Etruscan Trail Tuscany
Ride across breath-taking mountain pastures, follow the banks of the river Fiora and find your way through the area's mysterious sunken roads cut deep into the rock over 2,000 years ago.
Ride past the terracotta rooftops of medieval villages and discover ancient historical sites of the Etruscan civilisation from horseback. Enjoy the views over lush mountain pastures and wooded valleys as you follow the wild paths by the Fiora River. The trail involves some river crossings on horseback and there are opportunities for wild swimming at some of the lunch stops.
During the trail the main pace is walk as you’ll be riding on some steep mountain paths. There will be opportunities to trot and canter each day where the terrain allows faster riding and on some sections of the trail long, fast canters are possible.Please note that the program may be modified at any time due to prevailing weather conditions or for technical reasons.
itinerary
Day 1
Arrival
Arrive at Rome Ciampino/Fiumicino airport and transfer to your hosts organic farm in Tuscany. Settle into your accommodation at the farmhouse. Meet your fellow riders and guide over dinner and discuss the itinerary of the coming week.
Day 2
Introductory ride
After breakfast, meet your horse for the week and get ready for a full day in the saddle. Today is spent by getting to know your horse and the Western style of riding. Enjoy your first picnic lunch before heading back to the farmhouse for another great night’s sleep.
Day 3
The trail begins
Set out for the progressive trail. In the morning, ride through beautiful beech woods and follow the banks of the river Fiora. Today’s picnic is served by the river where you have the chance of cooling your feet or even having a swim. Continue on an ancient Etruscan road, cut deep into the rock. Some of these roads are deep ravines wide enough for a chariot to pass through whereas others are sunken footpaths. Your path will then pass by the most famous historic monument of Etruria
Day 4
Poggio Buco
the Tomb of Ildebranda, famed for its ancient burial chambers which date back to the third century. Overnight and dinner in a country house.
Day 5
Poggio Conte
Continue on the ancient paths of Etruria and pass through vineyards and olive groves. Continue following the river Fiora and cross it before riding past the Necropolis of Poggio Buco, an ancient Entruscan settlement from the 7th century. Continue on until you reach the country house that will be your accommodation for the night.
Day 6
Lamone Forest Nature Reserve
Today you will have a longer ride in the morning. Start the day by river Fiora and ride towards the medieval hermitage of Poggio Conte, an unusual chapel that was dug into the tuff rock by hermits. Continue on and reach the Butteri (the Italian cowboys) in the afternoon and ride with them for few hours. After that you will be driven to the country house where you will stay for the night. Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool and enjoying the down time.
Day 7
Vitozza
The journey continues towards the Lamone forest through beautiful hills and wild landscapes. Enter the Lamone Forest Nature Reserve and ride through a dense woodland spotting wild flowers. If you are lucky you can even spot various species of falcons and woodpeckers unique to the area, as well as the native Maremma cattle. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the woods and continue the ride in the afternoon over rolling hills. Admire the spectacular views as you ride towards Lake Mezzano, a crater lake of volcanic origin. Dive in for a refreshing swim before heading to your accommodation close to the lake.
Day 8
Departure
Leave Lake Mezzano behind and follow tracks across fields to reach the village of San Quirico. Your journey will then pass by Vitozza, an extended rock settlement inhabited from the 12th to 17th century with medieval treasures, castle ruins and cave houses. Continue on the Etruscan road and descend to the source of the river Lente. Your path will pass by the villages of Sorano and Montevitozzo before returning back to your hosts farm. Tonight a tasty farewell dinner awaits and you spend one more night being pampered with Tuscan hospitality.
know before you go
The Etruscan trail is suitable for intermediate riders upwards. All participants should be comfortable at all paces and happy to ride over all kinds of terrain including river crossings. A good level of fitness is required as you’ll be spending 5-6 hours in the saddle each day. There is a strict minimum age limit of 14 years and the weight limit is 100kg.
Our partners in Italy have more than 30 years of experience in organising riding holidays. Your guides are very knowledgeable about the horses, local culture and history and make sure you are well looked after for the whole duration of your holiday.
There are a maximum of 8 riders in a group.
The horses on this trail have been trained with natural horsemanship methods and with Western riding style. They are well-mannered, responsive rides and have had extensive training for riding through challenging terrain, making them extremely surefooted. The horses live out in a herd all year round on 100 acres of natural pasture land.
The tack used on the trail is Western style. The saddles have a large and comfortable seat which ensures an enjoyable experience during the long riding days. Saddle bags are provided so you can carry daily essentials while riding.
Price includes
- 6 full days of riding
- Trail riding horse, tack and saddle bags
- Accommodation based on shared twin or double rooms
- Breakfast
- Lunches
- Evening meals
- Services of a guide
Price Excludes
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips
Accommodation
During the holiday you will stay in traditional countryside guesthouses. The accommodation is carefully chosen for comfort, tasty local food and suitability to accommodate your horse for the night. Your luggage is transported by a support vehicle between overnight stops.
The food is a real highlight of any trip to Tuscany and you can expect to eat extremely well on this trip. Lunches are provided picnic-style while out on the trail while dinners are lively affairs which include a series of appetizers, two first courses, a second course and three side dishes, fruit and dessert. All food is local, seasonal and sustainable with many ingredients coming from your hosts’ organic farm.
Special dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for with advance notice.
Etruscan Trail Tuscany
Booking Conditions
See the full booking conditions specific to this trail here.Single supplement£160Airport transfers: €260pp return per personTrain station transfers: €40 return per personThe rides are confirmed with 3 riders.
Flights & Airport transfers
The closest airports are Rome Ciampino and Rome Fiumicino.Please don’t book your flights until you receive the ‘Booking confirmation’ email from saddletravel.com. Please plan your flights to Rome as follows:Flights to Rome Ciampino:Arrive by 2pm on the first day of your holiday.Departure any time after 3pm on the last day of your holiday.Flights to Rome Fiumicino:Arrive by 3pm on the first day of your holiday.Departure any time after 2pm on the last day of your holiday.Transfers from Rome Ciampino:Pick up on the first day of your holiday at 3pm.Drop off on the last day of your holiday at approx. 1pm.Transfers from Rome Fiumicino:Pick up on the first day of your holiday at 4pm.Drop off on the last day of your holiday at 12pm (midday).Transfers from Chiusi-Chianciano Terme StationPick up on the first day of your holiday between 5.30-6.30pm.Drop off on the last day of your holiday between 9-10am