JULY 2019 | 131
TRAVEL WELL
Women’s Health
PORTUGAL
What? An activity-packed
spa break in PortugalWhere? Vila Vita Parc, AlgarveHow much? Rooms from £180
per night, including breakfast;
vilavitaparc.comPortugal, you
say? Go on...
The Algarve is one
of those places
that always pops
up in listicles
about short-haul
travel destinations
for guaranteed sunshine, thanks
to its long hot summers and
mild winters. So if you like an
injection of vitamin D with your
wellness pursuits, it’s the ideal
place to grab some decent rays
without having to spend a day
on a plane (it’s less than three
hours from London). Clifftop
resort Vila Vita Parc is a
beautiful, sprawling estate with
acres of subtropical gardens
and its own secluded beach,
overlooked by palms and rocky
cliffs. If that’s not enough, the
resort has undergone a multi-Victoria Rudland,
Production Editormillion euro renovation over
the past five years, resulting in
some seriously gorgeous
interiors – think dark wood
floors, Tom Dixon chairs and
handmade Portuguese tiles.
Rooms are large, light-filled and
comfortable (plush velvet sofas,
goose-down bedding, uber-soft
sheets), with stunning views.
Dreamy. But those Apple
Watch rings need closing...
There’s lots on offer to placate
the most demanding of
wearables: daily exercise classes,
PTs on hand, a well-equipped
gym and laps pool, plus a light-
drenched yoga pavilion and a
Hypoxi studio for targeted fat-
burning. Hit the tennis courts,
or there’s all that coastline to
explore if you fancy a run with
a view, or simply a long walk
with lunch at the end (hot tip:
the prawn curry at Arte Náutica).
Like your exercise a little more
water-based? Try kayaking or
stand-up paddleboarding down
at the resort’s beach, or take
a shuttle to the nearby beach
club to try your hand at surfing,
water-skiing or windsurfing.
Once you’ve exhausted yourself,mosey on up to the stunning
new spa (it’s the jewel in the
resort’s crown), for a luxurious
Sisley treatment. The
90-minute anti-stress ritual,
which combines a back, neck,
shoulder and head massage
with reflexology to completely
rid your body of tension, will
leave you feeling Zen AF.
I’d struggle to leave...
Honestly? You won’t have to.
This is one of those resorts so
sprawling, you could spend your
entire stay within its boundaries
without feeling confined. There’s
even a range of boutiques on
site, selling everything from
fashion, jewellery and perfume
to traditional Portuguese
pottery, chic homeware and
local wine, olive oil and honey- so your souvenir shopping ’s
sorted. With 10 restaurants,
there’s no shortage of variety
of the culinary sort either.
The two-Michelin-starred
Ocean restaurant is a must –
book a table in time to catch the
sun setting over the ocean for
a spectacular view while you
sip a Martini and think about
how awesome your life is.