Horse Riding Holidays
Welcome to Altavia
RIDING HOLIDAYS IN MOLISE AND THE ABRUZZI (ITALY)
This area is ideal for a holiday on horseback. You can ride for hours without coming across fences or roads, let alone another human being. Nature is still so unspoilt that UNESCO protects two primeval forests. Wild flowers abound, some species of which are very rare or even becoming extinct. The landscape is sloping to mountainous and varied. Vast fields alternate with large forests of beech and oak. Sometimes we have to cross a little river.
Here Carmine organizes four different treks plus a home-based ride. Carmine is certified guides FISE (Federazione Italiana Sport Equestre). He speaks Italian and English.
The atmosphere is informal and cosy so many guests feel at home instantly. During the riding week everybody takes care of his/her horse. The tack is western. Experience with western-riding is, however, not required.
All year long the horses live in a herd. They can choose from the paddocks around the house or the stable, which is at a distance of 30 feet from the house. The horses are trained gently and with a lot of patience and are experienced on mountain trails and long distance rides.
Another highlight is the Magic Forest. This piece of woodland is completely sheltered by rocks with but two ways of access, which makes the visit quite adventurous.
The highest point of the “Goat Mountain” is at 5.200 feet. The trail takes you around it, through valleys and beautiful forests. Two nights will be spent in Capracotta. The name of this village literally means “cooked goat”.
This interesting trail ride combines two national parks. They are situated close to each other, both featuring mountain ranges but their landscape is very different.
Secluded tracks lead us through nearly untouched nature. We discover medieval little towns, enjoy the vastness of the Majella National Park offering lots of opportunity for long canters and marvel at the ability of our horses to navigate the steep slopes of the Abruzzen National Park.
Tratturo and Molise are two words that belong together like horse and rider, cheese and wine, nature and culture. We want to experience all of this with you on this new trail ride in the heart of Italy. Here in Altomolise, one of the most authentic regions of Italy, we repeatedly follow the trail of the “green highways” the Tratturi on which shepherds and cowherds of past centuries travelled. These paths are over 200 km long and run trough the country, sometimes enchanted and dreamy, narrow and overgrown, almost unrecognizable and then again open and visible from afar. On the edge of these paths, we experience history and stories on our sure-footed, good-natured four-legged partners, discover old villages, churches and ruins, enjoy the wide views and heavenly peace, enjoy the traditional cuisine and the good feeling of timelessness. Time to unwind, to ground yourself, to slow down, and then to discover the little things along the way. Where could that be better than in this region, where time seems to have stood still.
This National Park was founded in 1922. Nowadays it contains 50,000 hectares. In this protected area there is still plenty of wildlife. There are wolves, bears, eagles, deer and many more species. The scenery is breath-taking. In the Valley of Five Miles we make a long canter.
The next day we climb up to 6,300 feet to enjoy the panoramic view. There are not many places left in Europe where you can feel so completely in the middle of nowhere. On Thursday there will be a picnic in Camosciara, which is one of the most protected areas of this National Park.
One of the highlights is Pescocostanzo, a picturesque medieval town at an altitude of 4,200 feet. Two nights will be spent in this lovely place. It is surrounded by several plains which invite to many a canter.
We offer this program all year round. Here we ride every day in a different direction in the immediate vicinity of Altavia. Whether a lively ride to the pool, an eventful riding day through oak forests or relaxed on historical paths, we explore the area in the saddle. You can convince yourself of Carmine’s culinary skills and enjoy your vacation in the heart of Italy.
We also organize individual CarpeDiem programs from 2 nights.
