Mountains Page 2 of 10

The Meraki Studios rise out of the Mediterranean landscape of Southern Crete like an abstract rock. An archaic place for which the Danish architect Sigurd Larsen has designed a terraced building made of concrete, natural stone, wood and steel.

Vertical loft: In the small Dalmatian coastal town of Novigrad, nothing works without stairs. A local circumstance that turns the Kuća Skala - the house of stairs - into sculptural and interactive architecture. A hand-made work of art to experience in every detail!

Once the residence of a distinguished family of politicians and officers, the Scarpatetti Upper House is still one of the most important architectural monuments in the Rhaeto-Romanic Val Surses in Graubünden. Today it offers a retreat for up to six guests in the midst of the impressive mountain scenery.

A blend of contrasts: the 250-year-old Bavarian farmstead has been translated into the present day with fresh ideas, cheerful colours and proven courage.

Anyone expecting contemporary timber architecture behind the wooden façade with sliding shutters in the Bregenzerwald will be surprised. Actually, the Mellauer Haus has been looking to the future for over 50 years.

Located right by the River Isarco and the Eagle Bridge, the hotel in Bressanone has become an architectural statement. bergmeisterwolf has restored the 500-year-old building with the cadastral number 1 in close collaboration with the monument protection authorities and placed it in the present with timeless elegance.

Between the Pyrenees and the sea, just an hour from Barcelona, Mas Oak, a listed farmstead with private horse stables and an atmospherically renovated guest house, hides in a green valley surrounded by fields, pastures and old almond trees.

Perched on a rocky hilltop overlooking the Ionian Sea, Kap A kritas is a straightforward holiday home with a veranda, pool and sweeping views in all directions.

Artistic sgraffiti adorns the massive walls of the Chasa Noth, a 300-year-old Engadine house on the village square in Scuol, framed by the peaks of the Silvretta and the Engadine Dolomites.

Scottish heritage with Scandinavian flair: In the northern Highlands at the head of the Kyle of Tongue bay, Kyle House nestles in the rugged, lonely landscape. Surrounded by wild beaches, unspoilt countryside and the mighty peaks of Ben Loyal and Ben Hope.

On the sunny side of the Kaunerberg, the listed farmhouse is enthroned above the elements in a secluded location. A historic building type that has been restored and modernised to create an atmospheric narrative of alpine life.

Slow down in an industrial monument: Schleiferei Zwei in Siebertal is an atmospheric lost place with authentic charm, airy loft character and a warm, off-the-beaten-track atmosphere.

Haus Herzogstand in Kochel am See is a beautiful combination of historical flair, modern comfort and future-proof renovation against the alpine backdrop of the "Blue Country".

A breath of fresh air within 500-year-old walls: The Pension Leuchtenburg on Lake Kaltern is a family-run journey through time between historic vaults and peasant furniture, modern design and dolce vita at the hotel's own lakeside lido.

Exposed concrete, colourful Moroccan textiles and warm wood: the Artbau Hotel in Waldkirch near Freiburg is a play of contrasts in an unusual urban location set against the deep green backdrop of the Black Forest.

Sharp ideas: The VA House in Vorarlberg concentrates on the essential and reveals its very own shape. An unconventional house nestled between tradition, modernity and four countries.

By the tiled stove - under the hipped roof: the listed Mühlradhof dating from 1659 vividly tells the architectural story of rural life in the Upper Black Forest. All combined with modern comfort and a casual atmosphere.

The modernist holiday home Casa Navegna on Lake Maggiore is one of the early pioneers of "Neues Bauen" in Ticino. An architectural homage to the creative spirit, with an Arcadian garden and fantastic views.

Next stop Lermooser: the course was newly set for the listed railway station beneath the Zugspitze. Since then, the friendly hotel has been delighting guests with its bright rooms, easy-going kiosk and future-proof concept.

Aesthetic without compromise: With her weekend barn in Chiemgau, interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst has created an eclectic hideaway, an experiment between tradition and zeitgeist.

Tradition in fresh colours: With its five holiday apartements, the Black Forest farmhouse on the southern slope of the Wutach Gorge balances historical building fabric, authenticity and contemporary comfort.

The walls of the former patrician house Ca' Giuconda are over 500 years old. Situated in a beautiful borgo - one of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia" - it towers over the Piedmontese vineyards and masterfully stages its patina.

In the Swiss mountain village of Vals, the two houses of Brücke 49 offer a harmonious mix of local architecture, unique antique pieces and Scandinavian design – and a temporary home for design lovers.

Visionary architecture quotes classic modernism: The Green Henry Lodge in the Grisons wine village of Fläsch rises into the mountain air like a church tower. An avant-garde holiday home with a thoroughly sophisticated perspective.