Getting Married at Castello di Magrano: Catholic Destination Wedding in Umbria, Italy
When the Duke of Montefeltro needed a hunting lodge grand enough to entertain Renaissance nobility, he chose Castello di Magrano. When Napoleon’s niece wanted an Italian estate, she chose Castello di Magrano. And when you’re looking for a Catholic wedding venue that blends medieval grandeur with intimate privacy, you just might choose Castello di Magrano too. This 13th-century fortress, set on 1,600 acres of pristine Umbrian countryside near Gubbio, offers something increasingly rare: a consecrated chapel, complete exclusive use, and accommodation for 30 guests, all in one spectacular location owned by the same aristocratic family since 1830.
The Catholic and Christian Wedding Advantage
The real treasure at Castello di Magrano sits in what was once the castle’s defensive tower. In the late 17th century, the curved military building at the entrance was converted into a consecrated chapel, and it’s been hosting religious ceremonies ever since. This means you can celebrate a full Catholic wedding ceremony right on the castle grounds, with your reception just steps away. You’ll work with the local Diocese of Gubbio to arrange your Catholic ceremony. The chapel capacity is intimate, appropriate for a wedding party of 30 to 50 guests. If you prefer a civil ceremony, these take place in the historic Palazzo Pretorio overlooking Gubbio’s Piazza Grande, directly opposite the famous Palazzo dei Consoli. It’s a 15-minute drive from the castle, with the same medieval atmosphere. The current owners, Remo and Maria Camilla Giunta, direct descendants of Princess Giulia Bonaparte, understand the significance of Catholic traditions. The castle hosts baptisms, first communions, and confirmations regularly. They can connect you with English-speaking priests and arrange for bilingual ceremonies if needed.
Location and Getting There
Castello di Magrano sits in the frazione of Carbonesca, surrounded by the forests and meadows of the River Chiascio valley. You’re 17 kilometers (about 15 minutes) from the medieval city of Gubbio, one of Umbria’s most perfectly preserved hill towns. The castle feels wonderfully isolated, approached by a two-kilometer unpaved road through the estate, but you’re not actually remote. The nearest airport is Perugia San Francesco d’Assisi Airport, about 40 kilometers (40 minutes) away. Most international guests fly into Rome Fiumicino, which is 220 kilometers (2 hours 40 minutes) by car. Florence Airport is 195 kilometers (2 hours 15 minutes). Rental cars are essential. The estate provides ample free parking. The unpaved access road is part of the experience. As you wind through the property, with century-old trees forming a canopy overhead and glimpses of roe deer in the meadows, you’re already transitioning into a different era. The 1,600-acre estate is signposted with walking trails. In season, you can arrange truffle hunting with local experts.
The Venue Itself
Castello di Magrano was built in the 1200s as a military fortress protecting Gubbio against Perugia. The massive rectangular tower-palace, with its stone walls and crenellated enclosure, looks exactly like what it is: a genuine medieval stronghold. Two wings were added to the west and south, creating an inner courtyard that’s now one of the castle’s most romantic spaces for receptions. In the 15th century, Duke Federico da Montefeltro (the same duke whose profile portrait hangs in the Uffizi) transformed Magrano into his preferred hunting lodge. The castello has been meticulously restored while preserving its medieval character. Stone walls, vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams, and Empire-style furnishings from the Bonaparte family collection create spaces that feel both authentic and comfortable. The castle offers two spectacular dining rooms. The first, accessed from the patio, features medieval-style furnishings with a suspended chandelier and stone vaulted ceilings. It seats 30 guests. The second dining room, with terracotta floors and exposed beams, seats 18. For outdoor receptions, the inner courtyard within the castle’s crenellated walls seats up to 30 comfortably, with the option to expand into the gardens.
Where Everyone Stays
One of Castello di Magrano’s greatest advantages is keeping everyone under one roof. The estate accommodates 30 guests across 14 to 15 bedrooms with 13 to 14 en-suite bathrooms. Rooms are split between the main castle and the foresteria (guest house), connected by an old secret passageway that guests love discovering. The tower rooms are particularly special. Two bedrooms occupy the entire perimeter of the castle’s tower on the third floor, with windows offering 360-degree views of the estate. All rooms feature period furnishings, many with antique pieces from the family’s collection. Seven rooms have whirlpool tubs. The castle operates as an exclusive-use venue for weddings. You rent the entire property, which includes daily maid service (except Sundays) and breakfast preparation (except Sundays, with food costs extra). This level of privacy is increasingly rare in Italy. Your guests aren’t sharing spaces with hotel visitors or tour groups. The castello is yours. If you have more than 30 guests, Gubbio is only 15 minutes away with excellent agriturismo and boutique hotel options. The castle concierge can arrange accommodation blocks.
The Guest Experience Beyond Your Wedding
Your guests aren’t just attending a wedding. They’re experiencing an Italian castle estate the way the Duke of Montefeltro once did. The grounds alone offer days of exploration. The 5,000-square-meter gardens feature rose gardens, century-old trees, lavender, and fruit orchards. The swimming pool (7 by 14 meters) sits on a panoramic terrace overlooking the valley. The estate’s walking and cycling trails wind through 1,600 acres of woods and meadows. Mountain bikes are provided. In autumn, truffle season brings the chance to hunt for Umbria’s famous black and white truffles with local guides. Pheasants, hares, partridges, roe deer, and wild boar still inhabit the property. Gubbio itself deserves a full day. The Piazza Grande, a suspended medieval square, offers breathtaking valley views and hosts the towering Palazzo dei Consoli, one of Italy’s finest Gothic civic buildings. The Palazzo houses the famous Iguvine Tablets, seven bronze plates with ancient Umbrian and Latin inscriptions that are essentially Umbria’s Rosetta Stone. Gubbio’s pink 13th-century cathedral, the Palazzo Ducale (Duke of Montefeltro’s Renaissance palace), and the Roman Theater all sit within walking distance. Take the funicular up Monte Ingino to the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo. Every May 15, Gubbio celebrates the famous Festa dei Ceri, one of Italy’s oldest folkloric traditions. In early December, the world’s largest Christmas tree (Guinness World Record) lights up the mountainside. Assisi is 30 kilometers (40 minutes), Perugia 40 kilometers (50 minutes). The Grotte del Monte Cucco, one of Europe’s largest cave systems, sits just 12 kilometers away in Monte Cucco Park.
Reception and Celebrations
The castle offers multiple reception options. The inner courtyard, enclosed by crenellated medieval walls, creates an unforgettable atmosphere for outdoor dining. Long tables can be set for up to 30 guests, with uplighting on the stone walls and the castle tower providing a dramatic backdrop. The medieval dining room works beautifully for formal seated dinners. The professional stainless steel kitchen has direct access to both the courtyard and outdoor terraces, making service seamless. For cocktail hours, the ramparts and garden terraces provide varied spaces where guests can wander. Weather backup is built into the castle’s design. If rain threatens, you can move everything indoors without losing the medieval atmosphere. The two dining rooms combined handle 48 guests seated. For larger groups, the castello’s professional event team has connections with tent suppliers who specialize in elegant garden installations. The castle can arrange everything from catering to wedding planners, bartenders to floral design, period costumes to musical accompaniment. Many couples opt for the self-catering option, bringing in their preferred Umbrian caterer. The kitchen facilities support professional catering operations.
The Food and Wine Culture of Umbria
You’re in truffle country. Umbria produces both the prized white truffle (tuber magnatum) from November through January and the more affordable black winter truffle from October through March. Local restaurants shave fresh truffle over pasta, eggs, and meat dishes with abandon. Other Umbrian specialties you’ll find on wedding menus include porchetta (herb-roasted pork), pasta alla norcina (pasta with sausage and black truffle), torta al testo (flatbread), and strangozzi (hand-rolled pasta). Gubbio itself is famous for crescia di Gubbio, a local flatbread, and game meats including wild boar, deer, and hare. For wines, look for Sagrantino di Montefalco, one of Italy’s most powerful reds, or the lighter Rosso di Montefalco. Orvieto Classico, a crisp white from nearby Orvieto, pairs beautifully with appetizers. Many couples arrange wine tastings at local estates as welcome activities for guests.
Navigating the Catholic Wedding Process in Italy
Planning a Catholic destination wedding in Italy requires paperwork, but it’s manageable with proper timeline. Start at least nine months before your wedding date. You’ll need a Letter of Freedom to Marry (Nulla Osta) from your home parish confirming you’re free to marry in the Catholic Church and have completed Pre-Cana classes. This letter goes to the Diocese of Gubbio for approval. All documents require official Italian translation by a certified translator. Dawn at Alba Ciano Translation Services specializes in Catholic wedding documentation if you need translation support. The Diocese will assign a priest for your ceremony. Many English-speaking priests serve in Umbria, or you can arrange for a bilingual ceremony with translation. Rehearsals typically happen the day before the wedding. The legal marriage portion requires additional paperwork. Most American and British couples complete a civil ceremony in their home country, then have a Catholic blessing in Italy. This simplifies the process considerably. If you want the Italian marriage to be legally binding, you’ll work with the Comune di Gubbio for civil registration in addition to the religious ceremony. Budget approximately €1,500 to €2,500 for Church fees, documentation, translations, and related costs. The castle staff and your wedding planner can guide you through the process.
Why This Hidden Corner of Umbria
Gubbio doesn’t appear on most American tourists’ itineraries. Unlike Florence or Siena, it hasn’t been overrun. Your guests will experience authentic Umbrian life in medieval streets where locals still outnumber visitors. The surrounding countryside feels untouched. From Castello di Magrano’s terraces, you see forested hills, the Chiascio River valley, and Monte Cucco’s peaks, but no modern development. The nearest grocery store is 3.5 kilometers away. You’re genuinely in the countryside, yet Gubbio’s restaurants and services are just 15 minutes away. This region offers exceptional value compared to Tuscany. Accommodation, dining, and venue costs run 20 to 30 percent lower while delivering the same medieval hill town experience and arguably better food. Umbria is called “the green heart of Italy” for good reason. The landscape here is lusher, more forested, and more dramatically hilly than much of Tuscany.
Is Castello di Magrano Right for You?
This castello works best for intimate weddings of 30 guests or fewer who want exclusive access to a genuine medieval castle with on-site accommodation. It’s ideal if you want Catholic ceremony and reception in one location without transporting guests between venues. Consider Castello di Magrano if you want: • Consecrated chapel for Catholic ceremony on castle grounds • Complete privacy and exclusive use of the entire property • All guests staying under one roof in a medieval castle • A venue with authentic aristocratic history and Napoleon connections • Umbrian countryside that’s less touristed than Tuscany • Access to Gubbio, Assisi, and Perugia for guest activities • Truffle hunting and outdoor activities on the estate • Two hours or less from Rome or Florence airports The venue might not suit you if you’re planning a large wedding over 50 guests, want ultra-modern amenities, or prefer being in a town center rather than countryside seclusion. Castello di Magrano represents something increasingly rare: a genuine medieval fortress where you can celebrate both your Catholic ceremony and reception, house all your guests in period rooms, and wake up to views that haven’t changed since the Duke of Montefeltro hunted these hills six centuries ago.