Trail Riding Across Ribatejo

Ribatejo is famous for its wines, local cuisine, Roman ruins, castles, and cork oaks. The region is characterized by hospitality and diverse landscape. It's temperate climate allows for good riding throughout the year and the stunning countryside and long tradition of equestrian excellence make this part of Portugal an ideal horse holiday destination. Ribatejo's unique Lusitano horses are famed throughout the equestrian world for their obedience and reliable nature that roam on the Alentejo plain. They were bred for military purposes, and later used for dressage and bull fighting.

The Redlands team offers you exclusively this very special riding location. The rides are between 3 and 6 nights and depart from the most exclusive breeding stud in Portugal of the Lusitano horse. You will ride these magnificent horses every day and travel to a new destination each night. The overnight accommodation is in local rural tourism manors traditionally belonging to major farmers of the Ribatejo.

The Ribatejo region benefits from the Tagus river, the mountains of the north and vast plains of the south. The views and riding across the country is outstanding, coupled with a fascinating history and warm welcome, we believe this is one of the most exceptional riding holidays in Europe. The proximity to Lisbon gives opportunities for fascinating excursions.

Sample itinerary for 6 nights, 5 days riding

Arrival

Transfer to our Quinta (farm) for a welcome dinner. Overnight stay in a forested area with special protection status.

Day 1

Breakfast from 8.30am, then a trial ride to assign horses. We depart for the first ride at 10.30am, beginning with a visit to the Stud facilities, including the mares park and the fillies park. There will be an explanation of different aspects of horse breeding and you will be able to appreciate the beauty of the Puro Sangue Lusitano horse out in wide open spaces.

We then continue through the forest over rolling terrain and enter into Quinta de Vale de Fornos with a stop at the edge of the ridge for a morning snack. Later we pass through the vineyard area and descend into the valley to enter into the main houses of the Quinta de Valle de Fornos. We arrive at around 12.30pm for a wine tasting plus lunch accompanied by wine made from grapes harvested from the vineyards that we ride through.

This section follows the historic path travelled by Christopher Columbus when he went to meet King John II. The King had taken refuge in Vale de Paraiso (Valley of Paradise) to escape the scourge of the Plague, when he received the navigator who had come to him to announce the discovery of America on 10th March 1493. Christopher Columbus is said to have stopped to attend mass at the Vale de Fornos Chapel, situated at the farm where we stop for lunch.

After lunch and the wine tasting, we continue in the direction of Mata Nacional das Virtudes and ride among the mares through the open space of the Ribatejo floodplain. We stop at the Mata das Virtudes for the first snack of the afternoon then cross through the pine forest. We will arrive at Quinta da Cerca Rural Tourist Centre at around 7pm where dinner will be served at Quinta do Pilar.

This section crosses the Mata Nacional das Vertudes, a forested area under special protection, which has enjoyed special status since the thirteenth century according to a Letter of Privilege authorised by King Sancho I in 1207, defining the borders of this area so that his daughter, Dona Sancha, could use it as her dowry.

The horse ride in the fields with the mares is always a high point for adventure lovers and those who thrill in the feeling of freedom, with its stunning visual effect created by the landscape, and the horses and horse-riders among the mares and the fillies.

Day 2

Breakfast is served from 9am in order to mount the horses at 9.45am. We pass through the forest among the livestock, part of the property of Quinta da Cerca then stop for a glass of the producer's wine and a mid morning snack before a reception at the entrance to Quinta do Gaio. Wild bulls are bred on this property and there is a chance to see them from up close after lunch.

Around 3pm we mount the horses and set off through the valley around the cork oak trees. We arrive at the Ribatejo floodplains, an area of agricultural excellence dominated by the valley of the River Tagus, and enjoy an afternoon snack alongside the river. We are due to arive at Quinta da Marchanta Rural Tourism Centre at around 7pm for dinner at Quinta do Pilar once more.

In this section you will first notice the contrast between the health of Ribatejo, dominated by forests of cork oak trees, pine trees and eucalyptus, and the floodplain of the Ribatejo with its large agricultural expanses.

The ride along the deserted back of the River Tagus, through vast sandbanks, is particularly special. You can see by the river the Puro Sangue Lusitano mares bred by the National Stud which belongs to the Portuguese State.

Day 3

Breakfast is served from 9am before a ride through extensive vineyard areas and farming fields, always close to the River Tagus. Following the edge of the pasturelands for mares of the Infante da Camara Stud, we stop for a morning snack.

We arrive at Omnias village with a local stop for lunch before continuing along the floodplain passing by various traditional farmhouses. We then enter the main houses of Quinta da Boavista. This farm really stands out in our itinerary due to its beauty and the size of the property. The hostess also breeds Puro Sangue Lusitano horses (Madalena Abecassis Stud) and has a notable international reputation. Dinner will be served at Quinta da Boavista.

This route partly follows the XVI Roman Road, which connected Braga, Oporto, Lisbon, with CCXLII miles or 361.5km. Along this section you pass by many monuments constructed by the Romans along Road XVI. This road established the definitive route between Lisbon and Oporto which still exists today. There are many points of specific interest along this route such as:

• Riding through the cork oak tree forests, you can see the organised exploitation pf cork oak trees (Quercus suber), the tree from which cork is extracted.
• Passing through the Ribeira de Santarem village allows you to approach the characteristic Ribatejo village, with its people and its habits.
• The impact of Quinta da Boavista, by virtue of its privileged location and idyllic landscape.

At around 9.30pm you will go on to the Azinhaga Rural House. The horses will stay at Quinta da Boavista.

Day 4

Breakfast is served from 9am for a departure at 10am in the direction of the Casa da Azinhaga through vineyards and fields alongside the tree groves of the Tagus River. We stop for a morning snack in the shadow by the river before continuing to the Ribatejo village of Azinhaga. Lunch is served at the Patio do Burgo Restaurant, which offers a wide set of dishes sampling the excellent cuisine of the region. Another highlight of the route is that it coincides with the traditional Fatima pilgrimage route.

We take the afternoon off to rest and take advantage of the opportunities for tourism provided by the region. This may include olive oil tasting, a horse show or a visit to equestrian or traditional shops. Dinner will be in a location to be decided depending on the group's choices for the afternoon programme.

Day 5

After a 9am breakfast we ride through Azinhaga, through some areas which highlight the culture developed around horses and bulls. The route through the countryside includes wide open spaces across the Ribatejo floodplain. We enter Quinta de Mato Miranda after riding through the vineyard area with a stop at the edge of the vineyard for a morning snack. Lunch is served with a local wine produced with grapes from the vineyards we just passed through! This wine is also included in the Ribatejo Wine Route.

Azinhaga is a village that is characteristic of the lifestyle of Ribatejo and its link to farming and horses. The open spaces of the countryside allow variations of rhythm always on flat ground, with wide open views of farmland stretching as far as the eye can see.

At around 4pm we mount the horses and set off in the direction of the Paul do Boquilobo Natural Reserve, an area with high protection status. It is very wet, strongly influenced by the significant differences in the flow rates of the water courses throughout the year. As a result of the intrinsic characteristics of this area and its protection status, the nature areas remain intact with a high concentration of different species of flora and fauna. Historically, the Quinta do Paul do Boquilobo, situated on the outskirts of Golega, belonged to the Orders of Christ and the Knights of the Temple, and was gifted by King John I to his son Henry the Navigator.

After a brief stop for an afternoon snack we arrive at the town of Golega for sightseeing- a town is also known as the Horse Capital of Portugal.

When you arrive at Golega you enter into a space that is almost exclusively orientated around horses. The urban perimeter is organised for the simultaneous circulation of horses and other locomotive means of transport. The riding arenas and the equestrian infrastructures are in the centre of the town, relegating the municipal hall, for example, to the town's periphery. The majority of the houses in the centre of the town have areas to receive horses, set up principally for the Golega Fair.

We later arrive at the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

2012 prices:

6 nights, 5 days riding, full board £1,335 pp

5 nights, 4 days riding, full board £1220 pp

4 nights, 3 days riding, full board £776.50 pp

3 nights, 2 days riding, full board £592 pp

2012 dates: year round, all holidays start on a Monday

Not Included: Flights and Travel Insurance

Airport: Lisbon

Indicative flight price: London to Lisbon £60 - £150pp return depending on time of year

Single supplement: £72 per night

Transfer: £50 per person each way

Suitable for non-riders: No

Call us on +44 (0)1225 424413 or email contact@redlandsequestrian.com to check the ride availability and dates, once we have confirmed availability you can download and fill in a booking form:

• UK Rides Booking Form
• Worldwide Rides Booking Form

Each rider in the party must also complete a riding ability questionnaire before we can complete the final confirmation of your holiday booking.