Castello di Spaltenna hosts weddings of up to 90 guests in a medieval church and castle complex in Gaiole in Chianti, and the whole property can be reserved for two days. Guests sleep on site in rooms, suites, spa apartments and a separate villa, in the Chianti hills between Siena and Florence.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are the main event business here, and the castle says it has hosted them for more than half a century. The religious ceremony takes place in the Pieve di Santa Maria a Spaltenna, the medieval parish church that forms part of the complex. Couples who prefer a symbolic blessing can hold it on the lawns. After the ceremony, the aperitif and the dinner move to the cloister, the terrace, the pool edge or the indoor halls, depending on the season and the weather. The team handles flowers, decoration and table design. Because the property can be booked in full for two days, a welcome dinner and the wedding day can follow each other without outside guests. Ceremonies are capped at 90 guests. The site does not mention a civil ceremony on the property, so check the legal side with the team before you plan.
Rooms and capacities
The wedding settings are the church, the cloister, the terrace, the poolside and the gardens, plus indoor halls for receptions in cooler months. The official site gives a single figure: 90 guests for a ceremony. No meeting rooms or conference packages are presented, so the castle suits private celebrations, family gatherings and small private dinners rather than seminars.
Accommodation
Room categories run from Classic and Superior to Deluxe, then Junior, Terrace, Exclusive, Jacuzzi Garden and Family suites. Each room is furnished differently in a rustic Tuscan style, some with canopy or wrought iron beds, marble-topped dressers and 19th-century chests and writing desks. The SPA Apartments and La Canonica, a villa within the property's La Villa offer, add space for families or the couple's closest guests. The total number of rooms is not published, so ask how many guests can sleep on site during an exclusive hire.
Catering
Il Pievano, the castle restaurant, is presented by the hotel as Michelin-starred, and its kitchen also makes the pastries for weddings. Menus are tailored to each couple. L'Osteria and La Terrazza serve more casual meals on the days around the wedding, which helps when guests stay for a long weekend.
History and setting
Spaltenna grew around its parish church, a medieval pieve, on a hill above Gaiole in Chianti. The castle now operates as a hotel listed with Small Luxury Hotels of the World. La Pieve Spa has a Finnish sauna, a Turkish bath, a tepidarium and experience showers, and there are outdoor pools for guests. A ceramics and art workshop runs on site, and walking routes start from the property, which gives wedding guests things to do on the day before.
Getting there
The address is Via Spaltenna 13, Pieve di Spaltenna, 53013 Gaiole in Chianti, in the province of Siena. Siena is the nearest city and Florence is reachable by car. Arranged transfers or rental cars work best for guests arriving from the airports.
