1 person currently interested
8 Day Beginner-Friendly Horse Riding Holiday with Lessons in Latium, Between Tuscany and Umbria
Santa Cristina Castle, Grotte di Castro 01025, Viterbo, Latium, Italy
Horse Riding Holiday in Italy for Beginners
This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in in Italy
You are invited to this beautiful Italian countryside, just north of Lake Bolsena between Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany where you can find the beautiful Santa Cristina Castle. Enjoy a fantastic holiday on horseback to discover lakes, castles, and Renaissance palaces with your horse friends. Beginners? This is the right package for you! Every day, you will have a lesson followed by a one-hour trek where you can really enjoy one of the least inhabited areas in Italy and its unspoiled countryside.
Highlights
- Riding equipment provided
- Guided tour of the 17th-century Castle
- 9 hours of riding lessons: 5 lessons and 4 treks
- 7 nights' accommodation in a charming apartment
- Free use of swimming pool and tennis court entrance
- Daily room cleaning and towels
- Complimentary use of Wi-Fi
- Daily breakfast
Skill level
- Beginner
Styles
5 days with instruction
Airport transfer available:
Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (US$ 294 per person)
Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (US$ 294 per person)
Airport transfer available:
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (US$ 252 per person)
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (US$ 252 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
14:00
Check-out Time:
10:00
Facilities
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Tennis court
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- Terrace
You will be accommodated in a double room or twin room in the restored farmhouse. Just below the castle stands a handsome 18th-century farmhouse, the original center of the estate’s farming activities. The farmhouse has been skillfully converted with careful attention to conserving authenticity together with comfort and privacy, in a pleasant combination with communal living.
The large farm now contains eight charming apartments and 14 bedrooms furnished with original pieces. The ground floor of the farm house opens onto the main terrace, which overlooks the swimming pool. On the ground floor, there is a large “taverna” with brick vaulted ceilings. Space is divided into three main areas: dining room, billiard room, ping-pong room, plus a large kitchen available for all the guests and equipped for cooking courses.
Program
Day 1: Arrival and guided tour around the castle
After check-in and welcome drink, you'll meet Santa Cristina's guides for an introduction and program briefing and be taken on a guided tour of the castle.
Day 2 to Day 6
1 or 2 hours per day of riding divided into 50-minute lessons and 1-hour treks.
Day 7: A day off for sightseeing
The local area is full of interesting archaeological and historical sites. A few suggestions include the village fortresses of Pitigliano, Sorano and Sovano. It is definitely worth visiting the marvelous Italian gothic church of Orvieto - Civita di Bagnoregio, known as the ‘Dying Town’.
Alternatively, you can choose to relax at the castle and take advantage of the swimming pool, tennis court, and indoor and outdoor games. Have a massage or take a cooking class.
Day 8: Departure
Having had many amazing experiences and exhilarating adventures, you will prepare for your onward journey taking with you many happy memories. Checkout is usually between 10 am-12 pm, although a late checkout can be arranged subject to availability.
*Please note that the excursions can be changed according to weather, horses, riders' experience level or circumstances beyond control by the management of the castle for safety reasons.
Location
On the border of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, in a strategic location, halfway between Rome and Siena, you will find a fascinating region that has beautiful natural surroundings, is rich in history and mystery. The Castle of Santa Cristina will offer a natural base for exploring this beautiful land in many ways.
Ways to explore the area include horse riding, renting electric or manual mountain bikes, or renting a boat to explore the beautiful Lake Bolsena. If sport is not for you, then just hop in your car and drive through this incredible territory. Tuscia, as it is called, is a land of nature and wonderful art, but it is still unknown and untouched.
You can explore the territory in a very relaxing way and definitely without feeling like a typical tourist. A definite destination is a visit to Civita: the dying town. Just like an island connected to the mainland by a long bridge Civita is holding on to a hill of volcanic rock that is slowly collapsing through erosion.
This incredible town has remained frozen in time since the middle ages with its churches and buildings. The next stop is, of course, Orvieto and its famous Duomo only a few kilometers away. Within 40 kilometers, you will discover archaeological sites of the Etruscan culture (pre-Roman), admire the wonderful palaces of the Italian Renaissance that the Farnese family left in each town of the area, and visit castles, or decide to relax in nearby thermal baths.
Distances
- Acquapendente - 30 minutes
- Lake Bolsena - 30 minutes
- Orvieto - 30 minutes
- Pitigliano - 30 minutes
- Civita di Bagnoreggio - 30 minutes
- Sorano - 30 minutes
- Sovana - 30 minutes
- Tuscania - 30 minutes
- Capalbio Beach - 45 minutes
- Bomarzo - 1 hour
- Saturnia Spa - 1 hour
- Tarquinia - 1 hour
- Viterbo - 1 hour
- Vico Lake - 1 hour
- Siena - 1.5 hours
- Rome - 1.45 hours
- Firenze - 2.30 hours
Food
Daily breakfast is included in the price. The breakfast will be served buffet style in the vaulted ‘taverna’ during the cold months or at the castle in the ex-horses stables in a large room of great charm in the good season. The farm's products, such as eggs, jams, and homemade cakes are available for guests to start a day full of energy.
Half board and full board meal plans are available at an extra cost:
- Half board supplement at Santa Cristina: 280 EUR per person
- Full board supplement at Santa Cristina: 430 EUR per person
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- 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)
- E-bike rental half day (30 EUR per person)
- Guided cycling excursion bike rent included (90 EUR per person, min. 2 people)
- Wine tasting in Tuscany (20 EUR per person)
- Bolsena lake boat rental (150 EUR with petrol included)
Spa treatments
- Massage - 85 EUR per person
What's included
- 7 nights from Saturday to Saturday in a nice room in the restored farmhouse below the Castle
- Good breakfast
- Welcome drink and guided tour of the 17th-century castle
- 9 hours of riding divided into 5 lessons (50 minutes) and 4 easy 1-hour treks
- Riding equipment
- Daily room cleaning and towels
- Swimming pool and tennis court entrance
- Free Wi-Fi
What's not included
- Insurance (mandatory)
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Half board or full board meals
How to get there
Recommended Airports
CIA
Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport
114 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 294 per person
FCO
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
102 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 252 per person
Driving direction from Rome and Florence
- Go the motorway A1, exit Orvieto.
- Follow the signs for Lago di Bolsena - Castel Giorgio - S. Lorenzo Nuovo - Grotte di Castro then exit towards Gradoli / Valentano.
- Take the first street on your right where there is a sign that points toward Castello di Santa Cristina. Continue for 3.5 kilometers.
Driving direction from Siena
- Go from SS 2 Cassia to S. Lorenzo Nuovo then turn right to Grotte di Castro and exit towards Gradoli / Valentano.
- Take the first right street where there is a sign that points you toward Castello di Santa Cristina. Continue for 3.5 kilometers.
Driving direction from Rome’s Airport / Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
- Go through motorway A12 until the end.
- Then, go north on SS 1 Aurelia and take the exit at Montalto di Castro.
- Turn right to Canino - Valentano towards Grotte di Castro, right before entering Grotte di Castro. There is a street on your left with a sign that points towards Castello di Santa Cristina. Continue for 3.5 kilometers.
Driving direction from Rome (via Cassia)
- Go from SS 2 Cassia to Bolsena.
- Turn left to Grotte di Castro, and take the exit towards Gradoli / Valentano.
- Take the first right street where there is a sign that points you toward Castello di Santa Cristina. Continue for 3.5 kilometers.
Arrival by airplane
The nearest airport is Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO) or Ciampino - G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA). The taxi service from and to Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO) (300 kilometers round trip) costs 240 EUR and 280 EUR from and to Ciampino - G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA) (340 kilometers round trip). Both services are available for 1 to 3 people.
Transfer service return Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is 320 EUR.
Arrival by train
The closest train station is Hertz Orvieto Railway Station. The taxi roundtrip service from and to this Orvieto station (90 kilometers) costs 110 EUR from 1 to 3 people.
Arrival by taxi
Santa Cristina Castle can organize a taxi service at the special price and you can choose to be picked up at Orvieto train station or at Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino Airport (FCO) or Ciampino - G. B. Pastine International Airport (CIA). This taxi service is available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Airport: Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport
Airport transfer available:
Ciampino–G. B. Pastine International Airport (US$ 294 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Airport: Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
Airport transfer available:
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (US$ 252 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- 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 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
104826
Similar Horse Riding Holidays you might like
Why choose BookHorseRidingHolidays.com
Largest Selection
Friendly Customer Service
Offers for every budget
Best Price