Madonie trip
1st DAY: transfer to “Le Campanelle”, Lascari
Transfer from the airport of Palermo to the first accommodation. It will take about one hour. Guests will find Mirko and his family waiting for them at the wonderful Agriturismo “Le Campanelle”, which has an amazing view of green hills and the Mediterranean sea. Once there, according to times, availability and weather conditions, guests will have the chance to drink something by the pool and take a bath. Then dinner will be served. Mirko and his father take care about the big and rich garden near the Agriturismo, so guests will taste good local products. Dinner will be served.
2nd DAY: “Casale Drinzi”, Collesano
On the first morning, after breakfast, we will give our guests some info about our horses and the training method we use with them. It’s based on natural horsemanship and there are a couple of suggestions that we can give to the riders to help them in building a good relationship with their horses. Then we start our ride. The path we’ll take will bring us through pastures and oak woods, to the small and cute village of Gratteri, with its amazing view of the coast. Here we will stop for a light lunch.
After the lunch break, we’ll get back on the saddle and ride towards the old village of Collesano. The ancient path that connects the two little towns brings us through a big wood full of different kind of oaks. Once at the accommodation we’ll take care of the horses and have a drink together. This place is called “Casale Drinzi” and used to be a riding school. Now it’s a well-known Agriturismo and famous restaurant. A reach dinner will be served.
3rd DAY: “Piano Farina”, Petralia Soprana
After a rich breakfast we’ll get on our horses and start the ride up to the mountain. We’ll take a small rocky root that will lead us through pastures and woods up to “Piano Zucchi”. An upland higher in the mountain where we will have our light lunch. As soon as everybody will be ready, we’ll get back on our horses and restart the climb of the mountain up to “Piano Battaglia”. The ride will end at “Piano Farina”, where we’ll find a shepherd’s mountain house, a good place to leave the horses. Then a short drive will bring us to our hotel in Petralia Soprana. Dinner in town.
4th DAY: “Terravecchia”, Castellana Sicula
After a good breakfast at the hotel, we’ll go back to “Piano Farina”. The ride today will bring us up to the “Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Alto”, on the top of Mt. Alto (1819m), where we’ll have our packed lunch. After the lunch break the root we’ll bring us down on the other side of the mountain, to reach the beautiful Agriturismo of “Terravecchia”. This place used to be a riding school, but nowadays it is just hosting two old horses, now part of the family. Today Terravecchia is well-known for its special cuisine. Here the guests will have the chance to enjoy the pool, according to availability season and weather conditions. Dinner will be served.
5th DAY: “Piano Farina”, Petralia Soprana
On this day we will go to the other side of Madonie Park, to the village Geraci Siculo. A nice and fast path will guide us to the ancient village, where we’ll have our good light lunch. Then we’ll take a different root through the rocky mountain to return to “Piano Farina”. We’ll leave the horses and go to our hotel in Petralia Soprana. Dinner in town.
6th DAY: Castelbuono
Today we will spend the morning at the shepherd’s place, watching and helping him with the cheese production. After a good lunch prepared with local products and, of course, fresh cheese, we will be ready to get on the saddle and start our ride down the valley, towards the pretty village of Castelbuono. Crossing pastures and woods, we will reach a friend’s stable close to the village. Here we’ll leave our four-legged friends and a short drive will bring us to the wonderful b&b where we’ll spend the night. Dinner in town.
7th DAY: “Le Campanelle”, Lascari
The last morning we’ll have the chance to spend some time visiting the wonderful castle in town, then we’ll start our ride. Our horses will bring us through the beautiful and rich valley surrounding Castelbuono, until we’ll reach “Piano delle Fate”, a quite upland in the woods. What a perfect place for our last lunch. The ride in the afternoon will be shorter and will bring us to horses’ pasture. Here guests will say goodbye to our four-legged friends. Then a short drive will bring us to “Le Campanelle”.
8th DAY: Transfer to the airport
Transfer will be planned according to the first departure.
