Winery views start from the saddle. This private Verona experience combines a hands-on horse lesson with a family winery visit and a three-wine tasting. You’ll ride for about 60 minutes through vineyards toward the hill of Custoza, then head underground to smell old barrels and learn how the wines are made.

I especially like how the horses are matched to you, not just handed out. Each rider gets a trail horse chosen by weight, height, and experience level, so beginners aren’t tossed onto something wild. One thing to keep in mind: this is not a sit-and-ride. You’ll have to listen, stay alert, and do more than hold the reins loosely.

After the tasting, you can brush your horse and give a snack, which is a sweet closer to the day. And you get food with the wine: homemade cheese and salami, plus multiple pours (white, rosé, and red).

Key highlights worth planning for

• Private, English-speaking setup so your group does the ride and tasting at its own pace
• Horse matching based on weight, height, and your experience level
• About 60 minutes riding through vineyards up toward Custoza
• Family-run winery tour with a cellar walk and winemaking techniques
• Three-wine tasting paired with homemade cheese and salami
• Post-ride horse care: brush your horse and share a snack

Horse-and-Wine Day Overview: What You’re Really Buying

This is a four-hour, private activity built around two skills: riding and tasting. You start with horses—getting acquainted, gear up, and assisting with saddling and prep—then shift to the winery, where you learn and taste white, rosé, and red.

The value here is that the day isn’t just about pretty views. You do real work on the horse at the start, so you’ll understand what the trainer means when giving instructions. Then the wine tasting is paired with food that actually makes sense for the flavors.

Starting Point in Villafranca di Verona: Timing Matters

The tour starts at Piazzetta Lino Tosoni, 16, 37069 Villafranca di Verona (VR), with a start time of 9:15am. It ends back at the meeting point, so you’re not guessing your way across the countryside afterward.

A quick planning note: this is a morning activity, and you’ll want to arrive early enough to settle in before the horse prep starts. If you’re relying on local transport, give yourself extra buffer because getting around outside central Verona can be hit-or-miss.

The Private Ride Setup: Horses, Gear, and a Real Lesson

Before anyone mounts, you’ll be introduced to the horses and helped with the whole prep rhythm: getting suited up, assisting with saddling, and helping get the horse ready for the trail. You’ll also get a basic lesson in horse talk—how to communicate and how to control your horse on the move.

That training piece is a big deal. It turns the ride from passive sightseeing into a guided activity where you know what to do. And it’s why the experience feels more personal than a typical tour where everyone just follows along.

The horse matching approach is also practical. Your trail horse is picked for your weight, height, and level of experience, so the staff can set you up for success instead of guesswork.

What Makes This Ride Different: It’s Not a Sit-and-Drift

The experience comes with a clear warning, and it’s worth taking seriously: this isn’t a gentle, keep-your-phone-out kind of ride. The horses are described as sweet, happy, and well-trained, but you still have to do your part.

You’ll be expected to listen to instructions and stay alert during the ride. In other words, you’ll enjoy it more if you’re comfortable taking direction quickly—especially around speed changes, stopping, or moving as a group.

If you’re looking for a purely leisurely activity where you can do nothing but sit, this may feel too active. If you want a ride that actually teaches you how horseback travel works, it’s a good fit.

The Vineyard Route Toward Custoza Hill

You ride for about 60 minutes through the vineyards, finishing toward the hill of Custoza. The route is built around farmland views, not urban scenery, so you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the countryside without a long transfer.

Because the ride is about an hour, the terrain and pace matter. The good news: you’ll have already had a basic lesson and be matched to a horse suitable for your level, which helps keep the day comfortable and controlled.

Also, remember that this is an outdoors ride. Even when the pace feels easy, you’re still on a moving animal and reading cues—so treat it like an activity day, not a museum morning.

Family Winery Visit: Cellar Smell, Old Barrels, and Technique

After the ride, you visit a family-run winery. The day is designed to give you more than a quick pour at a counter. You walk into the wine cellar, and you’ll learn about winemaking history and production techniques along the way.

That cellar walk is more than atmosphere. Seeing barrels up close and getting an explanation for how the winery works gives the tasting meaning. It also makes the tasting feel grounded in real craft instead of just numbers on a label.

You’ll taste local wines that are among their most produced styles: white, rosé, and red. It’s a smart approach because it shows what the winery does well across different flavors.

Wine Tasting with Cheese and Salami: How the Pairing Works

The tasting isn’t served as wine on its own. You’ll pair what you taste with a selection of homemade cheese and salami, which helps you experience the wines as they’re meant to be enjoyed.

That pairing matters because it changes how the wine tastes on your palate. Salty, savory bites can make the experience more structured, while cheese can smooth out the sharper edges of certain styles. The end result is that the tasting feels like a meal, not a snack.

One of the most praised aspects of this experience is the wine itself, especially the fact that you get a full set across the color spectrum. Sampling multiple styles usually makes it easier to find what you actually like, not just what sounds good on paper.

Post-Ride Horse Care: A Gentler Finish to the Day

You don’t just leave the barn and vanish. After the tasting, you can brush your horse and give it a snack. That small hands-on step helps the experience feel respectful and connected to the animals instead of purely extractive.

It also gives your body a quick reset after riding. You’re still doing something physical, but it’s calmer than a trail ride and often a nice way to end the activity on a warm note.

Price and Value: Why It Costs About $190+ Per Person

At $190.63 per person for roughly four hours, this is not a bargain basement tour. But private, horse-based experiences rarely are.

Here’s what you’re paying for:

• Private time for your party, not a crowded group shuffle
• Horse matching and a basic lesson in horse talk and control
• About 60 minutes of guided riding through vineyards
• A family winery visit, including a cellar walk and winemaking talk
• Wine tasting across white, rosé, and red
• Food pairing with homemade cheese and salami
• Post-ride horse interaction (brushing and snacking)

If you split the cost across a small group, the private part can start to feel like better value. If you’re going solo, it may feel like a higher spend, but the included wine and the hands-on horse training can still justify it if you want something more involved than a standard tasting.

Logistics That Can Affect Your Day (and How to handle them)

Your meeting point is clearly set, and you return there at the end. Still, the countryside timing can surprise people.

One experience described a situation where there weren’t easily available taxis, and the rider and spouse ended up walking about four miles to reach the ranch. The staff then helped by bringing them back toward town afterward so they could catch their train.

That’s the takeaway for you: plan transport earlier than you think you need to. If you’re coming in on public transit, build in slack time. And if you’re tight on schedules, tell yourself the morning starts early for a reason.

Also keep the weather factor in mind. The experience requires good weather, and if poor weather cancels it, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Who This Horseback and Wine Combo Suits Best

This fits best if you want an active, outdoors morning with a real instructor-style start. It’s great for couples and friends who like hands-on travel and don’t mind that the ride requires attention.

It also suits wine lovers who want a practical tasting sequence, paired with food, and explained in a winery setting. The fact that you taste white, rosé, and red helps you explore what you genuinely like.

A key limitation: no children (no bambini). If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll need a different Verona plan.

If your goal is a very calm, low-effort horseback outing, you may find the need to listen and stay alert to be more than you expected. But if you enjoy learning as you go, that requirement is part of what makes the experience feel real.

Should You Book This Verona Horseback Riding and Wine Tasting?

Book it if you want a private day that mixes countryside riding with a proper winery visit. The strongest reasons to choose it are the horse matching, the fact you’ll learn basic control before heading out, and the way the tasting includes white, rosé, and red with homemade cheese and salami.

Skip it if you’re trying to find a purely passive ride where you can just sit and zone out. This experience asks you to participate—listen, pay attention, and follow instructions.

If your schedule is flexible and you can travel on a clear morning, it’s an excellent choice for a memorable Verona day that feels more personal than the usual wine tour.

FAQ

How long is the horseback riding and wine tasting tour?

It lasts about four hours.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. It’s private, so only your party participates.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

How long is the horseback riding portion?

You’ll ride for about 60 minutes through the vineyards.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Piazzetta Lino Tosoni, 16, 37069 Villafranca di Verona VR, Italy and ends back at the same meeting point.

What’s included in the wine tasting?

You’ll taste a selection of their most produced wines, including white, rosé, and red, and it’s paired with homemade cheese and salami.

What happens if the tour can’t run due to weather or minimum numbers?

If it’s canceled because of poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund. If the minimum number of travelers isn’t met, you’ll also be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.