Located one and a half hours from Rome the splendid 17th century castle (complete with fairy tale turret) will be ‘home’ throughout your stay. You will be staying in converted buildings around the Castle, taking breakfast each morning in the Castle itself. The castle has two swimming pools, a tennis court and ample gardens. For those wishing to ride, a well run stables with professional instruction and miles upon miles of breath taking trail riding awaits you.
There is a choice of lessons from beginners to advanced in both dressage and jumping. There is also the option to ride in the countryside. Pony mad children or horse mad adults can enjoy excursions whilst the other family members enjoy the swimming pool. There is also a tennis court, billiard table, mini football pitch and a large garden for children to play in. Plesae be aware that to hack out from the castle you must be able to control your horse in walk and rising trot.
Accommodation is in well furnished and comfortable cottages. Both self catering and half board plan are available.
Your riding holiday will be spent in the countryside surrounding the castle, a 16th century estate still owned by the Caterini family, whose new generation, with their passion for horses, has turned the castle into an enchanting resort. The package price includes 4 half days of riding, below is a sample of the rides that await experienced riders. However do not worry if you have young children or if you are a beginner as these rides can be exchanged for lessons and gentler rides out.
THE THREE WATERS ALONG THE BRIGANDS PATH: (2 hours)
This morning you will be heading out along The Brigands Trail towards picturesque Lake Bolsena. This is a fantastic spot with breathtaking views of the area stretching from the beautiful crater of Lake Bolsena on one side, to the hills surrounding Lake Mezzano on the other side. On a clear day you can see the sea 40 km away, shimmering like a mirror. As you head back along this ancient ‘outlaws highway’ you will pass through mature oak woodlands dotted with original farm dwellings built in the traditional tufo rock.
NOCCHIETO & S.MARTINO (2 hours)
Today we will be riding along the track that was used as an escape route by the famous outlaws of the last century as they fled from the pursuing guards. Passing the ancient farm of Nocchieto the soft ground makes an ideal surface for the horses as you canter up to the old fountain. Then we will be entering a narrow line of gorges still used by the shepherds before heading to the top of Mount Amirita with its stunning views.
TO THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH OF S.MARIA DELLE COLONNE (2 hours)
From the castle we will climb upwards today along an ancient road carved into the rock. We will be riding through cultivated fields and chestnut woods where the horses, if wanted, can be pushed into canter giving the riders the thrill of a ride through these picturesque woods. At the bottom of the slope we find a small medieval church, another reminder of the rich cultural heritage of this region.
TO THE PANORAMIC VIEW (2 hours)
This excursion rewards the riders with a magnificent breathtaking panoramic view filling your heart with adventure. We will be following a bridleway to the woods of Onano. From there we will be crossing the pastureland until we reach a small track going slightly uphill (ideal for a canter), once at the top of the hills the horses can rest whilst we enjoy the spectacular views of mountains, lakes, woods, and castles: It’s all there at your feet!
ATTENTION: The excursions can be changed according to weather conditions, horses and riders by the riding management of the castle.
Prices
The cost per person in a 4 person self catering cottage for one week with 4 half day rides as above (or lessons) is from £650 in low season to £850 per person for July and August.
The accommodation in the self catering cottages offer either 2 or 3 double bedrooms (sleeps four to six people). In addition each cottage has a bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen.
Half and Full board options available - ask us for prices.
Transfers
Airport transfers - Transfers from both Rome airports (Fiumicino & Ciampina) are available on request between 10am-7pm. You will be met by your driver in arrivals, they will have a sign with your name on.
Train station transfers - Transfers from Orvieto train station are available on request. There are good train connections from Rome to Orvieto which take approximately 1.5 hours. All transfers are payable directly to the castle on arrival.
Although the above transfers are offered by the castle we highly recommend hiring a car for this holiday. In fact car hire is also available once you are at the castle - it must be pre booked and allows you to take the opportunity to get out into the Tuscany countryside and neighbouring Umbria.
Equestrian Escapes are happy to reserve your transfers for you however, as payment for this service is made directly to the transfer provider this service does not form part of our contract with you. As such, we are unable to accept responsibility for any delays, missed transfers etc.
Horses
The horses are a mixture of mix of thoroughbred and warm blood crosses, anglo-arabian and ponies. The tack is English tack. There are two outdoor arenas and lessons are available for all ages and levels in both dressage and jumping. The maximum weight allowed is 100kg and the numbers of riders on each excursion are between 1 and 5. Riding helmets are mandatory - no helmets = no riding. The castle has a veriety of helmets but it is always advisable to bring your own.
Additional Info
Holiday/Riding Insurance is mandatory and documentation has to be presented on arrival.
Optional activities at the castle include:
• Swimming pool (01st June - 30th September)
• Tennis court (€15 per hour)
• Mountain bikes (€20 per person per day)
• Mini football Pitch
• Volleyball
• Ping pong
• Billiards
Note
The price above includes clean towels once a week and bathroom soaps and shampoos are provided. There is no daily cleaning of your room or room service with change of linen on this package. Extra clean towels will be provided on request at a small extra charge, please ask at reception.
Our horse riding holidays in Tuscany are located in the beautiful Tuscany countryside which you will have the opportunity to ride out in and also take lessons in the arena if you wish on this perfect riding holiday Italy.
To read Equestrian Escapes reviews click on the link!
If you are interested in riding holidays in the UK please look at the other family friendly holidays that we offer in the Riding Holidays UK range.
Riding in the Lake District
Family Riding in Devon
Equestrian Escapes offers a wide range of UK horse riding holidays as well as horse riding holidays in Europe. Most of our riding holidays are suitable for children and families and non-riders are also welcome.
We inspect all the horses in our horse riding holidays to ensure the best quality holiday for you.
For tips regarding your holiday such as what to wear and riding ability, please visit the Travel Tips page.
We work hard to ensure that each customer has a great time on their holiday. Please see some riding holiday reviews here.
We have a large range of holidays to suit a range of riding abilities. Please see here for more information.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.