2020-06-01_Travel+Leisure

Greece

Kalamata

Euphoria

Retreat SEA OF CRETE

Athens

Peloponnese

TRAVELANDLEISURE.COM (^43)
The dome above the spa’s pool
was inspired by the architecture
of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia,
which was originally built as
a Greek Orthodox church.
The spa’s lobby has vaulted
ceilings and other elements
of Byzantine design.
me a series of questions (“Do you get angry
easily?”) designed to identify which of my five
elements—earth, fire, metal, water, and wood—
were out of whack. Apparently, not one but two
of my elements (wood and metal, linked to the
liver and lungs, respectively) were imbalanced.
The philosophy at Euphoria, Kastrinaki
explained, was to maintain equilibrium between
the elements. People with a dominant air sign,
for example, are prone to restricted blood flow,
causing dizzy spells.
Next, I met with Euphoria’s in-house
nutritionist, Antonia Vasilakou, who
administered a pinprick test that measured
my glycogen, glucose, and glutathione levels,
all of which are important biomarkers for
metabolic health. After reminding me that
it was Hippocrates who suggested, circa 400
B.C., “let thy food be thy medicine,” Vasilakou
put me on a detox program that was free of
sugar, gluten, and alcohol.

GETTING THERE

Major American

carriers offer

direct seasonal

service to

Athens; from

there, it’s a

2½-hour drive

to Euphoria.

WHERE TO STAY

Euphoria Retreat

(euphoria

retreat.com;

doubles from

$535) is a first-

of-its-kind desti-

nation spa in the

southern Pelo-

pon nese that’s

inspired by the

teachings of

ancient Greece.

TRAVEL ADVISOR

T+L A-List mem-

ber and Greece

specialist Petros

G. Zissimos

(pzissimos@

hellenic holidays.

com; 212- 944-

8288) can

create a Pelo-

pon nese

itinerary that

includes a stay

at Euphoria

Retreat.

Any concerns I had about the

food plan being too restrictive were

quickly dispelled after my first meal

at Gaia, the on-site restaurant, which

sources ingredients like wild oregano

and pomegranates from the garden.

Sitting on the terrace in the shade

of a mulberry tree, I ate a delicious

lunch of charred octopus over a

bed of puréed fava beans. Other

standout dishes included keftedakia

(traditional Greek meatballs) and a

chilled savory-sweet grape soup.

The ancient Greeks were famously

interested in ideals of beauty, and at

Euphoria, physical upkeep is taken

seriously. Three-hour morning hikes

through the mountains are an

everyday prescription, as are hatha

yoga classes. After one intense

workout, I retreated to the spa,

where I was slathered in products

from French skin-care line

Biologique Recherche, then given

a scalp massage. For the final act, I

soaked in an enclosed hydrotherapy

pod, where jets blasted my achy

muscles. I emerged half an hour

later, feeling reborn.

I left Euphoria with a clear mind

and an invigorated body, with the

smell of pine trees and wildflowers

still fresh in my memory. A Greek

phrase rolled around my head as I

drove back to Athens: Pan metron

ariston. All things in good measure.

TAL0620_E_Euphoria.indd 43 FINAL 4/21/20 7:35 PM