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We were done with 2020, and now, only a week in, most of us are probably done with 2021 as well. But if you are looking for the perfect home to sit out the rest of the year, this might be the place for you.

In the south of Iceland, there is a collection of islands known as Vestmannaeyjar. Amongst one of the islands is Elidaey, a very small, very picturesque island with only one singular home amid a grassy field. It’s often referred to as the world’s most isolated home.

While we can dream about such a cottage cut off from the rest of the world, the sight itself does raise some questions about its history. The island and its cottage first rose to prominence on the internet. But besides being a meme, it does have a pretty rich background that goes back about 300 years ago.

The World's Loneliest House is on a Tiny Island in Iceland ( this house is situated on Ellidaey, a remote island south…

Posted by Aurora Mitea on Sunday, December 20, 2020

Back then, there were exactly five different families who lived on the island. They lived pretty simply and sustained themselves by fishing, raising cattle, and hunting local puffins. Their livestock flourished on the island thanks to its naturally grassy environment. However, the families didn’t live in the home that now stands on the island today – instead, they lived in huts.

However, in the 1930s, the resident families decided that they were not going to be living on the island anymore. It had become too isolated for them and they wanted to find more prosperous opportunities in other parts of Iceland. Once the residents moved off, the island lay abandoned.

Posted by Boy vs Globe on Friday, July 12, 2019

But not for long.

The appeal of the island soon inspired the Ellidaey Hunting Association to build a “hunting lodge” back in 1953. The lodge has neither electricity or indoor plumbing – and certainly no wifi – but it does have a sauna. The water for the sauna is collected from rainfall using a rainwater collection system.

Smölun í Elliðaey í þessu líka fína veðrinu.

Posted by Ágúst Halldórsson on Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Despite persisting rumors of the lodge’s owners, the lodge does in fact serve as a hunting lodge for members of the Ellidaey hunting association. Unfortunately, if you’re not turned off by the lack of modern amenities and would still love to visit as part of a retreat, you can’t unless you’re a member or a close contact of a member.

What do you think of this isolated little cottage? Let us know!