by Alessandra & Davide
There's so much to say! But it's as if words will never be enough. "La Posta di Confine" is a piece of paradise on the edge of reality. Everything is so tranquil, so peaceful here, invested in a dreamlike quality. It's like living a fairytale. There's a garden right outside your room door where your children can wander freely and safely. You'll see them out laughing and playing happily like you have never seen them before and you'll have the sense of the way things used to be. What's more, we received a warm and friendly welcome. It was genuine, the kind you give an old friend. My daughters instantly fell in love with owner and hostess Roberta and with her delicious cakes. They loved being around her and her family, always in for a good talk between friends. There's just one word that can truly describe "La Posta di Confine": HOME. That's how we felt during the time spent there. A day doesn't go by without my girls asking me when we'll be going back to that beautiful garden to play with and feed the bunnies; when they'll get to dive back in the pool; when they'll get to see the cows with Marco and eat Roberta's cakes again… Need I add more? It's the go-to dream vacation for adults and kids alike. We can't wait to go back.
by Giuseppe & Giuseppina
For the very first time, we're wishing the impossible. We want to repeat what was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And we say this because La Posta di Confine elicited in us sensations and emotions that can only be defined as unique. We had everything planned out before our trip: outings, excursions and sightseeing trips in and around Umbria's many picturesque towns. The farmhouse was supposed to be just a place to spend the night and get some rest before tackling an exciting new day of activities and adventures. Little did we know we would find such a beautiful place and receive such a heartwarming welcome! Roberta, our lovely hostess, greeted us with a big smile the minute we walked in. Almost immediately, we felt a distinct sense of the past. My wife and I share a love for art and the Middle Ages yet the atmosphere was unusual, even for us. La Posta di Confine is steeped with medieval history. It is unveiled through the senses. You touch it, you see it, you breathe in its aura. After briefly visiting the rooms, the kitchen and the cosy sitting room, we realized we had definitely made the right choice. Everything contributed to the profound feeling of relaxation and well-being: the properly selected and seamlessly integrated furniture; the large fireplace, so evocative that you could almost feel the presence of the people gathered around the fire during the cold winter nights; and even the paintings on the walls and the decorative objects. When we stepped into our apartment, the evocative energy rose in a Rossini-like crescendo. We had a stone kitchen, small windows, an ornate ceiling with beautiful architraves, and a big wrought iron bed. We had travelled in time to the past, no doubt about it, and we didn't want to leave, not even to tune in to the only TV in the apartment that the owners had kindly arranged for us.
And now that we're on the subject of the owners, Roberta couldn't have been friendlier and Marco was always ready to tell stories that gave life to the objects, the paintings, the walls, adding power to the magic of the place.
Tired after a long trip, my wife and I were lulled into a deep, restorative sleep by the silence, which the discreet chirping of the crickets further accented. In the morning, we weren't awakened by an alarm clock but by the sun's warm caress, gently inviting us to rise and shine to breakfast. And here, another pleasant surprise. It would be anachronistic to speak of breakfast. Keeping her promise, Roberta had laid out a sumptuous table of food. There were all sorts of sweet baked goods, honey, jams and, of course, milk and coffee. The skimpy breakfast eaten on the run at home before going to work was a distant memory. And what about the flavours? Those too were unique and hard to replicate.
The swimming pool was more than a "refreshing tank of water." It soon became a gathering place. We really looked forward to meeting and sharing our stories with the other guests, which were few and all so friendly. And we all got together at the panoramic poolside terrace in the evenings, enjoying Marco's "vin santo" and Roberta's biscuits. We were all friends, like villagers having a chat at the town square. We stayed there until our bodies reminded us to retire to our rooms and, under their wonderful spell, wait for another sun to rise.
What about the excursions? Are they carefully planned? Well, yes. We left our little kingdom to visit Deruta, the Umbrian town famous for its art ceramics, and Corciano, one of Italy's most beautiful medieval villages. We also paid Perugia a short visit. It's really close. But, in us there was always a desire to hurry back to our hosts, our friends, "our" kingdom. Needless to say, we're already thinking about our return to that timeless place to relive the atmosphere and experience those flavours - and Roberta's cakes - again! A star rating? At least ten!
by Stefano & Federica
We wanted our vacation at the farmhouse to leave a mark there but it ended up being the other way around! In a positive way, of course! Driving up the verdant hills of Mantignana and through a wooded canopy, we came upon the farmhouse's entrance gate. From this point, it was like driving through a "stargate" into a parallel world. A world between imaginary and historical past would be a good description. We soon met the caretakers of this magical place: Roberta, Marco and Francesco. They are wonderful people, so friendly and ready to make your stay even more magical. We decided to call this holiday farmhouse a kingdom, because it's what it is as a whole that makes it unique and special: the people, the landscape, the place, the atmosphere. In medieval times, the building was an outpost and through the years, it has handed down other fascinating stories that Roberta and Marco will be happy to narrate if you're a history lover like us and are willing to listen. This corner of paradise was made even more charming through Roberta and Marco's skilful and incredibly tasteful restoration. Everything you see and touch is special! We were particularly impressed by the attention given to even the smallest detail. And it was ours to enjoy! Mornings were always sweet, and we mean that literally. Roberta prepares a breakfast that will make you feel like a kid in a bakery of fresh sweets. You will fall asleep and wake up to the muffled sounds of nature. Here you attune to a natural rhythm of peace, letting go of time-stressed situations and worries. Roberta, Marco and Francesco are so polite and respectful of your freedom and privacy that after a few days you will feel like you own this place. During the day, we would go out to visit the surrounding towns but we couldn't wait to go back to our "kingdom", to our piece of paradise. We're not exaggerating, really. You need to try it for yourself. Seeing is believing! "Once upon a time"... for us those words could be engraved on the entrance gate. Because it's like stepping into your own fairytale. All you have to do is live it!
by Lucia
Umbria is a region I love as if it were mine. But it isn't. I fall in love with "her" all over again with each visit and "she" reflects my mood back at me. La Posta di Confine in Mantignana, a hamlet outside of Corciano. You don't get here by accident. You come deliberately, driving up a dirt road amid hills of olive trees and freshly mowed grass fields. The road then winds down under a canopy of Holm Oaks that we were told are cited in documents dating back to 1700. The place is perfect. Like many, you would say. No. What makes it different are the people who live here. Roberta, Marco and Francesco lovingly and devotedly take care of this place. They put passion into it. Lots of it. I felt it in their words, in their stories about the condition the house was in after 50 years of abandonment, about how hard it was and how long it took to bring it back to life and make it shine again. And all this passion is there in front of your eyes. You'll see it in the manicured garden, the simple yet inviting swimming pool, the fragrant lavender plants populated with hundreds of busy bees, wasps and hornets; the 16th-century appearance of the perfectly restored house, the heart-warming antique furniture: the decor, so tasteful and stylish; and finally, in the apartment's fully equipped kitchen and natural-toned soft, scented linens. We had a pleasant chat with Roberta and Marco, who showed us around the house and the property and let us in on some curious facts about the place. We found that we shared a few interests and discovered new and stimulating ideas. When we arrived, I found a birthday gift for me. A beautiful centrepiece that Roberta had arranged herself with the flowers from her garden. Marco made Lorenzo climb up a ladder to show him the new baby birds in a jay's nest hidden in the jasmine. "You know, mum, I didn't imagine they were so small and naked and voiceless, with beaks wide open and all red inside, maybe because they thought we were their mummy with worms for dinner". We had a wonderful breakfast. The table was set with beautiful china and there were cakes, biscuits, homemade jam tarts, pecorino cheese, cheese pizza, cold cuts and even freshly-made ricotta cheese!!! At La Posta di Confine I could do everything I like doing: seeing, touching, listening, smelling, breathing. Plus meeting new people, which for me is the best way to improve and grow as a person. The perfection of this place is not cold and sterile but warm and welcoming. Here, they make guests feel like they're at a friend's home and this says a lot about them. It's like an art. Roberta and her family have mastered it. And I'd like to learn it. Time to go now. I have to run to the post office to collect the money order for the amount they promised me if I wrote a great review about the place!!! ;-)
