Most of us enjoy a touch of peace and quiet at times - the chance to bask in the sense of calm sometimes only being alone can bring.
Very often the simple pleasure of just being home alone can do the trick.
But when it comes to solitude, some properties around the world take things to new heights - literally.
Certain homes from Scotland, Italy, New York and Iceland have one thing in common - they are unbelievably isolated.
Whether its perched on the edge of a cliff top, or surrounded by water in the centre of a lake, you'd have to be pretty daring to live in one of these homes.
Some dating back to the 8th century were designed as places of pilgrimage, sanctuaries of solitude aimed at purposefully and sometimes painfully cutting oneself from the world.
While others appear as quaint little cottages, miles from the nearest neighbour.
Forget popping to the corner shop or nipping out for a quick bite - living in these homes takes serious dedication.
Take a look at some of the most remote properties from around the world below...
Island of Elliðae
Photos emerged of a tiny white house on the island of Elliðaey, a remote plot of land to the south of Iceland.
According to one rumour, the house was built by a billionaire who planned to move to the remote island in the event of a zombie apocalypse.
Other people suggested a religious hermit may be living there.
Another popular theory - which was later debunked - said that the Icelandic government had gifted the island to singer Bjork.
Some even claimed the house did not exist but it had been photo-shopped before the pictures were published online.
Elliðaey, part of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, is now completely deserted but it was inhabited about 300 years ago.
Five families who lived there relied on fishing, hunting puffins and raising cattle.
But by the 1930s, the last residents left the island, which has been deserted since.
Glencoe, Scotland
The Scottish Highlands is a destination known for its breathtakingly untouched landscapes..
With miles and miles of rolling hills, any visitor is sure to be amazed by the sublime beauty of this place.
There are more than a few secluded properties throughout the Highlands, but none seem more so than this tiny white house in Glencoe.
Buried in the nook of the valley, this blink-and-you'll-miss-it snapshot shows the home flanked by huge mountains on each side.
The huge valley has a number of structures scattered throughout.
Just Room Enough Island, New York
Just Room Enough Island does what it says on the tin - it gives you just enough room to live somewhere sheltered without getting your feet wet.
Located on Hub Island in New York, this property sits on what is known as being the smallest inhabited island.
It sits within the Thousands Islands chain in New York, and the land was reportedly purchased by a wealthy family in the 1950s who wanted to build a holiday home.
And they certainly fulfilled their wish, squeezing an adorable home onto the tiny bit of land jutting from the water.
Ria d’Etel, France
This image may look more like a watercolour painting, but this is the spectacular Nichtarguer islet, where a small home with charming blue shutters stands abandoned.
You’ll find seven towns along the banks of the Ria d’Etel in Brittany, France. However, despite their electricity, running water, and other modern amenities, the crown jewel of the area is the Nichtarguer islet.
The white home proudly sits on the tiny circular land mass, surrounded by crystal turquoise and green waters.
San Colombano hermitage, Italy
This incredibly remote property is nestled deep in the Leno Valley of Trento Province in the far north of Italy, next to lake Lago di San Colombano.
Here privacy and isolation is taken to the next level, with the hermitage designed as a hard to reach getaway for solitary reflection.
The building is partly a natural cave and partly excavated into the rock-face, as it hangs 400 feet above the ground right in the middle of the valley’s vertical cliff face.
The incredible structure has been in existence since the 8th century and hiking is the only way to appreciate its beauty in person.
