Castello di Solfagnano

The castle passed to the Antinori family in the 1500s, who converted it from a defensive structure into a noble villa and opened it to the surrounding landscape, adding gardens modelled on Roman estates such as Villa Pamphilj. Anna Raffaelli Antinori developed those gardens further between 1783 and 1840. The French industrialist Francesco Prat bought the property in 1840 and had it elevated to a marquisate. Filippo Bennicelli, a Roman entrepreneur, added tree-lined avenues and exotic gardens after buying the estate in 1879. In 2007 the Colaiacovo family, led by Pasquale Colaiacovo, acquired the castle and carried out a full architectural restoration.

Six outdoor spaces carry their own names. Piazza 1563, at the entrance overlooking the vineyard, is used for the aperitivo. Piazza dell'Orologio looks over the Italian Garden and the Umbrian countryside and is known for its sunsets. The Giardino della Fontana is a walled garden built around the castle's eighteenth-century fountain. Piazza delle Torri is a large area framed by the medieval towers, overlooking the estate's valley. The Cattedrale dell'Amore is an avenue of centuries-old holm oaks, used for the cake-cutting.

The Chiesa di Sant'Antonio Abate, a frescoed chapel within the grounds, hosts religious ceremonies. Civil ceremonies are licensed in the castle's indoor halls, which also give couples an indoor option if the weather turns. The castello holds between 15 and 360 guests, with civil, religious and symbolic ceremonies all available on the same estate.

The kitchen is modern and fully equipped, handed over exclusively to whichever team the couple chooses: their own chef, a preferred caterer, or one of the venue's recommended Michelin-starred cooks. Wedding planners are also available on request, and suppliers can access the property the day before and after the event.

Dining can take place in the stone-vaulted hall, dressed with long tables and greenery, on the outdoor piazzas, or on the cantina terrace, which has a pergola and vineyard views.

The estate runs to 60 hectares of terraced vineyard, formal garden and open hillside, and is a working property rather than a purely ornamental one: it produces its own wine and extra-virgin olive oil, and offers guided tastings of both to guests. The estate also runs on solar energy and uses eco-friendly materials, a thread that carries through to the Eco-Design Suites' own use of Trion and sustainable coconut wood.

Twenty-five rooms across the castle and villa house the wedding party: eleven Camere Classiche within the original fortress, eleven Camere Moderne in the adjacent villa, and three Eco-Design Suites built in Trion and sustainable coconut wood. The Suite Imperiale, the largest of the Camere Classiche, has a panoramic terrace and a private jacuzzi.

An outdoor pool sits at the edge of the estate, with views across the valley.

Perugia is twenty-five minutes away and has its own airport. Florence is about an hour and forty-five by car; Rome is roughly two and a half hours. Exclusive-use hire starts from an indicative €15,000 a night, not published by the venue and unconfirmed; catering, wines, floristry and production are quoted separately.

A medieval castle, exclusively yours. Castello di Solfagnano is taken in its entirety: castle, villa, six named piazzas, a frescoed private church and sixty hectares of Umbrian estate.