Villa Slow

Villa Slow is up in the Valles Pasiegos, the green valleys of Cantabria in the north of Spain, a quiet part of the country of misty mountains, cows and old stone huts. It's proper nature: hiking from the door, the Cantabrian coast and its surf beaches within reach, the Soplao caves nearby, and Santander and Bilbao both close enough for a day out. This is green Spain, cooler and wetter than the south, and much emptier.

The house was designed and built by Laura Alvarez, an architect who grew up nearby and wanted a place in these mountains she could never quite find, so she made one. It's a modern version of the old Pasiego stone cabins, rough stone walls and roof outside, warm wood within, built mostly from the stone of an old shed on the land and other local materials. Two big windows face opposite ways across the living room, so the mountains, clouds and trees change through the day, and you can see the stars from the bed. There are two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, sleeping up to four, an outdoor hot tub, and spring water from the land. It runs on solar and a heat pump, so it stays warm and low-impact. She lived here herself before opening it up to guests.