THE BEST WEDDING LOCATIONS IN ITALY
Marriage is one of those occasions where nothing should be left to chance and where the attention to detail makes the difference. Everything must be perfect in every aspect from the ceremony to the reception.
Who, since they were a child, has not dreamt of their wedding day as a magical moment to celebrate with family and friends in a fairy-tale place?
In Italy making everything become a reality is all too easy: our Peninsula is crossed from North to South by cities and towns of extraordinary beauty, each of which can become the perfect location for the wedding we have always wanted.
Whether it’s a large town or a small village, by the sea or in the hills, in the summer or winter, the places to choose that draw you are so many. Let’s look at some of the most appreciated.
FLORENCE
City of art par excellence, with strong secular history and the undisputed cradle of the Renaissance. There is probably no need to explain the reasons that push so many Italian and foreign couples to get married in Florence each year. Its uniqueness and beauty are under the eyes of everyone, and the Tuscan capital is a jewel that the world envies, a setting so romantic, and with a retro flavour, that it is the perfect venue for a wedding ceremony.
To the infinite artistic and monumental attractions of the city, it is also the ideal for backdrop for photos, and one can add the prestigious accommodation facilities that it also offers. Among those who stand out are the historic residences, that preserve all the charm of the past while providing the best in modern comforts.
After the ceremony, civil at Palazzo Vecchio or religious in one of the beautiful Florentine churches, it would be a real pleasure to relax at an excellent banquet, perhaps based on typical local dishes, at a villa overlooking Ponte Vecchio or the verdant hills that almost completely cover this area, rich in culture and nature.
CHIANTI CLASSICO
Not only wine. The Chianti Classico, in the heart of Tuscany, is also characterised by the presence of ancient and beautiful villages and for its breath-taking landscape. It is no coincidence that Gaiole, Berardenga, Greve, Castellina, Barberino Val d’Elsa and all the other towns that enliven this area, are visited every year by Italian and foreign lovers who come here to exchange their mutual promises of love.
And the reasons are all too clear: the old churches of the historical centres and the surrounding countryside are ideal for intimate and romantic ceremonies, as well as the welcoming hotels ideal for unforgettable receptions. Rows of vineyards and olive groves, as far as the eye can see, overlook hills with gentle and rounded slopes. Can you imagine a more idyllic location for a wedding?
CERTALDO
Certaldo’s claim to fame is as the birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio, one of the greatest Italian writers and poets. It is here that in 1313 Giovanni Boccaccio, author of the Decameron, was born.
Certaldo Alto is a virtually untouched medieval site, and it is this that attracts a large number of tourists and, of course, wedding couples who wish to immortalise their most beautiful day in front of the numerous buildings of historical, artistic and cultural interest. These include the house where Boccaccio spent the last years of his life. There is also a museum dedicated to Boccaccio. Certaldo Alto is a fascinating location for wedding photos, and here every street, alley or corner is worthy of being visited and photographed.
Those who decide to get married with a civil ceremony in Certaldo are fortunate to be able to do so at Palazzo Pretorio, the most important building in the town. It is a masterpiece of medieval architecture that leaves the visitor agog, as well as the ancient churches which also litter the borough with structures imbued with mysticism and spirituality that are excellent for a ceremony worthy of being delightfully experienced and remembered.
SAN GIMIGNANO
How about getting married in a place where time seems to have stopped? This is the feeling you get when you go to San Gimignano, a town near Siena, whose thirteenth-fourteenth-century structure has remained virtually intact. Difficult, if not impossible, to imagine a more evocative setting than that given by its ancient towers and the austere constructions of this jewel of Tuscany.
Most of the churches of San Gimignano date back to an era between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, if not even earlier, so the appearance of these buildings is typical of the period, essential and sober, features that will be particularly welcome to those who prefer intimate environments. Nothing to complain about the facilities available for the wedding venue, all super-equipped and modern although often located in places dating back several centuries. Worthy of trying, for the many fans of the genre, is a reception at a farm, ideal to thoroughly enjoy the many wonders that the lush nature of the place can offer.
SAN GALGANO
A very green plain in which an old roofless abbey stands tall and not far from the sword that a knight thrust into the stone before becoming a hermit: it was he, San Galgano, who gives the name to this place, considered by many to be magical. Mystical and esoteric theories have arisen around this territory, indeed one of the most evocative in the world, where every year many couples go specifically to celebrate their wedding, civil services inside the deconsecrated abbey, having only a sky for a roof of stars. Religious services can be held in the hermitage of Montesiepi, right next to the famous sword thrust into the stone more than 800 years ago.
Both an original and romantic location at the same time, it is almost unnecessary to emphasise how exciting it is to spend the day here, surrounded by mysterious and, in some ways, disturbing walls in a natural setting that leaves even the most demanding or distracted visitor speechless. It is no coincidence that San Galgano is a destination not only for Italian couples but also for visitors from other countries, attracted by the irresistible appeal of a unique location from every aspect. Tens of beautiful structures scattered around the area are ready to await the newlyweds for the reception. All that remains is to choose the one that most satisfies one’s desires and needs.
VOLTERRA
With its red roofs and the rolling hills that surround it, Volterra is one of the most interesting centres of Tuscany and Italy as a whole. Of very ancient Etruscan foundations, whose traces are still perfectly recognisable today, Volterra has the merit of preserving much of its past, a feature that makes it exciting and full of places to visit.
From a cultural point of view, Volterra is a prominent centre. The architectural complexes that trace the streets and squares, the natural beauty and, above all, the ancient Etruscan remains, make Volterra a popular tourist destination for Italians and visitors from all over the world. The same goes for many couples, who decide to join each other in marriage right here, planning a ceremony and a reception where it is possible to express the best that the Tuscan tradition can offer. Everything in Volterra seems to be made to make a dream wedding: the medieval buildings, the streets full of life and history, the surrounding landscape and the invaluable hotel facilities are ideal for turning the marriage you have always dreamt of into reality.
SIENA
Difficult to think of a location for weddings, and photos, more captivating than Piazza del Campo, in the heart of Siena. The presence of this wonderful square in the shape of a shell, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, would already be sufficient to understand the choice of those who marry right here.
Obviously, Siena is not only Piazza del Campo, the setting for the famous Palio every year, but it also has a wealth of history and culture that are entirely visible and palpable in every church, street, alley and locality. To be added to this is its excellent gastronomy, the innate capacity of the people of the place to know how to welcome visitors and the surrounding countryside that owes much of its charm to the purity and ability to show itself untouched for centuries. That’s why in Siena, and in the surrounding area, the reception and banquet can be held in a classic restaurant or perhaps set up in a farmhouse location, an alternative and “in” choice for which an ever-increasing number of couples opt for with great satisfaction.
In this regard, it is worth stressing that the renowned beauty of Siena is not just about the city, but also about everything that surrounds it, from the spectacular countryside to the small medieval villages that stand out from it.
The Val d’Orcia, whose name derives from the river that crosses it, extends between the provinces of Siena and Grosseto. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas of Europe and its postcard-like landscapes enchant couples of lovers from all over the world every year.
Pienza, in the Val d’Orcia is one of the most characteristic towns of Tuscany and a UNESCO world heritage site.
The city’s Cathedral opens onto a very particular square, which certainly deserves a visit and some souvenir photos. The ancient streets that intersect it and the landscape combine to make Pienza an ideal setting for really unforgettable weddings.
The area located south-east of Siena, known as Crete Senesi, is also a UNESCO heritage site due to the greyish colour that the clay gives to the ground.
The area consists of a vast expanse of crops occasionally interspersed by a few rows of cypress trees and some scattered houses.
The calanques and the biancane, grey earth formations typical of the place, contribute enormously to give it that charm and uniqueness that the whole world recognises.
LAKE COMO
Would you like an idyllic, romantic wedding between unspoilt nature and small ancient villages? It is the backdrop that the territory located around Lake Como, or Lario, offers. It is a marvel of northern Italy and a continuous destination for tourists coming from all corners of the world.
Celebrating the wedding by the lake is indeed an original idea, which becomes irresistible if you choose a delightful little church for the ceremony and a restaurant with a breath-taking view for the reception. Not to mention the photos: who would not, over the years, look and look again at their wedding album filled with images of the spectacular views of which Lake Como abounds?
THE AMALFI COAST AND CAPRI
The idea of marrying by the sea is certainly an original idea. Where? The area which overlooks the Amalfi coast and surrounds the island of Capri is one of the most beautiful and renowned in the world. Ravello, Amalfi, Positano, Vietri, Sorrento; here every town has its own and unique characteristics, which constitutes the real wealth of this territory.
If you decide to celebrate your wedding in one of these charming towns, or on Capri, you will feel as if you are in a corner of paradise, suspended in a place that seems to be made only of the blue of the sky and the sea. The scent of lemons and the typical natural fragrances that leave you breathless. Here you can exchange the promises of love by a stretch of crystal clear water and then celebrate with relatives and friends looking at the Faraglioni or Vesuvius in the distance. Could you wish for anything more?
VENICE
Venice certainly needs no introduction nor is there a need to specify the reasons that make it one of the favourite cities in which to get married. Majestic and beautiful, loved and celebrated by artists, sweet and melancholic, Venice is probably the most romantic place to get married. And how could it be otherwise given its uniqueness, seeming to be suspended on the water?
Venice almost seems to belong to another dimension. In this city we find ourselves immersed in a magical, rarefied, mysterious atmosphere that remains etched forever in the heart of every traveller and that seems ideal to seal the love between two people. Saying “I do” in front of the lagoon is priceless, as well as sharing this moment with the guests in such a fascinating setting. It is not by chance that Venice has been the city of lovers for centuries.
