Possibly the cutest little country tower you can find anywhere. Il Roccolino is an old hunting lodge in the Imagna Valley, a sleepy little village in beautiful northern Italy. You can tell this place can get a lot of snow by how far the eaves overhang the structure, letting it fall away from the building.

Built in 1925 and initially used as a hunting cabin, it remained in operation until 1955. It was then used as a support point for wayfarers and herdsmen, later enlarged with the raising of the attic in about 1976. After a few changes of ownership, in 1980 it was purchased by an official from Bergamo who used it and used it as a logistical support for long walks on the various mountains surrounding the Imagna Valley. The building has been expertly restored with local natural materials. Original stones and wood have been completely recovered, recycled, and reused to give it a sign of eco-compatibility with the territory and surrounding nature. Surrounded by a forest of over 4000 acres, looks like a great place to get away from the world.

The middle floor with the main entrance has a small dining area. Upstairs is the bedroom, with essentially just enough space for the bed. And downstairs is the bathroom with a large wood soaking tub. Which seems great after a long day of alpine hiking. Although, the two flights of stairs (which are close to being a ladder in how steep they are) would be a bit precarious if you have to pee in the middle of the night.

From their website info it looks like it costs €180 to €330 per night to stay as a vacation rental. Check it out.

I’d love to build this as a little ski-in ski-out spot in Tahoe or somewhere tucked away in the rockies. But I think I’d change the bathroom to at least have the toilet closed off from the rest of the house. Maybe put a half bath on the middle floor with living space. And the lower floor becomes a mud room and half closed off for a sauna and shower area.