The large estate, I Due Laghi, is a four-star charming and comfortable hotel, offering a vacation package of three days of horseback training and two days of trail riding, as well as golfing, biking, tennis, hiking, sightseeing and swimming in season.
The I Due Laghi Center is a British Horse Society approved equestrian center, the first approved in Italy. The estate extends for nearly 400 acres between the two lakes of Bracciano and Martignano, inside the Homonymous National Park, where horses, cows, goats and sheep graze, according to a tradition existing for a thousand years. In the two sand arenas, in the grass field arena or on the four cross-country courses and on the mild hills of the estate you may have the option of dressage, show jumping or cross-country lessons or trail riding.
On Tuesday afternoon you will visit the 15th century Castle Odescalchi in Bracciano (also accessible by car). On Wednesday you have the opportunity to spend a day in Rome (40 minutes by train to arrive at St. Peter's Basilica). On Thursday and Friday you will have fascinating trail riding in the heart of Tuscia countryside to discover the area where the Etruscans and the Ancient Romans fought and lived during the 5th, 4th and 3rd centuries B.C., until the Romans overcame and soon very well spent their peaceful and static way of living; the bridges and paved roads with big stones (basolato) of the Romans represent well their dynamic way of living, mostly "on the roads", to conquer other people. You will see the tombs, the bridges, and the paved roads. I Due Laghi is located in Tuscia (also called Upper Latium or Southern Etruria), between Rome and Tuscany. When the Roman Empire fell (5th century A.D.) this land was run by Barbarians such as Goti, Visigoti, Longobardi and Franchi up to and including Middle Ages, and afterwards by the noble Roman families in the Renaissance and Baroque period (15th, 16th and 17th centuries). History was always crossing Tuscia, leaving such big and impressive architectural sites as watchtowers (13th century), castles (13th and 15th centuries), the dead city (17th century) that you will see, in an overwhelming atmosphere, the result of all those civilizations who wanted to capture (but they were captured instead) the spirit and the spell of the millennium history of Rome.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Guests arrive on Sunday, settle in and relax. The members of the management will have a drink with you to describe the week’s program.
Day 2: Riders will have an assessment lesson in the morning, and in the afternoon dressage and/or jumping lessons.
Day 3: A relaxing and soft hack in the estate, visiting the farm, is the best way to start the week. You will have a visit to the goat farm, where the dairy converts the milk into many types of cheese. You will have the opportunity to taste some of them, have a glass of wine, and admire the panoramic view of Lake Bracciano, while the shepherd will inform you about the cheese making.
Day 4: Visit to Rome all day or enjoy a free morning. Visit to a 15th century Castle Odescalchi in Bracciano in the afternoon, most recently noted as the place where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married (optional, extra-cost) or afternoon free.
Day 5: You shall depart on horseback from the stable and arrive on the very ancient Via di Polline (VIII B.C.). The road was made by the Etruscans living in the towns of Veio and Cerveteri. When the Romans conquered Etruria, they rode upon this road with the legionaries, and were also used for trading. During the Empire (from I century A.D.) the Social Elite used this road to reach their villas. Most of the villas were ‘villae rusticae’ (working farms); as is I Due Laghi. While the road gently heads upward you will ride through the large oak woods and see the volcanic Lake of Bracciano, shimmering with its crystal-clear water. In 2 AD the Emperor Agusto built an aqueduct which brought the water to Rome which even today, is used by the Romans and the Vatican City. In the evening, you will visit the Tower of Stracciacappe (XII A.D.) which was built as a lookout for the sentinels. Here they could watch the Thyrrhenian Sea and alert the village for possible attacks by Barbary pirates who frequently landed on the coast and attacked the local residents. As you continue your ride you will have a larger view of the lake and see the perfect triangle of the high Mount of Rocca Romana and the medieval village of Trevignano, built by the Etruscans. At the summit of the village are the ruins of the Rocca Orsini castle which was sacked and destroyed by Cesare Borgian known as “Il Valentino” in 1496 while fighting the Orsini family in Bracciano. The renaissance Florentine writer Niccolò Machiavelli thought of Il Valentino while writing his philosophic and political book ‘Il Principe’ and thus dedicated the work to him. You ride smoothly to the top of the mountain covered with enormous oaks and typical Mediterranean trees. At a certain point along this ride (555 feet up) you will have a panoramic view you could get lost in, with the horizon, green fields and the sea at your feet. You will stop and have lunch at the Fontanile San Martino (St. Martin Spring).
Day 6: Today you will leave I Due Laghi and head towards the small “treasure” Lake of Martignano, and ride completely around it. The lake was inhabited by the Etruscans in the Villanova period (IX B.C.) and can be seen by the remains of the many tombs in the area. The Romans chose this beautiful place as an escape from the hard work of the Empire. The Emperor Augusto, son of Julius Cesar, called it Lacus Alsietinue. Here is where the Emperor built an aqueduct which brought the water to Rome, on the top of Gianicolo hill. The water would fall down to Trastevere allowing the mills to work, creating Naumachia (battle of ships) and irrigating the gardens of Julius Cesar. We will follow the road and footpath down through the oak woods, as our view widens below to the very ancient volcanic effected settlement area. Closely-planted trees will surround us and the lake as we get to a certain point where our view will take your breath away. Here you will be able to see both lakes simultaneously. You will ride on ‘La Tagliata’ a road carved in the rocks by the Etruscans in the 5th Century B.C and head down to the beach where you will stop to have lunch at a place called St. Alexander. People have been living here since ancient times and, it is said, this was the place where Alessandro, a Christian martyr, was killed in the 3rd Century A.D. Your ride will continue around the rest of the lake, riding on a paved Roman road and following along another lake. This lake looks slightly mysterious with no signs of resident life. At the end of the day, while riding back to I Due Laghi, you will feel as though you have been living in a dream.
Day 7: Day of departure.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
6 night program: $2,280 per person, shared; $295 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 6 nights hotel accommodations
- Breakfast each day
- 2 lunches
- 4 dinners
- 4 days of guided trail riding and lessons in dressage or cross country jumping
- Horse
- Tack
- Guide/instructor
- Tax.
3 night program: $1,695 per person, shared; $155 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 3 nights hotel accommodation
- Most meals
- 2 days of riding
- Horse
- Tack
- Tax.
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