Piccola Raieda - l'Agriturismo sulla Via degli Dei

The Piccola Raieda farmhouse is located on the Apennines between Bologna and Florence in the uncontaminated nature of the Natural Reserve of the Pliocene Spur and exactly at the end of the first stage of the Via degli Dei, the well-known trek that in about 6 days of walking takes you from Piazza Maggiore in Bologna to Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

Bycar , it is only 25 minutes from Bologna and 50 minutes from Florence: a strategic location that makes it an ideal vacation destination for Italian and foreign tourists. Possible vacations with your horse , which will be housed in our stables, relaxing vacations enjoying home cooking and wonderful walks or mountain bike rides, an excellent base for visiting the cities of art and a perfect stopping point for the Via degli Dei.

The Piccola Raieda farmhouse, located at an altitude of 500 meters in the Pliocene Foothills Nature Reserve, includes a farm of about 10 hectares, mostly pasture and woodland, which surrounds the manor house and the farmhouse and is crossed by the Via degli Dei, the Roman road that connected Bologna to Florence and which is still traveled every year on foot, by mountain bike and on horseback by thousands of Italian and foreign travelers.

The location of the farm exactly on the Via degli Dei, 50 meters before the ascent to Monte Adone, and at the natural end of the first stage, as well as the presence in the same structure of the possibility to stay overnight and dine makes it the first ideal stage from Bologna or the last one from Florence.

For guests are available two double rooms with bathroom with stone walls, wooden ceiling and exposed beams and two rooms for 4 people (a two-roomed apartment and a spacious studio) also with bathroom.

Also available anarea for tents with bathroom for common use.

For lunch or dinner there is a restaurant room with fireplace. In summer you can also enjoy our cuisine outside in the fenced garden that surrounds the farmhouse: many corners have been created with gazebos and umbrellas from which you can admire views of Bologna or the Pliocene Spur.

There is also a stable with large boxes for the farm's horses and for guests' horses, which also have large paddocks available in the summer. For those who bring their own horse here, there is a saddlery and an outdoor sand arena measuring 40x20 meters.

The main activities of the farm are thebreeding of saddlehorses (at the moment there are six horses owned); thegarden that provides vegetables for the menus; the cultivation of lavender, from which we produce essential oil, and other aromatic; theapiary, which allows us every year to produce an excellent acacia, chestnut and wildflower honey and the production of jams of all kinds for breakfast. In addition to horses, chickens, peacocks and dogs brighten our days.

From mid-November to late March we are open only for stays of several days and we accept reservations ONLY WITH MINIMUM 7 DAYS IN ADVANCE.

Regarding the HORSEBACK RIDING ACTIVITIES threeinstructors/guides will be on hand to meet your different needs:for children up to 14 years and for beginners are possible fun riding lessons of basic western riding or of preparation to the riding out in the country and baptisms of the saddle for the little ones; for children with at least 14 years and for adults with experience, after a short test of their riding level, are possible scenic riding out from at least an hour and a half to several days within the Natural Reserve of the Pliocene Spur , the Regional Park of Monte Sole and the district of "5 Valli Bolognesi". We organize every year a horseback tour of a week for example from Piccola Raieda to Tuscany and from Piccola Raieda to the Adriatic Sea. For adults with media experience who want to hone their skills: ad hoc programs from two to seven days as the "package two or three days around the horse"; the "taste of horsetrekking" and the "horsetrekking school". As DIDACTIC FARM we propose different programs for groups and schools: " Packhorse and legs on the shoulders"hiking of a day within the reserve with packhorse and picnic (minimum 6 persons); "The Gothic Line and the Battle of Brento " walk on foot to Monte Adone to the discovery of the trenches of the Gothic Line; " Horse, what a passion " first approach to the world of the horse with baptism of the saddle; " From the flower to the honey " with stories about the mysterious world of bees. And for all the guests the possibility of involvement in agricultural activities: the collection of lavender; the vegetable garden; care of horses; the collection of blackberries and so on. During the summer there are also weeks for children and teenagers of full immertion on the life in a ranch (with fullboard, overnights, work in the ranch and riding). Possible for adults too. But that's not all: for lovers of outdoor sports many OTHER ACTIVITIES are possible. Starting from the farm you can enjoy over 100 kilometers of well signposted paths for lovers of mountain biking, walking, Nordic walking and snowshoeing in snow; at about 6 km there is a golf course with 18 holes and at 2 km, the Rock of Badolo for experienced climbers. For those who love fishing at only 1 km will find a recreational lake where to test. For those who want to experience the thrill of rafting on the Limentra River, a qualified instructor living in the surrondings accompanies regularly groups with departure by car from Brento. INSIDE THE FARM you can visit the trenches of the Gothic Line, theater of the last world war and the summit of Monte Adone. At 200 meters from us the " Centre for the care of the wild and exotic fauna of Monte Adone", open only by appointment well in advance ..... so it is normal by us while dining in the garden to hear verses of chimpanzees or roaring of lions .... you are not crazy, these are just some of the animals housed in this center! Starting from the agritourism you can VISIT IN DAY: the Bologna (25 min.) with its porticos and suggestive underground canals, Florence (50 min.) with its museums and its works of art but also the Adriatic Riviera (60 min.), San Marino, Ferrara, Ravenna, Borgo La Scola, the Historical Park of Monte Sole,the ancient Etruscan city of Misa, Monte Bibele with its excavations of the eponymous Celtic village and its Archaeological Museum as well as the Ferrari Museum in Bologna and the Ducati Museum in Maranello. At about 50 minutes from us there is a great water park with spa and the Alpe of Monghidoro with the Triton's Park, an adventure park for all where you can have a lot of fun climbing on trees. For shopping lovers, two outlets: one in Barberino del Mugello, near Florence and one in Castelguelfo, near Bologna (both at about 45 minutes far from us). Even if it was born to realize the dream of a horseback riding holiday, it is perfect also for guests searching for a relaxing holiday with good cousine, walks and life in the open air; for guests who want to spend a holiday together with their own pets; but also for guests who want to discover the surrondings with a cultural holiday without giving up to the pleasure of a walk through the woods and of a homemade dinner in the cool of the garden during the summer or near the fireplace during the winter. As it is also on the "Via degli Dei", the roman path that linked up Bologna to Florence, it is a very confortable stopping place for the thounsands of wayfarers that walk along it every year.