Hunum

The typical Italian agriturismo makes its home in a place like Tuscany or Umbria, in one of the regions famous for food and wine production. But Hunum is anything but typical. Its owner and designer looked not to the gentle hillsides but the Alps — specifically, the lower slopes of a mountainside in Valchiavenna, the region of Lombardy above the north end of Lake Como, within sight of the Swiss border.

The name Hunum is a portmanteau of three words: humanus, humus, and unicum, or human, earthly, and unique. And while there’s plenty of theory behind the combination, it’s perhaps most easily understood via a look at Hunum’s site, its cabins, and the lifestyle experienced by its guests.

Its scale is small: a mere seven cabins arranged in three groups, surrounded by ancient chestnut trees. And its style is singular: both modern and rustic, its forms disciplined in their simplicity and its interiors touched with handmade warmth. Like any agriturismo worthy of the name, Hunum is not just a lodging, but a working farm, producing vegetables and honey alongside the chestnut harvest. Most importantly, though, it’s a window into a simpler, more intentional life, and a place that’s perfect for tranquil isolation.