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If you’ve ever had the—completely reasonable—desire to get away from it all, perhaps the more appropriate retreat is one of the world’s many remote homes. Spread throughout the globe, these homes are often accompanied with views of near untouched nature. What’s more, isolated properties make it easy to disconnect from the distractions of everyday life while embracing simplicity and solitude. Below, AD rounds up some of the most stunning examples of remote homes, from small villages set atop mountains to islands with just one home on them. These 11 far-flung abodes prove that sometimes the most beautiful thing one can experience is the feeling of truly being alone.
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Vagar, Faroe Islands
Gásadalur Village sits at the top of the Mulafossur waterfall on Vagar island, one of 18 islands in the Faroe Islands, a self-governing archipelago within the Kingdom of Denmark. The rocky land masses are known for their stunning, untouched nature, though Gásadalur is particularly remote, as large mountains bisect it from the rest of the island.
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Ouarzazate, Morocco
Located in Ouarzazate (nicknamed the door of the desert), these homes sit among mountains in the Sahara. Similar to the nearby village of Aït Benhaddou—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the structures are likely made from adobe, rammed earth, clay bricks, and wood.
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Alaska, USA
Located in America’s “Last Frontier” (the state got its nickname thanks to its abundance of untouched land), this home is nestled within evergreens at the foot of a mountain and proves Alaska’s label true.
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Arnarstapi, Iceland
In Arnarstapi, a small village along the southern side of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, a lonesome red-roofed home sits at the base of Mount Stapafell.
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Elliðaey, Iceland
Located on Elliðaey, an island within the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, this home is often given the unofficial nickname of the “World’s Loneliest House.” Though staying here would certainly be a quiet experience, the structure is not actually a single-family home, but rather a hunting lodge built by the Elliðaey Hunting Association in the 1950s.
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Fafe Mountains, Portugal
When images first emerged on the internet of this unusual home, appropriately named Casa do Penedo, Portuguese for “stone house,” many didn’t believe its existence, according to Atlas Obscura. A Portuguese news station set the record straight, proving the house is in fact a real place you can visit. It is, notably, remotely located in the Fafe Mountains and requires a bit of planning to get there.
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Uttarakhand, India
This bungalow is located well off the beaten path, deep within the Garhwal Himalayas.
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Ria d’Etel, France
You’ll find seven towns along the banks of the Ria d’Etel in Brittany, France. However, despite their electricity, running water, and other modern amenities, the crown jewel of the area is the Nichtarguer islet, where a small home with charming blue shutters stands abandoned.
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Khinalig, Azerbaijan
Situated 7,000 feet above sea level in the Caucasus mountains, Khinaluq is an ancient Caucasian village and one of the most remote in Europe. According to many travel blogs, the small community is best accessible via Baku, which is about five hours away.
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Glencoe, Scotland
Known for its seclusion and wild beauty, the Scottish Highlands are unsurprisingly a breathtaking location for remote homes like this one on in Glencoe. In fact, the area has a collection of singular structures scattered within Glencoe Valley, which are popular vacation rentals.
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Just Room Enough Island, New York
Appropriately named Just Room Enough Island, also known as Hub Island, this place is known for being the smallest inhabited island. Located within the Thousand Islands chain in New York, the land was reportedly purchased by a wealthy family in the 1950s who wanted to build a vacation property. Though notably isolated, the home is not as remote as others on this list—the family has neighbors a short boat ride away.