Horseback riding in Southern Spain, Spain

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- Andalusia Discovery Week
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Equestrian tours in Spain, Southern Spain
Andalusia Discovery Week


Itinerary for Andalusia Discovery Week


 

Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Guests can choose between 2 options:
- Dressage Option (includes 5 group lessons) suitable for riders of all levels as we can split the groups accordingly.
- Trail Ride Option (includes 4 trail rides - approximately 8 to 10 hours trail riding) suitable for riders who are comfortable in steady trots and occasional balanced canters, on well manned but responsive horses, along open trails. It is also suitable for beginners who want to take it easy on steady trail rides with an option not to canter, if preferred, or confidence building lessons. 

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival
Guests arrive in the afternoon either by pick-up at the train station in Seville (10 - 20 minute drive) or by means of their own transport. A free transfer service is offered at 4:30 pm from the Santa Justa Train Station. You will then be escorted to your hotel in the nearby town of Carmona, one of the famous white villages of Andalucia.
After you are settled in, you may appreciate a dip in the pool, or perhaps discover the pleasures of the Spanish afternoon "siesta" after a tiring journey.
A member of our team will meet you in the hotel lobby at 8.15 p.m. on Sunday evening, to go to the welcome dinner along with the rest of our guests for the week. The meal will normally start at 8.30 p.m. During the meal you will be going over the week’s schedule and morning transfer times among other topics.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 2 (Monday): Morning Ride & Carmona Visit
You will be collected from the hotel and on arrival at the riding center, you will have a short guided tour.

The Trail Ride Option Morning Program includes our ‘Old Hacienda Ride’, a relaxed trail ride around the immediate countryside, through olive groves and eucalyptus trees. Depending on the season, you could see fields of sunflowers, wheat and cotton, as well as melons and water melons in late summer. The ride takes you past impressive 16th and 17th century Haciendas and Cortijos, steeped in history.

The Dressage Option Morning Program consists in your first group lesson (group sizes are usually of 2-3 riders at a similar level, and never larger than 4). It will allow our instructors to assess your strengths and any areas that need working upon throughout the week. Our lessons offer a great opportunity to improve your school work, position and dressage skills and they will also teach you how to communicate better with your horse.

After lunch at the riding center, you go on a guided tour of Carmona. You will enjoy a walking tour of this beautiful and incredibly historic town. Built on a hill overlooking a huge valley, the town lies at the foot of the majestic Sierra Morena mountain range. At the time of Julius Cesar it was one of the most important cities in Spain. You will find many remainders of the Roman and Moorish presence, as can be seen in the city walls, the squares and fountains that embellish the town. In 1247 Ferdinand III of Castile conquered the city, opening a breach in the defensive walls. Over time, churches, buildings and monasteries were built, turning Carmona into one of the most beautiful and historic towns in Andalucía.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 3 (Tuesday): Jerez Visit
Early breakfast and pick up at the hotel at 8:30 a.m. for the drive to Jerez de la Frontera, in the province of Cádiz. Jerez is internationally renowned for its production of sherry and brandy and is synonymous with the Spanish horse. The mornings main attraction this day will be the visit to the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre, and to see an equestrian performance titled, «How the Andalusian Horses Dance». Here you will have the privilege of seeing the magnificent Andalusian stallions at their best, at home in the breathtaking setting of their 18th Century palace and the riding hall. They will be performing piaffe, passage and the airs above the ground (courbette, capriole, etc) in a spectacle of light, music and color.
You will also visit the Equestrian Art museum, where you can marvel at the history of the Spanish horse and high school dressage,from it´s origins to present times, all while enjoying the architecture of the stunning XIX century Place designed by French architect Charles Garnier.
We then enjoy a tapas Lunch in Jerez followed by a guided visit to one of Jerez’s famous Sherry Bodegas. Here you will learn about the history of one of the world’s most recognised wines, Sherry. Spain is also famous for its Brandy which takes its distinctive flavor from the sherry casks it is aged in. Spain produces over 80 million bottles of brandy a year, 95% of it in Jerez. Your guided tour gives you a first hand look into the closely guarded secrets surrounding the creation of sherry. Discover the intricacies of the sherry making process and the origins. Explore the underground cellars, where hundreds of barrels of sherry are stored, and, of course, enjoy a wine tasting.
You will then return to your hotel to enjoy your evening at leisure.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 4 (Wednesday): Morning Ride & Seville Visit
The Trail Ride Option Morning Program includes our ‘Roman Bridge’ ride. Depending on the time of the year you could be riding through fields of sunflowers, wheat, cotton, oranges or peaches, and through ancient olive groves still carefully tended and nurtured. It is a countryside where there are very few fences. Along the way you may come across the river, full and flowing in spring, cool and shallow in summer, a natural heaven for wildlife, with abundant vegetation all year round. Splashing through the shallows, where you may disturb terns and grebes, you’ll emerge at an old Roman Bridge and shady eucalyptus grove.

The Dressage Option Morning Program consists of your second dressage lesson. You will be further developing your understanding of the principles of Classical Dressage and you will already feel an improvement in your position and balance.

We have our lunch break at the riding center. After a freshen up back at your hotel you will then be taken for a visit into the heart of Seville.
You will start at the world famous Plaza de España, where you will have time to stroll its breathtaking beauty before embarking on a carriage ride through the park then into the historical centre of this incredible city.
Here you will have time to roam the ancient streets of El Bario de Santa Cruz, famous for it’s flowered balconies and narrow streets or climb the sloping ramps of the Giralda to see the incredible views across Seville. Seville cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and also the burial place of Christopher Columbus. Photo opportunities abound and you will never tire of the quaint cobbled streets that wind their way around the imposing palaces, cathedrals and monuments that combine to make Seville a ‘must see’ destination.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 5 (Thursday): Morning Ride & Olive Oil Farm Visit
The Trail Ride Option Morning Program features ancient farm trails that surround the riding center. By now, you will have fallen in love with the Andalusian countryside, its rich diversity of crops, and the sweeping scenery that is free of fences, punctuated only by olive groves and orchards.

The Dressage Option Morning Program includes two group lessons, one of which will be on the lunge, to really help progress your riding. By now you will feel more confident in your riding ability and your skills and knowledge will be increasing. You will start to really appreciate the feel and connection the wonderful Spanish horses can give you and you will be riding some more complex shapes and movements.

After lunch, you will visit the local Olive Oil Farm to learn more about this amazing product. Spain produces about half of the world’s olive oil and its health benefits are well documented. Few know what goes into its production though, so you will find this visit fascinating.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 6 (Friday): Morning Ride, Cooking Lesson & Seville
The Trail Ride Option Morning Program includes our last trail ride of the week, through olive and orange groves, and past farmers working the land. How strange, in a region where there are no bridle paths the horse can wander anywhere as long as you have respect for the crop. By now, you will realise that in Andalucia, everyone understands and loves horses.

The Dressage Option Morning Program consists of your final riding lesson of the week. Depending on your ability, you will be working on some of the more advanced dressage movements and by now, you will have totally fallen in love with the Spanish horse. His kindness, honesty, desire to please and natural beauty will leave you in awe.

You will then enjoy a Cooking Lesson with our own chef, Rosario, where you will use typical ingredients and methods to produce your own traditional Andalusian lunch. This will, of course, be accompanied by a glass or more of local Spanish wine.
After a relaxing afternoon back in Carmona, get ready to revisit the historical heart of Seville. There, you will visit a tack shop and go for a short walk to the typical Spanish night market where you can choose your own meal, from a range of Spanish and International cuisine, accompanied, of course, by some superb Spanish wine.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona



Day 7 (Saturday): Cordoba Visit
After an early breakfast you will be taken to the breathtakingly beautiful city of Cordoba. This city is quite literally the birth place of the Spanish horse.
In 1570, King Philip II, who was a great lover of horses, set out on a scheme to create a pure bred Spanish horse. For this reason, he ordered the Royal Stables to be built on land belonging to the Castle of the Christian Monarchs. It is here, in this beautiful setting, that the first ever Pure Bred Spanish horse, the PRE, more commonly referred to as the Andalusian, was bred. You will tour the ancient royal stables, which are worth a visit in their own right, and then, depending on the season, you will be able to watch a training session, showcasing some of the descendants of the very first pure bred Spanish horses.
There will also be time to explore some more of this extraordinary city including the incredible La Mezquita, the world famous mosque.
Cordoba was founded by the Romans and it became a port city of great importance, used for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome. The Romans built the mighty bridge crossing the river, now called «El Puente Romano», but Cordoba’s hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of Al-Andalus, and this was when work began on the Great Mosque, or «Mezquita», which over the centuries, became one of the largest in all of Islam.
When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city were so awed by its beauty that they left it standing, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns, and creating the extraordinary church-mosque we see today.
There are no shortage of places to enjoy a tapas lunch and Cordoba is full of boutique stores, from which to buy souvenirs, or you may prefer to wander the tiny alleyways and quaint courtyards, soaking up the atmosphere of this extraordinary city.
Finally, enjoy the last evening at your hotel or you may prefer to enjoy your final evening stroll through the streets of old Carmona whilst reminiscing about the wonders that make Andalusia what it is.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
Overnight at hotel in Carmona


Day 8 (Sunday): Departure
We offer complementary transport to the airport and train station. First trip at 8.00 am and last will be at 11.00 am.
Have a nice journey home, we hope you enjoyed your stay and we look forward to welcoming you back!
Meals included: Breakfast



Non Riders
Some non-riding activities can be arranged for non-riding companions. Examples of these activities include  Flamenco lessons, Spanish lessons, Massage, Golf...and much more!
We can also arrange some sightseeing activities for you such as Visit to the monumental town of Ronda, Visit to the famous Village of el Rocío and it´s Basilica, Riding in the Doñana National park and beaches, Photographic or Nature tour in the Doñana National Park, Guided tour of the Roman Necropolis in Carmona, Visits to the Museums both in Carmona and Sevilla (Sevilla is the birth place of universal painters Velázquez and Murillo among others, and many of their paintings can be viewed in the Fine arts Museum), Visit to the famous Carthusian Andalusian horse Stud and Show & Visits to SICAB, Seville fair and Jerez fair.
It is also possible to add more cooking lessons to the program for an extra fee.
Inquire about the cost of these extra activities if you are interested.
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Andalusia Discovery Week
Tour Code: IT-SPSR50
8 days / 7 nights
Dates : Available all year

Difficulty : Riding Level
Lodging: Standard
Introduction
Day to Day Itinerary
Rates | Dates
Accommodation
Tack: Spanish cowboy saddle or English saddl...
Horses: Andalusian and Andalusian cross
Pace: All paces according to riding level
Walk, Trot, Canter,
Airport: Seville
Location on Google Map
Image Gallery
Image Slide Show
Customer Trip Rating
Climate
What To Bring
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