7 Day Carpe Diem Horse Riding Holiday in Isernia

Facilities

Day 1: Saturday

You are expected to arrive on Saturday evening at the farmhouse. After a welcome drink, there will be dinner with your hosts/guides. A three-course Italian dinner will be served every night, accompanied by local wines.

Day 2: Sunday

The morning is yours, you may sleep in, take your time over breakfast, do whatever you like. Before lunch, there will be a safety briefing then you'll groom and saddle up the horses followed by a short demonstration in western riding. After lunch, you'll do a test ride (three hours) to enable you to get acquainted with the horse you are going to ride all week.

Some riders like to ride different horses during the week which is also possible. Visit the new riding center-inclusive Bistro from your host which is close by and look forward to having a freshly prepared dinner.

Day 3: Monday

At about 10 a.m., leave the house. After a long ride through the woods, there will be many fields; have a canter and lunch picnic at an idyllic spot. After lunch, there is a lovely view of the village of Vastogirardi, then, the route takes you through miles of beech-woods; it ends in “Valle Fredda” (Cold Valley), here, it is time for another long canter. In the evening, wait to get served delicious food cooked by your host.

Dat 4 - Tuesday

Today, pass the new riding center and ride down to the village of Carovilli. Tie the horses and have a fresh aperitivo on the Piazza. You can enjoy the atmosphere and listen to the small and big news from the inhabitants. Your next destination is Castiglione, a small town in the neighborhood. On top of the hill from Castiglione, there is a church ruin to see, it houses a still-functioning bell that you can ring.

The view from there is the valley from Carovilli. After a picnic, ride back to the farmhouse. The late afternoon is yours for free. You can relax in one of the amankas at the Bistro with a book; near the cozy fireplace in the house, you can find some of them, even in English or Dutch and German. If you like to take a refresh in the pool of the neighbor town or you like to visit the castle in Pescolanciano, Altavia will bring you there.

Day 5: Wednesday

Cross a little river, immediately followed by a steep adventurous climb. Continue uphill along small paths with wild berry bushes left and right from you until the forest clears; here, stop for a picnic. To the north, you can see where the Abruzzo mountain starts, then, it is just a short way to Pietrabbondante (literally meaning “plenty of stones”); admire the theatre and the two Samnitic temples.

The Samnites were the original population of Molise. It took the Romans three centuries of war before they finally conquered this region, which then became part of the Roman Empire (79 B.C); afterward, it is time to ride back home.

Day 6: Thursday

After breakfast, ride downhill in the direction of Pescolanciano. Shortly before the village, pass on the Tratturo, a Tratturo is a 2000-year-old track that is still used to move cattle from the far south where the grass is scarce in summer. From there, have a nice view of the old castle from the village. Before arriving in this village, there will be some canters in the fields.

Lunch is served in a little restaurant; the owner is well-known for her homemade ice cream. And now, get your trunks out, you can go swimming! Directly next to the resting place of the horses, there is a little pool which is build up a few years ago, you can relax here. The last few miles on horseback takes you over open heathland and dense oakwoods. At about 6 p.m., you are back at the farmhouse, unsaddle the horses for the last time and enjoy the farewell dinner.

Day 7: Friday

Departure after breakfast.

• Note

Due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances the program may have to be adapted. The alternative program may include Bell Museum Agnone, castle visit in Pescolanciano, a Western riding lesson in the round pen of the new riding center, etc.

The horses

The horses have been selected for their character, looks, and intelligence. They were all born in the mountains, so they are very reliable in this mountainous area. All-year-long, they live in a herd which makes them a close group, besides, most of them are related in some way or the other. The horses are willing and easy-going.

The tack is Western; on Sunday morning, you'll get a safety briefing followed by a short demonstration in western riding. After lunch, it is time for a three-hour ride so that all riders will get acquainted with their horses and the terrain.

Molise is situated in the southeast part of the region Lazio (Rome) and north of Campania (Naples).

Landscape and nature

The hills and mountains are sloping. In the Abruzzi, the Apennines are taller and rougher. There is no industry to speak of, everything over here is still pure nature. The Abruzzi house approximately has 40 brown bears. Furthermore, there are wild-boars, foxes, hares, squirrels, chamois, eagles, falcons, owls, woodpeckers, bats, and a handful of wolves.

There is an outstanding wealth of flowers, species Altavia grows in their gardens are put in vases at home and are wildflowers here. In early spring, there are crocuses, primroses, and violets; in May and June, the roses, irises, various anemones, and different kinds of orchids blossom; in July, a beautiful and rare orange lily appears in the woods, and autumn is the time of the cyclamen and autumn crocus.

On horseback

On the plateaus and in the valleys, you will make long canters; the horses, however, have to climb and go down a lot. Therefore, the pace is generally not very fast. The safety of the rider and that of the horse is the main thing!

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Daily full board meals with wine and beer at lunch and dinner are included in the package. The first meal included starts with dinner on the first day up to and including breakfast on the day of departure.

Usually a picnic is served while riding, with local cheese Caciocavallo, Pecorino, omelette with zucchini and mushrooms, bread cooked in wooden oven, regional wine.

At home every evening after the happy hour drinks, a 3 courses dinner; pasta (alla siciliana, carbonara, with mushrooms) meat with salads or fresh vegetables or potatoes and desserts.

All meals are fresh cooked using local products as mozzarella cheese, rucola, cherry tomatoes and regional wines. Vegetarian plates can be offered as well as vegan.

If you don't want to ride, you can choose to visit archaeological sites (Romans and Samnites), the Bell Museum or the thousand year old factory in Agnone. You can also visit the medieval villages in the area. During summer, you can either go to a swimming pool in the area, or you can go to Adria to enjoy the beach (65 km away). Long or short hiking tours can be arranged in the surroundings with guide.

• 4.5 days with 4 to 6-hour horse rides
• Services of an English-speaking guide
• Daily full board meals
• Wine and beer during lunch and dinner
• 6 nights accommodation
• Scheduled roundtrip Isernia railway station transfers

• Airfare
• Airport transfers
• Snacks
• Other drinks (30 EUR)
• Entrance to public buildings (example: the pool area)
• Insurance

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 16.94% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 21 days before arrival.