Are you dreaming of a romantic, charming and magical wedding in Italy? Then the famed Italian Lake District could be the destination for you.
The majority of Italy’s lakes are located in Northern Italy, between the Piemonte, Lombardy and Veneto regions, and these lakes play home to a variety of gorgeous lakeside wedding venues and destinations.
Lake Como
Lake Como, the third largest Italian lake, is easily the most famous and luxurious of all Italy’s lakes, and an incredible wedding destination. The surrounding villages of Bellagio, Menaggio, Lenno, Tremezzo and Varenna are the ideal locations for a wedding on the shores of Lake Como. Take your pick, from beautiful villas with gorgeous gardens to wonderful luxury hotels. Villa del Balbianello, located in Lenno village, is one of the most famous and exclusive wedding venues in Italy. Rental rates can be pricey, but definitely worthwhile. Luxury hotel Villa d’Este, located in Cernobbio and it is another fantastic VIP wedding venue for your wedding on Lake Como.
Lake Garda
Moving East, you’ll find Lake Garda, the largest of the Italian Lakes. Its warm Mediterranean climate gives a positively seaside feel, with several towns and villages resting on its shores. Sirmione is the most popular village on the shores of Lake Garda, and often acts as the point of departure for a tour of the lake. Riva del Garda is the main town on the Northern shore, with a charming Austro-Hungarian style – perfect for curious tourists.
On Eastern shore, you’ll find the quaint Malcesine village and its wonderful castle and tower, – this is a beautiful venue to hold an outdoor civil ceremony, with a breathtaking view over Lake Garda. Let’s not forget how close Lake Garda is to the ever-so-romantic cities of Venice and Verona, and wonderful countryside of Valpolicella – the land of Prosecco!
Now we’ve got the most famous two out of the way, there are a few lesser known – but equally as enchanting – Italian lakes to consider for the setting of your big day.
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore is located in Piemonte region, fairly close to the Alps, and the Swiss border.
This beautiful lake also has Mediterranean atmosphere, and is known primarily for its legendary Belle Epoque beauty. Its elegant and aristocratic heritage comes from the presence of the Borromeo family, an aristocratic family whose descendants played both political and religious roles in Italy’s history. For greater insight into their heritage, take a look at the Borromean Islands – Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori – accessible by boat from the town of Stresa.
On the shores of Lake Maggiore, there’s a choice of elegant mansions and Belle Epoque style hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Iles De Borromee, where H. Hemingway wrote his novel, A Farewell to Arms. All of these incredible accommodation choices can be the perfect location for an elegant wedding reception.
Lake Orta
Located close to Lake Maggiore is the tiny, charming Lake Orta.
The lake’s main village of Orta San Giulio is located on a small peninsula of Lake Orta. The main square of the village is just on the shore, and overlooks charming St. Julius Island, which is accessible by boat. Its romance has inspired artists, poets, and writers from all over the world – and uniquely, it’s also a car-free town. It plays home to the cosy Villa Bossi, in which you can host outdoor civil ceremonies. Here, brides have the unique opportunity to reach the ceremony by rowing boat. Isn’t that charming?
On the subject of lesser known Italian lakes… we can’t possibly forget about the Southern lakes: Lake Bracciano and Lake Trasimeno. Both are located in Central Italy, close to Rome and Florence, in the Lazio and Umbria regions.
Lake Bracciano
Lake Bracciano is the widest Lake of Southern-Central Italy. It’s located just few minutes’ drive from eternal city of Rome – a city that lies on almost every travellers’ bucket list. You can even decide to have your ceremony in the beating heart of Rome, and move to Lake Bracciano for the reception!
Natural, historical and cultural heritage: these are the main features of Lake Bracciano. Three towns on its shores are the most famous and beautiful: Bracciano, Trevignano Romano and Anguillara Sabazia.
For a civil ceremony, the little village of Bracciano is possibly the most beautiful setting around this lake. One of its most well known wedding venue is the Odescalchi Castle – this castle is incredible enough to be considered the Villa del Balbianello of the South – so beautiful, in fact, that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes chose this as their wedding venue back in November 2006.
Lake Trasimeno
Last but by no means least, that leaves Lake Trasimeno. Located in the Umbria region, near Tuscany, it’s one of the most desired country wedding destinations in Italy. Lake Trasimeno is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, sunflowers meadows and hills, embellished by medieval castles hamlets.
Rustic Agriturismo, a vintage mansion on the shore of Lake Trasimeno, could be the perfect settings for your country chic wedding. This destination is also only a stone’s throw from Florence, Pisa, Siena and all the gorgeous Tuscan beaches.
If you’re a fan of the outdoors and also a lover of classic Italian architecture, history and traditions, then the Italian Lakes could be the perfect destination for an unforgettable experience that you will treasure forever!
For more details on planning your wedding in Italy visit italianlakeswedding.com
