We have all seen the pictures on Instagram and Pinterest of the beautiful views in Tuscany, with the sun setting in the background, looking out over hundreds of rolling hills, full of lush forests. I can honestly tell you that in real life, it’s even better! Horseback riding in Tuscany is absolutely magical and the amazing hotel we stayed in made the experience unforgettable. In this blog post I will tell you all about the horses, the horse rides we did, our accommodation, what else to do in Tuscany and how to book this fantastic horse riding holiday of course!
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We had the pleasure of trying out several horses during our four days of riding. I rode an adorable horse called Esmeralda on the first day. She was a great start to a great holiday, but for me personally a little bit too steady! An absolutely perfect horse for beginners and nervous intermediate riders though. They have such a large variety of horses here that there is truly the perfect horse for everyone. On the second day I rode a little Spanish pony called Fiera. I immediately fell in love with her and requested her for the rest of the rides. We ended up making friends with lots of other riders in the hotel and everyone fell in love with their horses. Lara fell in love with Ramon and Pinki (we are not sure if her name really is Pinki, but we called her that!). Update: her name is actually Pinti! Kathi fell in love with the absolutely stunning Valerosso, and her sister Eva fell in love with Arabella. They really managed to match everyone to their ideal steed every day! You can request a horse every ride, but it doesn’t always mean you get that horse again. The horses of course need their rest and sometimes that means you’ll be riding another one, they always try their best though and even if you get another horse, I can assure you you’ll love them! They are all well trained and in good condition, even in the hot and dry Italian summer they are fit and energetic, and happy to go for a trek.
In one word, insane! I highly recommend riding out in the late afternoon. You can choose between several options, you can opt for a horse ride in the morning at 10am or in the afternoon around 5pm. You can also choose to go on the full day ride, with a picnic in the middle of the day, or choose to do half of the full day ride (either the morning or afternoon) and also join the picnic! They also offer horse riding lessons for beginners, intermediate and experienced riders in the arena. We went for treks through the countryside every day in the afternoon and it was absolutely beautiful. Every day, the route was so different, with new things to see and views to admire. We did the late afternoon ride three times, and the picnic with the second half of the full day ride once. We enjoyed every ride, but our favourite was a long ride from 5pm to 8pm where we did lots of fun canters and trots, and the light was magical the entire way. The temperature is also perfect for riding around this time, and you have the rest of the day to explore all the amazing things in the area! The treks on horseback take you through beautiful fields, through authentic little Italian villages, through massive native forests and along rivers. Every few steps you can look through the trees and admire the sunset behind the rolling hills.
This hotel really feels like coming home. The staff immediately make you feel like you’re part of the family, and we made so many amazing friends during our short stay. Everything is super easy going, and the food is out of this world! The meals are all authentically Italian and prepared with local ingredients, with a lot of it coming from their own garden. They also have a bar where you’ll get the chance to hang out with your new horseback riding friends or just chill with your travel partner! The rooms are basic but incredibly comfortable, and most of the day you’ll want to go out exploring, horse riding or at the pool. The pool is a great addition to this accommodation as it does get hot in summer, and laying by the pool with a slight breeze is the perfect place for a siesta.
Also read: what to pack for a horse riding holiday in Tuscany
The hotel is located just a kilometer up the road from a little town called Montieri. Here, you can find a small grocery store, convenience shop, bar, and a pizzeria. I can honestly tell you that the best pizza we ever had was in this little pizzeria.
We also visited the beach and the little town of Punta Ala, about an hour drive away from the hotel. The beach here is absolutely beautiful and there are a few restaurants by the docks where you can have amazing local seafood dishes and Italian delicacies.
Every Friday, we were told, there is a market in Follonica, which is a town about 40 minutes drive from the hotel. We didn’t get the chance to go unfortunately but many others did and they highly recommended it!
Make sure to have a look on Get Your Guide to find over 800 tours all over Tuscany. From food and wine tastings, to city tours, to hot air balloon flights, they have it all!
The hotel also offers mountain biking, hiking, and like I mentioned before, lessons and trails for beginners too. This also makes this horse riding holiday perfect for non riders to tag along.
You can contact me directly to book this horse riding holiday. These trips are bookable for non riders, beginners and experienced riders! You can join for a few days up to few weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all or want to know more about my experience here.
