Thessaloniki horse riding means guided rides on calm horses at farms and riding clubs in the countryside around the city. Beginners and children ride with a guide, and the rides follow trails through fields and forest. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the stables, the trails, the farm visit, the horse photoshoot and the first lesson. They also cover who it suits, what to wear, the season, inclusions, getting there and booking, with links into the Thessaloniki pages. The rides shown are checked on GetYourGuide.
What is Thessaloniki horse riding?
Thessaloniki horse riding means guided rides on farms and ranches outside the city. A key riding area is Lefkochori, a village in the hills 39 kilometres away. Rides last from 10 minutes to full days, for beginners and skilled riders.
On Thessaloniki horse riding trips, each group follows a set trail with a guide. Calm horses walk in a line. Escorts go on foot or on horseback to help new riders.
Options range from a short ranch loop to a multi-day trail. Tours with transfers leave from central Thessaloniki and bring riders back afterwards.
The rides swap city streets for hills, pine trees and farm tracks. They add an outdoor day to the list of things to do in Thessaloniki.
Which Thessaloniki horse riding tours and stables can you book?
Thessaloniki horse riding can be booked as a guided tour with transfer or directly at a stable. GetYourGuide lists a farm ride, a horse photoshoot and two longer trips. Ziogas Western City and Ippos Club take riders on site.
- Horse Riding Escape with Farm: a 3-hour small-group trip to a farm in Lefkochori, 35 to 45 minutes away.
- Horse Photoshoot in a natural landscape: a 1.5-hour private session for up to 10 people, with pickup.
- Kallithea Beach Horseback Riding: a 5-hour small-group trip to Kallithea in Kassandra, Halkidiki, with pickup.
- Pozar Thermal Baths Horseback Riding Tour: a 6-hour small-group day with pickup from Thessaloniki.
- Ziogas Western City: a western-style ranch in Lefkochori.
- Ippos Club: a riding club and school at Nea Raidestos, Thessaloniki.
Ziogas Western City sits in the Municipality of Lachanas. It keeps about 35 horses for every level, from beginners to skilled riders. Its team runs trails lasting from one day to seven days.
Ippos Club is the largest equestrian club in Northern Greece. It covers 151 acres, with three outdoor arenas and one indoor arena. Its riding school offers Thessaloniki horse riding lessons for any age.
Both longer tours fill half a day or more, like other Thessaloniki day trips.
Where do Thessaloniki horse riding trails run?
Thessaloniki horse riding trails run mainly over Mount Klepe, the hill above Lefkochori. Routes cross pine forest, dirt roads, plains and the Melanthi river. Coastal rides near Kallithea in Halkidiki add olive groves, forests and the Aegean Sea.
- Ai-Georgi: 40 minutes up to the hilltop chapel of St George, for adult beginners.
- Pine forest loop: 50 to 60 minutes on a circular route through a small pine wood.
- Karterai: about 1.5 hours, from forest to long dirt roads around the mountains.
- Germaniko: about 1.5 hours to the top of Mount Klepe at 950 metres.
- Vrachos: 1 hour 10 minutes on steep paths through trees, for skilled riders.
- Melanthio: 2.5 to 3 hours across mountains, plains and the Melanthi river.
The chapel of St George stands at 750 metres. From there, riders look down on the plains of Thessaloniki and Kilkis.
At Melanthio, the horses cross the river, so riders can get wet in certain seasons. The Vrachos route closes in snow and heavy rain.
The 3-hour farm tour takes Thessaloniki horse riding through green hills and open fields. A 20-minute ranch loop climbs high enough to see the farm from above.
What does the farm visit add to Thessaloniki horse riding?
The farm visit adds time with animals and rural life to Thessaloniki horse riding. Guests meet friendly horses and other farm animals. Staff also show the farm’s landscape and daily work, and the ride lasts 40 minutes.
The listing describes a calm countryside escape for families, kids, couples and small groups. It mixes nature, calm horses and real farm life.
Coffee, beer and light snacks are on offer at the farm. Trainers also teach basic horsemanship, meaning how to handle and lead a horse.
Ziogas Western City adds a Zoo Park, a saloon and a western store to Thessaloniki horse riding. Guests can also stay the night in its block houses.
What is the horse photoshoot near Thessaloniki?
The horse photoshoot is a 1.5-hour session with a professional photographer and a horse in open countryside. It is listed under Thessaloniki horse riding on GetYourGuide. Groups of up to 10 book it privately, with pickup available.
The listing pitches it at couples, families and solo travellers. Couples capture their bond, families make shared memories, and solo guests treat themselves.
Pickup from the city makes the trip simple without a car. The private format means no strangers join the session.
For shoots at city landmarks, see the Thessaloniki photoshoot page. This one swaps the city streets for a natural landscape and a horse.
Which horses carry riders on Thessaloniki horse riding?
Thessaloniki horse riding uses calm, trained horses and small ponies for the youngest children. Ziogas Western City in Lefkochori also breeds and trains local horse breeds on its own farm.
The ponies at Ziogas walk only the short route around the estate. That loop lasts 7 to 10 minutes. Ponies take children who weigh under 25 kg.
On the farm escape, guests meet gentle, well-trained horses at the start. Guides then match each rider on this Thessaloniki horse riding trip with a suitable horse.
Ippos Club at Nea Redestos runs a riding school with specially trained horses. Its coaches teach riders of every age. To ride on an island instead, read about horse riding on Crete.
How does a first Thessaloniki horse riding lesson work?
A first Thessaloniki horse riding lesson starts with a welcome and a safety briefing. Staff then match you with a horse for your level. You mount with help, ride at a walk, and a guide stays close the whole time.
At Ziogas Western City, resident riders teach every newcomer the basics first. Then you head out with an escort, a guide who stays close by. On the shortest loop, escorts walk beside each horse on foot.
On the 20-minute route, escorts walk or ride, as you need. On the 40-minute St George route, guides ride ahead on horseback. That climb ends at a chapel on the mountain top.
- Briefing: staff explain the safety rules before anyone mounts.
- Helmet: you put on a riding helmet lent by the stable.
- Mounting: you climb into the saddle from the horse’s left side.
- Walk: the horse moves at a slow, steady pace along the trail.
- Trot: a faster, bouncier pace, saved for riders who feel secure.
The Ziogas team includes two horse trainers, Chris and Babis Ziogas. At Ippos Club, lessons run in an all-weather indoor arena. Parents and friends watch from the refreshment area next to it.
Who suits Thessaloniki horse riding?
Thessaloniki horse riding suits beginners, couples, families and children. The farm escape is listed as beginner-friendly. The Lefkochori trail rides take riders aged 6 and over, while ponies cover younger children.
- Youngest children: ponies at Ziogas, led by an escort on foot
- Children from 3: pony lessons at the Ippos Club riding school
- Adult beginners: the St George and pine forest routes
- Riders with experience: the Karterai, Dasaki, Germaniko and Melanthio routes
- Skilled riders aged 16 and over: the steep Vrachos route
- Groups of friends: trail rides of one to seven days at Ziogas
The farm escape listing advises against riding for pregnant travellers. Children who skip Thessaloniki horse riding still meet the farm animals. Family ideas for the rest of your stay sit in Thessaloniki with kids.
Ziogas has run school trips for 30 years, with a 45-minute talk on horse life. After the talk, children ride inside fenced areas under staff supervision.
What do you wear for Thessaloniki horse riding?
For Thessaloniki horse riding, wear comfortable clothes, long trousers and closed sports shoes. The stables lend a riding helmet, and Ziogas makes wearing one compulsory. Add sun cream, sunglasses and water for hot summer rides.
Horse equipment and a protective helmet come with Thessaloniki horse riding at Lefkochori. You bring only your own clothes and shoes. The pine forest and Vrachos routes pass close to trees.
- Long trousers, such as jeans, so the saddle does not rub
- Closed shoes with a good grip, never flip-flops
- A light top with sleeves against sun and branches
- Sunglasses on a strap, so they stay put on the trail
- A spare set of clothes for river crossings
On the Melanthio route, riders cross the Melanthios river. Depending on the season, horses and riders get wet. Keep a towel and dry socks in the car.
When does Thessaloniki horse riding run?
Thessaloniki horse riding runs all year at Lefkochori, from January to December. Ziogas Western City lists opening hours of 11:00 to 19:30. The GetYourGuide farm escape lists afternoon start times of 15:00 and 16:00.
July is the hottest month near Thessaloniki, with highs around 32°C. The hot season runs from early June to mid-September. In those weeks, morning and late-day rides avoid the strongest sun.
Ippos Club opens Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 21:00 and closes on Monday. The full-day Lefkochori ride meets at the saloon, the ranch’s Western-style bar, at 08:00. Lunch and a rest under the trees break up the day.
Late spring and September bring milder days for Thessaloniki horse riding. Weather by month sits in when to visit Thessaloniki.
How long does Thessaloniki horse riding last, and what is included?
Thessaloniki horse riding runs from a 10-minute ranch ride to an 8-hour day in the hills. The GetYourGuide farm escape lasts 3 hours, with a 40-minute ride. Stable rides include the horse equipment, a protective helmet and an experienced escort.
The farm escape includes pickup and drop-off from a meeting point in the city. One copy of the listing adds an air-conditioned vehicle and free entry to the farm.
At Ziogas Western City in Lefkochori, Thessaloniki horse riding routes grow longer and harder as rider skill grows. The 8-hour day suits experienced riders and stops for lunch under the trees.
- 10 minutes: a short taster ride on the ranch
- 40 minutes: a climb to the Ai-Georgis chapel for adult beginners
- 1 hour 10 minutes: the Xefoto and Vrachos routes
- 1 hour 30 minutes: the Dasaki, Germaniko and Karterai routes
- 3 hours: the Melanthio route over mountains, plains and a river
How do you get to the Thessaloniki horse riding stables?
Thessaloniki horse riding stables at Lefkochori sit 39 kilometres from the city centre. The drive takes around 35 to 45 minutes on the Egnatia highway. The farm escape adds a transfer, and a city bus also reaches the village.
Drivers leave the Egnatia highway at a blue sign for Dorkada, Karterai and Lefkohori. The village lies 4 kilometres along that road. Past it, a sign for Ziogas Western City points right onto a short country road.
A rental car from Thessaloniki lets you set your own Thessaloniki horse riding start time. That helps on the full-day trail, which meets at the saloon at 8 in the morning.
By bus, take line 27 to the Stavroupoli bus station, then line 85B to Lefkochori. Three buses a day leave at 8.20 in the morning, 4 in the afternoon and 8.20 at night. The ranch sits close to the last stop.
The farm escape transfer leaves from 26is Oktovriou street, near the port. A base near the port or the centre keeps that trip short; see where to stay in Thessaloniki.
What can you pair with Thessaloniki horse riding on the same day?
Thessaloniki horse riding fills half a day, so the rest of the day stays free. One farm escape start is 3 in the afternoon. That leaves the morning for the city, a jeep ride or a beach.
Full-day trips fit better on the day before or after a long trail ride. Legs and backs feel the saddle after an hour or more.
- A jeep safari in the hills fills the morning before an afternoon farm ride.
- The Pozar Thermal Baths listing joins a horseback ride and hot springs in one 6-hour small-group day.
- A Halkidiki day trip can add a 25-minute ride into the sea at Sithonia.
- A Mount Olympus day trip works on the day after a long ride in the saddle.
At the ranch, the saloon serves coffee and cowboy-style meals. A short Thessaloniki horse riding session and lunch there fit into one visit before the drive back to the city.
How do you book and cancel Thessaloniki horse riding?
Book Thessaloniki horse riding online through GetYourGuide or Unlimited Adrenaline. The farm escape allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund. You can also reserve a place now and pay later.
Thessaloniki Signature Journeys runs the farm escape, with an English-speaking host. The horse photoshoot books as one private group of up to 10 people, with pickup on offer.
Unlimited Adrenaline sells Ziogas Western City’s Thessaloniki horse riding routes, plus gift vouchers. After booking, the ranch only needs your details. Keep the confirmation on your phone or on paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you stay overnight at the Lefkochori ranch?
Yes. Ziogas Western City has small cabins and a three-floor tower for overnight guests. The ranch also runs riding trails of one to seven days for families, friends and groups. A two-day excursion is on sale, so a weekend of Thessaloniki horse riding stays in the hills.
Which languages do the riding guides speak?
The Lefkochori ranch runs its Thessaloniki horse riding routes in English and Greek. The farm escape lists an English-speaking host or greeter. On the ranch trails, escorts guide the group from horseback.
When is the Lefkochori ranch open?
Ziogas Western City opens from 11 in the morning to 7.30 in the evening. A standard visit there lasts 2 to 3 hours in total. Riding lessons and horse training also take place at the ranch, for beginners and experienced riders alike.
Are there harder trails for experienced riders?
Yes. The Vrachos route runs on steep climbs and difficult paths through trees. It needs solid riding experience and a minimum age of 16. The Germaniko route climbs Mount Klepe, the highest point in the area, at 950 metres.
Can pregnant travellers join the farm escape?
The listing does not recommend the farm escape for pregnant travellers. Otherwise it suits all fitness levels, and service animals are welcome. Infants and small children can come along in a pram or stroller, even if they do not ride.