Overwater Cabins: A Travel Guide to Staying on Water in Italy and Europe
The trend of staying in overwater cabins is inspired by Henry Thoreau, who lived in a self-built cabin on Walden Pond from 1845. In Italy, La Peschiera near Monopoli offers restored Borbonic fishing reserve rooms overlooking the sea, while Laghi Nabi in Campania is a natural oasis regenerated from abandoned sand quarries. In France, L'Escale Royale features floating suites moored in ports like Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry on the Seine. On Lake Maggiore and Lake La Sirenetta, Crippaconcept's WaterDream suites mimic yacht design. Hôtel Palafitte on Lake Neuchâtel has 38 pavilions by architect Kurt Hofmann. Manshausen on a Norwegian island, owned by polar explorer Børge Ousland, has seven transparent lodges by designer Snorre Stinessen. Arctic Bath in Swedish Lapland offers six floating cabins with a spa. In the Netherlands, Anna Cabin has two modular glass cabins in De Biesbosch and De Maashorst nature reserves.
Key facts
- Henry Thoreau lived in a self-built cabin on Walden Pond from 1845, inspiring the overwater cabin trend.
- La Peschiera near Monopoli, Italy, is a restored Borbonic fishing reserve with rooms overlooking the sea.
- Laghi Nabi in Campania is a natural oasis regenerated from abandoned sand quarries.
- L'Escale Royale in France offers floating suites moored in ports like Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry on the Seine.
- Crippaconcept's WaterDream suites on Lake Maggiore and Lake La Sirenetta are inspired by yacht design.
- Hôtel Palafitte on Lake Neuchâtel has 38 pavilions by architect Kurt Hofmann.
- Manshausen on a Norwegian island has seven transparent lodges by designer Snorre Stinessen, owned by Børge Ousland.
- Arctic Bath in Swedish Lapland has six floating cabins and a spa.
- Anna Cabin in the Netherlands has two modular glass cabins in De Biesbosch and De Maashorst nature reserves.
Entities
Artists
- Henry Thoreau
- Chris McCandless
- Kurt Hofmann
- Børge Ousland
- Snorre Stinessen
Institutions
- Crippaconcept
- Hôtel Palafitte
- Manshausen
- Arctic Bath
- Anna Cabin
Locations
- Concord
- Walden Pond
- Monopoli
- La Peschiera
- Campania
- Laghi Nabi
- Litorale Domizio
- France
- Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry
- Seine
- Fontainebleau
- Lake Maggiore
- Arona
- Monte Rosa
- Lake La Sirenetta
- Savignano
- Cuneese
- Lake Neuchâtel
- Norway
- Steigen
- Lofoten
- Bodø
- Swedish Lapland
- Lulem River
- Netherlands
- De Biesbosch
- De Maashorst