Itineary
Day 1: Arrival
You will arrive at Il Tanaceto, where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 2: Alcantara River, Taormina
After breakfast, we will set off at around 9.00 in the morning for a beautiful ride in the valley of the Alcantara River, passing through vineyards, olive groves, hazel orchards and lava flows, and crossing back and forth across the river (with the possibility of having a refreshing swim in a truly beautiful setting during the warmer months of the year). We will have a picnic lunch on the banks of the river near the Gorges of Castiglione, and return to the agriturismo in the early afternoon. In the afternoon you will visit the famous town of Taormina, known as the "Pearl of Sicily". You will reach Taormina by car (approximately 40 minutes) at around 4.00 in the afternoon, and will have a tour to get your bearings, followed by free time and a seafood dinner in the coastal town of Giardini Naxos, before returning to the Agriturismo.
Day 3: Catania, Rovittello
We will have breakfast and set off at around 8.00 in the morning to visit Catania (about 1 hour away by car), Sicily's second largest city, and rich in history and interesting monuments. You will have a short tour to get your bearings, followed by free time. We will return to the agriturismo for lunch, and then set off for a ride of about two hours through the area surroundingRovittello, through hazel orchards and vineyards, with breath-taking views of Etna and the Alcantara Valley. We will have dinner back at the agriturism
Day 4: Alcantara, Malvagna
After breakfast we will set off at about 9.30 in the morning towards the Alcantara Natural Park, which continues as far as the impressive Malvagna Gorges, where you can bathe in the river and where we will stop for a picnic lunch, before continuing the ride towards Malvagna, a picturesque typical Sicilian village. We will have dinner and spend the night at the B&B L'Arco deiSogni
Day 5: Castiglione di Sicilia
We will have breakfast and leave Malvagna at around 9.00 in the morning, riding down through the valley towards Castiglione di Sicilia, a very old village, with a rich history and boasting impressive monuments, which we will visit in the afternoon after enjoying a picnic lunch by the river. We will have dinner and spend the night back at Il Tanaceto.
Day 6: Etna
This day of the programme is dedicated to visiting Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, reaching 3333 metres above sea level, and which you will see dominating the landscape throughout your stay. The itinerary for the day may vary, depending on conditions. If conditions are good, we will climb as high as the volcano's summit craters, at around 3000 metres. We will have dinner and spend the night at Agriturismo San Marco.
Day 7: Alcantara, wine tasting
After breakfast, we will set off at around 9.30 in the morning for another enchanting tour in the Alcantara Valley, where on this day of the programme you can enjoy a wine tasting of Etna DOC wines from one of the most renowned winegrowers in the area. In the early afternoon we will return to the agriturismo, and set off on the last short ride of your stay in the surrounding area. We will have dinner and spend the night at Il Tanaceto.
Day 8: Departure
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport (or another location on the island, as requested).
Prices
£1700 per person for a double room.
£1931 per person for a single room.
2019 Dates
2018 DATES:
April 21-28
May 05-12
Every week from July 21st to September 1st
September 08-15
September 29 -October 06
October 13-20
Every week from 17th November to 12th January
10% discount for all bookings made before 21 June 2018
Additional Info
Level: Comfortable at all three paces (walk, trot and canter), with experience of hacking out in the open.
Age requirements: 16 years old and above.
Group size: Nine people maximum.
Key information / requirements: Between five and six hours in the saddle per day. You must be comfortable at all three paces (walk, trot and canter). You must be physically fit. This programme is aimed at intermediate and advanced riders and it is not suitable for beginners or riders with only limited experience. The terrain is varied and there may be long trots and gallops along the way.
Equipment: It is possible to hire riding hats and chaps on site. The following items are essential: waterproofs, layers (it can be cold at altitude), boots and chaps, and sun cream.
Weight: Max 90 kg.
Accommodation: Agriturismi or 3* good quality hotels, and one night in a comfortable chalet.
Themes: Mountains, forests, flora, fauna, lava flows, craters, history, mythology, agriculture, views.
Meals: Picnic lunches, typical Sicilian dinner in the evening (minimum four courses).
Refined Sicilian cuisine prepared with local produce. Evening meals include: starter, pasta course, meat / main course, dessert, wine, water and digestif (liqueur, grappa, limoncello or other available options), coffee or tea. Continental or American-style breakfasts on request. For groups of four or more riders, picnic lunches are provided by support vehicle (together with tables, chairs and cutlery) and include: fresh bread, salad, cheeses, olives, charcuterie, Sicilian specialities, wine or other drinks on request, coffee or tea. For groups of less than four riders, picnic lunches consist of sandwiches and fruit (carried in saddlebags).
Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Sicilian.
Horses: 14 horses of Sicilian breeding, all well trained and accustomed to the terrain. The horses live out at pasture. The guide cleans, grooms and tacks up the horses.
Tack: Comfortable English saddles, with a sheepskin cover, or Western saddles on request. All horses are ridden with a martingale and a crupper.
Luggage transport: By support vehicle.
Optional additional activities: Swimming pool, walks, massages, guided tours of towns and historical sites with a local guide.
Nearby towns and places of interest: Etna Natural Park, Alcantara Natural Park, Nebrodi Natural Park, Castiglione di Sicilia, Zafferana Etnea, Nicolosi, Ragalna, Belpasso, Randazzo, Bronte, Catania, Taormina.
Airport: Catania.
Transfers from/to the airport: Included in the programme price.
Logistical base: Le Terre di Castel Leone.