By Giorgia Fantin Borghi · Luxury Wedding & Event Designer · Updated 4 September 2026
Quick answer: Cortona is an ancient hill town in eastern Tuscany, immortalised by Under the Tuscan Sun, with commanding views over the Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno. Its Relais & Châteaux villas — above all Il Falconiere — medieval churches and honey-stone piazzas make it one of the region’s most romantic wedding destinations, typically for 40–150 guests between May and early October.
Few Tuscan towns carry as much romance in their name as Cortona. Ever since Frances Mayes restored a crumbling villa here and wrote Under the Tuscan Sun, couples the world over have dreamed of the same golden light, the same cypress-lined roads climbing to a town that has watched over the valley since Etruscan times.
I have planned weddings across Tuscany for years, and Cortona remains one of the settings I love most for couples who want the region’s timeless beauty with a genuine sense of place. This guide covers why it works so well, the venues I return to, what to budget, when to marry and how to give the day an unmistakably Tuscan soul. If you are still comparing corners of the region, start with our guide to the best wedding venues in Tuscany.
Why marry in Cortona?
Cortona offers the quintessential Tuscan panorama — olive groves and vineyards falling away to a silver lake — from a town that is beautiful, walkable and genuinely lived-in. Its steep stone lanes, Etruscan walls and Renaissance churches give a wedding real depth of history, while the surrounding hills are dotted with some of the finest relais and villas in the region.
It also sits at a crossroads of Tuscany and Umbria, within easy reach of Lake Trasimeno, Montepulciano and the Val d’Orcia — a gift for guest excursions and portrait sessions. For couples comparing options, Cortona is the choice that blends postcard scenery with the intimacy of a small town, where a Tuscan wedding feels personal rather than staged.
The best wedding venues in and around Cortona
From a Michelin-starred relais to garden villas and medieval churches, these are the settings I trust here.
Il Falconiere Relais & Spa
The jewel of Cortona, Il Falconiere is a seventeenth-century villa and Relais & Châteaux property set among vineyards and olive groves just outside town. With a Michelin-starred restaurant, panoramic pools, a spa and elegant reception spaces in the Pomerio room and the Limonaia, it delivers effortless luxury — and couples can marry in its private, frescoed seventeenth-century chapel or in the gardens overlooking the hills.
Villa di Piazzano
A short drive away, on the Tuscan–Umbrian border, Villa di Piazzano is a former bishop’s hunting manor now restored into a sophisticated small luxury hotel. Its manicured Italian gardens, antique-filled interiors and intimate scale make it ideal for couples who want refinement and privacy in a storied setting.
Ceremonies in the heart of Cortona
Cortona itself can host your ceremony. Civil weddings can be arranged in the historic town hall, while couples seeking a religious service have their pick of the town’s medieval churches, from the Basilica of Santa Margherita, high above the rooftops, to smaller frescoed chapels. The walk through the old town afterwards, with the valley spread out below, makes for unforgettable photographs.
Country estates and agriturismi
Beyond the named villas, the countryside around Cortona and Lake Trasimeno is dotted with private estates, farmhouses and agriturismi available for exclusive-use weddings. These suit couples who want a relaxed, immersive weekend among the vines — and matching the right property to your guest count and style is exactly where a planner earns their keep. Our guide on how to find a wedding venue in Italy explains the process.
Venue comparison at a glance
| Venue | Style | Best for | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Falconiere | Relais & Châteaux villa | Michelin dining, larger celebrations | Elegant, polished |
| Villa di Piazzano | Boutique manor hotel | Intimate garden weddings | Refined, private |
| Town churches / town hall | Medieval ceremony | Religious or civil vows | Historic, romantic |
| Country estate | Private-hire agriturismo | Multi-day, exclusive use | Relaxed, rustic-luxe |
When to marry in Cortona
The finest months are May, June, September and early October, when the days are warm, the light is long and golden, and the hills look their best — September adds the romance of the grape and olive harvest. July and August are hot, so summer ceremonies work best in the late afternoon with shade for guests. For peak dates, I recommend booking your venue 12–18 months ahead.
What a wedding in Cortona costs
As anywhere in Italy, the budget is shaped by guest numbers, venue and season, so no honest planner will quote a single figure sight unseen. Cortona sits within the wider Tuscan market and is generally comparable to the rest of southern Tuscany, rather than carrying the premium of Florence or central Chianti. For a fuller picture, see our detailed guides to Tuscany wedding costs and how much a wedding in Italy costs.
Most of my couples here host between 50 and 120 guests and choose to invest, above all, in the food-and-wine experience and a design that lets the Tuscan landscape speak for itself. I build every budget bespoke, protecting the details that matter most to each couple.
Making it unmistakably Tuscan
The magic is in the detail. A tasting of local Cortona DOC and Trasimeno wines; a welcome dinner of pici pasta and Chianina beef; sunflowers and olive branches echoing the landscape; a vintage car winding up to the town gate. Cortona gives you a ready-made language of Tuscan romance — the art is to edit it with restraint. It is the same considered approach we bring to weddings in the Val d’Orcia and Montepulciano.
Planning and logistics
Cortona is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from both Florence and Rome, with its own station on the main line, so guests can fly into either international airport, or Perugia, and reach the town easily. I recommend a two- or three-night stay so everyone can enjoy the town, the countryside and Lake Trasimeno. Transfers, an accommodation block and a clear itinerary turn a beautiful venue into a seamless weekend, much as they do across the villas of Italy.
Before you fall for a venue, get the paperwork clear. Our complete guide to getting legally married in Italy as a US or UK couple walks through the documents, the Nulla Osta and the choice between a legally binding civil ceremony and a symbolic one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cortona a good place for a wedding?
Yes. Cortona is one of the most romantic hill towns in Tuscany — an ancient Etruscan and medieval town perched above the Val di Chiana, made famous worldwide by the book and film Under the Tuscan Sun. It combines sweeping views, refined relais and villa venues, and easy access from both Florence and Rome, making it an excellent choice for elegant celebrations of roughly 40–150 guests.
What are the best wedding venues in and around Cortona?
The stand-out option is Il Falconiere Relais & Spa, a seventeenth-century Relais & Châteaux villa with a Michelin-starred restaurant, panoramic pools and a private frescoed chapel. Villa di Piazzano, a former bishop’s hunting manor turned small luxury hotel with formal Italian gardens, sits nearby on the Tuscan–Umbrian border. Civil ceremonies can also be held in Cortona’s historic town hall, and religious weddings in the town’s medieval churches.
How much does a wedding in Cortona cost?
It depends on guest numbers, venue and season, so treat any figure as a starting point. Cortona sits within the wider Tuscan market and is generally comparable to the rest of southern Tuscany, below the premium of Florence or central Chianti. Most couples here host between 50 and 120 guests at a private relais or villa and invest above all in food, wine and design. We build every budget bespoke around the couple.
When is the best time to marry in Cortona?
May, June, September and early October are ideal, with warm days, long golden light and the hills at their most beautiful — September brings the grape and olive harvest. July and August are hot, so summer ceremonies are best held in the late afternoon. For peak dates, secure your venue 12–18 months ahead.
How do guests reach Cortona?
Cortona is roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from both Florence and Rome, with its own railway station (Camucia-Cortona) on the main Florence–Rome line. Most guests fly into Florence, Rome or Perugia and drive. A two- or three-night stay lets everyone enjoy the town, the countryside and nearby Lake Trasimeno.
Planning a Cortona wedding
Cortona rewards couples who love timeless Tuscan beauty and a town with genuine soul rather than a stage set. If you are dreaming of exchanging vows above the Val di Chiana, in the light that made Under the Tuscan Sun famous, I would love to hear your ideas and shape them into a celebration that could only happen here. Get in touch to begin.
Just over the Umbrian border, the cliff-top town of Orvieto is a stunning alternative — see our guide to weddings in Orvieto.
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