Feeling frazzled? Try a wellness retreat that promises plenty of time and space for
quiet contemplation. Three writers go in search of serenity...ULYSSES JOURNEY, GREECE
THE GOAL To avoid the onset of a midlife crisis with
some soul-searching and deep relaxation.
THE EXPERIENCE There comes a time, usually midway
through life, when, after hauling ourselves up the mountain
of material success, we look around and think: is this it?
If at this point you’re lucky enough to be ascending the
spiral stairs at the Euphoria Retreat in the Peloponnese,
you’ve come to the right place. Book in for the holistic
Ulysses Journey, a three-day course that involves sitting
in an airy room at the top of the spa’s tower gazing over
the misty Parnonas mountains while the leaders talk you
through Homer’s epic tale in an effort to help you gain
insights into your own life. You will also view the story
through the prism of the five Chinese elements (water,
wood, earth, fire, metal) around which the spa’s philosophy
is built. Hence you’ll find yourself cocooned in the Sphere
pool as you awaken your dreamy water element, striding
into the private forest to access your strategic wood, or
whirling like a dervish to spark your joyful fire.
Between these sessions, you can also explore the
daily fitness schedule or relax in the atmospheric sauna
complex. After three days of imaginatively guided self-
reflection, you’ll come away with a clearer idea of where
you are in life and what to do next. Sharon Walker
Ulysses Journey, from £1,159 a person for three days,
including full board and transfers. Healingholidays.comMALABAR RETREATS, PORTUGAL
THE GOAL To be present in the moment.
THE EXPERIENCE Be prepared for an early-morning
call. Practising yoga and silent meditation at 6am enables
you to take full advantage of the calm that dawn brings.
And while your stiff joints might click as you stretch, and
you’re painfully aware of the degree of balance needed
to pivot smoothly into the positions that Lu Jong (Tibetan
healing yoga) teacher Dominique Caubel manoeuvres into
effortlessly, it does focus the mind on why you’re here.
Because focus is what it’s all about. For anyone needing
to whip their mind, and consequently their life, back
into alignment, founder Bibi Morelli Schofield’s three-
day retreat at the beautiful private home, Casa Fuzetta
in Olhao, is the place to do it. As well as the early
morning yoga, there are evening workshops to learn
about the healing power of the breath (also known as
wind-energy) through the body, and to study nature’s
five elements and the parts of the body they relate to:
earth, spleen; wind, lungs; fire, heart; water, kidneys; and
space, liver. Expect to find new mental clarity, increased
energy and greater self-awareness. Lu Jong is a practice
that gets better over time, and its first five movements
can be done in 15 minutes – ideal for even the least
focused among us. Twiggy Jalloh
Malabar Retreats, from £1,300 a person for three nights,
including full board. Malabar-retreats.comDOLCE VITALITY, ITALY
THE GOAL To nourish and transform body and mind.
THE EXPERIENCE Positano and the Amalfi Coast are
intrinsically linked to the Dolce Vita lifestyle, which
comprises sea, sun, pasta, pizza and good wine. So it’s
surprising that Le Sirenuse, one of the most charming
hotels in Positano – and a culinary gem of the area – has a
new one-week detox programme, Dolce Vitality, complete
with a vegan-based diet, hikes, yoga and meditation.
The day starts at 5.30am with an hour’s meditation.
This is led by yoga teacher Elena Brower in a room with
a view of Positano’s famous beach, where the sound of
waves lapping is in rhythm with our breathing – making
the rise of the sun even more uplifting. Breakfast is
followed by four hours of intense mountain hiking. Gym
activities and an hour-long massage fill the afternoon.
A soothing 90 minutes of yoga at dusk is the perfect
precursor to dinner, prepared by health coach Valentina
Dolci and Michelin-starred chef Gennaro Russo. The
best bit? Every activity – meals included – is done in a
group of 20 people who invariably become your best
friends. It is Italian relaxation at its best, and the ultimate
spa for those who don’t like clinical white walls. Yet, it is
surprisingly transformative. Gianluca Longo
Dolce Vitality, from £5,120 a person for six nights,
including full board, spa treatments and transfers.
Dolcevitality.itThe Euphoria Retreat, in
Greece’s PeloponnesePEACE OFFERING143GIORGOS SFAKIANAKISWELLNESS04-20-BTY-Spas_1962931.indd 143 13/02/2020 16:41