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Italy |
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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 |
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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.
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WHAT TO EXPECT: |
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| Horsesense: |
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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
rein.
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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: |
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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: |
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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 |
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| ITINERARY |
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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.
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2 Maremma Trail: Sept 5- 16, 19-26 |
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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. |
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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
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Day 9: |
Sunday: Morning, Check out |
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Trails to the Sea Oct 10-17 |
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Day 1 |
Saturday:
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Day 2 |
Sunday: |
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Day 3 |
Monday:
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Day 4 |
Tuesday:
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Day 5 |
Wednesday:
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Day 6 |
Thursday:
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Day 7 |
Friday:
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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: |
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Full room and board for 8 days/7 nights, all riding as
described in programs and guides |
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| IV–NOT INCLUDED: |
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Airfare, transfers Follonica train station,
discretionary gratuities,
insurance and personal expenditures.
FACILITIES ON THE SPOT:
- Swimming pool (May 9 to Sept 26),
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OTHER FACILITIES
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