THE AMALFI COAST AND CAPRI
The stretch of the Campania coast overlooking the Gulf of Salerno is know throughout the world for its extraordinary beauty; the name Costiera Amalfitana derives from one of the most important centres of the area, that same Amalfi that once was a powerful and fearsome Maritime Republic. The cultural and morphological diversities are are main features, and also the most significant wealth, of this corner of Paradise suspended between sky and sea. Each town on the Amalfi Coast is different from the others regarding structure, traditions and everything, as such, a marvel both for architecture and landscape, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The same beauty and charm do emanate from Capri, a small island in the Gulf of Naples and a jewel of the entire Mediterranean; the pristine landscape and the remains of a glorious past, make this geographically small land, an explosion of shapes and colours that have no equal. Amalfi, Positano, Vetri sul Mare, Ravello, Capri, are enchanted places, in which getting married can take on the connotations of a fairy-table to be thoroughly enjoyed in an extraordinary setting where time and space seem to cancel each other out.
CIVIL WEDDING
Those wishing to celebrate their wedding with a civil ceremony on the Amalfi Coast, have the opportunity to choose from several locations of exceptional value: let’s look at some of them.
How about the Ancient Arsenals of the Republic of Amalfi?
A shipyard of secular history, in a building entirely covered by vast stone vaults, indeed represents an unusual setting that will leave your guests amazed.
Sorrento is one of the most famous towns of the coast, cheerful and sunny as only certain centres in the middle of the Mediterranean can be. So for a ceremony in grand style, but at the same time sober and chic, it offers lovers the Cloister of San Francesco, a sparse and majestic structure erected on what remained of a twelfth-century monastery. A dream location, with a mystical and profoundly spiritual flavour.
Exchange your rings looking over an expanse of intensely blue sea?
If this is your dream, you can live it on the terrace of the City of Positano, where the breath-taking view of the surrounding landscape will leave you speechless.
Those who love art and history, and who would like a wedding in perfect harmony with their passions, can, instead, find the ideal setting in the Museo Correale di Terranova in Sorrento, which will welcome you in its sumptuous rooms embellished with elegant furnishings and refined works, including famous Capodimonte porcelain.
The island of Capri also has various locations for celebrating civil marriage. The settings that can be requested from the Municipality are the Council Chambers of the Town Hall, the Gardens of Augustus, the Belvedere of Punta Tragara, the Villa Lysys and the Belvedere of Punta Cannone.
RELIGIOUS WEDDING
Every year the beautiful churches of the Amalfi Coast attract many couples who decide to exchange their promises of love there.
And who can blame them, after all?
The ambience, suspended as it is between uncontaminated nature and centuries-old architectural structures, is the perfect setting for a fairy-tale wedding.
However, which church to choose?
In Amalfi, the Duomo, or the Cathedral of Sant’Andrea, stands imposingly on the surrounding palaces showing its unusual Arabian facade and the beautiful baroque interiors in pure gold. While the substantial bronze portal, fused in Constantinople, is a real masterpiece able to amaze even the most distracted visitors; a location that is impossible for any guest to forget.
Ravello is undoubtedly one of the most interesting towns of the Amalfi Coast, characterised by breath-taking view that, not surprisingly, attract thousands and thousands of of tourists all year round; the municipality is full of delightful churches, perfect for a romantic and tender wedding.
The Cathedral, which externally appears almost dull in its elementary white facade, preserves within it medieval art treasures and an essential and suggestive relic, the blood of Patron, San Pantaleone. Equally important is the imposing bell tower, dating back to 1200.
Another local gem is the Church of San Francesco, which according to tradition was founded by Poverello of Assisi who stopped at Ravello on his return from the East. The building dates back to the 13th century and would have been built on the remains of an older church of which, unfortunately, there is almost nothing left.
The Church of Santa Chiara, also entirely medieval, is mystical and evocative; the eighteenth-century majolica floor and the Christus Pantocrator, a mosaic from the 14th century, are spectacular.
If you choose to celebrate a religious wedding in Vetri sul Mare, you will be embarrassed for choice, because this city is home to many sacred buildings, each more beautiful than the other.
At the top of the historical centre is the beautiful Church of San Giovanni Battista, of which the big octagonal dome, that is entirely covered with majolica, immediately strikes you. The current appearance of the structure dates back to the eighteenth century, but its origins are much more remote, in fact even dating back to the 10th century.
The Church of the Madonna dell’Arco, built in 1743, is famous for some of its specific features, such as the small bell tower, the roundish loggia on the facade and above all the chapel with a view of the sea: could you imagine a more magical setting than this?
Also in Ravello is one of the oldest churches in the area, the Parish of St. Peter, destroyed during the Second World War, but later rebuilt. Historical sources show that the building already existed in 1000 and is therefore probably even older.
Capri is also full of beautiful churches: Santa Sofia, San Michele Arcangelo and Sant’Anna are some of the most famous. If you would like to get married right in the heart of the island, overlooking the famous square, there is the former Cathedral of Santo Stefano, in Baroque style interspersed with some Arabic elements, a details that is quite frequent along this coastline.
WEDDING VENUE (THE RECEPTION)
Resorts, hotels and restaurants overlooking the sea and framed by clear skies and untouched nature: who would not want to celebrate their wedding in such a setting?
The Amalfi Coast and Capri offer the opportunity you were looking for.
Below are some of the most renowned structures in the area.
In Positano, the terrace of Villa San Giacomo, overlooking the sea, seems made to swear eternal love. This magnificent eighteenth-century villa, originally built to control shipping, is embellished with works of art and furnishings of great value; completely renovated in 2013, it offers guests ten suites equipped with every comfort while having lost nothing of their incomparable charm of the past.
Belmond Hotel Caruso is one of the best reception locations in Ravello: amaze your guests by being pampered by its friendly staff and giving them the opportunity to walk in the pleasant adjoining gardens, an explosion of colours and wholly Mediterranean scents.
Very popular with young couples in the area and not only, is the Lloyd’s Baia Hotel, a short distance from the centre of Salerno. Enjoying a fresh aperitif on the terrace with breath-taking views of the gulf will be an unforgettable experience, as would be enjoying the delicacy of the dishes prepared by the chef, and, perhaps, a spectacular wedding cake, which will close a lunch or a dinner that will remain in your heart forever.
Would you like an Art Nouveau villa for your wedding reception?
If so, there is the Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi, a bright and pleasant location immersed in a dream setting that only the Amalfi Coast can offer; tasting the typical local cuisine in such a welcoming place would be real pleasure for everyone.
The staff of the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni in Positano specialise in wedding services: who could not want to celebrate their most beautiful day on a fantastic terrace beaten by the sun and overlooking the blue sea of the area? It is not by chance that it is one of the most welcoming venues ever; the hotel’s pools, one bigger and one infinity, are an irresistible oasis of freshness in the summer heat and the perfect place to enjoy refreshing drinks and aperitifs while waiting for the couple.
In Marmorata di Ravello lovers can celebrate their newly wedded status immersed in a setting where tranquillity, refinement, the sweet roar of the sea waves and the scorching sun create an atmosphere that no one will ever forget. You can find this at the elegant Villa Scarpariello Relais, a noble, historical, residence with eleven beautiful apartments overlooking the sea, with gardens and a generous taste of those fragrant lemon groves that also make the Amalfi Coast so famous. To complete the complex, that is so beautiful that it seems like a painting, there is a spectacular sea water swimming pool set in the rock. Villa Scarpariello offers its wedding planner to the newlyweds, to help them set up the residence in the style they prefer and to best respond to their personalities and tastes.
Villa Eva in Ravello is suitable for ceremonies and banquets of great value, a beautiful late Art Nouveau home expertly restored in full respect of its original style; currently, the villa is only available for events. Not far from the historic centre, the building, with its harmonious lines and blinding white facade, impresses in the lush, 3000 square meter, Mediterranean park in which it is immersed. The spacious and refined internal rooms draw an almost blinding brightness from their large windows; the ceremonies can be held both inside and outside the villa. The extensive exterior has areas used for different functions, one with barbecue, frying area and outdoor wine cellar, another with bar and wood oven; the first one is perfect for aperitifs and appetisers, the second one lends itself to a delightful and goliardic “pizza spread” with friends and family late at night. Non-Catholic religious ceremonies can be held in the park, while one of the interior rooms, acoustically soundproofed, is ideal for open bar nights with live music.
At Marincanto, a sea-view hotel located in one of the nerve centres of Positano, you feel suspended between the sky and the sea. The structure is bright, airy and sunny, a place so enchanting that it is rented out, on demand, for use in film sets. It has been in business since 1967 and welcoming their guests is an art from for the staff of Marincanto. The environment is a perfect mix of elegance and freshness.
One of Capri’s most popular destination wedding venue is the Hotel Quisisana, a dream for any couple.
Who would not want to celebrate their wedding with friends and relatives among flowers, blue sea, clear skies and the best fragrance of the Mediterranean?
The Quisisana offers all this and much more, starting with a privileged and enviable view of the Faraglioni, the three spurs of rock that rise out of the sea. A scenario capable of capturing even the most demanding guest.
And, as always, the view of the Faraglioni also leaves one breathless at the Hotel Punta Tragara. Here stands the house that the Lombard engineer Emilio Errico Vismara built in 1910 and immediately named it “Stracasa” (super house), as it seemed so much more than a simple dwelling. And how could you question him?
The outstanding feature of Hotel Punta Tragara is undoubtedly the view, as you can see all that the very beautiful Capri can offer the visitor, from the Faraglioni to Marina Piccola, from the cobalt sea to the sunrises and enchanting sunsets that can be enjoyed from here. Then there is the unique and unmistakable style of the villa, clear and bright in full Mediterranean fashion, which creates a perfect union with the surrounding landscape, from which it stands out but without invading it.
The same can also be said for the cuisine, a triumph of flavours as only this island can give. The hotel has two restaurants where you can enjoy the exquisite gastronomy that is typical of the place, based on natural and fresh products, including fish and vegetables, through to an excellent quality patisserie, for a mix of traditional and modern tastes able to satisfy even the most demanding palates.
Mammà is one of the two restaurants of Hotel Punta Tragara, located a stone’s throw from the famous Piazzetta. In addition to enjoying a breath-taking view, you can savour the best of Napolitan cuisine. The Hotel Punta Tragara’s concierge ensures reserving the best tables for the hotel’s guests.
Would you like to celebrate your wedding in one of the most prestigious hotels in the Mediterranean?
Then stop in Ravello and book your reception at Villa Cimbrone, an enchanted place that takes you back to the atmosphere of times gone by, still retaining its charm and passing on its essence. This ancient medieval residence, built in the twelfth century, still retains much of its original structure, which gives unparalleled strength to the site: even today you can admire friezes, architecture and decorations of the time. Another undeniable attraction of Villa Cimbrone is that, although it is only about 10 minutes from the city centre, it can only be reached on foot and through the beautiful, centuries old, park that surrounds it: 6 hectares of enchanting greenery. The beauty of the villa, enriched internally with magnificent frescoes, has attracted many influential visitors over time, especially artists, scientists and politicians: Virginia Wolf, D. H. Lawrence, Keynes and Eliot are just some of the great characters who have stayed here. The rooms, of various types, are all characterised by furnishings of great taste and refinements, for an effect of extreme elegance that however always maintains a touch of lightness.
In a panoramic position, a short distance from the famous beaches of Positano, stands the Villa Fiorentino. The terrace enlivened by the Bougainvillea and infused with the scent of lemons is the ideal stage to thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the place and the sense of peace and serenity that it immediately inspires. Villa Fiorentino consists of a group of apartments and suites in full Mediterranean style; the warm and enveloping sun of the Coast will accompany you throughout the day until you leave the Villa to a sky full of stars and the gentle caresses of the sea breeze. A dream setting for the wedding reception that you have always dreamt of having.
LOCATION PHOTO
To not find a corner, a glimpse, an alley or a view of the Amalfi Coast that is not worthy of being photographed is practically impossible. And how could it be otherwise because you are in one of the most beautiful places in the world?
Towns and landscape that, in this magical land beaten by the sun for most of the year and inundated with fragrances and flavors rendering it enchanting, combine to form some of the most beautiful scenery in the Mediterranean.
For your wedding photos, do not fail to immortalise the surrounding blue sky and sea that reach an incredible intensity, and also do not forget the churches, the squares, the characteristic centuries-old alleys overflowing with flowers that characterise every small town on the coast and the island of Capri.
FAMOUS WEDDINGS
In the Cathedral of Ravello Victoria’s Secret model Vita Sidorkina married the Italian entrepreneur Valerio Morabito; needless to say, that the town was filled with models for the occasion, fluttering clothes and, of course, lots of fun. Capri acted as the theatre for the wedding of Mariarosa De Sica and Federico Pellegrini; she is Christian’s daughter and niece of the unforgettable Vittorio.
