Elope in Southern Italy | A Guide to Elope in Southern Italy

The Amalfi Coast, Naples, Sorrento, Matera, Alberobello and its typical Trulli, Tropea are just a few of the amazing destinations you can explore when you decide to elope in Southern Italy. April, May, beginning of June as well as September and October are the best months to plan your elopement in Southern Italy, with smaller crowds and milder temperatures.

Table of Contents

If you like turquoise waters, typical La Dolce Vita style views, coastal areas with iconic cliffs, some of the best food you can ever try in the world, unexplored rural areas, relaxing and peaceful experiences, then nothing will ever beat Southern Italy when it comes to choosing the perfect destination for your Italian elopement.

Eloping in Southern Italy will assure you a one of a kind life experience, an experience you will surely treasure for the rest of your days. 

When writing this guide, we ourselves couldn’t really make up our minds on the destinations to choose for an elopement in Southern Italy, all of them are equally as stunning in their own peculiar way. Whether it is the mystical atmosphere you can experience while walking through the worldwide known Sassi di Matera, or whether it is the relax and inner peace you can have when sunbathing on a desert Calabrian beach, Southern Italy can really give you everything (and so much more) on your amazing Italian adventure!

When it comes to Southern Italy however, it is even more true that relying on the help of Italian vendors that know exactly what an elopement is and that know how to deal with local suppliers and people, will definitely come in handy. So, once again, we cannot stress enough how quintessential it is to find experts that can really walk hand in hand with you along the most amazing road of elopements in Italy.

Let’s not wait any further and let’s explore in detail our “how-to-guide” for eloping in Southern Italy.

One of the most beautiful coastline in Italy, with its mountains vertically plunging into the sea, the Amalfi Coast offers a myriad of possibilities for incredible beach elopements in Southern Italy. If you want to get married in front of the sea, with one of the most breathtaking views you can find in Italy, then this is the place you should start looking into. Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are undoubtedly the most famous and popular destinations in the Amalfi Coast, but there are also some other localities that can prove to be more budget friendly and less crowded.

Then find some more inspiration, check out these two REAL ELOPEMENTS we shot in this incredible coastal region in Italy:

If you want to explore more in detail the possibility of eloping in the Amalfi coast, you can have a look at our specific guide about Eloping in the Amalfi Coast, with all the different options you might have.

(click on image to be redirected to guide)

Another popular destination in the Neapolitan Riviera is Sorrento. Sorrento is not on the Amalfi coast, but, with its high cliffs, it overlooks an equally stunning bay, the bay of Naples, making it the perfect destination for some dramatic views of the Amalfi Coast, the Vesuvius  and the Island of Capri. Its romantic panoramas, laid back atmosphere and fantastic food will definitely win you over.

Get lost in its centro storico (old town), enjoy the dazzling atmosphere of restaurant-lined Piazza Tasso, visit the The Church and Cloisters of San Francesco, peer down into the Valle Dei Mulini and catch a breathtaking Sorrento sunset while sipping a typical limoncello.

When in the Naples bay, the Island of Capri is an unmissable stop. Its splendour and charm has been renowned from ancient times (the island has been home of a Roman emperor and of several poets of different eras), and it is still enchanting whoever visits these days, with glittering blue seas, steep cliffs, elegant villas and scattered pine-trees.

Popular destination between the rich and the famous, you will not fail to notice the high-end boutiques that populate the squares and streets of both Capri and Anacapri (the other village in the island), and the luxury yachts docked in Capri’s Marina Grande, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot get a taste of Capri’s luxury lifestyle.

• Boat tour to Blue Grotto, world famous for its crystal clear waters, and around the Faraglioni rocks, considered the symbol of Capri.
• Walk around Giardini di Augusto and have a walk on the Via Krupp, one of the most iconic landmarks in Capri.
• Hike to the highest point of the island, Monte Solaro, or, catch a chairlift to the summit
• Visit Villa Jovis, originally owned by Roman Emperor Tiberius!

Views of the stunning Faraglioni of Capri and of  Via Krupp from above

Other beautiful islands in the Naples Bay worth mentioning are Procida and Ischia.

Whether you choose to elope in Sorrento or in Amalfi, drive through The Amalfi Drive, an ancient Roman road connecting Sorrento and Amalfi, carved out of the side of the coastal cliffs, with stunning views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and of the whole coastal area. A must see!

Or again, if you are a hiking lover, don’t miss out on a hike on the Path of the Gods, a 7.8 km trek that will lead you through historic towns on ancient mule routes where you will be able to enjoy some of the most spectacular views in Italy.

We keep travelling towards the beautiful South and we stop in Apulia, with the crystal waters of Salento. If you are looking for something really unique for your elopement in Southern Italy, then getting married within olive trees, on a stunning beach, surrounded by the famous Trulli of the Itria Valley is really quite an exceptional experience.

In Apulia people pride themselves on the food, which cannot fear any competition in other parts of Italy. If you love seafood, this is your region, famous also for its Crudo di Pesce, a specialty of Bari that will give you a sensory experience of pure pleasure.

If you decide to elope in Apulia, you will immediately feel all the hospitality and warmth of the people of the South. You will have the chance to experience a slow and relaxing time, while discovering hidden corners of outstanding natural beauty without the frenetic stress of a city full of people and tourists.

From ancient mediaeval castles, to Spanish fortified towers, to noble French villas, to gorgeous natural landscapes, Apulia is really one of the top choices for an elopement in Italy. During the Summer all through the end of September, there are many events and fairs dedicated to local products and traditional food specialities, with perhaps the most famous and extraordinary event being the Night of the Tarantula in August. 

• Admire the baroque architecture of the main Apulia cities, Bari, Brindisi and Lecce
• Visit the Alberobello and the Trulli
• Explore the Grotte di Castellana and Grotta Zinzulusa
• Hike in Gargano National Park
• Taste Olive Oil in the ‘white city’, Ostuni
• Sunbathe on the beaches around Gallipoli and Otranto
• Have a road trip along the clifftop coast road between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca
• Get ‘Tarantolato’ and dance to the morning during the Night of the Tarantula in the Lecce area

• Orecchiette e cime di rapa (Short pasta that looks like ‘little ears’ with broccoli rabe)
• Pasticciotto: Typical Apulean breakfast, shortbread pastry filled with custard
• Focaccia barese: Focaccia Bari style
• Panzerotti: Fried pizza dough stuffed with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and anchovies
• Pezzetti: Braised cubes of horse meat
• Local extra virgin olive oil and fresh vegetables!

Wines

If you like strong, full-bodied wines Apuglia is your place 

Primitivo di Manduria, Negroamaro and Salice Salentino among the red wines. Tufjano and Castel Del Monte among the whites

We feel like we hardly post enough of the incredible days we get to spend with some pretty special people from all over the world. Venturing around Italy and sharing such beautiful moments with our couples makes us so grateful for what we do.

Lauren & Justin eloped in May and they chose as their destination Puglia, with its unique landscape and architecture. They were staying in a typical Trullo in the Apulian countryside, where they had their intimate ceremony.

After a touching exchange of vows and a first cheer as a married couple with a Campari, we set off to discover the little gems this area has to offer.

The day finished with one of the most amazing boat tours we’d ever had: exploring the caves of the coast by boat and watching dolphins swim away as the sun was setting was indeed pretty incredible.