2. Get zen in a Portuguese paradise
A sunrise yoga session overlooking the ocean / Photo: Stephanie Berners
Whether you’re a yogi eager to surf or a beach babe aching for a good stretch, we’ve got the place for you. At the Karma Surf Retreat in Portugal you'll receive expert tutelage in surfing and yoga while kicking back at one of three luxurious coastal villas, including two properties outside Lisbon and a third in the Algarve. It’s not just the sea views that are first-rate. With private climbing rocks, plus a sauna and Jacuzzi on-site, this is not your average yoga break. And did we mention the healthy meals prepared in your villa by a team of chefs? Use code EJTWS2020 when booking and bag yourself a free massage. Terms apply.
Fly to Lisbon or Faro
3. Find inner peace in Greece
Serenity has never been so scenic
Experience a divine fusion of classical culture and sacred spiritual practice on one of Holistic Hellenic’s unique ’yogadventure’ retreats. Set against the jaw-dropping backdrop of the millennia-old monasteries at Meteora – a famous UNESCO World Heritage site – Holistic Hellenistic will help you find inner harmony through daily meditation and yoga workshops, all while learning about the mysterious parallels between ancient Greek philosophy and hallowed Hindu wisdom. Serenity never looked so scenic.
Fly to Thessaloniki
4. Retreat to a maternal sanctuary
Mums come together at HolyMama to unplug and reconnect
Ibiza may not be every mum’s first choice for a family vacation, but at the HolyMama LoveField resort, the tranquil Balearic island retreat has become a number one destination for nurturing holidays between mother and child. HolyMama helps mums get inspired through daily yoga sessions, massages and circles, while allowing them to forge deeper connections with their children via creative, child-friendly workshops. HolyMama’s unique service is also available online, with a series of courses dedicated to yoga, meditation, nourishing recipes and self-empowerment.
Fly to Ibiza
5. Ressourcez-vous en pleine nature
Des escapades en France où l’on apprend à revenir à l’essentiel
Le yoga et la méditation sont les fils conducteurs de nos pures expériences. Ouverts à tous (même aux débutants), nos séjours et retraites, animées par des experts, sont un art de vivre en conscience. Au travers d’une cuisine élaborée par nos naturopathes, des massages holistiques et des médecines complémentaires, libérez-vous du stress, détoxifiez votre corps, dénouez votre esprit et repartez plus léger et serein.
Fly to Geneva, Nantes, Lyon or Montpellier
Get closer to nature in France
Back to basics in France’s breathtaking countryside. Photo: Visuel EY
You could be practising tadasana (mountain pose) in the ski resort of Les Gets, or stretching into downward dog next to the ocean in Belle Ile – nature plays a big role in Pure Experience’s intensive yoga and meditation retreats. Led by expert yogis and enhanced with nourishing, vegetarian food, alternative medicine and holistic massages, the aim is to go back to basics to achieve stress release, mental clarity, relaxation and rejuvenation in some of France’s most spectacular natural settings.
Fly to Geneva, Nantes, Lyon or Montpellier
6. Recuperate in a sumptuous Spanish retreat
Make good your escape in the stunning Costa Blanca region
After this year, who couldn’t do with some TLC. Thank goodness then for La Crisalida, whose health and wellbeing retreats have been created to help people re-connect, re-balance and re-energise. Filled with holistic activities – beach walks, yoga, meditation, life coaching, wellbeing workshops, massages and cooking – plus the freshest, plant-based cuisine and juices, all set to a backdrop of the Costa Blanca’s stunning mountain and sea views, La Crisalida retreats will ensure you leave as a better version of yourself.
Fly to Alicante
7. AWAKEN YOUR SPIRITUAL SIDE IN THE SWISS ALPS
A perfect tree pose beside a perfect Swiss forest / Photo: Getty Images
Crisp, snow-covered mountain tops, turquoise mountain lakes, verdant alpine forests – Jivamukti Yoga Bern could not have found a more idyllic setting for its new Switzerland retreats. Launching next year, the retreats will help students unwind, reflect, and harmonise their body and mind using yoga and meditation sessions focused around the spiritual – yet dynamic – Jivamukti and Ashtanga methods. And how about those stunning views…
Fly to Zurich
8. BREATHE YOURSELF WELL IN GERMANY
Now breathe… discover the uniquely calming setting of Salty Feet Yoga / Photo: Adobe Stock
There aren’t many retreats that can claim rejuvenation starts from the first breath upon arrival, yet it’s one of the things that makes Salty Feet Yoga special. These yoga escapes are held in the tiny town of Wyk, on the North Frisian island of Föhr, where the Nordic sea breeze is famed for its high levels of iodine, which are beneficial to health. Light-hearted and gentle yoga and mindfulness sessions combine with organic food and cosy accommodation to ensure all-round well-being.
Fly to Hamburg
9. DESIGN YOUR OWN SPANISH WELLNESS BREAK
Unwind and be pampered on a Catalan retreat
The only thing that’s set in stone at Cal Pau Cruset is the place you’ll be staying in: a beautiful, 150-year-old traditional Catalan farmhouse complex that sits among lush vineyards in Alt Penedès, close to Barcelona. How you relax when you’re there is then up to you: pick and choose between treatments and classes including yoga, meditation and reiki, or use the calming space to write, paint and simply unwind. Bliss.
Fly to Barcelona
10. CLEAR YOUR MIND THIS WINTER IN THE FRENCH ALPS
Escape the stress of everyday life with an Alpine adventure
Everybody knows that busy minds make for a stress-filled head, which is why it’s worth a proper reset from time to time. What better, or more fun, way of doing so this winter than on a mindful yet luxurious Alps Retreats snowshoeing escape in the serene French Alps? Guided by a team of expert leadership and mindfulness coaches, a scheduled programme helps guests to pause, reflect and recalibrate so they return to their lives with heads filled only with happiness.
Fly to Geneva
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