The Tuscan hilltop castle made for once-in-a-lifetime wedding weekends
In partnership with Castello di Ristonchi
High in the hills outside Florence, surrounded by forest and olive groves, Castello di Ristonchi is a thousand‑year‑old castle designed for epic, all‑in wedding weekends. With a consecrated chapel on site, a pool overlooking the valley and space for up to 100 guests to sleep across apartments, a villa and glamping cabins, everything – and everyone – stays together on the hill.
Photo: Alex Tenser
The Food
Food is at the centre of celebrations at Castello di Ristonchi. The in‑house culinary team cooks with ingredients from the castle’s own eco‑farm and nearby producers, with herbs, olive oil, honey and many vegetables grown directly on the estate. Menus lean into rustic, seasonal Tuscan flavours, and the wedding dinner is served family‑style, with dishes coming straight from the open‑air kitchen, grill and oven to the table. Across the stay, food experiences run through everything, including wood‑fired pizza nights, Tuscan BBQs and pasta‑making classes that feel as much like memories as meals.
The Drinks
Drinks deserve their own mention here. Ristonchi’s bar set‑up includes their signature ‘Ape’roller’ mobile bars (one full bar and one prosecco‑and‑beer bar built into vintage Italian Ape vehicles) moving from pool to aperitivo to dinner. There is a dedicated pool bar too, so guests are never far from a spritz or a glass of local wine. In the Rave Cave, the castle’s former dungeon turned nightclub, a full open bar and professional bartenders keep the party going until 2:30am, giving your celebration a proper finale.
Max Guests: Up to 100
Accommodation: Sleeps up to 100 guests on site
Wet Weather: Indoor chapel ceremony; dinner in the Templar Hall; stretch tent available for larger groups
Ceremony: Civil and church ceremonies on site
Airport: Florence ~ 55 mins / Pisa ~ 1 hr 40 mins / Bologna ~ 1 hr 40 mins
LL Loves: How it feels like your own Tuscan village for a few gorgeous days.
The Experience
Castello di Ristonchi is designed as a long‑weekend experience rather than a single‑day event. The estate sleeps up to 100 guests across historic apartments, a six‑bedroom villa and three designer glamping cabins among the olive groves, with additional options close by in Pelago, Pontassieve and Florence. Days naturally unfold between the infinity‑style pool and panoramic wellness area, complete with wood‑fired hot tub, sauna and ice tub. Move from welcome pizza nights to poolside BBQs, pasta classes, farm‑to‑table dinners and nights in the Rave Cave.
To top off the weekend, Ristonchi’s Tuscan hospitality is complemented by an international, English‑speaking team who look after everything from culinary moments and cocktails to coordination, transport, flowers and music. Once guests are collected from Florence and brought up to the hill, the focus is simply on being together in your own corner of Tuscany.
For a Tuscan hilltop celebration that flows from poolside to pizza oven, Castello di Ristonchi is designed to be your host and hideaway for a few unforgettable days.
Categories
PLANNING | REAL WEDDING | BUSINESS | SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT | INSPIRATION | WANDERLUST
