Horse riding holiday in Tuscany

country:	Italy
location:	Tuscany
departures:	2009: 21 Feb, 7 Mar, 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 2 May, 16 May, 23 May, 20 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 19 Sep, 10 Oct, 24 Oct
price:	From €1200 (8 days) excluding flights. Includes at least 18 hours riding (see itinerary) and dinner and breakfast every day, and lunch on the three full day rides with picnic
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

Horse riding holidays

Tuscany holidays

Italy holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Tuscany offers history, culture and fantastic horse riding in an enchanting setting. We make it our pleasure to show you as the rider what we love so much about our region. Nobody likes to ride with a solemn faced guide. We prefer the less mechanical approach, utilizing our home-grown knowledge and expertise on the job at hand, to give you a holiday experience you won't forget. Our horses are chosen for the task at hand, our tack is comfortable and designed for those who spend time in the saddle, and we combine Italian and New Zealand back-country guiding and horse riding experience to offer riders a truly unique horseback vacation.

Discover the beauty of the Chianti Rufina wine region, the wildness of the Monte Giove national park, and the harmonious landscape of the Mugello. Our rides take you all over Tuscany, incorporating local farmhouses for special lunches, and a wine tasting tour at the local XV dated Villa Colognole. This holiday is divided into three more intensive full day rides, and two shorter 2-3 hour rides, allowing riders the possibility of a couple of afternoons by the pool overlooking the vineyards and olive groves and to take in the Tuscan sun.

A holiday for true Tuscan lovers, who wish to stay in lovely restored rustic accommodation, drink fine wine, dine on Tuscan cuisine, and enjoy spectacular countryside on well trained horses.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Pick up from Pontassieve station; transfer to farm. Welcome drink with your hosts Jess and Paolo before dinner.
Day 2:	Accustom yourself to your horse and tack before departing for Monte Giove. Negotiate tracks used in world war two by partisans hiding in the area, and on arrival at the cross, take in the breathtaking panoramic views that stretch over the Florentine Basin right over to Florence herself. On your return we stop for a typical Tuscan lunch out on the terrace of a local rustic restaurant.
Day 3:	Today we have a half day ride to the Roman road, hidden deep in the valley like a Mayan ruin. After negotiating forest tracks, we ride through Massimos cattle farm under the watchful eye of his sleepy cows. After a canter we pass by Antonellas farmhouse, with her array of donkeys, ponies and abandoned baby deer. After passing through the valley we ride to the "Spugna" popular with rock climbers. From here we ride up through the vineyards and terraced olive groves to the farm. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 4:	Today is a free day to spend in Florence (only 20 minutes by train from Rufina). Check out the Uffizi gallery, see "David" or just enjoy the stunning historic city centres many beautiful shops and cafès.We return transfer to and from Rufina where you can catch the train.
Day 5:	Another full day ride. We start off riding through chestnut and beech forests, and then head through the lovely village of Dicomano, up through private vineyards and farmland and then through to the river Sieve. After an invigorating canter along the corn fields, we cool our horses legs (and your own if you wish) and settle down for a a picnic lunch on the banks, and a lazy siesta under the shade of the trees. We return to the farm via lush vineyards, forest tracks, and olive groves.
Day 6:	Today you saddle up early for an adventurous ride into the national park forest and the Pontassive heights. Ride through the wine making village of Rufina, and onward to the beautiful vineyards above Pontassieve. Take in the sights and smells of Tuscany, including fields of wild flowers, lakes, and the ever present rolling landscapes typical of the area. Ride into a village called Acone, where there is a fantastic view over the surrounding landscape. From Acone wind your way down to an ancient Roman bridge and then stop for lunch amongst the vineyards. After a good Tuscan meal ride down the valley surrounded by the vineyards and olive groves, crossing the river Sieve for a long canter along the flatlands, before crossing the river again to return to base.
Day 7:	Morning at leisure, if you wish we can organize a wine tasting and cellar tour at the Villa, otherwise spend the morning relaxing at the pool with a nice book or a cappuccino. In the late afternoon we take you on a final ride through the spectacular Mugello landscape, arriving home in the dusky twilight.
Day 8:	Drop-off at the station after breakfast.

travelling with a local operator

This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.

how this holiday makes a difference

Many riding stables prefer to keep large strings of unhappy horses, their overhead dictating that each ride must be as large as possible in order to stay afloat. To us, that's not a good ride. So, we based our whole business on using great horses, well treated and well trained, and on giving a great responsible travel service to the people who come ride with us.

One of the greatest benefits that you will enjoy when you choose one of our rides is the intimate, exclusive experience that is not often found with trekking centres, pack outfits, working ranches or other trail rides where 12-50 riders are common. A smaller group means more personal attention, more privacy and more individual space. You won’t get lost in a crowd with us; group size is limited to 6 enthusiastic riders per ride. This minimizes the impact of our tours on the environment.

We have an environmental policy to make sure that the eco-system here is not damaged in any way. Our guides are trained to uphold this policy and all clients are fully briefed on appropriate/responsible behaviour whilst riding through wilderness areas. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to all trips.

We use only locally owned transport, restaurants, shops and accommodation on our tours. The atmosphere at the farm is inspired by a genuine love of the local traditions of the places, people and culture that surrounds it. It has recently been completely restored and divided into country style apartments preserving original, rustic and farm-like characteristics.

Food produce is locally, and where possible organic and specialized to the area. Wine is produced on the very terrain you ride across, and is of a very good quality. Local staff that know the area well are hired. During this holiday you will meet real people, and experience the culture that many larger tourism outfitters neglect. When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to toward the rescue centre for local birds of prey at Vicchio.

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