Equestrian Tourism in Romania
For many people, the perfect tourism offer would be a vacation that involves horse riding
Daniel Onea, 13.07.2023, 14:00
For many people, the perfect tourism offer would be a vacation that involves horse riding, traversing the Carpathian Mountains, hills and plains, rivers, forests, and ancient villages. Even though everything seems perfect at first sight, there are a few details that we should know before thinking of an experience on horseback in discovery of new places.
Equestrian tourism is definitely a topic that involves expertise. Mihai Radea is a tourist guide, historian, and art historian, welcomes tourists with multiple circuits: cultural, natural, and equestrian.
“We can organize the equestrian ones either exclusively as such, or we can integrate them in our larger cultural circuits all across the country. We have collaborators in all parts of the country, horse breeders who offer, as a primary service, horseback nature circuits. Then we can organize depending on the part of Romania that people got to. For instance, we have, closer to Bucharest, Slanic Prahova, with great scenery. I also collaborate with a horse breeder in Transylvania, at Prod, near a small village, in the middle of nature, at the foot of hills, where you can have a horseback circuit. Then, in a new space, very beautiful, in northern Moldavia, close to the famous monasteries, near Dragomirna Monastery, between Sucevita and Putna. I have a bunch of horse farms that I work with. Basically, we can offer this service pretty much all over Romania, in collaboration with the horse riding centers that provide the primary service, and we take care of the rest.”
Slanic Prahova is the closest place to Bucharest. Here you can take organized trips among the hills, in a beautiful natural setting, where the guests can enjoy the company of the horses, the scenic beauty, and a picnic meal with the owners of the farm, when the circuit is a full day. Of course, you can also visit the Slanic Prahova salt mine, which is a veritable salt palace, with a depth of 127 m. Mircea Radea also proposes a stopover in Transylvania, 17 km away from the Sighisoara medieval city, to the locality of Prod:
“We can take tours among the hills of Transylvania, through forests, following springs, in a beautiful setting. You can spend the whole day with the horses in the hills, but if you have more days available, there many tourist objectives to visit. Near Prod we have the city of Sighisoara, then, not far away, we have the citadel of Rupea and Sibiu. We also have a beautiful place in the north of Moldavia, which, naturally and spiritually, is a treasure. Here we also have horse farms that offer us this possibility of touring in the middle of nature near Dragomirna Monastery, between the Sucevita and Putna monasteries, in a fairy tale land. It is amazing there. We can take these trips through the forest. At the horse farm between the two monasteries, somewhere close to Horodnic, you can take a trail to either Putna or Sucevita monasteries. We reach these places where nature, spirituality, culture, and history blend in a harmonious way.”
Tourist guide Mircea Radea says that tourists only need the proper clothing to get on horseback, the protection equipment is provided by each equestrian center:
“It doesnt matter what experience the guests have, because these circuits or trips are arranged on categories. If we have people with little or no experience, we generally go at the gentlest pace, in a column. In order to ride faster, the man in the front of the row, the row leader, has to go faster, and this never happens if the guests have no previous experience. If, however, we have experienced guests who know how to control a horse, we can go faster, trotting or galloping. These trips offer a great satisfaction. Riding a horse free, in nature, with the wind whistling by your ears, gives you a feeling of total freedom, and a satisfaction that cannot compare with other modern entertainment. For this to happen, the persons coming to us have to be able to control the horse, and to ride at this high pace. Otherwise, no one risks going high speed.”
Even though horseback trips seem very tempting, tourists have to know that, with absolutely no training, the experience may turn to failure. There are, however, alternatives around equestrian centers, such as carriage rides, for those who are interested in horses, and want an equestrian experience. You can have a vacation that consists of horse riding lessons, which would be the first step towards true equestrian tourism. Here is Mircea Radea, tourist guide:
“Every time we added a horseback ride in nature, it was unforgettable, and was one of the highlights, one of the most vivid memories in the tourists hearts and minds. If they have older children, for them it is usually the highest point, and most interesting part of the trip. Those who choose these equestrian trips always leave in awe. Right now, the average price for one hour of horse riding, with no other services, without including transportation to and from the center, not including meals, guides, or translators, is between 20 and 30 Euro.”
For experienced tourists, there are very well set up equestrian circuits, through Romanian villages, and trails that include visiting various tourist objectives. They can climb a mountain, can follow a river, or can gallop through the valleys, the hills, and the plains. The horse farms around the country that deal with equestrian tourism can offer an interactive program for all ages. If you dont have experience, you can simply visit a horse farm or a horse riding center, it will definitely be an unforgettable vacation.
