Verona: Horseback Riding and Wine Tasting Experience

Custoza gives you a slower, more personal side of Veneto: a horseback ride through working vineyards, followed by wine poured at a family-run cellar. You help prepare your horse, learn the basics, and ride toward the Custoza hills before sitting down to local wine, cheese, and salami.

I like the small group, limited to six people, and the simple link between horse, farm country, and food. I also like that you do not just climb aboard and leave. You help with saddling and finish by brushing your horse and offering a snack. The main consideration is timing: the tour is advertised as four hours, while the detailed schedule lists two 1.5-hour riding segments and a 1.5-hour tasting. Confirm the exact schedule before booking.

Key points to know before booking

• Custoza vineyards by horseback: The ride heads through the countryside toward the Custoza hills, with views over green farmland and vines.
• Hands-on horse preparation: You help with saddling, receive a basic lesson, and get matched with a horse according to your height, weight, and experience.
• Family winery visit: You enter an old barrel cellar and hear about local winemaking methods before tasting the wines.
• Wine with real food: The tasting includes white, rosé, and red Custoza wines, paired with homemade cheese and salami.
• Small group size: A maximum of six people allows for more direct help with riding and horse care.
• Weather matters: The outing does not run in bad weather, so keep your plans flexible.

Why this Custoza outing feels different from a standard wine tour

Many wine visits keep you at a table or in a cellar. This one begins with the animals and the countryside that give the day its shape. You spend time getting to know the horses, preparing them, riding through the vineyards, and caring for them again at the end.

That rhythm is the real appeal. The wine tasting is not an isolated stop added to a sightseeing route. It follows a ride through the same rural setting, so the views and the cellar belong to one experience.

You should also expect a modest, hands-on approach rather than a polished show. The tour takes place with a family-run winery, and the tasting focuses on the wines they produce most often. You will walk into the cellar, smell the old barrels, and hear about winemaking techniques before sampling several styles.

The experience has a top rating from five reviews, but that is still a small sample. I would treat that as encouraging rather than conclusive. The clearest practical strengths are the small group, the care taken to match riders with horses, and the combination of riding with food and wine.

Meeting the horses and getting ready to ride

The day starts at the designated meeting point associated with Verona In Tour. The exact meeting details are sent by email before arrival, so check your messages rather than assuming the departure point is in central Verona or directly at the stable.

The first stage is preparation. You get acquainted with the horses, help with saddling, and receive a basic lesson. That makes this a better fit for a beginner than a ride that simply puts you in a saddle and sends you off, although you should still be comfortable around horses and willing to follow instructions.

Each rider is matched with a trail horse based on height, weight, and experience. That is a useful detail. Horseback riding is not one-size-fits-all, and a suitable match can make the ride calmer and more comfortable for both rider and animal.

Wear long pants. This is not just a dress suggestion. Long trousers offer better protection against rubbing from the saddle and stirrups. You should also expect to spend time standing around the horses before and after the ride, so practical clothing matters more than looking dressed for a wine bar.

The group is limited to six people. I see that as a major benefit here. A small group gives the guide more room to help with fitting gear, explain basic riding points, and keep an eye on riders with different levels of experience.

Riding from the vineyards toward the Custoza hills

The ride takes you through the vineyards and toward the Custoza hills. The countryside is the main visual reward: rows of vines, open green views, and a quieter setting than the streets and monuments of Verona.

The supplied timing describes about 60 minutes on horseback in one part of the experience, while the detailed schedule includes a 1.5-hour horse-riding stop before and another 1.5-hour riding stop after the tasting. That difference is worth clearing up before you pay. It may reflect different ways of counting preparation, riding, and the return, but the published details do not explain it.

The ride is guided, so you are not expected to plan a route or manage the outing alone. English and Italian are available. If you are a complete beginner, tell the guide about your experience at the start. The horse match is based partly on that information.

You should not book this expecting a fast, dramatic ride. The description points to a guided trail through vineyards, not a gallop or a technical riding lesson. The appeal is the pace, the setting, and the chance to see rural Veneto from horseback.

For experienced riders, that may feel gentle. For a first ride, it can be exactly the right level. You get a basic lesson, a carefully selected horse, and a clear route. The small group also makes it easier to ask questions without holding up a large procession.

The Custoza setting adds local character. This is not simply a generic ride in open countryside. The route heads toward a named wine area, and the later tasting connects the vines outside with the bottles inside the winery.

A family winery, old barrels, and a broad tasting

At the winery, you taste a selection of Custoza wines with homemade cheese and salami. The tasting includes white, rosé, and red wine, giving you a wider look at the producer than a single-glass visit would.

The food pairing is simple but important. Cheese and salami make the tasting feel like part of a rural meal rather than a formal wine lecture. They also give you something to eat alongside the wine, which is welcome after time on horseback.

You will walk into the cellar, where the smell of old barrels is part of the experience. You also learn about winemaking techniques. The available details do not name the grape varieties, vintages, or exact number of pours, so do not assume a technical tasting with a printed flight or extensive production talk.

Instead, expect a direct introduction to the family winery and its most produced wines. That suits you if you want to understand the place and sample local bottles without spending half a day in a formal tasting room.

The order of the activity matters. Riding first gives the winery visit a sense of arrival. You have already seen the vines and hills, and then you step into the cellar to taste what comes from that setting.

Alcohol and drugs are not allowed during the activity. Since wine is served, sensible pacing is important. You should also remember that the experience ends with more horse care, not with an immediate return to a hotel.

Finishing with horse care instead of a quick goodbye

After the ride, you can brush your horse and give it a snack. This is one of the nicest details in the experience because it gives you time to slow down before leaving.

For a beginner, brushing is also a chance to become more comfortable around the horse without the pressure of riding. You can see the animal at close range, help with the basic care routine, and finish the day in a quieter way.

The exact placement of this step may vary because the schedule describes riding around the tasting in more than one segment. The essential point is that horse care forms part of the outing, rather than being treated as an optional extra.

If you prefer activities with a strong sense of connection to place, this ending will matter. You are not simply transported from one attraction to another. The experience includes preparation, riding, tasting, and care.

What the $186.92 price means

At $186.92 per person, this is not a budget wine tasting. The value depends on how much use you will make of the combined format.

The price includes the tour guide, horseback riding, wine tasting, cheese and salami, and insurance. It also covers a four-hour activity with a maximum group size of six. Compared with paying separately for a private riding session and a winery visit, the price becomes easier to justify, especially if both parts are important to you.

You are paying for more than wine. The cost includes horse preparation, a basic lesson, the guided ride, access to a family-run winery, the cellar visit, food pairings, and time with the horse afterward.

Still, I would not choose this solely for the wine. If your main goal is a serious tasting with detailed information about grapes, aging, and vintages, another winery-focused tour may serve you better. Here, the wine is one half of a wider rural activity.

The small group improves the value. Six people is a manageable number for a hands-on ride, and it can mean more personal attention than a large coach-based excursion. You should decide based on your interest in horses first, then consider the wine an added benefit.

Who will enjoy this experience most

This outing suits you if you want a break from city sightseeing and enjoy activities that combine food, countryside, and animals. It works especially well for beginners because the guide provides a basic lesson and matches riders with horses according to experience and physical details.

It can also suit couples, friends, and small family groups who want one shared activity rather than a separate ride and tasting. The food is familiar and straightforward, with cheese and salami alongside several wine styles.

The experience is less suitable if you need wheelchair access, since it is not suitable for wheelchair users. It is also a poor choice if you strongly dislike horses, are uncomfortable with outdoor conditions, or want a completely weather-proof activity.

You should bring long pants. The tour does not take place in bad weather, so leave enough flexibility in your Verona schedule to move it if conditions turn poor.

Timing, weather, and the practical details

The activity lasts four hours according to the main duration information, with starting times shown according to availability. The exact meeting point is sent by email before arrival, and the activity ends back at that meeting point.

The schedule needs special attention. One description says you ride for about 60 minutes through the vineyards, while the detailed stops list 1.5 hours of riding before the tasting and another 1.5 hours afterward. Since these figures do not line up neatly with four hours, ask for the current riding and tasting breakdown when you confirm.

That is not a reason to reject the experience. It is simply the sort of detail that can affect your day, especially if you are arranging a train, another tour, or a restaurant reservation afterward.

The tour is available in English and Italian, with a live guide. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Verona plans are still changing, but poor weather can still affect the departure.

Should you book the Custoza horseback and wine experience?

Book it if you want a small-group day with real time in the countryside, a gentle guided ride, and a relaxed winery visit. The strongest reasons are the six-person limit, the horse matching, the chance to help prepare and brush the horse, and the meal-like tasting of Custoza wines with cheese and salami.

Skip it if you want a city-based tour, a serious wine seminar, or a guaranteed departure in any weather. I would also confirm the conflicting riding times before booking so you know exactly how long you will be in the saddle.

For the right person, the $186.92 price buys a complete four-hour outing rather than a quick tasting stop. You get rural views, contact with the horses, a family winery, and a taste of Veneto that feels connected to the place.

FAQ

Where does the experience take place?

The activity takes place in the Veneto region near Verona, with the horseback riding and winery visit in Custoza.

Where is the meeting point?

The exact meeting point is sent by email before your arrival. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The stated duration is four hours. The detailed schedule lists riding and tasting segments with timings that do not clearly match the four-hour total, so confirm the current breakdown before booking.

What languages are available?

The live tour guide is available in English and Italian.

How large is the group?

The group is limited to six participants.

Is horseback riding included in the price?

Yes. Horseback riding, the guide, wine tasting, cheese and salami, and insurance are included.

What wines will be served?

You taste a selection of Custoza wines, including white, rosé, and red wine.

What food is included?

The tasting includes homemade cheese and salami.

What should I wear?

Bring and wear long pants.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The tour does not take place in bad weather conditions. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, according to the stated cancellation terms.