- OVERVIEW
Stationary ride in 5 days riding with 2 days on a mini trail and visits to Mérida and Cáceres, World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
The trail is based in the lovely town of Trujillo and during your stay you will enjoy 2 interesting visits to the most important towns in Extremadura: CÁCERES and MÉRIDA, both World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Mérida, is a real spectacle, with its complex that includes the Roman theatre and amphitheatre built in 8 BC. Cáceres which medieval center is a UNESCO world heritage site, delimited by Arab walls, cobbled medieval streets, fortified homes and Renaissance palaces.
In addition to these incredible sites, the region contains exceptional wildlife and natural landscapes which you will discover on horseback. During your stay you will enjoy 2 full days riding and 3 half days riding.
The landscape during the ride is spectacular, holm and cork oaks woods and pastures, called Dehesa, the most emblematic landscape in Extremadura.
A great combination of excellent riding, having fun in Trujillo and some amazing historical visits in Trujillo, Mérida and Cáceres.
- ITINERARY
7days trip/ 6 nights/5 days riding
Day 1 MADRID AIRPORT – TRUJILLO
Meet at Madrid airport (meeting time is at 3pm), transfer to Trujillo, 2,5 hours drive. Once accommodated in your hotel for the week, welcome dinner with your hosts where we learn about the ride and region on the map.
The order of the days can be flexible but during your stay you will have:
- HALF DAY RIDING AND VISIT TO MÉRIDA TOWN
After breakfast at the hotel, horses are already tack up, ready to go! we mount up for a lovely ride along the ancient cattle paths between fields and green pastures with carpets of wildflowers. Riding in the surroundings of Trujillo with great views of skyline of the historical town through the quiet paths with stone walls that make you move in time hundreds of years in the area called “Berrocal de Trujillo”. Time on the saddle 3h
After the luxury pic-nic with good local wines (Extremadura red wine is excellent and almost unobtainable anywhere else), in the afternoon, visit to Mérida (45-min drive from Trujillo).
Mérida, is a real spectacle, with its complex that includes the Roman theatre, amphitheater and Roman bridge cross the River Guadiana.
Mérida was founded by the Romans in 25 BC as Augusta Emerita, the capital of the Roman province Lusitania, one of the most important towns in Iberia.
This afternoon you could visit the historic town and the Roman theatre during a couple of hours. There are audio guides available (not included tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or drinks/snacks in bars)
Dinner and night in Trujillo.
2-MINI TRAIL TO FINCA SANTA MARTA- FULL DAY RIDING
Today you get to ride through these ancient Mediterranean Forests, with beautiful views, open landscape. In the afternoon, you will ride in the Dehesa and alongside olive trees and vineyards lined by stone walls.
Good red and white local wines. After lunch, you will ride for a further two hours in the afternoon, getting the Finca at time to have a relaxing break before your dinner.
Finca Santa Marta is a former olive oil mill which was converted into a country inn, situated in the heart of the outstanding natural landscape of the Extremadura dehesa, with swimming pool and olive grove, still possible to visit the old olive oil mill. Time on the saddle 5 hours
3-FINCA SANTA MARTA – TRUJILLO- FULL DAY RIDING
Good trots and canters in the morning by open natural landscape. Natural landscape and cattle can be seen everywhere, cows, sheep, goats and iberic pigs. They still live in a way which is reminiscent of bygone days. After the luxury pic-nic, in the afternoon, good canters to Trujillo. Dinner and night in Trujillo. Time on the saddle 5 hours
4- HALF DAY RIDING AND VISIT TO CACERES TOWN
This day the riding will be in the morning, with beautiful views of the best-preserved Mediterranean forests. Rolling hectares of holm oaks, the classic landscape in Extremadura “Dehesa”. Comfortable lunch in the countryside, with starters, main course, salad, fresh fruit, coffee or tea with chocolate and biscuit; good wines. In afternoon transfer to Cáceres for a visit to this historical World heritage site by Unesco. Dinner and night in Trujillo. Time on the saddle 3 hours
The Old Town of Cáceres, just a 30-min drive from Trujillo, is a World Heritage site and every corner is full of charm. The Old Town is a wonderful medieval and renaissance complex full of history and palaces. This afternoon you will visit Cáceres for a couple of hours (not included tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or drinks/snacks in bars)
Visiting Trujillo and Cáceres feels you have stepped back in time or in the middle of a medieval movie. And it’s for this very reason that Game of Thrones chose Cáceres and Trujillo as a filming location!
5.-HALF DAY RIDING AND VISIT TO TRUJILLO
After breakfast at the hotel, horses already tack up ready to go! We mount up for a lovely ride along open natural landscape. Green open spaces and cattle can be seen everywhere. Lovely picnic lunch with an excellent paella cooked at the spot with good wines. Time on the saddle 3 hours.
Time in the afternoon to visit Trujillo, very historic town with a mix of cultures, still exist Roman remains from the Roman town, on the top of the town there is an spectacular Castle founded in the 10th century by Arabs, in the main square many beautiful palaces built by Spanish Conquistadors during the 16th-century and the equestrian statue of Pizarro. Many storks, eagles, swallows can be seen circling the nests on the roof of the churches and palaces in the Plaza Mayor, very good atmosphere. There are also two museums – Casa-Museo de Pizarro and Centro de Visitantes Los Descubridores (not included tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or drinks/snacks in bars). Ideal way to discover this lovely town of Extremadura, which invites you to explore its cobbled streets on foot. Night and dinner at beautiful hotel.
Day 7 TRUJILLO-MADRID AIRPORT
Breakfast at hotel, departure from Trujillo at 10 a.m., to be at Madrid Airport about 1 p.m. so, please flights not before 3 p.m. All riders will be transferred at the same time, if any rider needs to arrive Madrid before, all riders depart earlier, or we can arrange special transfer at extra cost.
*SPECIAL DATE OCT 11-17, 2020
This special date includes a visit by car on October the 12th (Hispanity day) to the traditional Pilgrimage on horseback to Guadalupe monastery.
Very traditional pilgrimage from any place of Spain to the Monastery on Oct 12th. Since its founding in XIV century, it has became one of the major pilgrimage centres of the Ibérica peninsula.
ITINERARY MAY VARY DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.