We GUARANTEE you won't find the same horse riding holiday at a lower price through any other source... and if you do, we promise to refund the difference!
from £1,465 or €1,700
Choose your currency
Note: Rates are subject to daily exchange rate fluctuations, please refer to our ‘Terms & Conditions’ for full details.
8 – 15 June
29 June – 6 July
7 – 14 September
Included – All riding, full board accommodation, luggage transfer & airport transfers.
Excluded – Flights, drinks & tips.
Getting There
Arrive Palermo and depart Palermo.
Transfer
Please arrive before 5pm if possible, it’s about a 2-hour transfer to the first night accommodation in an old farmhouse.
All our horse riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book one of our horse riding holidays and will refund the difference should you find the same horse riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
Discover one of the most beautiful and unspoilt parts of Sicily from the comfort the charmingly restored 19th century country house, Casa “Il Bosco”, on the north coast in the territory of Cefalù, within the Madonie Natural Park. Guests will enjoy beautiful and varied riding, including visits to a local vineyard, nearby villages, the breath-taking north coast, and a taste of the high Madonie Mountains, not to mention delicious meals prepared using local produce and a true insight into Sicilian rural life.
Alexandre Morello & Lizzie Reeves – Partners
Alex is a true expert when it comes to Sicily’s natural wonders, biodiversity, history and culture. Over the years he has explored and organised countless horse-riding trails across Sicily. He’s an insatiable explorer who loves discovering new paths through his beloved Sicily and sharing them with our clients.
Lizzie has ridden many trails around the world but fell in love with the truly unique experience of trail riding in Sicily. She was born and grew up in London and studied French and Italian at Oxford University, before doing a post-graduate diploma in law. She worked for some time as a solicitor and specialised in international arbitration, before settling in Sicily full time to follow her true love of the island, horses and Alex.
Sicily has a good climate for riding almost all year round, amazing natural beauty and varied landscapes. Sicily is also truly unique in terms of its accessibility to riders. The island benefits from a vast network of trails and country lanes and an open countryside approach to land ownership, which means that there is access to almost all of the island on horseback, including its most remote and wildest corners. This also means that road riding during the trail is kept to an absolute minimum.
Over the centuries, Sicily has absorbed the influences of all those who have occupied the island, from the Greeks to the Arabs and the Bourbons. The charm of Sicily’s complex and unique identity is undeniably captured in its people, who could be defined as nothing other than “Sicilian”, and whose character is as intriguing and enchanting as the island’s history. The island’s richness and complexity also shine through in its cuisine, which combines centuries-old different culinary traditions and influences.
A Taste Of Sicily: Horses – Sicilian Local Breed, with some Arab Crosses / 14.2hh – 16hh
A Taste Of Sicily: Level of Riding & Pace – Intermediate to Advanced. You must be able to canter in control in open space and have and independent seat and hands.
Tack – English Style
A Taste Of Sicily: Weight Restriction – 85 kg / 13.4 stone / 188 lbs.
A Taste Of Sicily: Group Size – Maximum 10.
You will stay at Casa “Il Bosco”, a charming restored nineteenth century country house, immersed in the wild countryside of the Madonie Park, with breathtaking views of the island’s north coast and the Aeolian Islands
The food is delicious, every effort is made to offer local, authentic dishes, cooked with love and passion and are simply beautiful to eat.
Horse Riding Holidays at Madonie Trails are part of the Zara’s Planet collection of Horse Riding holidays Italy.
Please Ask About
Day 1
You will arrive at Casa “Il Bosco”, a charming, restored nineteenth century country house, immersed in the wild countryside of the Madonie Park, with breath-taking views of the island’s north coast and the Aeolian Islands. You will enjoy a dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night here.
Day 2
An enchanting introduction to the local area and the territory of Cefalù. After breakfast, we will set off and begin the day by riding around and then to the summit of the highest mountain in the territory of Cefalù, Pizzo Sant’Angelo (1081 metres). When the weather is good, from here you can admire spectacular views of the high Madonie Mountains, the Tyrrhenian Coast from Palermo to Capo D’Orlando, the Aeolian Islands, and much more. We will have a picnic lunch and visit the famous Sanctuary of Gibilmanna, before riding back to our base to enjoy a rich dinner prepared using local produce.
Day 3
After breakfast we will begin the day’s ride following an ancient trazzera (old paths used for transporting animals which date from the Bourbon era) in the direction of Castelbuono, one of the most famous villages of the Madonie area, with beautiful views towards the high Madonie Mountains. Before lunch, we will reach the renowned vineyard of the Abbazia Santa Anastasia, a restored abbey, where we will enjoy a guided tour of the cellars, a tasting and a light lunch, before riding back to Casa “Il Bosco” in the afternoon.
Day 4
In the morning we will ride to a local farm and get a real taste for Sicilian rural life, learning about how ricotta and local cheeses are made. We will then return to our base via one of the most panoramic spots in the territory of Cefalù, with fantastic views towards Palermo on one side and the Nebrodi Mountains on the other. In the late afternoon we will go down to the charming seaside town of Cefalù, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful historic centre and a delicious seafood dinner on the water’s edge.
Day 5
After breakfast we will set off on a two-day trail into the high Madonie Mountains. The day will begin with a beautiful climb up through wild Mediterranean vegetation and woods, with fantastic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. After a picnic lunch, we will begin our ascent on the northern slopes of Pizzo Carbonara, Sicily’s second highest mountain at 1979 metres, riding through lush forests of oak, holm oak and beech trees to reach Piano Battaglia, a mountain station located at the heart of the Madonie Park, where you will enjoy a dinner prepared using typical local produce and spend the night at Rifugio Marini.
Day 6
Before leaving the heart of the Madonie Mountains we will visit the Battaglietta, a depression in the landscape where all of the meltwater gathers and then travels along underground tunnels to Cefalù. We will descend from the high mountains, riding through beautiful woodland to reach the territory of the characteristic village of Isnello. We will stop for a picnic lunch, before returning in the afternoon to our base through wild and unspoilt vegetation, with beautiful views of the north coast.
Day 7
On the last day of your stay, we will ride through dense Mediterranean vegetation and small country lanes to the small, picturesque seaside village of Sant’Ambrogio, where we will visit a local oil press and enjoy an olive oil tasting. Depending on the weather and the time of year, we will take the horses down to the beach and enjoy a beach picnic, before riding back to our base in the afternoon, to enjoy a delicious final dinner.
Day 8
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Zara’s Planet Horse Riding Holidays Guarantee:
All our horse riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book one of our horse riding holidays and will refund the difference should you find the same horse riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
If you are having trouble finding exactly the right horse riding holiday for you from our horse riding holidays collection, please contact us directly using the form below and tell us in your own words what you would like to do and we will use our extensive knowledge to make sure we find that perfect horse riding holiday.
· Zara's Planet · Web Design and SEO by 
New World Digital
