Destination wedding in Caltagirone
One hundred and forty two ceramic steps climbing to a church.
Region
Central Sicily
Best months
May for the Infiorata on the staircase, plus June, September and October. Late July brings the Luminaria, when the steps are lit by thousands of lamps.
Getting there
About one hour from Catania airport. Civil ceremonies are celebrated at the Palazzo dell'Aquila. The staircase is steep — 142 steps — so plan the descent rather than the climb.
Getting married in Caltagirone
Caltagirone is the ceramic capital of Sicily. Its Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte is a staircase of 142 steps, every riser covered in hand-painted majolica tiles, and in May and in July it is decorated with thousands of flowers or lit with oil lamps.
The town is part of the UNESCO late baroque group of the Val di Noto, and it offers something no other Sicilian location does: colour, everywhere, in the architecture itself.
Venues and locations I use in Caltagirone
- Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte — the ceramic staircase
- Giardino Pubblico with its liberty-style bandstand and ceramic balustrades
- Basilica di San Giacomo and the churches of the old town
- Country estates in the hills between Caltagirone and Piazza Armerina
- Ceramic workshops for a documentary-style couple session
Frequently asked questions
Can we photograph on the staircase during the Infiorata?
Yes, but it is crowded. For a private feel we shoot at first light, when the flowers are fresh and the steps are empty.
Is Caltagirone close to other locations?
It sits between Catania, Piazza Armerina and Ragusa, all within an hour, which makes it a good central base.
Nearby wedding destinations
Central Sicily
Piazza Armerina
Roman mosaics, oak forests and the quiet heart of the island.
Ionian Coast
Catania
Black lava stone, baroque façades and a city that never stops moving.
Val di Noto
Ragusa Ibla
A stone town on a ridge, wrapped in a valley of olive trees.
Val di Noto
Noto
The capital of Sicilian baroque, carved in golden stone.