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It's a rare gem: on the bright banks of the Saale River in Naumburg, two experienced designers are setting a real example with the renovation of a listed Wilhelminian style villa, aiming to turn a wine region into a design region too.

The charm of two worlds: Just like the scenery in Lagrasse, a small village in the south of France with medieval structures, the Vipp Townhouse builds a bridge between bygone eras and modern times. Surrounded by picturesque nature.

Nestled like a peninsula in one of the typical Moselle bends, Trittenheim offers spectacular views of the surrounding vineyards. A traditional slate stone house dating from 1723 sits in the middle of the historic town centre. After decades of abandonment, it has been thoroughly renovated and reopened as a guest house.

Between town and mudflats: the two holiday homes at the foot of the Harlingen lighthouse unveil themselves as artfully designed tiny houses behind a Frisian façade.

The Kleiner Faktor not far from Zittau - once the servants' house of a cloth merchant in the Umgebinde style - openly tells its story and adds personality with bright colours and collected art.

The former wine estate has been overlooking Siena and the Chianti hills for 800 years. Today, Colle ai Lecci is a creative ‘borgo’ with purist apartments, ateliers, organic gardens, a pool and an inspiring workshop programme.

Travelling back in time with Adolf Loos: the Villa Winternitz in Prague is the Austrian architect's last great achievement - a functional and sensual experience based on Loos' finest spatial planning and minimalism.

Holidays with campus flair: Not only the fresh breeze, but also the reinterpreted brick architecture of the JAP Retreat Appartments in Wilhelmshaven reveal that the North Sea is only a few minutes away.

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.

Lightness in Luxembourg: the transformed, historic townhouse proves how easily privacy and community can go hand in hand.

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

The Schaalsee loft in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is reduced to the essentials with an open-plan layout, large glass and steel windows and timeless materials: A stage for light and landscape.

From the outside, the GDR prefabricated building on the edge of Märkische Schweiz faces up to its past without embellishment; inside, it breaks up old structures and surprises with two bright, airy holiday homes.

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.

Like a canvas, the white backdrop of Monopoli reflects the sky and the sea. Casa Santa next to the San Salvatore Church also focuses on the essentials, staging light, texture and the magnificent view.

The Calitardo Suites tower majestically over the poetic Umbrian landscape. The manor house, which has been transformed into an agriturismo, combines history and modernity with ease and elegance.

Two houses made of brick and fieldstone, all around colourful meadows, wide fields, deep tranquillity. A rediscovered and revitalised property in the Uckermark that delights with historic charm, a wonderfully wildly blossoming garden and good ideas for life in the countryside.

From the outside, the listed Dortmannhof seems as if it has fallen out of time; inside, an artistic backdrop of historical inventory and unusual perspectives opens up. A subtle and clever concept by architect and furniture designer Sigurd Larsen, which now also welcomes guests.

Alluvial forest and litter meadows as far as the eye can see, with Lake Chiemsee glistening in the distance - the Schneeganserhof occupies an exclusive box seat. And it has done so for many hundreds of years. Renovated to be summer-fresh and winter-proof, it offers a holiday accommodation for two in the former barn.

In the wide expanse of the Simmental valley, framed by grassy hills, rugged rock faces and the glaciated Wildstrubel, the 100-year-old Lenk Lodge offers spectacular views and individual spaces.

Poetic minimalism behind an artful façade: the virtuously decorated Casa 1923 is one of Faro's outstanding Art Nouveau buildings. With their careful handling of traditions and materials, the architects of PAr tie in with the building's past and redefine it for today's needs.

Not far from Merano, between green orchards, vineyards and alpine views, lies the loft chez mone&harry, which was created by the experimental designer Harry Thaler and conceived down to the last detail.

Embedded in the village setting of Leutasch, with a view of the surrounding forests and mountain scenery of the Tyrolean plateau, the four apartments of KOKON invite you to retreat into nature.

Light and easy-going: The former coastal farm Vesterlandet in the Danish fishing village of Agger is a reinterpreted overall concept of glass, wood and sand tones that houses two airy, bright apartments as well as versatile office space and the regional restaurant Tri as well as an ice cream café.

In the Kleine Bleibe on the edge of the Gelbachtal in the Westerwald, what counts is actually the absence of things. Far away from digital overstimulation, you can enjoy a puristic and sustainable holiday.

A seven-minute cable car journey takes you up to the vigilius mountain resort, an architecture hotel above Lana near Merano. This nature-connected haven of conscious well-being is, after 20 years, more in tune with the times than ever before.

In front of the house awaits a small private lake, behind it the largest wilderness of Denmark and only 300 metres away is the ocean of the Danish North Sea coast: this listed farmhouse resembles all facets of a picturesque holiday.

A dance between époques. The Sixty Steps Studio in the heart of Dubrovnik welcomes its guests with casual elegance within historic walls. These look back to the year 1600 - and from the third floor out over the atmospheric alleys of the car-free old town.

One hundred heritage windows with a leafy view and good perspectives in terms of sustainability. The manor house amidst old trees and endless fields on the edge of the Mecklenburg Lake District tells an exciting story both inside and out.

Minimalism in a former glass grinding and polishing factory: in Murnthal in the Upper Palatinate Forest Nature Park, the two puristically and stylishly furnished Mittermurnthal holiday apartments invite you to take a break.

The Loft Atelier 16, located in an old factory in the west of Leipzig, plays with contrasts and skilfully achieves a balance between cool and cosy. The raw brick walls generate a warm atmosphere in the 56-square-metre flat.

Right in the middle of vibrant Cologne and yet in a quiet location – the statthaus is located in a small side street in Cologne’s traditional Gereonsviertel district, with the cathedral in sight and within walking distance.

Faro is known to be the gateway to the Algarve region. Faro is also an important centre of southern European modernism. One of these buildings is “The Modernist”, located in the city centre.

With sweeping views of the sea, Casas da Vargem sit in a sunny location on a hillside above the village centre of Ponta do Sol on Madeira's south coast.

Les Rochers is situated in a quiet and secluded location between green fields in the Bocage Normand, a hedge landscape typical of Normandy.

The haus und hof apartments in Hof near Salzburg embrace the art of reduction and are distinguished by refined simplicity. The terraced building structure nestles up against the topography of the hillside.

In the Danish coastal region of Odsherred, architect and designer Leif Jørgensen and his wife, designer Mette Bache, have (re)built an ensemble of three houses with great attention to every detail: Farm House, Barn House and Shelter.

In the Umamma apartment in the small Tuscan town of San Miniato, the Middle Ages are combined with industrial style. The apartment is extraordinary and will elicit a "Wow!" from many guests—or "umamma" as they say in Tuscany for something unexpectedly amazing.

The StadtmauerQuartiere (town wall quarters) are two small holiday flats in the middle of the historic centre of Freinsheim, a small town in the Palatinate region.

Zeitz – located in the south of Saxony-Anhalt between Jena and Leipzig – is a city in upheaval. One of the initiatives intended to revitalise the former industrial town is the conversion of a former pasta factory into a creative location.

Wild and romantic nature surrounds the Wanderlust holiday home in secluded Treseburg, a dreamy village at the entrance to the Bode Gorge in the Harz Mountains.

The Castellaccio Suite is a hideaway for two with a fantastic view over the Umbrian hills, all the way to Lake Trasimeno. It is situated at 600 metres above sea level near the village of Piegaro on the border with Tuscany.

Temple 74 in Mellau in the Bregenz Forest is a project by Evi and Jürgen Haller. The Tempel 74 apartment buildings too skilfully combine tradition and modernity, as well as superb architecture and craftsmanship.

Something’s happening on the Moselle: innovative young winegrowers are reviving the rather dusty image of Germany’s oldest wine region, and hosts like the owners of Weingarten 1897 are bringing a breath of fresh air with plenty of creative ideas to the area.

These two holiday homes, built by the artist couple Sofia Mavroudis and Antonis Choudalakis on a hillside on the island of Crete, were inspired by Le Cabanon, the famous wooden hut designed by Le Corbusier.

Width and light characterise the up to eight-metre-high Sieseby Loft, which is located in a courtyard complex on the edge of the thatched-roof village of Sieseby near the Schlei, an inlet of Germany's Baltic Sea Coast.

Casa del Forte is located in an old fisherman's house in Ortigia, the old town of Syracuse. Just a few minutes walk from the city beach and at the same time in the middle of the bustling old town streets with its ancient sites.

The three Sindlhauser holiday apartments in Kochel am See and neighboring Benediktbeuern combine simple architecture, stylish design and natural materials. A beautiful destination for relaxing days in nature.

Mas le Clos Souris – near the small village of Fons sur Lussan in the southern French département of Gard – was once an artist's residence.

On the outskirts of Tabing, a small village near Bavaria’s Chiemsee, the outbuilding of an historic farmhouse has been replaced by modern timber architecture.

Idyllic farm life and modern alpine living go hand in hand at the Obersteiner Hof in South Tyrol. In this 600-year-old farmhouse, set in a sunny panoramic position on the Rittner plateau, you can enjoy a holiday amidst nature in apartments with a modern flair.

Wasserturm Pirach is a landmark in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps between the Lake Chiemsee and the Waginger Lake. With a height of almost 30 metres, the water tower presides over the houses of the hamlet of Pirach.

Meadows, pastures and fields surround the farm, which is located in the southern Swedish province of Skane just a few kilometres from the Baltic Sea. The 1851 farmhouse with its three wings has been lavishly restored by the architects.

Kleines Vulkaneifelhaus is a retreat for two in the midst of the unspoilt Eifel landscape in northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate. Situated on a steep slope, this timber house, clad in black charcoal planks, sits atop a plinth of fair-faced concrete.

Torre Piccola & Casa Benedetto – a historic tower house and an old townhouse with minimalist interiors and Apulian flair are tucked away in the old town of Nardo. The roof terraces of both houses are "una meraviglia"!

The traditional Hotel Gasthof Krone is centrally located at the village square of von Hiltisau in the Bregenzerwald. This typical log building from 1838 was originally built as a a courthouse, but has been used as an inn for 170 years.

The Odles Lodge, situated in the middle of the Plose ski and hiking area of South Tyrol on the edge of the Dolomites, is tied closely to nature.

The holiday home for two, situated amidst steep wine terraces, celebrates the landscape of the South Styrian wine region of southern Austria. Built as a modern interpretation of the traditional Weinstöckel, the house lets nature take centre stage.

The Strandlust with two large holiday apartments is located on the slope of an elongated beach dune on the North Sea island of Amrum - just a few steps away from the wide Kniepsand, with a view of the island park.

The listed building near Leipzig with its red plastered façade in the Art Deco style has been restored to its former glory since 2016 and houses a holiday apartment in the south wing alongside two other apartments.

Minimalist refuge out in the wilds: The holiday home Black h is surrounded by meadows and pastures on a peninsula on the rugged west coast of Scotland’s Isle of Skye.

In the far north of Norway – on a small island in the Fleinvær Archipelago within the Arctic Circle – the composer and musician Håvard Lund has created a retreat for artists and vacationers.

At the Palazzo Morosini degli Spezieri you can live close to the beautiful sights of Venice but far from the tourist crowds. The Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge are both within walking distance.

The Bauhaus an der Havel is a holiday apartment in a classical modernist building located directly on the riverbank of the Havel and overlooking the island town of Werder.

Shielded by two mighty 500-year-old maple trees, the Baumhaussuite (Tree House Suite) stands on a mountain slope on the edge of Austria’s High Tauern National Park.

Le Casuzze and La Balza are two holiday homes located on a ridge behind the Sicilian town of Noto – with broad views of the city and the sea. The former stables strike a successful balance between simplicity and comfort.

An urban loft ambience in an historic barn: In a little village near Freiburg in Germany’s Breisgau region, this heritage listed barn dating to 1824 is now welcoming holiday guests – the farm animals having long since moved out.

The Büdnerhaus in the village of Born on the Darss peninsula of Germany’s Baltic coastline rests on the foundational walls of a house dating back to 1792. The owners had actually planned to restore the original building.

In the Loft House of the Bergaliv Landscape Hotel, Scandinavian design meets Japanese minimalism.

Nestled in the fields of northern Western Pomerania, the Kranich Hotel owes its name to the fact that hundreds of cranes rest here in spring and autumn before moving on to their summer or winter quarters.

The Refugium Betzenstein is a modern passive house in the Fränkische Schweiz region. The slate cladding on the façade and roof gives the archetypally shaped building a monolithic appearance.

In South Tyrol's wine village Caldaro, Verena Huf has transformed a 1970s guesthouse into a stylish B&B. ‘Das Wanda’ bears the name of a former inn on the island of Elba that belonged to the grandfather. Her B&B radiates the same Mediterranean mood.

Croatian island of Cres, is an old village perched on a hill with panoramic views stretching across the sea to Istria. Its ancient stone houses lean against one another as if to defy the Bora winds.

This small wooden house on the Scottish Isle of Skye is lovingly known as hen house. Its design aims to minimise the impact on the surrounding natural environment and to make efficient use of energy and water.

The Rock Cabin is located on a park-like property with a view of the nearby Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The nature, the quiet location and the beautiful, unpretentious interior of the studio create an inspiring atmosphere.

The Tinhouse is perched on a steep slope overlooking The Minch strait to the northwest of the Isle of Skye. The house was designed and hand built by Alan Dickson and his wife Gill Smith, founders of the architectural firm Rural Design Architects.

The small stone house in the Croatian fishing village of Novigrad is known as “The photographer's house”. The house was once the home and studio of Nikica Karavida, the first public photographer of the region during the 1920s and 1930s.

The Sylt Lofts are situated in a quiet street in the center of Westerland: the shopping street Friedrichstrasse is just around the corner and the beach is 400 meters away. The seven apartments are located in the historic house Boy and in a new building in the rear garden.

Surrounded by orchards the Obermoarhof is located on the outskirts of the village Tschirland in South Tyrol. Two apartments have been integrated into the listed farm from the 15th century.

PLÖTZE.N˚17 in the picturesque Old Town of Limburg is a half-timbered house from the 14th century which has been restored with great attention to detail.

Au Perier, situated in the Dordogne in southwest France, is like a tiny, relaxed village: four houses, a central square, a pool, an open barn and a vegetable garden.

La Marmote in the Carnic Alps in north-eastern Italy is a hotel with 22 apartments, which are scattered throughout the little town of Paluzza. The apartment Da Velio frames the mountain panorama with its huge glass front.

At Gut Fergitz in the Uckermark, just an hour’s drive from the metropolis of Berlin, you will find wide open skies, clear waters, beautiful nature – and modern architecture and modern architecture in the form of two elongated buildings on the shore of Oberuckersee.

The Alpine Lodge Pontresina Chesa al Parc is located in a sunny, panoramic position at the edge of a park in the village center of Pontresina. Its modern alpine architecture has a facade of wood slats, which partially covers some windows.

Stadl Altenbach is a historic “Kellerstöckl” in southern Styria. This style of house – a hillside construction with a cellar built into the hill – are traditionally found in the Austrian wine-growing regions.

The holiday homes “Alte Gärtnerei” and "Kleine Schäferei" are located just a few minutes walk away from Born, the picturesque resort and harbour on the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula.

Surrounded by olive groves, vineyards and woods, the old farm Casale di Cellole sits on one of the many hills of the Chianti region near Siena. The historic property surprises inside with individually furnished holiday apartments.

The Kultur Gut Hasselburg is a listed late-baroque country estate near at the Baltic Sea. The ensemble of manor house, barns and a gatehouse impresses with its size and architectural unity and offers a variety of holiday apartments.

Rural idyll behind the Elbe dyke: The old vicarage from 1865 stood empty for more than 20 years and fell into disrepair, but now it shines a friendly yellow and invites you to enjoy a relaxing holiday. There are three holiday apartments in the lovingly renovated building.

With the glittering sea in sight and a pool in the Mediterranean garden Villa Vendicari is located in the nature reserve Vendicari in south-eastern Sicily. The building looks like it has been shaped by the wind, and with its organic form it blends in well with the original landscape.

The Baixa House is located in one of the typical lively streets of the lower city in the heart of Lisbon in a building dating back to the 18th century. Many original details were preserved during the award-winning refurbishment.

In a sunny location above the village of Scena, the Dahoam Chalet opens with large windows to the Merano valley. The building made of untreated larch is a modern interpretation of the typical local stables.

With its shingle façade, the modern wooden house fits in with the traditional building culture of Vorarlberg. Thanks to its panoramic location, you have a clear view of the mountain peaks even on foggy days.

The old cotton mill in Leipzig is a melting pot for creative professionals. Numerous studios, galleries, workshops, a cinema, several theatres and shops have taken over this large factory site, located four kilometers away from the city centre.

This heritage listed manor house in the village of Lexow differs from other manors surrounding Mecklenburg Lake: It is relatively small and unadorned, and instead of a grand staircase and ornate facade you will find a rather simple and austere appearance.

A tropical holiday paradise awaits you at the Ayurveda Guesthouse. Located in a fishing village on the west coast of Sri Lanka, the resort has a spaciously laid out garden with a small lagoon in the centre and direct access to 3 kilometres of sandy beach.

In the neighbourhood the HeideLoft is known as “The Glass House”. And for a good reason: the exterior shell of the house is made entirely of glass. Even the few closed surfaces are covered with back painted glass.

A piece of France in the Palatinate: This listed manor house Barthélemy has an eventful past. It was built as a private residence in 1619, burned down in 1689, and was rebuilt in the 18th Century.

Finca Paraiso is located in a green oasis on a hillside in the sun-drenched south of Gran Canaria. It consists of a small stone house in Canarian style, which has been extended with a contemporary, minimalist annex.

Two white houses, similar but not identical, separate, yet connected, one gable fronted, the other eaves frinted, form a harmonious duet in the Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde.

The Altendorfer Vorwerk“is located on a sunny plain above the Elbe valley in Saxon Switzerland. The impressive half-timbered building stands on historic ground: It was built on the walls of an ancient estate from the 12th century.

Unusual architecture within a stunning landscape: The Brochs of Coigach are two roundhouses, situated on a hill on the coast of the Scottish Highlands.

The Stadl am Tunauberg is a quiet retreat. The room concept is surprisingly open for a converted old barn: A glazed gable wall, set back into the building, blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior space.

Two things immediately catch your eye when you arrive at the Naturresidence Dahoam: the remarkable view into the Merano valley and the modern architecture of the house.

The Schloss Schmarsow was built in 1698 and is one of the oldest buildings in the region. It was carefully renovated and is now not only home to its owners but a place for holiday guest.

Casa Giromet is situated in a beautiful panoramic position in the middle of the Moscata region in rural Piedmont. The old stone farmhouse, which had almost turned into ruin, was rebuilt over more than two years and restored with great attention to detail.

Le Marche in central Italy is not as well known as nearby Tuscany, but is a hot tip for travelers in Italy. The Borgo Tranquillo looks traditional from the outside, but inside it has a modern loft style with individually designed apartments.

Between cornfields, paddocks and the bay, to the south east of the holiday island of Rügen, lies the village of Zicker, and the Kornspeicher Mauritz.

Pure deceleration: In the midst of the Lower Bavarian picture postcard landscape, the Hofgut Hafnerleiten (Hafnerleiten Estate) offers a retreat in harmony with nature that combines the elements in a down-to-earth and architecturally subtle way.

The Seehotel is situated in the middle of a nature reserve on the shore of the Neuklostersee, 15 kilometres from the Baltic Sea coast and the Hanseatic city of Wismar.