Three unconventional honeymoon destinations in Italy

It’s been a while, I know. 2013 has morphed into 2014 and I haven’t even said a proper hello to the new year on this blog. But I’m going to make it up to you, I promise. From today on, wednesdays will be greeted by a new blog post on this page, and one that I hope will both inspire and help you plan your destination wedding in Italy. Today, I’m presenting you with three honeymoon destinations in Italy that you’ve very probably never heard of before.

I’ve said it before, but Italy truly is so much more than Tuscany, Venice and Rome. Every corner of the Country is worthy of a visit and a lavish meal, and yet I’m pretty sure you can hardly name max five locations around the boot-shaped peninsula. Let me help you change that!

Today, I have picked three hot spots just a few kms off the most famous wedding destinations in Italy, for you to plan a quick post-nuptials getaway in. Read on and let me know your own Italian wedding location, my consultation services include picking a suitable honeymoon destination and planning the whole thing for you!

© Hotel Hermitage, Portoferraio

You’re getting married in… Florence

Go to Isola d’Elba and have a beach vacation at the Hotel Ermitage. Isola d’Elba is a small island just off the coast of Tuscany, still relatively untouched by tourism. You will find plenty of families and vacactioners in July and August, but over June and September the island is peaceful and its sea clear and perfect. The drive from Florence to the ferry in Piombino will provide you with an opportunity to see the lesser known part of Tuscany, while the island amenities make a budget-friendly alternative to the beaches of the Naples gulf.

© Domus Civita, Civita di Bagnoregio

You’re getting married in… Rome

Go to Civita di Bagnoregio (75 miles North of Rome) and rent out the breathtaking Domus Civita. Better even, plan your very wedding there! The terrace seems to be built for the purpose of an intimate ceremony, and the gorgeous swimming pool screams blissful newlyweds activities (ehm) from every stone. Civita di Bagnoregio is a vision in itself, a 14th Century medieval village perched on top a hill, that you can only reach on foot via a long stone pedestrian bridge, and which was placed in the World Monuments Fund‘s 2006 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites, due to the threats it faces from turf erosion. One more reason to visit a place which could disappear in the future. Domus Civita was restored by a local architect so it’s a true vision in itself, but should you fancy some art and sightseeing, Civita overlooks the Tiber river Valley, rich in history and gorgeous landscapes.

Piazza Unità d’Italia di Leandro’s World Tour, su Flickr

You’re getting married in… Venice

Go to Trieste to soak in the literate cosmopolite atmosphere and drink lots of Illy coffe. Illy is one of the most famous families in Trieste and the city outskirts are still the location for the renoknown brand’s production. But the city itself is a true historical gem, full of character and many cultural influences, bearing the signs of its turn-of-the-Century status of hub for writers and musicians. Stay at the Savoia Excelsior Palace for grandeur, or pick the Victoria Hotel if you want to retrace the steps of James Joyce, who spent a large part of his life in Trieste.

So, what do you think? Seen anything interesting?! Let me know in the comments below, I’m really curious to know whether you knew these destinations and/or plan to visit any of them on your honeymoon in Italy!