographic focus of the course and provide fresh perspectives on the region.
Planned excursions include:
An afternoon and evening in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Toledo, exploring its remarkable historic centre, from the monumental Alcázar and Cathedral to the narrow, atmospheric streets of the Jewish Quarter, rich in texture, contrast and changing light.
A visit to the extraordinary fortress-monastery of Calatrava la Nueva, dramatically set on a volcanic hilltop and once the stronghold of the Order of Calatrava, offering expansive views and powerful architectural forms within a stark landscape.
A private wine visit in the historic town of Valdepeñas, with opportunities to explore vineyard landscapes and the visual language of one of Spain’s important wine-producing regions.
All of the above excursions are included in the price of the course.
Originally built as the Convent of Santa Catalina, the Parador’s tranquil courtyards and spacious rooms offer plenty of opportunity to relax and unwind, providing a peaceful and luxurious atmosphere for our stay. The outdoor swimming pool is a lovely way to keep cool on warmer days.
Accommodation at the Parador is in comfortable twin and double bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning. If you are coming with a friend, or wish to share a room with someone in particular, please let us know. Single occupancy rooms are available for a supplement of £450; if you wish to reserve one, please indicate this when you book. Please note that if you wish to share a room, their name roomshare must be provided at the time of booking; otherwise the single room supplement will be applied. Full details are set out in our Terms and Conditions.
A note about the weather: August in La Mancha is warm, but this is something we plan for very carefully. During the course we are in air-conditioned spaces for most of the day, including rehearsal rooms, accommodation, dining areas and transport. Activities and excursions are scheduled to avoid the hottest part of the day, and the Parador’s shaded courtyards and gardens provide welcome relief. From our experience of running these courses in Almagro, the heat has been very manageable and has not detracted from the enjoyment of the week.
This region is renowned for its traditional ‘Manchego’ cuisine and delicious local specialities which we will enjoy at the Parador de Almagro. Our meals will be prepared by the hotel’s acclaimed chefs and will comprise a varied breakfast, buffet lunch, and three-course evening meal.
We are able to cater for most special dietary requirements; please let us know of any on your booking form.
Participants are required to book their own travel to Madrid-Barajas airport, where a coach will collect the group. Please ensure that you arrive at the airport by 14.15pm on Friday 7 August and that your departure on Friday 14 August is no earlier than 13.25pm, to coincide with the coach transfer.
Recommended flights are as follows:
OUTBOUND: Friday 7 August
LHR-MAD: BA/Iberia flight BA7055/IB0714 dep 10:50 arr 14:15
LGW-MAD: Air Europa flight UX1014 dep 10:00 arr 13:30
LHR-MAD: BA/Iberia flight BA7053/IB0712 dep 09:15 arr 12:40
STN-MAD: Ryanair flight FR347 dep 08:40 arr 12:10
LTN-MAD: Wizzair flight W9 5355 dep 08:00 arr 11:40
The coach will leave the airport at approximately 15:30pm when passengers on the last flight have cleared.
RETURN: Friday 14 August
MAD-LHR: BA/Iberia flight BA7056/IB0717 dep 13:25 arr 14:55
MAD-STN: Ryanair flight FR5993 dep 13:35 arr 15:00
MAD-LHR: BA/Iberia flight BA7054/IB0719 dep 14:55 arr 16:20
MAD-LGW: Air Europa flight UX1015 dep 15:00 arr 16:25
MAD-LHR: BA/Iberia flight BA7068/IB0721 dep 15:45 arr 17:15
MAD-LGW: BA/Iberia flight IB1863/BA7198 dep 18:40 arr 20:00
The coach will arrive at Madrid-Barajas airport at approx. 10:30am.
Please inform us of any changes to your booked flight schedule.
If you wish to bring a car, parking is available on site. Please let us know in advance and we will supply directions.
The total cost of the course is £1795 and includes everything except your return flight to Spain.
What’s included?
To reserve your place, please complete the online booking form and send your deposit to us (£275 per person) within seven days. Your booking confirmation will follow. The balance is required eight weeks before the start of the course.
More information on the booking process, along with payment details, is available here.
Please refer to the Find out more section for booking details, terms and conditions and frequently-asked questions.
We’d love to hear from you, so do contact us or you can request a ringback and we’ll call you as soon as possible.
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“Genevieve imparted her love of photography to all students. She provided an approach which allowed each student to use their passion for photography in a manner which focused on their unique viewpoint and perspective. She inspired us to transform a picture into an image which communicated an emotion - storytelling was truly an experience I valued as it showed me how to create moments, for the viewer, which implied more than what is seen, such as creating drama and communicating implications. By identifying the skills of each student, Genevieve challenged us to create drama and enhance visual communication.”
"Thank you so much for organising the Helicon Arts photography course. This was my first photography course and first Helicon Arts holiday and I was made very welcome: great location, great accommodation, great food, great company and an excellent course where I learned a lot from Genevieve who was a fantastic tutor, and other course members. Thank you for a great holiday and a great course."
