Locanda in Tuscany

Locanda in Tuscany: Vows in the Wheat Fields of the Val d'Orcia

There is a particular Tuscan wedding photograph that couples fall in love with long before they choose a venue: two people exchanging vows in the middle of a golden wheat field, the rolling, cypress-dotted hills of the Val d'Orcia stretching out behind them. At Locanda in Tuscany, near Castiglione d'Orcia, that image isn't a stretch — it is one of the settings genuinely on offer, alongside a lavender field, a pergola by the pool and a stone courtyard. I'm Francesco Caroli, an Italian wedding photographer, and as a wedding photographer in Tuscany I can tell you the Val d'Orcia — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape — is as close to the Tuscany of everyone's imagination as it gets. For a destination wedding set in that iconic countryside, Locanda is a special place.

What makes it special is the landscape it sits in. The Val d'Orcia is protected by UNESCO precisely because of the scenes it gives so freely: lone farmhouses, ribbons of cypress, wheat turning from green to gold across the seasons. Locanda makes a feature of that, letting couples marry right out in the fields with the valley as a backdrop. And there is a lovely connection here, too: Locanda forms part of the Dolcevita Valdorcia family alongside the celebrated Vitaleta Chapel — that tiny, much-photographed chapel framed by cypresses that has become a symbol of the whole valley.

Where You Say Yes: Fields, Pergola and Courtyard

The choice of ceremony settings is part of what gives Locanda its character. You can exchange vows in the middle of a wheat field or a lavender field, with the Val d'Orcia spread out around you; under a pergola beside the swimming pool; or in the intimacy of the stone courtyard. The resort can arrange both symbolic and civil ceremonies on site, which is not something every venue offers, and the in-house team guides couples through the options. Each setting is a completely different photograph — the wild romance of the fields, the cool shade of the pergola, the enclosed warmth of the courtyard — and many couples weave more than one into the day.

For the celebration itself, the on-site restaurant, Taverna di Mozart, seats up to sixty guests within its characterful stone arches, while the gardens, courtyard and open fields can host up to two hundred. A twenty-metre swimming pool sits among the private gardens with a boundless view of the valley, and the patio in front of it has an outdoor fireplace — so the party can carry on into the night around the warm light of an open fire.

From an Elopement to Two Hundred Guests

One of Locanda's real strengths is its range. It is set up not only for full weddings but specifically for elopements and micro weddings — intimate celebrations for couples who want the Val d'Orcia and very little else. That flexibility means the place can feel as private as two people in a wheat field or as lively as a two-hundred-guest party, and the family who run it tailor each one closely; the warmth guests describe in their reviews is genuine and consistent. Couples often take the whole Locanda for several days, so their closest people stay on site and the wedding becomes a shared Tuscan escape rather than a single afternoon.

That blend of intimacy and care is, I think, why so many couples talk about Locanda as feeling like family. For an elopement in particular, having a whole team quietly making the day perfect — rather than navigating a vast venue alone — turns what could be a lonely formality into something genuinely warm.

A Family Table in the Heart of the Val d'Orcia

The food matters here. Taverna di Mozart serves traditional Tuscan cooking built on local products, part of the estate's "Amore Toscano" project, a collaboration with Val d'Orcia artisans and producers begun in 2020. For a wedding, you can choose the authentic Tuscan reception of the on-site restaurant, a trusted Michelin-starred catering service, or bring your own caterer — a flexibility that suits everyone from food purists to couples with their own vision. Around the celebration, the setting offers the full Val d'Orcia: Montepulciano and Montalcino, with their great wines, are around twenty to thirty minutes away, and the natural hot springs of Bagno Vignoni and Bagni di San Filippo are close by for the days before and after.

Reaching Locanda in Tuscany: Notes for Couples Travelling from Abroad

Locanda in Tuscany sits near Castiglione d'Orcia, in the province of Siena, in the heart of the Val d'Orcia — secluded among the hills, but well placed for exploring. For international couples and their guests, Florence's airport is roughly an hour and a half to the north, with Rome's airports a little over two hours south and Pisa to the west, so the valley is reachable from several directions. Siena is around an hour away, while Montepulciano and Montalcino are both just twenty to thirty minutes off for guests who want to explore the wine country. Because the resort lies along country roads in open farmland, I'd encourage transfers or a hire car rather than relying on public transport. The address is Podere Moro Fiacchi 13, 53023 Castiglione d'Orcia (Siena).

What Couples Ask Me Before Choosing Locanda in Tuscany

How does the legal side of marrying in Italy work for a foreign couple?

A legally binding civil marriage in Italy is performed by Italian authorities, and the documents required depend on your nationality. Most couples coming from abroad need a sworn declaration of no impediment to marry — usually arranged through your own country's consulate or embassy in Italy — together with further paperwork, and it is best begun several months ahead. Locanda can arrange both civil and symbolic ceremonies, and its in-house team is experienced at guiding international couples through the process; many still complete certain legal formalities at a local town hall and hold their main celebration here. My honest advice is to confirm exactly what your two passports require early, because that single detail shapes the whole timeline.

How many guests can Locanda host?

The on-site restaurant, Taverna di Mozart, seats up to sixty guests indoors among its stone arches, while the gardens, courtyard and open fields can accommodate up to around two hundred people, with a marquee an option for larger numbers. That range makes Locanda equally suited to an intimate gathering and a full celebration. It's worth discussing your guest list early so the right combination of spaces — and whether you take the whole resort for exclusive use — can be matched to your day.

Can we elope or have a micro wedding here?

Absolutely — Locanda is genuinely set up for elopements and micro weddings, not just large events, with dedicated offerings for couples who want the Val d'Orcia and only their closest few. It is one of the things that sets the place apart: the same team and the same stunning fields can host two people or two hundred, and an elopement here still gets the full warmth and attention of the family who run it. For couples drawn to the idea of marrying quietly in a wheat field with the valley as their only witness, it is close to ideal.

Where exactly can the ceremony take place?

There are several distinct settings: a wheat field or a lavender field out in the open landscape, a pergola beside the pool, and the stone courtyard, each with the Val d'Orcia as a backdrop. Because Locanda is part of the Dolcevita Valdorcia family alongside the iconic Vitaleta Chapel, there may also be lovely options to incorporate that famous landmark into your photographs or plans, which is worth asking the team about directly. The field ceremonies in particular are, to my eye, some of the most evocative settings anywhere in this part of Tuscany.

Can we use the on-site restaurant, or bring our own caterer?

Both, and more. You can choose an authentic Tuscan reception from the on-site Taverna di Mozart, which cooks with local Val d'Orcia products, or a trusted Michelin-starred catering service the team works with, or bring an external caterer of your own. That flexibility is unusual and genuinely useful — it means the food can be as rooted-and-local or as bespoke as you wish. For couples who care about provenance, the restaurant's ties to nearby producers through the estate's Amore Toscano project are a lovely touch.

What makes Locanda and the Val d'Orcia special to photograph?

It is, quite simply, one of the most photogenic landscapes on earth — which is why UNESCO protects it. At Locanda I have the wheat and lavender fields, the cypress-lined views, the pergola and pool, and that famous Val d'Orcia light, all in one place, with the Vitaleta Chapel and the wider valley close at hand. Late spring brings the green fields and, in season, the lavender; high summer turns the wheat gold; autumn glows softly. Wherever we point the camera, the valley does much of the work, and the result is an album that looks unmistakably like the Tuscany people dream of.