DISCOVERING THE SOSIO RIVER

This year Sicily Horse Tours is happy to propose a new trail, immersed in nature, packed with Sicilian history and culture, which will take you from the Madonie Park to the Sicani Mountains, whilst ascending to the Sosio River.

This trail is  only suitable for advanced riders, who are confident in walking, trotting and galloping into the challenging Sicilian terrains. The riders are invited to spend six days on horseback, crossing the central-southern part of Sicily, in between Agrigento and Palermo. All the kilometers will be made on horseback which can result into long days on the horse and all the guest's luggage will be carried by the jeep. The total of seven nights of accommodations are included in the price of this trail.

Day 1: Arrival.

Riders will arrive at Tenuta Luogo Marchese in the afternoon. Rooms will be allocated on arrival. Orientation session with Sicily Horse Tours guides will be conducted during dinner. The first night will be spent at Tenuta Luogo Marchese.

Day 2: Marhese – Collesano.

Today’s destination is the small town of Collesano. Time on horseback is a minimum of 7 hours.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am. Departure is at 9:00 am

Today we’ll ride through Madonie National Park, where the landscape is rich with vineyards and cork trees. We’ll also have a good view of the majestic, 1979 mt high Carbonara Mountain, the second highest mountain in Sicily, after Etna. We’ll stop for a picnic on the outskirts of Gratteri village.

In the afternoon, we’ll walk through the picturesque streets of Gratteri, and then we’ll walk through the forest whilst heading towards the town of Collesano where we’ll have dinner and spend our second night of the trail at the farmhouse of Casale Drinzi.

Day 3: Collesano - Mandria Giumenta.

Today’s destination is Mandria Giumenta. Time on horseback is a minimum of 7 hours.

Breakfast is at 8.00 am. Departure from Casale Drinzi farmhouse is at 9.00 am.

We’ll walk through the town of Collesano before we’ll take one of the oldest trazzeras (the road that crosses the fields and serves as a passage of herds), which will lead us across the river towards the Sclafani Bagni where we'll have a picnic. After lunch, we’ll have an opportunity to dip in and spend time in the thermal sulphurous waters of Sclafani Bagni.

In the afternoon, we’ll take a passage to an ancient village of Sclafani Bagni and visit an ancient ruin of the medieval castle.

We’ll have dinner and spend third night of our trail in Mandriagiumenta farmhouse in Caltavuturo area.

Day 4: Mandria Giumenta - Villa Dafne.

Today’s destination is Villa Dafne. Time on horseback is a minimum of 5 hours.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am. Departure from the farmhouse Mandria Giumenta is at 9:00 am

We’ll ride towards Valledolmo, past Caltavuturo, across rolling hills with vast fields cultivated with wheat. We’ll stop to explore Gurfa caves, an ancient archaeological site, which is housing the tomb of Minos – a king of Greta - who came to Sicily to hunt Daedalus. During the Roman times, those caves were used as warehouses to keep grain. We’ll have a picnic at this ancient site.

In the afternoon we’ll continue to Villa Dafne, with the view of town Alia. 

We’ll have dinner and spend fourth night of our trail in Villa Dafne.

Day 5: Villa Dafne - Palazzo Adriano.

Today’s destination is Palazzo Adriano. Time on horseback is a minimum of 8 hours.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am. Departure from Villa Dafne is at 9:00 am

Today we’ll enter the territory of Roccapalumba, a town traditionally known in Sicily as a producer of prickly pear. We’ll ride past the town of Lercara Friddi and stop for a picnic in one of the 15 villages that was built in Sicily in Mussolini ‘s time, for Mussolini. Riders will have time to explore this historic site after lunch.

In the afternoon we’ll continue to Palazzo Adriano, where we’ll have dinner and spend fifth night of our trail.

Day 6: Palazzo Adriano-Burgio.

Today’s destination is the town of Burgio. Time on horseback is a minimum of 4 hours.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am. The departure from Palazzo Adriano at 11:30 am.

After breakfast, we’ll spend 2 hours exploring the town of Palazzo Adriano (2000 inhabitants), where ‘Nuovo Cinema Paradiso’ was filmed. We’ll visit the cinema museum, church, piazza, etc., where filming took place. Palazzo Adriano has Albanian origins and main churches there are both, Orthodox and Catholic. After we explored Palazzo Adriano, we’ll depart on horseback for Burgio, through the magnificent woods with breathtaking views of Sosio Valley, where we’ll stop for a picnic.

We’ll have dinner and spend the last two nights of our trail in Le Querce farmhouse.

Day 7: Burgio - Valle del Sosio.

Today we are going to explore the one and only, magnificent Valle del Sosio. Time on horseback is a minimum of 7 hours.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am. The departure is at 9:00 am.

On the last day of our trail, we’ll immerse into the Sosio Valley by descending towards the Sosio river, whilst riding through places with panoramic views, which are filled with history just as much as with beauty. When we reach the Sosio River, we’ll stop for a picnic, this is when we’ll have an opportunity for a swim during our lunch time.

In the afternoon, we’ll ride up the stream, in the river itself. We’ll climb back to the mountains and explore the forests before we return to the farmhouse for dinner. We’ll spend our last night in the same place that we spent our previous night.

Day 8: The departure day.

After breakfast that starts at 8:00 am, riders will be taken to the airport.

Suggested airport: Arrive: Palermo – Departure from: Palermo

Dates 2025: 07-14/06

Prices: Double room: 1750€; Single room: 1950€.