Certaldo Alto, situated on the border between Florence and Siena is a beautiful, unspoilt medieval village, most famous as the birthplace of the 14th century writer Giovanni Boccaccio.
Certaldo is a great choice for those who wish to hold a civil wedding in an open air setting: the town hall courtyard is used for the wedding ceremony, and this beautiful open space is a unique location for an intimate and romantic ceremony.
The town grew from an Etruscan settlement, and the medieval village is in the form of the classical walled city, in the manner of San Gimignano and Volterra, though Certaldo Alto, being smaller and historically less important, has maintained a sense of quiet abandon, and tranquility.
The peace of the village life is disturbed once a year, in the third week of July, with the "Mercantia" festival of street artists and street theatre, at a national and international level, with over 80 groups from all over Europe performing throughout the day and evening.
The small village is also home to some fine restaurants, as well as being ideally situated for many of the central Tuscan villas.
