Medieval Etruscan Ride
- with overnight in rural agriturismo farms
Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving in Orvieto and shared transfer for the group from Orvieto station to Proceno and settlement in Agritursmo Franciola. Dinner in the local restaurant – the only independent restaurant in town. A local lady cooks in the traditional style and creates new, very tasty filled pasta – called Tortelli. The deserts are very special and always fresh prepared.
Day 2: We ride in the area of the medieval town Proceno, through clay hills down into the valley of the river Palia - with marvellous view on the mountains of Amiata and Cetona. Picnic close to the former border places from the Vatican state to Italy – called Dogana – on the banks of the river. The way back leads uphill in the afternoon sun with views over soft rolling wheat fields or pastures for sheep herds. For dinner today you stay in your accommodation and will experience how a real Italian mama cooks.
Day 3: Travel on horseback from Proceno to Lago di Mezzano. The area changes completely – after you have passed the private forest property of Montorio with its small streams, you ride over huge plateau fields with various agricultural business built on tuff (a volcanic soft stone) ground. Farmers settled here with their sheep a long time ago and produce a good traditional cheese. Lunch stop is in an archaeological park area with cave settlement in San Quirico. Thanks to the Tuff rocks on the ground the terrain remain always well drained and ready for nice trots and canters. In the afternoon you arrive with a long distance view over greens hills in the direction of the seaside. You enjoy tasty home produced starters and barbecued meet outside in the green or inside the cosy restaurant
Day 4: Travel from Lago di Mezzano to Castro. You start your day with a fantastic view of the medieval town Valentano, built safely on the borders between a plateau and a deep gully. Enter the unique national park of Selva di Lamone. This is an indescribable forest area, created from the now cold volcano in the Lago di Bolsena. Stones all over like crumbs on a cake. The leaves and the trees create shade and light in a fantastic, unreal mix on the inhospitable ground beside the dirt road. Lunch stop in the middle of the forest in a picnic area. Out of the Selva in the afternoon you pass the ancient ruins of the city of Castro – destroyed by the will of one man – a Roman emperor.
Day 5: Day ride from Castro to Vulci and back. Today you ride through one of the last nearly untouched areas of Tuscany and Lazio – you get an idea of the way the animals were kept in the past – huge herds of cattle can be found half wild on large private properties. Here you find also several horses – not always fenced in. For lunch you arrive in Vulci – once one of the biggest Etruscan cities in Italy. The way back in the afternoon leads through private woods from the still noble land owners.
Day 6: Travel from Castro to Lago di Mezzano. Through canyon and over plateau, passing sheep herds, little fields and small old barns – in the past people just kept barns in the countryside and lived in the villages because the area was full of bandits - you arrive close to the old town Iscia where you stop for lunch. From here you pass the flat in front of Valentano and can smell the water full of sulphur just running on the ground. YOPu return back to the Agriturismo Fra Viaco.
Day 7: Travel back from Lago di Mezzano to Proceno You start the ride through a volcanic wide canyon in the direction of Onano on sandy roads – good for a quicker ride. In the national park of the Selva di Onano we find a perfect place for our lunch picnic. The afternoon brings us slowly back to the Proceno area and to the lodgings of Franciola. We enjoy a last farewell dinner in the local medieval castle.
Day 8: Shared transfer in the morning from Proceno to Orvieto station.
(Subject to change)