Quinta Do Rol Classical Dressage & Golega Fair
- Admin
- Nov 26, 2025
- 7 min read
Written by Jill, visited November 2025
If you know me then you know I am absolutely passionate about Classical Dressage – you’ll also know that I don’t come from a dressage background, the ‘journey’ started when I began Zara’s Planet with best friend Zara and in our roles, we have always test ridden our destinations before deciding to add them to our riding adventure portfolio. We realised very early on there was this world of Classical Dressage training happening in Europe that gave people the opportunity to train and ride on established horses and it therefore made sense we went over and explored. I come from a showing background, so I wasn’t too concerned it would be over my head, I can take instruction and ridden enough hot ponies and horses to be able to sit something sharp and have a feel for collection. Little did I realise this would be the start of my new obsession!
And here I am back at Quinta do Rol, my 2nd visit (yes its that good!) bringing 6 of my good friends from the showing world including my sister Laura (I’m very lucky to have my sister at my side working at Zara’s Planet and together we share our passion for horses and travel). We were over celebrating one of the groups significant birthdays – all from different backgrounds, professional riders, blacksmith, farmer, driver and lawyer – all sharing our love for the horse!
Horses
You can imagine the pressure my end, to impress friends and make sure the quality of horse and teaching was delivered, you know how fussy showing people are? Every details counts – confirmation, way of going, presentation and turnout – and that’s why I brought them to Quinta do Rol, their large stable of beautiful Lusitano horses are insane! We rode twice a day and either in groups of two or private lessons.
Each horse was immaculately presented, not a spec or a muck stain on them and alot of them were grey! Manes and tails brushed and shining in the light, saddles and bridles clean and supple, feet well shod and oiled and they were led into the arena to mount, so calm and ready for their job. I think it struck everyone how laid back the horses were but lit up when they started their work, given they have lots of different riders each week on their backs, you imagine they’d turn into riding school horses but it just doesn’t happen here, the instructors make sure they protect their horses with great teaching and they carefully choose the right horses with the right attitude to be able to work happily in this way.
And we LOVED our instructors, Joana and Joao – absolute treasures, incredibly kind, warm, got us from the start in that we all were different and needed different attention paid to our riding and hell they were fun – obviously strict when they needed to be, pushed us when we thought something was above us but also laughed with us too when we ‘cocked up’ so we never really felt pressure – fun like it should be especially when you are paying good money right, it was a holiday after all!
Everyone improved and we were all delighted with our horses, we changed from lesson to lesson and they locked onto the type of horses we’d enjoy – my favourite was a beautiful 5 year old that was early in his education and super sensitive, he suited as I ride sensitively and I didn’t have to push, just direct and keep his cool.
In terms of movements, it was a delight to see everyone performing everything from piaffe, passage up to canter half pass and even some pirouettes – some horses were suited to one movement better than others, or at least easier to execute but all of them had the ability – I don’t think there is anywhere else in Europe you will find the breadth of horses available to ride than here.
Facilities
And onto the facilities, absolutely world class, there is a large indoor arena with very good going and a viewing gallery, with sofas, open fire, help yourself bar (just imagine after your lesson pouring a glass of Rose, relaxing and watching your friends ride). In the same building are most of the stables, all the horses are on deep, clean straw beds, it’s a lovely calm vibe and airy area, and at the entrance to the arena, there are some bays that horses are tacked up, washed down and prepped before and after lessons.
There is also a massive outdoor arena down from the indoor, I mean HUGE and again the going is fantastic, again with a viewing area you can watch each other ride. In addition there’s a round pen, locker room to leave hats, boots plus they have an outdoor Working Equitation grass arena. It runs when it’s warmer and the going is dry – although you can request anytime and they set out obstacles in the outdoor.
Accommodation & Food
Now onto the accommodation, always great if you have somewhere lovely to stay and thats exactly what we had, a good sized cottage at the end of the block on the Estate. It’s decorated country style so think old antique furniture very stylish and you couldn’t want for comfier beds than here, absolute delight to sink into after a good day training. We also had a well equipped kitchen where we had a fridge and could help ourselves to teas, coffees, fresh fruit and drinks. There was also a dining room and sitting room where we all gathered before and after dinners.
We absolutely loved the food too – if like us you like to eat like the locals then this is it. Sylvie who runs the kitchen is adorable, she comes out each sitting with a smile and is so proud of the dishes she serves, it’s like being at home and eating family style round the table with your mum making sure you are well nourished! Breakfast is always gorgeous sourdough bread, cheese, ham, Greek yoghurt, fruits, cereals and hot eggs if you desire freshly cooked to order. Lunches came with picky starters, cheeses, olives, a sliced salami, followed by something like rice with poached eggs, or frittata and always big healthy salads, mixed with interesting toppings like pomegranate or seeds. And if you were still hungry a selection of different flavoured local ice cream. Dinner always 3 courses usually a soup to start, beetroot, vegetable, and our mains came in crock pots I think my favourite was a delicious light fish stew and rice, again always with salad, and sometimes with steamed cabbage plus a desert and we loved the seeded pumpkin pie!
There’s also other stuff to do at the Quinta, its rural so hiring a car is a good idea to explore as you are only 15 minutes from the beach. But if not you can entertain yourself at the lovely pool, have a work out in the gym, play tennis or basketball and borrow one of their bikes and cycle round the estate – did I forget to mention this is a winery too???? They produce some fantastic wines and it’s worthwhile during your stay booking a wine tour and tasting their whites, red, rose and sparking wines!
Owners
And all this is overseen and managed by owners Rita and Carlos – Rita is a small bundle of gorgeous energy who is around every day checking in with you either at the yard or at dinner, making sure you are happy and having a good chat about your stay. Rita is the driving force behind the equestrian side of the business and is passionate about the quality of the horses she offers you to ride and you can see physically how she expects standards to be maintained – when she is at the yard, she picks up the brush immediately to sweep and if in the bar, she is washing glasses and putting away. She’s warm, very approachable and a good sense of humour, we found her an awful lot of fun!
Golega
If you visit Portugal in November, you can’t miss going here for at least a day to visit the Golega Fair there is nothing else like it on the world! A small town comes to life for 2 weeks, where everyone equestrian gathers to ride and show off their horses whether that be hacking round the huge outdoor sand arena, competing in working equitation, displaying their dressage moves in the indoor or driving carriages through the streets – it’s all there and it’s not just Lusitano horses, we spotted some Warmbloods, Shetlands, Huge local Draft horses (ridden and driven), Andalucian and all different backgrounds, often equestrian shows are the elite, but this is so not that, this is everyone, farmers, families, kids, teenagers, old, young, it’s a gathering of the people and their horses.
The streets are lined with food stalls, bars, stables down alleys, stages with dancing, markets and shops! It doesn’t stop from dawn to dusk and evenings are really special with riders gathering on horseback in groups, displaying their horses outside bars, having a drink – it’s so fricking cool! You would think in this atmosphere horses would explode, but not here, they are quiet, as if it’s bred into them and they intertwine through crowds carefully and relaxed.
We were dropped at 1pm, wandered into the centre, sat for lunch, watched the Speed Equitation, it was 7/8 deep by the ringside and so much fun to watch, then moved the indoor and watched individuals working in, and presenting their horses for sale, there was lots of chat with local buyers at the entrance to the arena great to watch! All this was pitted with bar stops for wine and beer – then off round the markets, eating fresh Churros and watching dancers performing local dances! We eventually left at 10 but wished we’d stayed longer it felt like it was just hotting up ha ha!
Who should go?
Anyone who can ride and has is interested in dressage and the Lusitano horse – you’ll be well looked after promise! Helps if you have an understanding of basic lateral moves, shoulder in and traverse but don’t worry of you don’t they will teach you!
And for me, well this won’t be my last visit – we’re all talking about our next visit already……..!
You can read more about the ride and book on the Quinta do Rol Ride page.
You can book anything from 3 nights minimum and non riders welcome too, plus its open all year round. Even when it’s hot in the summer, the indoor is cool it has roof vents that keeps the air flowing.
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