For secluded relaxation amid fresh clean air and uninterrupted views, the mountains can’t be beat. These six homes—from a rustically elegant getaway in Southern California to a unique Asian-inspired home in the foothills of Santa Fe—these retreats in the peaks are nearly as alluring as their surroundings.
Wine Country Oasis
Sonoma, California | Donald Van de Mark & Rene Richardson, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – East Napa Street Brokerage
With its stalwart oak trees, glorious terraced gardens, vineyard, lily and koi pond, orchard, and outdoor living and dining spaces, this estate is an utterly idyllic setting for a contemporary one-bedroom cottage, a workshop with a versatile auxiliary room, and a three-car garage. Perched 1,000 feet above the San Francisco Bay in Sonoma, the three contiguous parcels total approximately 10 acres and have a gentle, rolling topography that affords wonderful flexibility for addition and expansion.
La Ladera
Montecito, California | Tina Stern, Wish Sotheby’s International Realty
On 2.72 acres enveloped by the mountains of Montecito, this 1912 Spanish Revival estate—whose name means “hillside”—is a peaceful sanctuary featuring an 8,306-square-foot residence with four bedroom suites, a private two-bedroom guest apartment, elegant living and dining spaces, a spacious Viking-equipped kitchen, a gym, and a sauna. A terrace overlooks the impressive grounds, which boast colorful manicured landscaping, a swimming pool and spa, a koi pond, a meditation garden, and a well—all with serene views of the Santa Barbara coastline.
Woodstock Ranch
Santa Ynez, California | Patty Murphy, Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Ynez Valley Brokerage
Epitomizing the rustic charm of a mountain retreat, this delightful four-bedroom home is at the heart of 17.61 acres. It is a self-sufficient oasis with a country kitchen, a living room with a river-rock fireplace, a wine room, a den, a library loft, an exercise room opening to a lap pool, a sauna, and decks. Walls of windows and glass doors reveal views of mountains and wilderness. The acreage offers other attractions, including a tennis court and equestrian facilities with easy access to riding trails.
Sangre de Cristo Foothills Compound
Santa Fe, New Mexico | Neil Lyon, Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Fe – 326 Grant Avenue Brokerage
In one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Santa Fe, this exceptional hilltop compound enjoys 360-degree views of mountains, sunsets, and city lights. The gated 14-acre estate consists of a nearly seven-acre building site, a distinctively designed five-bedroom 8,000-square-foot residence on approximately three acres, and two additional lots. The property offers a unique degree of privacy and acres of protected space, yet downtown Santa Fe, hiking, skiing, and bike trails are only minutes away.
Malibu Mountain Estate
Malibu, California | Shen Schulz, Wailani O’Herlihy & Cormac O’Herlihy, Sotheby’s International Realty – Malibu – Point Dume Brokerage
On five private acres nestled in the hills of Malibu, this estate displays its Spanish inspiration in its barrel-tiled roofline, handcrafted ceramic tiles, and custom cabinetry. The approximately five-acre grounds boast mature landscaping, an orchard, gardens, a generous swimming pool and patio, and a three-car garage. Horses are welcome at this truly serene sanctuary, which has majestic mountain, canyon, and ocean views yet is only moments from the Pacific Coast Highway.
Casa Sagrada in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico | Alan Vorenberg, Sotheby’s International Realty – Santa Fe – 326 Grant Avenue Brokerage
This unique Asian-inspired home—built of nontoxic, green, and sustainable materials—is a haven on 19.89 acres in the foothills outside Santa Fe. It features a circular living room, a superior kitchen and dining room, three bedrooms, a portal with a fireplace, a study, a koi pond, windows designed after the Summer Palace in Beijing, a lavish master bath, and a roof deck with stunning views. The property also includes a geodesic dome greenhouse, a wine and root cellar, organic gardens, and fruit trees.
From the Swiss Alps to Chilean Patagonia, discover incredible mountain homes from around the world
