Discover the fascinating south of Sardinia with its beautiful bays and rich vegetation with palm trees, junipers, mimosas, eucalyptus, cacti and colorful flowers. Flamingos frolic in the shallow water of the salt pans, alongside cormorants, seagulls, sandpipers and many other birds.
You can explore the island of Sant'Antioco and the southern tip of Sardinia on horseback. The entire region is a nature reserve. There are beautiful, tourist-free places worth seeing that invite you to linger. On the beautiful sandy beaches with the turquoise blue water you can relax at lunchtime, take a dip and unwind.
You will spend the night in a hotel in historic Sant'Antioco. Every evening you will be spoiled by the local Italian cuisine.

Itinerary

8 days

Day 1: Arrival
Transfer from Cagliari Airport to San Giovanni Suergiu (1 hour drive). Check-in at the hotel and leisurely dinner in a restaurant serving regional delicacies.

Day 2: Monte Pranu Reservoir and Tratalias
After breakfast, discover the Monte Pranu Reservoir. A fantastic panorama awaits you on the way there. Once you arrive at the reservoir, you will enjoy a picnic lunch. After lunch, you will continue on horseback to the medieval village of Tratalias with its 12th-century Romanesque church. The route takes you back to the riding stable through fields. In the evening, you will be treated to specialties from the island.

Day 3: Sant'Antioco
After a leisurely breakfast, a short transfer by minibus takes you to the east coast of the island of Sant'Antioco, where the horses are already waiting. This small island steeped in history is a paradise with beautiful bays and typical macchia vegetation, untouched by mass tourism. You will enjoy a picnic right by the sea. From May to October, you can use the break to take a refreshing dip. On the way back to Sant'Antioco, you will experience wild and untouched nature, as well as breathtaking panoramic views of the sea with other small islands.

Day 4: Sant'Antioco
Today you will ride to the northwest of the island of Sant'Antioco. At a former guard post, you will have a fantastic view of the entire coast. From here, you will follow a narrow path through wild scrubland with junipers, palm trees, etc., with views of beautiful bays. You will enjoy your lunch break right on the sandy beach. The clear, shallow water in the bay is wonderfully warm for swimming. The route back to the starting point takes you through scrubland and lush green pastures. In the evening, you will return to the hotel and eat at a local restaurant.

Day 5: Mountain trail
After breakfast, you will be taken to the horses and set off on a high-altitude excursion with boundless panoramic views of the Sulcis archipelago. This ride first takes you to the burial sites of “Domus de Janas” on Monte Crobu, and then on to the mountain pass of Monte Suergiû, which is over 400 m above sea level. The trails at this altitude are just as extraordinary as the impressive panorama that can be enjoyed along the way: the islands of Sant'Antioco, San Pietro, the private island of Piana, and all the other islands of the Sulcis archipelago. After a short, steeper descent on foot, you will return to the farm through the green plain.

Day 6: Bruncu and San Giovanni Suergiu
You will be picked up by bus and taken directly to the sea, where your horses will be waiting for you. Today's excursion takes you first to the tip of Puntu Drettu, from where you have a beautiful view of the island of Sant'Antioco. You ride through a small fishing harbor with its typical flat boats. Picnic by the sea. You will then continue along the coast with beautiful galloping stretches right by the water until you reach a turnoff inland, where you will pass through the small village of Dea Madre, a picturesque medieval village surrounded by green pastures, cacti, meadows, and rocks.

Day 7: San Giovanni Suergi and Porto Pino
Today you set off to discover one of the southern tips of the island: Porto Pino with its kilometer-long white sandy beach. You begin the ride by crossing the salt flats before reaching Monte Palma, an ancient church in the Roman-Pisan style. From there you also have a fantastic panorama. Then you continue to the sand dunes of Is Salinas, where you picnic on the beach. After a siesta, you will ride along the sea through typical Mediterranean vegetation to the famous vineyards of the local Carignano wine from Porte Su Triggu. In Porto Pino, you will discover the beaches and salt marshes with colonies of flamingos and cormorants from horseback. Your last ride will end with unforgettable images of this unspoiled and diverse natural landscape. You will be taken back to the hotel and enjoy a final dinner together.

Day 8: Departure
After breakfast, you will be taken back to the airport.

6 days

Day 1: Arrival
Transfer from Cagliari Airport to San Giovanni Suergiu (1 hour drive). Check in at the hotel and cozy dinner in a restaurant with regional delicacies.

Day 2: SantAntioco east coast
After breakfast, load the horses onto the trailer and drive to Sant Antioco to the starting point Palmas Cave. There you take the horses to to tack up and to ride through the typical Mediterranean scrub to the beach of Maladroxia. You continue along the coast to the beaches of Coe Cuaddus. You reach the small settlement (Turri) with the imposing, 700-year-old Spanish tower, which is located on a rocky cliff and offers a magnificent view of the small, sandy - and sometimes rocky - bays, depending on the mood of the sea. In the afternoon, you leave this beautiful panorama with its wild coastline and striking rocky cliffs and to ride head back inland to the plain of Piana di Cannai, from where you return to the starting point. In the afternoon, you will ride back to farm together with the horses. End the day with a dinner in an agriturismo with exclusively local produce.

Day 3: Between Porto Botte and Porto Pino
Today you start your ride directly from farm You to ride along the riverbed in the direction of sea. You explore the beaches of the south coast: first to ride to the popular kitesurfing beach of Porto Botte, then to the long, natural sandy beach of Is Solinas, on to the beautiful little bay of Su Portu e Su Trigu and finally to the large, famous white sandy beach of Porto Pino with its characteristic sand dunes, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Flamingos, vineyards and the scent of juniper and maritime pines will accompany you on today's ride. In the evening, you return to farm and enjoy your dinner in an agriturismo.

Day 4: Mountain trail
After breakfast, you will be taken to the horses and set off on a high-altitude excursion with boundless panoramic views of the Sulcis archipelago. This ride takes you first to the tombs of Domus de Janasdes Monte Crobu, and then on to the mountain pass of Monte Suergiu, which is over 400 m above sea The paths at this altitude are just as extraordinary as the impressive panorama that can be enjoyed along the way: the islands of San Antioco, San Pietro, the private island of Piana and all the other islands of the Sulcis archipelago. After a short, steep descent on foot, you return to farm through the green plain.

Day 5: Sant Antioco west coast 
Today you will explore the west coast of Sant Antioco. Your starting point is at Funtana Cannai, an ancient watering place for animals located in the plain of the same name. From here to ride you climb uphill to the ruins of the historic Su Semafuru lighthouse, which offers an impressive panorama over the sea You then head downhill through the maquis to the nuragic village Grutti e Acqua. Your last stop is the romantic sandy beach of Cala Sapone with its smooth rocks lapped by the sea, where you can enjoy beautiful sunsets.

Day 6: Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and transportation to Elmas Airport in Cagliari.

The order of the daily rides varies!

 

Accomodation
You will stay in a comfortable hotel in Sant'Antioco, which has been voted the most beautiful town in Italy. The hotel has a wellness area (exclusive) and a pool. The rooms have their own shower/toilet, safe, heating/air conditioning and hairdryer.
You will have dinner in various typical restaurants. Dinner is typically Sardinian and consists of local products with a ion of antipasti, pasta, fish, meat, dessert, wine, water and digestif. A picnic with delicious salads, breads and side dishes awaits you at lunchtime.

Saddle & Tack: Comfortable eventing saddles (Wintec) and local trail riding saddles.

Experience: For experienced riders. You should be confident in all gaits, including light seat. You to ride in all gaits, the horses are also need to be lead sometimes.
Maximum weight 85 kg. Children from the age of 12 with appropriate riding experience and with adult companionship possible. You ride 4-6 hours per day.

Horses: Around 15 trail horses, mainly Arabians and Sardinian Anglo-Arabians, height up to 1.70m.