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Italy

Highlights of

Europe: Italy: Tuscany: Welcome to a Country Hotel

What:  Restored Italian countryside hotel offers Saturday to Saturday at charming country  hotel providing weeklong riding programs for beginners, leisurely riders, and for more serious intermediates. Half or full day rides from property are regularly available while two of the scheduled rides the Trails to the Sea and the Maremma are circle tours where riders are taken back to the property at end of eacj day while horses are pastured at property where ride ended for day. In morning you return to the horses by vehicle and resume ride.
Dates and  Rates:

March 4- Nov. 9.Program rates vary with week and month
Discovery Program 8 days/7 nights 5 days of 2 and 1/2 hours of riding; Rates vary from $1060 US to $1263 US.

Satellite Program: 8 day/7 nights 5 days of 4 to 4.5 hours of riding. Rates vary from $1158 US to $1361 US.

Maremma and Trails to Sea: 8 days/7 nights. Rates vary from $1270 -$1481.

Single supplement $184 US to $286

General Description:   A comfortable property in  Tuscany with good riding; what more can you ask for?  Our Italian delight offers daily half and full day riding with one day off during the week and an alternative  mountain bike tour.  Located 750 meters above sea level, 10 minutes from the nearest village (1 km) the property  offers a revealing vista of the surrounding area of native chestnut and oak forests, olive grove, vineyards, pines and cypresses. There is a comfortable pool on the property. Throw into the mix, the beaches, the historical towns that surround the area including numerous medieval villages and you have a region that has long attracted tourists both on and off horseback. Typically most riders enjoy the Satellite Trail, which consists of daily half and/or full-day riding from the property to a different destination each day with enjoyable picnic lunches.  Half-day riders are transported back to the property after lunch while full day riders ride their horses back. There are numerous daily destinations to ride too and you will not exhaust all the options in a week.  If on the other hand you prefer well organized riding tours you may wish to try the Maremma Trail and the Trail to the Sea where riders are returned by bus each evening to the property while the horses find comfort at local farms and stables. Both of these 7-night programs involve five days of riding and are appropriate only for moderately experienced riders. The alternative riding package for beginners, the Discovery Week offers fundamentals meant to get you into the saddle and riding, a total of 10 hours for the week.  Non-riders may wish to enjoy the self-guided mountain bike tours or simply with use of a rented car take in the sites and sounds of this enchanted land.            

WHAT TO EXPECT:
 
 Horsesense:

 Beginners and intermediate riders can find a riding program to suit their abilities. Out of our 14 Maremma horses you will find one that suits you: large and small, sturdy and fit, playful young ones and reliable, experienced horses. What they all have in common is a balanced character, sure-footedness and good condition. Their overall will to survive in the earlier wilderness conditions of the Maremma has created a strong warm-blooded race, and an ideal trail horse.

Still today the horses are bred and raised all year in the wide meadows. Intense friendships and an organized hierarchy mark the life of our horses. Through the security of the herd they develop a quiet, strong character. They are experienced on difficult land conditions. We ride without strong aids, in English or trail saddles, and on a loose rei
n.

 Getting There:
Pisa is nearest international airport. Saturday to Saturday stays .  
By car: 1 1/4 hours south of Florence
By train:  Florence to Follonica: Travel time 2 1/2 hours.
Transfers from Follonica Train Station are $87 US/3/60 E.
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Room and Board:
Guests sleep in small but comfortable rooms with private bathroom facilities, televisions and telephones. Our rates above are quoted on basis of full board which we recommend because of the quality of the food. The property is up to modern standards and tastefully restored to a splendor that is as much the creation of the charming inn owners as it is the history of the property. Italian foodis revered the world round and the property will not disappoint you.
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Weather:
Temperatures in riding period will be very similar to ones all over Western Europe and United States. Due to the higher elevation riding in June, July and September can be very pleasant. August is notoriously warm.  Spring and fall are perfect.  Daily   average varies from e.g. April/October: 50 to 68 Fahrenheit to August 85-95 degrees Fahrenheit
 
ITINERARY

The aim is to give you the holiday of a lifetime and as such we have planned some fantastic rides for you to enjoy. It's difficult to put together an exact itinerary, as sometimes nature intervenes. However, below is a typical weeks riding holiday, each day is interesting and varied, with an average 4.5 hours riding at all paces. Your guides will ensure a mixture of relaxing and exhilarating rides for you to enjoy.

When not riding there are lovely walks all around the villa and there are some of the best unspoilt beaches in Spain where you can soak up the sun or swim in the sea. The villa has secluded terraces and private swimming pool where you can sit and relax with a book and a cold drink. Close to Los Canos de Meca are the towns of Barbate and the ancient hill top town of Vejer . Time permitting we can take you to either place, where you can take in the shops and bars and in Vejer's case the stunning views over the countryside.

 
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II- DAY BY DAY SAMPLE TOUR ITINERARY:

1. Discovery and Satellite Week:

2. Maremma Trail:

3.Trails to the Sea:

1 Discovery Week for beginner riders :
You are not sure whether "happiness is being on horseback"? Then why not give it a try? With experienced help you will be comfortable with the important fundamentals of trail riding after 10 hours in the saddle. As soon as you feel relaxed with riding and confident to step out of the ring, you are ready for your first trip out. You will quickly learn to trust the quiet, balanced temperament of our horses. The ideal combination of riding lessons and outings is individually structured. Each evening your riding instructor will discuss the next day's lesson with you.
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1. Satellite rides are a half-day ride from the Rifugio Prategiano. If you decide to go on a full-day ride (4 – 5 hours in the saddle), you simply return to the stable with your horse in the evening. If a two -hour ride is good enough, then after the midday picnic you can change your horse for a seat in the bus that will drive you back to the hotel. Your horse will in turn be given to someone who has chosen to take part in the afternoon portion of the ride back to the hotel.
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Individual destinations include:
LAGONI: Hot springs and sulphur vapors that gush out of the ground mark the Cecina valley.

MINES OF GERFALCO: A wild-romantic path leads to the former silver mines, from where there is a wonderful view to the sea.

PRATA: Old trade and animal paths cross through these native forests. In this area one often meets wild animals such as fox, deer, wild boar or porcupines.

CHIUSDINO: This day ride will take you from the wild Maremma through the typical agrarian country of the Sienese hilly landscape that so typifies Tuscany. While wandering through the village of Chiusdino, enjoy the picturesque view of the Merse valley.

RIVER MERSE: Overgrown fruit trees surround crumbling farmhouses and, depending on the time of year, invite you to a fruit snack. Riding through the crystal waters of the Merse River, experience how nature has recaptured former agricultural land through the years. On warm days the high point of the riders' week is a swim for riders and horses in the river. After the picnic we have the possibility to visit  the abbey ruins of San Galgano. Feel the indescribably mystical atmosphere around the standing remains of the Romanesque chapel, making this one of the most interesting visits in Tuscany.
 

2 Maremma Trail: Sept 5- 16, 19-26

Day 1 Arrival at property in time for
Day2: Sunday :A light day ride to a Roman thermal bath in the Cecina valley will allow you to get to know your horse and the surroundings.
Day3: Monday: Huge old trees and thick undergrowth are an indication of the native forests around Montieri and Gerfalco.  During the picnic you enjoy a wonderful view to the sea. The rocky path to the castle ruins of Fosini has a unique beauty. In the evening we reach the magnificent Renaissance estate of Anqua. The horses will stay over in the meadows belonging to this friendly Sienese noble family.
Day 4: Tuesday::  From Anqua we head out to Lagoni, a hot springs area. The landscape loses its wildness to more charming agricultural developments typical of centuries of occupation - picture-book Tuscany. We pass by abandoned farm houses,  cross fields and small rivers until we leave the horses overnight close to the village of Fosini.
Day 5: Wednesday: Not far from Fosini lies a well-known cultural monument in Tuscany - the abbey ruins of San Galgano. This cloister built in the 13 Th. century used to be the cultural and economic center of the region.  Once we have viewed the legendary walls of this historically-significant church, we gallop into wide open meadows and follow the legendary “Ancient path of the Maremma” until the castle “Luriano”, where our horses stay 2 nights and have a day to relax.
Day 6: Thursday: Relax or discover the area on your own. We would also be glad to organize excursions to Massa Marittima, Siena or to the sea.
Day7: Friday: The next morning we cross the beautiful grounds belonging to the Countess of Luriano and move on to the romantic riverbed of the Merse. Watch how the trout flash through the rushing water away from the hooves of the horses. One last time experience the soft beauty of the Maremma hills and after a steep climb, turn back to the Rifugio Prategiano.
Day 8: Saturday: Day to relax at property
Day 9: Sunday: Morning, Check out
Trails to the Sea

Oct 10-17

Day 1 Saturday:   
Day 2 Sunday:
Day 3 Monday:   

 

Day 4 Tuesday:  

 

Day 5 Wednesday:

 

 

Day 6 Thursday:  

 

Day 7 Friday:

 

 

Day 8 Saturday:
 
   
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IMPORTANT NOTE: This are sample itineraries, planned several months in advance. Accordingly, arrangements (routes or facilities) are subject to change depending on local conditions and hotel choice may vary due to availability.  Also, the tour may be arranged in different order than is described above.
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III –SERVICES INCLUDED:
Full room and board for 8 days/7 nights, all riding as described in programs and guides
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IV–NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare, transfers Follonica  train station, discretionary gratuities, insurance and personal expenditures.

FACILITIES ON THE SPOT:

- Swimming pool (May 9 to Sept 26),

OTHER FACILITIES

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