Horse Riding, Wine Tasting And Dinner

Horse Riding, Wine Tasting and Dinner, rated 4.9 across 85 traveller reviews.

Overview

This evening combines a slow horseback ride through vineyards on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius with a winery dinner afterwards. Run by Tastethexperience, it lasts about 4 hours and starts at a bar and tabaccheria a few minutes from the Pompei ruins, from where a driver transfers the group to a local winery on the volcano. The setting looks out over the Gulf of Sorrento and Capri.

The ride itself is deliberately unhurried. Local guides share information about the area as you go, and the listing describes the route as running under the stars. The listing is clear that this is not a ride for anyone wanting to gallop, it is built around time with the animals and the views.

Dinner follows at the winery: a traditional meal of fresh local products and vegetables, with wines produced on the volcano's slopes. Helmets, the food and wine, the ride and the roundtrip transfer from Pompei are all included; gratuities are not, and pickup from Naples or the Amalfi Coast carries an extra charge. Total time on horseback is about an hour, dinner around an hour and a half, with short transfers either side.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Caffetteria MagmaThe driver picks the group up outside Bar, Cornetteria, Tabaccheria Magma H24 in Pompei, a few minutes from the ruins area.
2. Transfer to the wineryA roughly 20 minute drive up to a local winery on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.
3. Horse riding on VesuviusA guided 1 hour ride at a slow pace through the vineyards, with local guides explaining the area. The ride pauses at least in part for the horses to snack, according to reviewers.
4. Dinner and wine tastingAround 1.5 hours at the winery for a traditional dinner of local products and vegetables, paired with wines produced on the volcano's slopes, with views of Vesuvius and the coastline.
5. Transfer backA roughly 20 minute return transfer to the same meeting point in Pompei.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from what travellers consistently report will help you prepare.

• No riding experience needed. One reviewer rode with no prior horse experience and said the guides showed them exactly what to do and walked alongside throughout. Another mentioned the guide picking the right horses for the group, and one described a calm mount that suited a new rider.
• Slow pace, no galloping. The listing states plainly that the ride is at a slow pace, meant for spending time with the animals and admiring the views. It is not suitable for anyone who wants to ride fast.
• Evening timing. This is a nighttime ride and dinner. One reviewer found the evening start meant cooler conditions, which they called the perfect time to go.
• Food and drink. Dinner features fresh local products, vegetables and wines made on the volcano's slopes. Reviewers mention a charcuterie board and ravioli among the dishes, and several bought bottles to take home.
• Getting to the meeting point. The pickup is outside Caffetteria Magma in Pompei, which one reviewer described as very close to the train to Pompei and therefore convenient. Give yourself time to find it, one traveller had route trouble and needed to call to arrange an alternative pickup.
• Helmets provided. Helmets are included along with the ride, the food and wine, and the roundtrip transfer from Pompei and nearby cities. Gratuities are not included, and pickup from Naples or the Amalfi Coast costs extra.

Common issues. Pickup is not included from Naples or the Amalfi Coast, it carries an extra charge, and the meeting point in Pompei is self reached. The pace is genuinely slow, so anyone hoping to canter or gallop will be disappointed, and the listing says so directly. One reviewer's horse kept stopping to eat and was slow to move, though still calm and good for a new rider. One traveller also had difficulty reaching the meeting point and had to call using the booking reference to sort an alternative pickup, so it pays to confirm directions before setting out.

Common Questions