Tuscan Discovery Week

Introduction
Tuscany Italy
Horseback ride through the picturesque Chianti hills - the lovely unspoiled region between Florence and Siena, famous for tasty  food, great wine and stunning scenery! Our rides take you through the beautiful countryside, with its terraced vineyards, cypress avenues and extensive woodlands. As riders you are especially privileged, able to ride off the beaten track, away from tourists and vehicles, to explore the land of Dante, Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci. Even if the region was not fill of history and culture as it is, you could truly just simply bask in the beauty of it all! The charming farmhouse and stables (it is not a hotel or luxury villa) are on the eastern slopes of the Chianti Mountains. Before it lies the broad valley of the Arno and beyond, the long ridge of the Pratomagno, with its highest point at 1,591 meters. On the other side lies the Casentino Valley, rich in castles and Romanesque churches, while behind the farm stretches the beautiful range of Chianti. Here is a place where animal and nature lovers will immediately feel right at home - there are eighteen beautiful horses, but also many dogs and cats, chickens, ducks and a resident goat. Jenny, your hostess, fell in love with this special part of Tuscany forty years ago and is happy to share with you the beauty of the Italian countryside she calls home. She is knowledgeable about local art and history and happy to give you the details. A guest once said of her holiday haven here: “It’s the perfect combination of riding and culture.”

If you are single, no problem; you will feel at ease in this friendly place she has created. If it’s your first time in Italy, no problem; Jenny and her colleagues will introduce you to the Italian lifestyle with open arms. If you don’t like driving on the foreign Italian roads, no problem; from your arrival in Florence all transport is provided. You will get plenty of chances to meet the people of Italy and discover what delightful people they are.

And if you think Italian food is all pasta and pizzas, you have a lot of pleasant surprises ahead. Chianti wine will be served with all meals. Sorry to say, but expect to put on a couple of pounds during your stay!

As for the horses, they are well-trained and fit, Jenny does her best to match them to the individual riders whom come to visit. We promise you will have loads of fun, but safety is also a priority here.
Eraldo, the instructor, has BHS qualifications and many years of experience. He speaks fluent, if erratic, English and you will find his lessons useful, stimulating and fun.

The woods and hills surrounding the center are ideal for hacking because there are innumerable trails, with no gates and very little roadwork. Each day your ride will be unique and with new features - a canter between rows of vines, a trot along a cypress avenue, a visit to a semi-ruined castle, a barbecue on the mountaintop, you name it!

Accomodation

The Accommodations

This small family-run farm holiday center in the Chianti hills was established back in1969. While fully surrounded by pristine countryside (vineyards, olive-groves and woodlands), it is conveniently less than thirty miles from Florence and Siena by car and only three miles from the station of Montevarchi.

The seventeenth-century house has a panoramic view over the Arno valley. It is typically Tuscan, with its pigeon-loft, beams, terracotta floors and arches. Each bedroom is attractively furnished and has its own small bathroom. There is a sitting room with a large selection of English books and classical music and a fire is prepared on the hearth on wintry days.

It is not a home for people who concerned with elegance. Hens and ducks peck around the house, the family dog lies on the doorsteps and you may find a cat curled up in an armchair. No one is required to dress up on any occasion. Jenny Bawtree and her son Nicholas are happy to welcome true country-lovers to their home and guests quickly become friends, often returning again and again. 

There is free internet access at the riding center. 

The Meals

You will be amazed at the variety of Tuscan dishes offered. Pietro and his son Sergio have been cooking here for years and Pietro has even written a cookbook (“Pietro’s Book of Recipes”, on sale at the riding-center). A typical meal comprises three courses: a “primo piatto” of pasta or rice, a meat or fish dish, followed by fresh fruit or dessert. Vegetarians are amply catered for as Sergio has a well-stocked organic vegetable garden. Eggs, turkeys and ducks are home-produced and the extra-virgin olive oil used for cooking comes from the groves around the house. Local Chianti wine is served with every meal and each evening there will be a chance to sample other local wines and liqueurs.
As for the picnics on the trail, they are lavish!

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

There is so much to look at while you ride through our countryside! In a week's stay, our guests will never do the same ride twice. You will follow trails through pretty vineyards, olive groves and woodlands without any landowners objecting and without meeting a single gate, something which never ceases to amaze.

There are eighteen horses on our property and they are of various breeds, as Jenny believes that it is the temperament of the horse, not the breed, that matters. Currently, there are two Arabs, three part-Arabs, three Sicilian bred horses, and two half-thoroughbreds, while the others are, well, just horses with good characters, strong hooves and plenty of stamina. All the horses do arena work as well as riding out on the trail, so they are obedient and responsive to the aids on all occasions. There are also two ponies available, but they are lively little fellows and are not suitable for children less than ten years old. We have, however, no upper age limit, as elderly riders are often the most experienced (once they get into the saddle). As this is hilly country, we do have a weight limit of 85 kilos (187 lb.). This could be a motive for dieting...?

Itinerary

Itinerary:

Day 1: (Sat) You make your own way to Florence and meet your hostess Jenny Bawtree (middle-aged, white-haired) or her son Nicholas (tall, dark and handsome) outside the snack bar at the head of platform 16' of Florence’s main railway station, Firenze Santa Maria Novella. You will be accompanied by train to Montevarchi (a forty-minute ride) and then by van (a ten-minute ride) to Jenny’s home, a Tuscan farmhouse on the flanks of the Chianti hills. Having been shown your rooms, you  can enjoy a glass of genuine Chianti Classico wine before your dinner. 

Day 2: (Sun): Breakfast and morning ride (about 2 ½ hours) through vineyards, olive-groves and woodland, passing near an 11th century tower and a 14th century church. Return to Rendola for lunch. After a short siesta join your host for a lesson in the pronunciation of Italian, which will prove useful over the following days (learn, for example, that the “ch” in Montevarchi is pronounced lie a “k”!) For dinner, freshly made, truly Italian pizzas cooked in a wood oven followed by dessert.

Day 3: (Mon): Breakfast and morning ride (approx. 2 ½ hours) in the wooded hills north of Rendola, scattered with traditional farmhouses. After lunch, a guided visit to the famous frescoes of Piero della Francesca in the ancient city of Arezzo, made famous by the film, “Life is Beautiful”. There will be an opportunity to do some shopping there. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4: (Tue): Day ride and picnic in the Chianti hills south of Rendola (about 4 ½ hours), passing the medieval village of San Leolino, and castles of Cennina and Lupinari. In the afternoon ride back to Rendola where you will have the opportunity to help prepare a buffet supper using local herbs and vegetables.

Day 5: (Wed): A free day to make your own arrangements for sightseeing, perhaps to visit Arezzo, Florence, Assisi or Orvieto - take your pick! All are an easy train ride from Montevarchi and you will be driven to and from Montevarchi station. For those of you who prefer to hike, maps of local trails will be provided, and also a picnic lunch at a small extra charge. Dinner at Rendola (lunch is not included today but can be arranged if you wish, for a small extra charge

Day 6: (Thu): A morning visit with your guide to Montevarchi and its famous weekly market. Lunch at a typical Tuscan restaurant in Loro Ciuffenna, a medieval village built round a ravine on the other side of the Arno valley. Return to Rendola for either an afternoon ride of about two hours, returning to the farmhouse in the late afternoon, or a lesson with the instructor in the school.

Day 7: (Fri): A final day ride to the top of the Chianti hills (nearly 2,500 feet) behind Rendola with views of the area where the Chianti Classico wine is grown, visiting two mountain villages, Solata and Starda on the way. Enjoy a barbecue picnic on the ridge. If the conditions are uncertain, an alternative ride in the valley will be offered and the barbecue will take place in a park created by a local sculptor. Ride back to the farm in the afternoon for a final dinner and night.

Day 8: (Sat): Breakfast and either your own arrangements to depart (departure is usually by 10.00), OR a short 10 minute transfer to Montevarchi to meet the train back to Florence. For those going to Rome, there is a direct train from Montevarchi every two hours.

Shorter "A Taste of Tuscany" itinerary:
Similar to the week long itinerary, but only from Saturday to Wednesday morning.

ITINERARIES ARE FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Rates and Dates for Tuscan Discovery Week

Dates Note: All dates from Saturday to Saturday except 8 - 15 April (Easter).

Other Info
Meeting: Rendola
Airport: Florence
Transfer: Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella) at 5:45 on Day 1 or Montevarchi Train Station

Climate:

The climate in Tuscany is very mild and the seasons each have their merits.
Spring is a delightful time to visit when the trees and flowers are blooming, the air is warm and the nightingales are singing day and night.
Autumn brings glorious colours and an increase in activity as the farmers prepare for the olive and grape harvests.
In spring 20º to 25º Celsius, during summer and fall 25º to 30º C. Central Italy has kind of ocean climate with mild winters and not too hot of a summer.

Temperatures in Celsius:

 Temperatures in Fahrenheit:

For riders, the farm recommends essential items yo be a riding-hat, riding pants (jeans are NOT comfortable), riding boots or paddock boots and half-chaps (easier to pack), full-length but light raincoat, gloves.

Otherwise just dress according to the season. Remember that you don't have to bring out your finery at Rendola! There is a washing machine if you need it.

TIP: We always advise a gilet (vest) with zip up pockets. This is specially useful for your camera (smallish) with a long strap: you can put it in your breast pocket, put the strap round your neck, and then you can take quick photos without risking dropping your camera (We've seen that happen many times!).

Don't bring a bunch of heavy books as there is a great choice of reading material there.

Riders are advised not to bring too much luggage - for a week's stay a backpack and a duffel bag should be enough. Bulky suitcases hamper you during your journey here and are probably full of unnecessary stuff anyway! Experienced travelers always travel light.