Lakeside Locations

Today Daniela and I are feeling very pleased with ourselves as our searches have led us to visit two locations that we both liked immensely. They are both situated near two of the lakes which lie to the north of Rome, one right on the lake shore. More of the wedding locations themselves when we have the photos to post on the blog, but in the meantime let me tell you about the area. Martignano, the smaller of the two lakes, is the water-filled crater of an old volcano, or maar, as they are correctly known. It is a lovely, peaceful area, away from the crowds, and perfect for a relaxing holiday. Picnics by the water, swimming, walking in and exploring the surrounding woods, rowing a boat or enjoying lazy snoozes in a hammock strung between the trees.....a perfect natural oasis, just 30 minutes from Rome. There are a couple of restaurants around the lake, but it is mostly still completely unspoiled and magical.

The farmhouse resort we visited at Martignano is just amazing: perfect views, mouthwatering menus in the restaurant (with many of the ingredients actually grown or bred by the owners), and lovely, characteristic rooms and apartments to stay in. Perfect for Country Weddings Italy and what we imagine to be the perfect setting for a country wedding. It is away from the beaten track, but easy to reach nontheless: Rome's major airport is a 40-minute drive away.

The second resort we visited today lies in the hills behind Lake Bracciano. This lake is much larger than Martignano, with 3 medieval lakeside villages, sailing schools, a ferry that travels in a triangular circuit between the three villages and several restaurants, campsites and hotels around its shores.  Motor boats are prohibited on the lake, apart from authorised vessels, to avoid pollution of the water, and it is, in fact, one of the cleanest lakes in Italy. The lake is the second in size in this region of Italy, and is also dominated by the famous Odescalchi Castle, an astounding castle built in the 15^th century, and still used today for lavish parties, events and weddings and also as a film location, as well as being open to visitors all year round.

The resort presents some amazing views of the surrounding countryside and is just five minutes from the nearest village, Trevignano Romano. It has a gorgeous swimming pool, beautiful cottages in the grounds for guests, and an excellent chef, or so we are told (we shall soon be able to vouch for this!) The place definitely ticked all our boxes as a wedding venue and as a holiday resort, and the couple owning and running the business are such friendly people that anyone staying there will surely love it. We hope to get some picture to you in the next couple of days, but in the meantime here is a picture of the afore-mentioned Odescalchi Castle, that is just a 15-minute journey from the country resort.