Destination Inspiration: Ligurian Coast of Italy

Giorgio was born in Genoa, the main city in the northwest Italian region of Liguria.  It is the costal area making up the Italian Riviera, stretching along the Mediterranean Ligurian Sea from the northwest French border down to Tuscany. Giorgio grew up surrounded by fruit trees, pesto pasta, 500 year-old narrow streets and rustic small villages that are legendary throughout Liguria.  Portofino and The Cinque Terre (the five villages of Monteroso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) are probably the best known areas of this region, as they have become popular vacation destinations. 

So, Giorgio was super excited to learn that his beloved Liguria was declaired to have Italy's cleanest beaches, according to The Blue Flag Programme, an environmental recognition by the non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education.  The organization works towards promoting sustainable development of beaches and marinas.

Giorgio loves to tell couples about Italy, especially about Liguria, when they visit us at the studio.  It is a great area to consider for your destination wedding or honeymoon.  Maybe one day you'll run into Giorgio when he is on a visit back home to see his family.  Or, if you take him there to photograph your destination wedding, he will make you some of his amazing pesto pasta and show you the best sights in Liguria!

Some of our favorite places in Liguria:

Vernazza, one of the Cinque Terre villages

Riomaggiore, another Cinque Terre village

Portovenere, near the region of Tuscany, actually has the southern starting point for the Cinque Terre hiking trail, but many people are not aware of that fact.  Shhhhh! It is still kind of a secret place.

Helen and Daniel's Wedding in Sorrento, Italy

Helen and Daniel chose the beautiful coastal town of Sorrento for their destination wedding in Italy.  For two thousand years visitors have come to the small southern Italian town famous for it’s wonderful lemons and fantastic views over the Bay of Naples.

The rehearsal dinner was held at Casale Antonietta, a bed and breakfast farm on the outskirts of town.  The farm has relaxing activities including horseback riding as well as wonderful lemon and olive groves to be explored.

The ceremony was held at the historical Cloisters of San Francesco, which is an outdoor courtyard-like structure that is part of a medieval monastery that dates back to the 8^th century.

The reception was hosted at the Relais Blu Belvedere, the hotel features amazing views over looking Capri in the Bay of Naples.

In between the ceremony and reception Giorgio took the bride and groom for pictures at the famous Pompeii Ruins. In the year 79 AD the nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted leaving the city covered in ash essentially freezing the town until it’s rediscovery in 1599.   All of the women working at the site gushed over the lovely bride Helen in ways only Italian mamms and nonnas do.  It was quite amusing for the bride and groom.  Giorgio is convinced that he is possibly the first photographer to take wedding portraits at this hitoric site since it seemed higly unusual to all the workers there...and was quite a farce...but it is a great story you can ask Giorgio to tell you all about when you come to meet him to talk about your destination wedding.  He really is a miracle worker when it comes to making special moments like that happen! 

You can see this wedding featured on his destination wedding site Giorgio Ventola International.

© Giorgio Ventola Inc.