Poggio Bello
Birds migrating across vast distances feel the warm, friendly embrace of nature
Of Conegliano’s many hills, it is no surprise that Pier Liberale Fabris chose Poggio Bello as the location for the Arfanta Hide: a little haven for watching and studying the migration routes of birds. Arfanta is a naturally accommodating spot where the hornbeams typically found in Italian gardens are surrounded by oak and chestnut trees. Complementing these fruit-bearing plants and trees are splashes of colour provided by blooming cyclamens, primroses and wildflowers. It is a welcoming, peaceful and harmonious home for birds, where they are expertly protected. As they rest, they are cradled by the outstanding beauty that can only be offered by nature when it feels truly loved.
The Arfanta Hide
A place to study among the rolling Conegliano hills
Pier Liberale Fabris was a passionate scholar of ornithology and migration routes who had the Arfanta Hide built in the late 1950s. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Fabris family, the Province of Treviso, the Veneto Regional Authorities and the National Wildlife Institute in Bologna (now known as the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, or ISPRA), in the 1970s the hide was officially made into a scientific ornithological observatory. It was a real high point for the whole family, who have always been truly dedicated to nature and the delicate ecosystem. The Hide is now run and nurtured with great passion and devotion by Pier Liberale’s son, Francesco Fabris.
The art of waiting, as dictated by nature
Hides and grappa
The art of designing and maintaining a hide is a lot like distilling grappa. It takes experience, know-how and respect for nature… not to mention the finely balanced virtue of knowing how to wait and accept the slow but constant pace of time, which is unrivalled in its capacity to reward us with marvellous gifts.
The Arfanta Hide
Where you can quietly watch a snapshot of a whole world
The whistle of the thrush and the call of the blackbird are accompanied by the sweet singing of the finch, which is quick to hide in the leafy hornbeam or the rich, beautiful foliage of the chestnut trees.
Arfanta is a peaceful little haven and a great vantage point for looking out at the world.