On horseback through Southern Europe

Southern Europe here includes Spain, Portugal and Greece. Spain and Portugal, of course, are both situated on the Iberian Peninsula and have a long heritage of beautiful, classical horsemanship. Equines are still in use in many country areas - horse, mules and donkeys - for agricultural work, and the influx of tourists has resulted in riding schools and trail-riding establishments being set up. The popular pilgrim route of the Camino Frances runs through northern Spain,  from Roncevalles, at the edge of the Pyrennees, to Santiago de Compostela in the north-western corner of the Iberian peninsula.  This city has a great many other pilgrim paths leading to it from places in both Spain and Portugal, all of which are generally rideable.

Greece has been geographically rather isolated from the rest of Europe by the presence of former Communist bloc countries on its land borders. Gradually things are changing in this respect, but even if they are totally demolished, distance alone will still prove to be an effective barrier for most  horses and riders journeying independently from north-west Europe to Greece.