“Experience trail riding in Italy”
8 Day on the Trail of a Roman Chariot Horseback Riding Tour to Monteleone Di Spoleto, Umbria
La Somma, Via dello Spagna 18, Montebibico, Spoleto, Perugia, Umbria, Italy
Horse Riding Tour in Italy
This trail ride offers the chance to sample some local history and beautiful scenery in this lovely corner of unspoiled southern Umbria, not too far from Rome.
Key information
- Rider weight limit: 100 kilograms / 220 pounds
- Horse height range: 15 to 17 hands
- Tack type: English and Western
- Horse breed: Anglo-Arabs, Argentinians, Arab-cross, and sure-footed Maremannos
Meet the instructors
Clare & Agostino
Read more
Read more
Highlights
- 6 days of horse riding
- Riding on well-schooled and responsive horses
- Beautiful scenery in a lovely corner of unspoiled southern Umbria
- Getting the chance for some trotting and cantering
- Passing the medieval hill town of Monteleone di Spoleto
- A pool with stunning views
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals
Skill level
- Beginner
Styles
6 days with instruction
Group size: 6-9 participants
Accommodation
The center has a range of sleeping accommodations available, including eight chalets or apartments and bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms and furnished to a high standard in traditional Umbrian style. Some have kitchen areas. All of them look out onto spectacular views of the surrounding woods and mountains and all have central heating in winter. Some have fireplaces.
The stables’ clubhouse is a large, airy room with beams, terracotta floors, and magnificent views from the bar area. A huge fireplace provides the perfect spot to enjoy a drink after a long day’s ride. On the second and third nights, you will stay at an agritourism, in Monteleone di Spoleto. It is called Agriturismo Montebello. La Somma has a good-sized open-air swimming pool, with amazing views over the surrounding hills and valleys.
Program
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday
Arrive at the riding center, meet the hosts and fellow riders, and enjoy a three-course, home-cooked meal at the local trattoria. Spend the evening in the onsite accommodation at the riding center and enjoy an evening drink from the terrace offering spectacular views over the region.
Day 2 - Sunday
Today, riders will be matched with their horses for the trail. The hosts are experts at matching horse and rider and, with a large stable, there are plenty of horses to choose from. To ensure that everyone is happy and to ease you into the next few days, riders will be taken on a half-day ride up onto the hills that surround La Somma, with spectacular views. Then home for lunch at the trattoria. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3 - Monday
Today, the group sets off to the pretty, medieval, hill town of Monteleone di Spoleto, which is tucked away in the hills of the spectacular Valnerina valley. Start the ride by meeting up with the horses, which will have been trucked to the village of Precetto. Perched on the other side of the bubbling River Nera from its twin village of Ferentillo, Precetto is a place where little has changed over the years, and both villages are guarded by ancient towers against marauding invaders.
From here, ride along a track that gradually winds up into the hills, passing the old customs point between the papal states and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, where the papal symbol of St Peter’s Keys can still be seen. This area is still known locally as the Salto del Cieco (Blindman’s Leap), after a band of brigands whose leader pretended to be a blind beggar, before robbing passing travelers and hurling them to their deaths.
Stop for a picnic lunch near here before carrying on over the crest of the hill, where Monteleone di Spoleto beckons in the distance. After riding along winding trails with amazing views, the overnight stop is a comfortable agritourism just outside Monteleone di Spoleto, home for the next two nights. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Tuesday
After breakfast, set out for a ride along the gentle paths around Monteleone di Spoleto. Some 100 years ago, a Roman chariot was found by a local peasant farmer in his field, who unwittingly sold it to a trader for a very small sum. The chariot is now in New York and the object of a very bitter struggle, though you can admire the replica in the town itself. Enjoy a picnic lunch before continuing the ride around Monteleone, with the chance of canters for those who want to. Dinner and overnight.
Day 5 - Wednesday
Leave Monteleone di Spoleto after breakfast and ride down a different trail, passing through the dramatically poised hill villages of Gavelli and Caso - close to today's lunch stop. From there, ride towards Scheggino, a pretty little town on the river’s edge that is famous for the trout that swim right through the town center.
Continue the ride along gentle paths until reaching Castel San Felice and the former Benedictine monastery, now a hotel, where the group will spend the night. The horses graze nearby, feed, and settle while riders freshen up. Dinner and overnight. The luggage will be delivered by car in the meantime.
Day 6 - Thursday
After breakfast, saddle up and ride for two to three hours along the banks of the river Nera, passing an ancient abbey and a number of villages. There is a chance for some trotting and cantering, before reaching the village of Ferentillo, where the horse box and cars will be waiting to transport riders and horses back to base for lunch. Overnight at the riding center.
Day 7 - Friday
The morning is spent relaxing by the pool after an action-packed week. But by mid-afternoon, it is time for another adventure - this time a memorable night ride up onto the mountain of Monte Acetella. A three-hour ride will take guests up onto the spectacular trails that surround La Somma, with opportunities for trots and canters along the way.
Riders are met by the stables' jeep as the sun sets over the hillside and served a three-course dinner at the table as they scan the skies for shooting stars. The return leg of the journey takes place by the light of the moon, perhaps accompanied by the magical fireflies that flit around the hedgerows at this time of year.
Day 8 - Saturday
Departure day. Enjoy breakfast before packing up and heading home.
Please note, riders have the option to do just the trail ride section of this program. They should arrive on Sunday evening and depart on Friday morning. Please send an inquiry if interested.
A ride to Monteleone di Spoleto
Some well-schooled and responsive horses will give you a safe, comfortable, and amazing riding time, regardless of whether you are a novice or an experienced rider. The hugely popular trail rides to gorgeous locations with great food and hospitality. Available as trail ride only, or as part of a whole week, with the remainder spent at La Somma, trekking and lessons. This trail ride offers the chance to sample some local history and beautiful scenery in this lovely corner of unspoiled southern Umbria.
The horses
The stables have more than 70 horses, including Anglo-Arabs, sure-footed Maremmanos, and smaller ponies for children. All of them are well-schooled and responsive.
Instructors
Clare Pedrick
Clare Pedrick is an experienced English guide, though she has lived in Italy for many years. She organises the horse riding holidays and will accompany riders on many of the rides.
Agostino Bevilacqua
Agostino heads the trekking side of the business and was born and brought up in these hills. What he doesn't know about horses is probably not worth knowing.
Location
Situated in some of the loveliest countrysides anywhere in Europe, La Somma offers riding holidays exploring rolling mountains, hidden valleys, and medieval hill villages in this unspoiled corner of Umbria where time appears to have stood still. The stables are just a 15-minute drive from Spoleto with its Roman, medieval, and Renaissance treasures and an enticing array of shops and restaurants. The area is also an excellent base for walking, cycling, and even rafting.
Rome is an easy train journey away, making it perfect for a day trip or as an add-on to your visit. The La Somma riding stables are situated in some of the most spectacular countryside to be found anywhere in Italy. Set up on a plateau overlooking the mountains and valleys around Spoleto, the scenery is stunning, with varied landscapes ranging from craggy rocks and peaks to soft rolling hills and cool and quiet woodland, home to porcupines, woodpeckers, and wild boars.
Distances
- Spoleto - 15 minutes
- Perugia - 30 minutes
Food
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
La Somma has a gorgeous pool on site with a hot tub area (the latter for a small fee). Golf is available for riders and non-riders at two excellent locations in Perugia. Please inquire.
First-class riding tuition (show jumping or flatwork)
Lesson is available as an extra for all trekking holidays, at prices lower than in most clients’ home countries, 25 EUR per hour, payable locally.
Other activities
- Cycling
- Mountain walking
- Rafting
- Trekking
- Wine tasting
What's included
- 7 days of riding
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Optional activities
- Tourist tax
How to get there
Recommended Airports
CIA
Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport
95 km
Transfer not provided
FCO
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
103 km
Transfer not provided
PEG
Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi – Umbria International Airport
51 km
Transfer not provided
Driving directions from Spoleto
- Take the main road from Spoleto towards Terni / Rome.
- You will see a tunnel right on the brow of a hill after approximately 6 kilometers.
- Get into the left lane and turn left immediately after the tunnel and a bar called the Bar Belli.
- Find the turning which is signposted Montebibico.
- Take another sharp left immediately and then left again (following signs for Montebibico).
- Follow the winding road up the hill for about 1 kilometer until you see a stone house with wooden shutters on the left.
- Turn left here.
- Drive up the unpaved road until you reach the stables (about 400 meters).
Arrival by train
La Somma offers Spoleto Railway Station's free pick-up and drop-off service, an easy train journey away from Rome airports. For pick-ups at Spoleto train station, they ask guests not to arrive earlier than 2:30 p.m. They may be able to make exceptions in special circumstances (e.g. if people have had a long-haul flight). Guests are asked to vacate their rooms by 10:00 a.m.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 18.15% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
60725
Similar Horse Riding Holidays you might like
Why choose BookHorseRidingHolidays.com
Largest Selection
Friendly Customer Service
Offers for every budget
Best Price