It is difficult to describe the peaceful experience of staying in this authentically renovated late 1600's mansion. The gentle river that runs through town is out the backdoor where you can sit with your morning tea or afternoon wine under the pergola. The oneway cobblestone road outside the front door is used only by neighboring homes. The tiny town of Polcenigo is rich in opportunities to participate in the daily life of a small northern Italian village - the weekly market is steps away, the wonderful gelateria within a 3 minute walk, a tiny trattoria with good typical food and a patio overlooking the river is steps away, pizzeria and patisserie are within a five-minute stroll. Only local traffic goes through Polcenigo as it is away from main thoroughfares but so close to many exciting areas to visit - wineries, Aviano with the NATO base, mountain lakes and a ski area, lovely villages, Roman ruins, the Adriatic Sea and so much more.
The home itself is a slice of history. Large rooms with beautiful floors and beams, the Murano chandelier that lights up the living room, large stone working fireplaces in the living and dining room, an enticing third floor suite with it's own modern bathroom, art throughout the home which reflects its origins.
The experience one has in this elegant mansion is enhanced by the kind personal attention given by Mauro whose family owns this mansion. The evening of our arrival Mauro greeted us with a home filled with lit candles, a tour around the town to help us quickly locate the supermarket and recommended restaurants (the recommendations were fantastic!) and a basket of foods and wine needed to prepare our own arrival dinner in case we were too tired from our travels to go out to eat or take a trip to the store. We did just that and it was relaxing and delicious. Mauro continued his contact with us throughout our stay sharing ideas of places we might want to see and experience in this area of Italy. We felt genuinely cared for by him. In fact, after meeting our son and his family who had recently moved to Aviano but had yet to find permanent housing, Mauro advised them on possible solutions to their housing concerns and offered his assistance in any future concerns that might arise while they are in Aviano. We felt much more confident leaving Italy knowing that he was there for them in case of an emergency or just to check in with someone who cared.