How to Elope in Italy
Updated For 2024
Italy Elopement Guide
Ahh Italy—romance, architecture, beautiful landscapes…pasta. It’s one of the largest tourist destinations in the world, and rightfully so! The country has endless possibilities for exploration and adventure. If you’re looking at Italy as a place for your elopement, you’re not alone, but you may not know where to start the planning process. The guide below compiles everything you need to know in one place—license information, top destinations, and the best times and locations for an unforgettable experience.
Table of contents:
How to elope in Italy (marriage license, permit, etc)
When to elope in Italy
Best elopement locations
Ideas for elopement activities
Italy travel tips
Italy elopement packages
Both the Northern and Southern parts of Italy have some slight differences, but it’s all relatively similar. However, review the weather around your specific ceremony site to be absolutely sure.
Spring - March to May:
This is easily the best time of the year to elope in Italy. The weather is great, and after the winter rainy season, the northern parts of the country are full of wildflowers and green meadows. It’s also the time when waterfalls in the country reach their peak and any wild animals should be roaming about. There are also less tourists during this time period.
Summer - June to August:
If more privacy is important to you then unfortunately summer isn’t the best time of the year to elope in Italy. There are large crowds of people at every location with long lines for everything—even hiking! But if you want to elope in a higher elevation, this is definitely an opportunity to avoid the snow. However, you can take advantage of the warm weather and enjoy lots of different outdoor activities this time of year.
Fall - September to November:
While there are still crowds at this time, it’s not as bad as in the summer. Plus there are tons of beautiful landscapes and festivals. November can get rainy, but if you’re looking for colors in the background, Fall is the time to get married in Italy.
Winter - December to February:
If you love snow, then Winter is the perfect time to elope in Italy. Obviously, the amount of snow differs from region to region. But Northern Italy is full of snowy mountains, and Southern Italy—while there’s no snow—has chilly temperatures and a lack of tourists during this time.
Best Time of Year to Visit
To elope in Italy you’ll need a few things: your birth certificate, a valid passport, an Atto Noto—or Certificate of No Impediment, and a Nulla Osta—or affidavit. To get all of these things in line, you’ll need to work directly with your nearest Italian Consulate, and the steps below lay out everything you need to know.
At least 3 months before your ceremony date, you’ll need to make an appointment with the nearest Italian Consulate to you and obtain an Atto Noto. This requires anywhere between 2 to 4 witnesses, your original birth certificate and passport. All of these documents must be translated into Italian. Here’s a link to the US State Department’s list of Italian Consulates and Embassies.
About 2 months before your ceremony date, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with the local Italian Consulate near the city where you plan to get married to get your Nulla Osta. You must book this appointment at least one week before your ceremony date, but the process doesn’t take very long. There are consulates in Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, Palermo, and Genova. You can print the form and fill it out ahead of time, but don’t sign it until they tell you to at the consulate. The price is $55 per person.
The Nulla Osta must also be notarized, which can be done at any Prefecture Office in the country. Bring two revenue stamps with you from any tobacco store. The cost is $20 per stamp.
Book an appointment at the local town hall with a declaration of your intent to marry just before your wedding. You’ll need an interpreter with you for the appointment and ceremony if you don’t speak Italian.
If this all looks like Italian to you, the US embassy has a pretty straightforward writeup of all the steps to get married in Italy.
And if all of that seems like it’s too much to do, you can always get legally married in your home country and have a personal ceremony in Italy.
How to Get Married in Italy
Where to Elope in Italy
Lake Como
Located in Italy’s Northern Lombardy region, Lake Como is the third largest lake in the country. Some of the areas around the lake are known as more of an upscale resort areas with scenic backdrops of the lower foothill areas of the Alps. You can find smaller, more local & authentic towns along the lake if you are interested in more of a quaint trip! I would suggest looking into Varenna, Lierna, Fiumelatte, Lenno, Nesso, etc. You’ll find plenty of prime locations for an elopement around the lake, and it’s always full of activity. There are plenty of trails for hiking and tons of watersports in the lake. And if you want to go into the mountains to see some amazing landscapes, it isn’t hard to travel.
Lake Como Travel Tips:
If you want to take a full day to explore different lakeside towns, get the all-day ferry pass and head out first thing in the morning.
Another way to see other towns by boat is to rent a private boat! All of the boats here (Especially out of Bellagio) are gorgeous wooden boats. Bring a bottle of champagne or white wine to go enjoy the sunset on your little cruise around the lake.
To save money we stayed in a small town called Fuimelatte, which was only a 20 minute walk to Varenna. This back and forth walk was part of the highlight of this trip for me! It was so scenic, beautiful and quiet. A nice way to get in your steps after solely eating carbs all day!!
Cinque Terre
Some compare this area to the Amalfi Coast, but it differs in a lot of ways. Cinque Terre is only 5 towns, but they’re all full of colorful houses built into the cliff sides. While the towns are small, each one offers a unique view and vibe. It’s definitely a romantic spot for an intimate elopement, but be prepared to face hundreds of tourists as these towns have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. For any shoots or elopements here, I suggest starting your day before sunrise in order to have privacy and quietness before the streets and beaches get busy by 9am. And afterwards, you can enjoy hiking, boat tours, wine tasting, take a pesto making class, or relax on the beach. One of the best adventures you can have in this area is to hike to all 5 towns! But if you aren’t interested in the steep hikes, you could always get train tickets instead.
Cinque Terre travel tips:
we stayed in Vernazza (which felt like we were right in the movie “Luca”!) which was much smaller than Monterosso, but felt bigger than the other 3 towns. If you want more food and activity options (and bigger/better beaches) I would suggest Monterosso.
if you plan to hike between the towns you will need the Terre Park Card which is only 7 euros. Think of it as a park entrance fee!
the best places to eat were not down by the water. They were all up higher, out of the crowds of tourists, or tucked away in small side streets! So make sure to explore.
Vernazza: MUST eat at Il Pirata Delle 5 Terre. The salmon was the best I’ve had in my entire life, the apple croissant in the morning was the best I had the whole trip, and the owner was so passionate and phenomenal about his craft! And get phenomenal gelato from Gelateria Vernazza.
Corniglia: you’ll be wiped after the amount of stairs/switchbacks you just went up from the train station so your first stop MUST be at Alberto Gelateria to try their famous lemon basil slushy!
Riomaggiore: grab some focaccia or lasagna and head down to the water to dip your feet in the pristine blue ocean or go for a full swim! Book this PHENOMENAL Airbnb experience: BachYard - A Concert in the Vineyard.
Amalfi Coast
Whether travel or eloping, no list of Italian destinations to see before you die is complete without the Amalfi Coast. And if you’re going to elope here, you’re getting married at one of the top tourist destinations in the world. With pristine coasts full of fishing towns built into the seaside cliffs, it’s an amazing place to visit—especially at night! Again, this is one of the biggest tourist spots in Italy, so expect people year-round. But you’ll never get bored with all of the things to do before and after your elopement—boat tours, wine tasting, hiking, historical sites, etc. It’s all here!
Travel tips for Amalfi Coast:
if you take the train to Salerno, the best way to get to Amalfi, Positano, or Atrani is to pay 9 euros for a ferry. You’ll have gorgeous scenic views and you’ll avoid the stress of a crazy bus ride down those windy, narrow, cliffside roads
if you’re looking for a slower pace, I would look into staying into the town of Atrani. It is a 10 minute walk from Amalfi and has a population of less than 1,000 people! It’s so quiet and chill - a wonderful place to stay and relax away from the hoards of tourists, while still allowing you to be close to the busy population town next door
book a boat tour to see the cities from the water
eat lemon sorbet and drink lots of fresh squeezed orange juice
hike “path of the gods” trail to get the most epic views of the coast
take day trips to Ravello, Minori & Maiori
visit the Duomo di Amalfi - Saint Andrew’s skull is here
Book a Lemon Tour on Airbnb Experiences
Dolomites
Summarizing the Dolomites into one section is difficult. Fortunately, I’ve got an entire breakdown of the area with information on all of the key elopement sites here. Regardless, this area will leave you dumbstruck at its beauty, and it’s easily one of the best places to elope in Italy. If you want mountain ranges, lakes, hiking of all difficulties, elegant restaurants, valleys, and cliffs in every direction, The Dolomites is where you want to elope!
Tuscany
People visit Tuscany for many reasons. There’s fine art, beautiful countryside ripe for hiking, and some of the best food and wine in the world. Along with all of those perks, there are also mountain trails, cycling paths through rolling hills, and the coasts make for amazing beach walks and boat activities—whether you want to fish or wind surf. Eloping in Tuscany is a wonderful decision and full of opportunities for whatever you’re looking for in Italy!
Italy Travel Tips
Renting a car vs. public transportation
This is an ongoing debate for tourists who have been to Italy, and you’ll get a wide range of answers regarding what’s the best path to take. Whether you want to rent a car or just take public transport really depends on where you’re going and how good you are with the Italian language to navigate the public transit system.
For example, in the Amalfi Coast, it’s possible to take trains and buses to get around, but they don’t run all the time. And you’ll first need to have cell phone service in the area and use the apps to figure out which bus to take and what time to catch it.
Overall, it’s best to do a mix of public transport and car rental if you’re going to be moving from location to location or if you need to get out into the countryside. The Italian public transit system is awesome, but you’ll miss some things if you don’t have a car to go further away from the grid.
Regardless, you’ll need an international driver’s license to rent a car in Italy, so here’s the link to AAA’s international driving permit site. Allow up to 6 weeks to go through the process of getting a permit.
Buses and trains will always be your cheapest form of transportation, but it’s also definitely possible to rent a scooter in many Italian cities and towns. However, BE WARNED, everyone uses scooters in Italy, and the drivers are aggressive and don’t care about your level of scooter experience. Be prepared to be cut off, honked at, and yelled at when driving. If you’re okay with all that, then scoot away! Just be sure to try and have an idea of where you’re going before you take off.
Extend your trip and hop to a neighboring country
Another beauty of traveling to Europe is that once you’re there, it’s cheap to fly elsewhere. So if you want to extend your trip and explore countries like France, Spain, Greece, Austria, etc. Most flights won’t cost more than $30 - $50 per person, and they’re for an hour or two at most. Italy is beautiful, but there’s lots to explore in Europe!
If you’re on a budget, look at hostels
You don’t always have to stay in hotels and bed and breakfasts when traveling around Italy. Fortunately, there’s a large network of hostels that have operated for decades since everything was rebuilt after WWII. Hosteling International is probably the most globally recognized hostel chain. But you can always do some research where you’re actually going and find local hostels around.
Activity ideas:
Beaches
Boat tours
Wine tasting
Backpacking the coast
Visit historical sites
Pasta making classes
Food + drinks
Only order cappuccinos before 11am, enjoy your coffee at the counter like locals do
Don’t let a day go by without getting a croissant
The BEST restaurants are usually the ones that are in the farther corners of town, not located in the town center where all the tourists are.
It can be difficult to find vegetables on the menu, so stop by local produce stands to grab fruits and veggies for your lunches
Wine is much cheaper here than in the United States! The “House Wines” are usually the cheapest and fun to order a bottle at every dinner. But if you can, you should also try to find a few places to wine taste on your trip! Especially if you are traveling to different regions
If traveling to different regions, look up what food and wine is unique to that area and order their local specialties!
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Sunrise couples session wandering the quiet streets of Menaggio, a small town on Lake Como in Italy.