Ippovie Toscane – “Tuscany Horse Riding Trails” is a project recently developed, to respond to the strong expansion of equestrian tourism. Horse riding has been combined with the rediscovery of the region in close contact with natural environment.
Today there are five rings of routes equipped and certified, others will be prepared for a total amount of 5,000 miles of trails. Equestrian tourism is the best way to discover rural areas through a network of businesses and services, tours, and history. Via Francigena, the ancient road between Rome and Canterbury, passes close to this paths that Regione Toscana has just launched.
Tourists will have the opportunity to visit places that are not easy to know and green people will appreciate a holiday with no impact on environmental and ecological resources. These are the itineraries : “A Cavallo nel Medioevo” “With a horse in the Middle Ages”, in the upper valley of the Arno, to discover castles and Romanesque churches between Casentino and Arezzo. Then “Ippovia Amiata”, that connects this montain with the coast of Livorno. “Terre di Siena” and the “L’appennino Pistoiese“, in the mountains between Pistoia and Bologna.
All routes are linked or connected with the two lines: the Francigena, which diagonally crosses the interior of the region and links to other historical routes (Via dei Cavalleggeri, Via Clodia, Vie Romee) and ‘Ippovia of the Mediterranean’ which runs along the coast of Tuscany, building a network and an official map with plenty of stopping points. These are plaaces well-equipped to stay, to welcome horses and riders that offer anything that is useful for horse riding.
You will walk through the ancient streets hearing the rhythm of the horses, learning to admire a rich and relaxing landscape.A trip in Tuscany by horse will keep you in touch with the beauty of Nature, recovering at the same time the dimension of the journey. Our spirit has to prove to ourselves that we can do, and we have to enjoy, without worry, a real contact with nature, to take care a little diseases of our lives working in hurry and anxiety. Take your time!
Image Flickr Creative Commons License courtesy by aeminphilly