Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian
Wedding tourism is flying high among the Chianti Hills. The number of structures adhering to the project, which aims to valorize the territory and its rich cultural patrimony through collaboration with local structures and tour operators, has increased.
“Wedding tourism” is so well liked, that in addition to Greve in Chianti, which started the movement with the Vicchiomaggio and Verrazzano castles, Barberino Val d’Elsa has also chosen the civil ceremony formula for its fairy tale locations. An historic wine cellar, a 17th century villa, a restaurant and wedding hall have created a contract with the town in prestigious places like Sant’Appiano, Petrognano and Prumiano.
The contract is valid for three years and allows the town to use a space destined to host a civil union office and permits the celebration of matrimony in a civil ceremony.
“Barberino Val d’Elsa is betting on the increase of cultural tourism in the area through their promotion tied to wedding tourism”, declares the mayor of Barberino Val d’Elsa, Giacomo Trentanovi. “Getting married among the Tuscan Hills is attractive. Our area, with its cultural and architectural treasures spread among towns, castles and churches, attracts like an open air museum. Hundreds of Italian and foreign couples chose to marry in Chianti towns in 2015″.ù
“We are re-proposing the image of Barberino – concludes Trentanovi – (already known as “Bandiera Arancione”…Orange Flag, since 2004), by offering the possibility of getting married in a civil ceremony in a territory rich with estates, towers, farmhouses, historic wine cellars, and other typical structures which have roots in our rural culture. Our objective is to promote the Chianti identity and its real essence, mixing agricultural resources and typical food and wine, traditions, cultural events, art and scenery”.
There are 1.807 available beds in the Barberino Area which has a population of more than 4.000 inhabitants. There are around 100 structures available to tourists; farmhouses, historic residences, vacation homes/apartments, rooms, a campsite and two hotels.
“Our path”, the Assessor for Weddings of Barberino, Giannino Pastori, “which began with a written demonstration of interest, has begun to involve some prestigious structures of our territory.The ‘Fattoria Sant’Appiano’ for the first time is offering the possibility of getting married in an historic wine cellar dug out of rock. ‘Il Paese dei Campanelli’ is the first restaurant in the Chianti area that will allow couples to unite in matrimony in the town of Petrognano, where the winery, ‘Le Vedute’ has also adhered to the project. The Villa of Prumiano, in the territory of Chianti Classico, is another prestigious location which is collaborating with us”.