SADDLE UP!

Canter through an enchanting landscape on this full-day excursion to southern Abruzzo. Guests will enjoy an unforgettable horseback ride, and then saunter back in time as they wander round a lovely little borgo.

Your private chauffeur will meet you at your accommodation and drive you to a riding establishment located in a valley with splendid views of the surrounding hills and mountains. This equestrian centre is owned and run by a father-and-son team, both passionate, qualified horse trainers who can cater to riders with experience at all levels, from beginners to seasoned cowboys. Upon arrival you will be greeted by your instructor and venture out on a 2-hour trek. From the saddle, take in the unparalleled sights Abruzzo has to offer while you trot along a scenic route through unspoilt nature.

After the horseback ride, a 30-minute drive will bring you to Pescocostanzo where you may make the most of some free time for lunch followed by independent sightseeing. Perched 1400 metres above sea level, in a southern corner of the Majella National Park, Pescocostanzo is a living picture postcard. A meticulously assembled collage of cobbled streets and homes with flowering balconies, all pasted onto the deep green slopes of Mount Calvario, has survived to this day, providing contemporary visitors with a panorama that must closely match the one admired by our ancestors three hundred years ago. Indeed the town boasts an historic centre which is remarkably untouched by time, punctuated with buildings erected in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries when Pescocostanzo rejoiced in a golden age.

The origins of the town date back to the Middle Ages though it was during the Renaissance and Baroque eras that Pescocostanzo reached the peak of its splendour. Located on the Via degli Abruzzi, a road that connected Naples and Florence, the town could rely on a fortunate position and a thriving economy based on cattle and sheep rearing, all factors that brought wealth to its inhabitants and favoured the development of the wool trade and crafts. Stone masonry and wood cutting were the major activities carried out in town as evidenced by the charming facades of its homes and the finely decorated interiors of its churches. Still today, Pescocostanzo’s fame is linked to its manufacturing heritage. Wrought iron creations, lace work and goldsmithery attest to the skill of modern-day artisans and their efforts to keep age-old traditions alive by practising techniques handed down from generation to generation.

Take a stroll through Pescocostanzo’s narrow alleys and reach the heart of the town, Piazza Municipio. Here you will find the Palazzo del Governatore with its distinctive clock tower and the 17th century Palazzo Fanzago, famous for its elegant facade decorated with niches and wooden dragon-shaped corbels. A visit to the 15th century Parish Church of Santa Maria del Colle, combining a late-Romanesque portal with a Baroque-style interior, is highly recommended. Countless treasures await you inside: an exquisitely carved coffered ceiling, an 18th century marble baptismal font, a wrought iron gate by master Sante Di Rocco, a collection of wooden, marble and stone altarpieces from the 15th to the 18th centuries and a precious polychrome wooden statue featuring a Madonna from the 1200s.

In the afternoon your private chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation.