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ITALY - Gourmet riding trails in Tuscany...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

• Hills of Tuscany
• Tuscany Mythical : Siena and Val d'Orcia

ITINERARY

HILLS OF TUSCANY

Day 1 Reception at the station of Orvieto if you come by train, then transfer to the starting point of the trail ride in an agriturismo (a farm that is at the same time a guesthouse) just outside the gates of the small town of Proceno. The first night will be spent in the traditionally restored country house belonging to the Pauletti family, who are farmers. The rooms are tastefully furnished in keeping with the style of the house. Dark furniture harmonises well with the brick-red tone of the terracotta floors and ceilings. Beyond the garden balustrade we will get a first full glimpse of the Paglia valley, which will be the route we will follow on our impending trail. We'll take the dinner all together in a traditional restaurant, during which our guide Michele will give a short introduction to what awaits us in the days to come. Day 2 Starting from the stables, which are a five-minute car ride from our quarters, our first outing will be a round trip in the Conteé di Montorio and Castell Ottieri area, giving riders the opportunity to get to know their horses. This countryside unique in Italy offers the observer an ever-changing series of staggered terraces. The fields lined with trees drop steeply at their borders and continue below on another plane. Dinner will happen in another very good and traditional restaurant.

Day 3
After breakfast the horses, already saddled, await their riders. The trek begins with a view of the typical hill formations of this region, the Crete Senese, gentle clay undulations on which the odd cypress tree grows here and there, with expansive wheat fields and inaccessible meadows with grazing sheep, interspersed with isolated, mostly deserted farm houses. After crossing the river Paglia and the via francigena, a road built in the middle ages connecting Rome and Paris, we take a country road with a gentle upward gradient in the direction of Celle sul Rigo.
The view which now emerges reveals two separate wide valleys, which can be seen stretching out on both the left and right sides from the riders' vantage point - an ever-changing image of higgledy-piggledy wheat fields and fields of sunflowers decorated with olive trees and framed with stretches of forests providing some welcome patches of shade. During the afternoon the trail takes us along gravelled roads continually leading uphill. As we cross the bed of the river Rigo our eyes are now permanently focussed on our night quarters, proudly perched high above us on the Rocca di Radicofani.
Having reached our destination, somewhat tired but with a sense of achievement, we can look back on the route we have just taken and recover our strength with a well-earned meal in the cosy restaurant of our little hotel with home-made pasta and delicious game specialities.

Day 4
In the morning we take a northerly route downhill through forests, soon reaching open country with a full view towards the southern end of the famous Val d´Orcia.
In what is probably the most beautiful and most often photographed part of Tuscany we witness "in the flesh" the classic cliché calendar photos which are so often sniggered at: stone houses framed with cypresses on the top of small hills, gravelled roads winding their way through the wheat fields like snakes, an ancient Roman church nestling on the open plains in an olive grove and more cypress-lined roads. All this shimmers and glimmers in the morning sun like the paintings of van Gogh, who would surely have delighted in the magnificent views.

After a picnic on the banks of the river Orcia we will follow pathways and country roads past the extensive vineyard slopes to the highest point of the valley in Castilioncello. From this vantage point we can again enjoy the entire beauty of the valley but this time from the opposite side, before turning to descend past an Etruscan necropolis and into a belt of forest until we reach our quarters for the night near Sarteano, the modern hotel La Lanterna. Day 5 In the morning we will set off towards the Umbrian border. As we ride along the foothills of Monte Cetona, the landscape changes as we approach the vineyards of the famous Chianti wine-growing region. Next to large fields of sunflowers we can see impressive fattorias (wine growers and wine cellars) with their respective vineyards. Passing various country villas on the way we arrive at Piazze, the small, medieval town on the eastern flank of the mountain. A picnic lunch will be served in an olive grove, where we will have a well-earned rest in the shade of its trees and perhaps indulge in a little wishful thinking about renovating the adjacent empty farmhouse as a holiday home. In the afternoon we arrive at a magnificently renovated borgo (hamlet) with its own castle in the middle of tree-cladded hills. From there we set off for the equally impressive residential area above the old Roman thermal spa, San Casciano dei Bagni, gaining a good impression from some of the houses of the splendour of this bathing resort. Our accommodation is little cosy hotel in the small town, where the owner does the cooking himself in the best Tuscan style.

Day 6
During the morning we will follow the Umbrian border towards the highest mountain of the region, Monte Cetona - around which we will by now have almost ridden full circle - at the heart of the Etruria region, an ancient area of settlement of the Etruscans.
We will climb through extensive areas of forest with our horses on stony narrow pathways to the cross at the summit and will experience a fantastic panorama encompassing the three Italian provinces of Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany.
The descent will be made partly on foot, giving the horses a chance to spare their tired legs. We will enjoy our picnic lunch on an old stone bench under a walnut tree in a tiny mountain borgo, providing the locals, who themselves are interesting to observe, with a welcome change.
After our rest we take our leave and follow a wonderful mountain road to return in the evening to our comfortable accommodation in San Casciano dei Bagni along winding mountain paths. Today we will have time to explore the small town centre before dinner.

Day 7
We ride along country paths through the Crete senese gently up and down the hills past the expansive wheat fields, through shady patches of forest and past a reservoir, indispensable in summer and across a chain of hills and further downhill past deserted romantic farmhouses and fallow fields. We reach the border between Lazio and Tuscany in Cetona near the via francigena, that we have already crossed once at the beginning of our trail.
We enjoy our picnic lunch on the banks of the river Paglia, where there will be a not-to-be missed opportunity to have a swim in a natural bay. The last part of the trail leads us uphill once again to our last quarters, the country house belonging to the Pauletti family, where we had an enjoyable stay for the first two days of our trail.

Day 8
Departure (including the transfer to the station of Orvieto) and breakfast on the way to Orvieto.

TUSCANY MYTHICAL : Siena and Val d'Orcia

This is a trail in a line, a real journey from one point to another. The first week that we offer will start in Siena; we will meet our guide the first night for dinner to get information about the route and some advice for our visit of Siena. Next day is free for sightseeing in Siena; the start of our journey is the second day. (dates of departure : 2 april and 22 october) The week after we will start our journey in Proceno to end up in Siena - like the description shows. (dates or departure : 9 april and 29 october) The "classic" programme (This route can be changed in a different direction according to the constraints of weather or organisation) Day 1 : Proceno Arriving in Proceno and meet with our guide. Transfer can be arranged from station of Orvieto. Dinner and night. Day 2 : Proceno - Val d'Orcia Passing the old boarder village of Centeno. Ride along the old via Francigena. Arriving for lunch in Radicofani. After lunch down in Val d´Orcia passing the monastery of San Piero in Campo. Stay for the night in Agriturismo Caciamici. Day 3 : Val d'Orcia - Montepulciano Continue in the Val d´Orcia, passing the famous country house of la Foce (residence of Iris Origo, nobel lady that wrote books of this part of Tuscany). Riding along cypress roads and the most classical Tuscan countryside to Montepulciano, village where the Italian language is born; now known as beautifull village with its famous wine production. We take accomodation in a hotel in the village.

Day 4 : Montepulciano - Bagno Vignoni Dirt road across farming area - huge clay hills with wheat production to Monteciello, medieval little village; passing this we continue into one of the most classical corners of this part of Tuscany with view of Pienza; very well known medieval town for its nice arcitecture from Rossellino. Downhill to the end of val d´Orcia in direction of the very original village of Bagno vignoni, where we take accomodation directly in the unique square with its roman SPA. Day 5 : Bagno Vignoni - Montalcino From the SPA we continue uphill to Vignoni alto, passing in front of the castle La Ripa, entering in the Montalcino territory arriving in front of one of the most famous churches in Italy - Abazia di Sant Antimo. Lunch in Sant Angelo in Colle. Wine yards on our road untill we reach the city of Montalcino, where one of the most successful red wine of Italy is produced, the Brunello di Montalcino. Day 6 : Montalcino - Siena Ride through mediteranean wood, wine yards downhill with wide view in front of you in the direction of Siena to arrive for lunch in Buonconvento. In the afternoon we pass some of the most nice country villas in the Siena district. We arrive in a stable just 5 km out of the city, where a jokey from the famous Siena Palio has his horses. The riders get a transfer for their accomodation directly in the city. Last dinner all together.

Day 7 : Siena
Free time to explore this fascinating city with its exquisite campo and cathedral.
Diner and night.

Day 8 : Siena
End of the ride after the breakfast.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

The horses are Maremma horses and crosses and Anglo Arabs and crosses. The mostly young animals have a quite lively nature.

It is necessary to be easily able to manage a horse at all paces and to have an experience of open air riding including some jumps because of the irregular ground of the Tuscan countryside...

A level of fitness is required, as the daily riding is from four to fife hours- depending on the pace, of course, there are 35 to 40 km a day.

Weight limit: 90 km
No beginners.
Tack : English saddles

The guide is risponsible for your safety, therefore he can ask you not to ride if your riding level is not sufficient for this ride.

For your safety, we recommend always to wear a riding helmet while on horseback.

YOUR GUIDES

The trail rides are supervised by experienced local guides (Michele) who perfectly know the region and their horses.

ACCOMMODATION

One of the key points of those trail ride, that make you discover the Tuscan art of living : you will sleep in comfortable aziendas, Inns and little hotels, always with a typical regional atmosphere in double rooms or apartments with bathroom and WC, some with pool.
On the Hills of Tuscany, the night one, two and last will be spent at the Proceno Castle.
On the Siena and Val d'Orcia trail, the first or last night depend on the way of the trail, will be spent on castle in Proceno.

Picnic lunch , Italian evening meal with 3 or 4 courses, wine, water and coffee included.

On both trail rides, the accommodations can change according to the availability. Indeed, certain accommodations have a little capacity and are no more vacant a long time in advance. In this case, you will be accommodated in a similar accommodation close by.

DATES AND RATES

- Single room supplement : 210 €/person
(applies if you travel alone and we do not find another rider to share your room)

RATE INCLUDING

RATE NOT INCLUDING

Contact Claire, the specialist for this destination

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

LENGTH

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

Formalities
Check with your local Embassy according to your nationality.

Vaccines-Health
No specific vaccination, we recommend you to be up to date concerning your usual vaccinations, in particular for the tetanus vaccine.
Remember that a repatriation travel insurrance is compulsory.

Crossed out dates are fully booked.

REFERENCE :CH42-tuscany