Destination wedding in Donnafugata
A neo-gothic castle, a stone maze and a park of a thousand trees.
Region
Val di Noto
Best months
May, June, September and October. The park provides shade, which helps in early summer.
Getting there
About two hours from Catania airport, forty minutes from Comiso. Events at the castle are managed by the Comune di Ragusa and must be requested well in advance; the venue is popular and dates are limited.
Getting married in Donnafugata
The Castello di Donnafugata, twenty minutes from Ragusa, is a 19th century country residence with a neo-gothic loggia, 122 rooms and an eight-hectare park containing a stone labyrinth, artificial caves and a coffee house folly. It is one of the most spectacular municipal venues in Sicily.
Weddings here have a theatrical quality: the guests arrive through the park, the ceremony takes place in front of the loggia, and the portrait session uses the maze and the ancient carob trees as the light drops.
Venues and locations I use in Donnafugata
- Castello di Donnafugata — loggia, park and stone labyrinth
- Country masserie in the surrounding carob countryside
- Beaches at Punta Secca and Marina di Ragusa, twenty minutes away
- Ragusa Ibla for the church ceremony before moving to the castle
- Historic dammusi and stone farms for intimate dinners
Frequently asked questions
Can we hold the reception inside the castle?
The park and specific rooms can be used under authorisation; most couples hold the ceremony and aperitivo there and dine at a nearby estate.
How early should we request the castle?
At least a year. It is a public monument with a limited number of event dates per season.
Nearby wedding destinations
Val di Noto
Ragusa Ibla
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Val di Noto
Modica
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Scicli
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Marzamemi
A tuna fishing village with a piazza that opens onto the sea.