Castellare di Tonda is an agriturismo estate near Montaione, about twenty minutes from San Gimignano and forty-five from Florence. It sits across roughly 280 hectares of Chianti hill country, the kind of place where you book an apartment with a pool and let the days slow right down. We stayed here as a family, and the reason it earns a place on Saddl is the riding. It's run on site by Scotti Quarter Horses, and they do it properly.
Will Bales, Founder · May 2026
The riding
This is Western riding, on American Quarter Horses, which suits the setting and suits beginners. The horses are calm and well schooled, and the instructors know how to pitch a lesson to whoever's in front of them. We booked private thirty-minute lessons. Both my daughters, nine and five, were complete beginners, and the instructors had them comfortable and smiling well inside the first lesson. They cater for all levels too, so if you already ride you won't be stuck going round on a lead rein.
Lessons happen in a covered arena, which matters in a Tuscan summer. Shade and decent footing make the difference between a good lesson and a hot, fractious one. For the youngest riders they also offer short pony rides, which is the gentlest possible introduction for a nervous five-year-old.
The tack room tells you what you need to know. Rows of Western saddles, well used and well kept. That's the sign of a yard that rides every day rather than one that poses for photos.
Who it's for
Families, first and foremost. If you've got children who've never sat on a horse, this is about as soft a landing as you'll find, and the all-levels approach means a riding parent can have a proper lesson while the children have theirs. The English was excellent throughout, which took the stress out of the whole thing for us. Clear instruction, no guesswork.
My honest take
It was a very hot day, and one of the horses had decided that forward was optional. I didn't blame him for a second. The Shetland, meanwhile, behaved exactly like a Shetland, which anyone who has met one will understand. None of that is a complaint. It's what real riding looks like, with real animals having real opinions, and the team handled it with good humour. The girls loved it and asked to go back the next day.
Knowing before you go
Riding is booked and paid separately from your accommodation, either through the stables or at the resort reception. When we went, a thirty-minute private lesson was €30 and a pony ride was €10, so roughly £25 and £8. Confirm the current prices when you book, as these things move.
The estate closes over winter, so plan for somewhere between April and early November. And you'll want a car. It's the only sensible way to reach the estate and to get out to San Gimignano, Florence, Pisa and everywhere else worth seeing.