Friday, December 27, 2024

The best detox holidays in Europe

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Even five days at Yogarosa Retreat in Ibiza will leave you feeling light and energised.
Alison Millington

Many people end the holidays feeling lethargic, heavy, and, frankly, a little bit burnt out.

But getting out of an early January rut doesn’t have to involve strict diets and workout plans. Instead of locking yourself to an unrealistic resolution, why not take a detoxing and relaxing holiday that you’ll actually enjoy?

Europe is full of wellness and fitness retreats, active holiday options, and rejuvenating spas, that are sure to bring you back to your pre-Christmas self.

We’ve tapped into personal experience and combed through rankings and reviews from Conde Nast Traveler, The Telegraph, The Independent, Wellbeing Escapes, and The Healthy Holiday Company to pull together a list of the best places to go to detox from the holidays.

From an all-vegan yoga retreat with animals in the woods of Ibiza, to a juice fasting detox in Portugal or a surfing holiday on the Morrocan coast, see our pick of the best places to stay in Europe for the refresh your body needs below, ranked by average price per night from cheapest to most expensive.

Middle Piccadilly, Dorset — from £132.50 a night.

Middle Piccadilly

The Live Smart Live Clean retreat at the rural holistic rural Middle Piccadilly spa in Dorset allows you to pinpoint any health or other issues you’d like to address this year.

For four, seven, 10, or 14 nights, you’ll get accommodation, juices, raw food, and vegetarian meals, as well as massage, mud body wraps and other treatments. From £1,855 per person for 14 nights.

Oceano, Tenerife — from £137 per night.

Oceano

The team at Oceano on the stunning north side of Tenerife believe the intestine is the “foundation for good health” and their Detox programme, based on F. X. Mayr Medicine, aims to get you back to a state of relaxation and balance. This is done through light food, assorted treatments, and training to get your metabolism going again. From £1,205 for a 14 day detox programme.

Amchara Malta Retreat — from £142 a night.

Amchara

The Amchara Malta Retreat claims to be “for anyone who wishes to change their physical health, emotional well-being and lifestyle that drives these in a positive, sustainable way.”

Book a visit and you’ll enjoy a personalised nutrition plan, conditioning exercise classes, spa facilities, health screenings, optional treatments, educational talks, organic juices, yoga, meditation, and aqua aerobics in the summer — not to mention the stunning location, with the Azure Window only a 15-minute walk away. From £994 for seven nights in a shared room.

Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria — from £147 a night.

Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt

Possibly one of the most unique locations on the list, the Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt in Austria sits at the foot of the stunning “Wilder Kaiser” mountain. The healthy holiday village is heated by its own Kaiser spring, serves food from its own farm and has golf, tennis, skiing, and fitness on site. Relax in the indoor and outdoor spa with pools, a steam bath, and a sauna. From £442 for three nights with access to the facilities, one meal included.  

Platinum Healing, Arundel, West Sussex — from £162.25 a night.

 

Whether you’re in need of a detox, looking to lose some weight, quit smoking, or simply want to relax, you don’t have to go far from home. Platinum Healing offers 10 different four-night retreat packages, each of which include a juice detox, that cater to both men and women. From £649 per person for a four-night retreat.

 

Surfing at Villa de L’Ô, Essaouira, Morocco — from £175 a night.

 

If you’re looking for something more active and adventurous, grab a deal that will give you six hours of surfing and three nights accommodation at the stunning Villa de L’Ô in Essaouira, Morocco, for only £525. Return flights from London are included.

Yogarosa Retreat, Ibiza — from £212 a night.

Alison Millington

Yoga therapist Rosa Klein has a gentle approach to yoga, meaning Yogarosa Retreat is the perfect spot even for a beginner.

Located a 20-minute drive from Ibiza’s airport surrounded by a pine forest, the retreat is unlike the Ibiza in your mind. From the idyllic pools, brunches and accommodation at Yogarosa, this is a spot to revitalise, and is about much more than yoga.

Whether you visit for only one night (from £212) or a week (from £1,338), you’ll experience a daily 90-minute yoga session in the morning, a vegan brunch with fresh smoothies, tea, nuts, and fruit throughout the day, a daily evening hour-long meditation, followed by an organic vegan three-course dinner.

Yobaba Lounge, France — from £218 a night.

Yobaba Lounge

If you’re looking for something less active (and alcohol-free), book a cheap flight to Toulouse or Carcassonne then head to the small and friendly Yobaba Lounge boutique retreat, situated in a village chateau in the foothills of the Pyrenees. You’ll be charmed by the walled garden, medieval village, and mostly raw vegan food, free from processed sugar and wheat, aimed to cleanse your system.

Stay in a stylish room, enjoy food, snacks, drinks, and a range of meditation and yoga sessions hosted by retired athlete and massage therapist Gertrud Keazor. Truly relax after the busy holiday season with periods of silence and optional excursions to check out nearby historical or stunning sites. From £875 for four nights/five days in a sharing room.

La Clairiere Bio & Spa hotel — from £236 a night.

La Clairiere

There’s hardly a better setting for a detox programme than the forests of Alsace, where you’ll find La Clairiere Bio & Spa Hotel.

After an initial consultation and analysis, you’ll receive nutritional advice and treatments to detox the body essential oils, body scrubs, sauna sessions, organic meals, unlimited indoor and outdoor spa access, yoga, meditation, and outdoor exercise classes, as well as a luxurious room to stay in. Seven nights from £1,657.

Shanti-Som Wellbeing Retreat, Marbella, Spain — from £240 a night.

Shanti-Som

Located only 10 minutes from Marbella with stunning views of the mountains and countryside of Sierra de las Nieves, a six-night detox at Shanti-Som is just what the doctor ordered.

After receiving a pre-detox guide and pre-detox dinner upon arrival, you’ll enjoy five days of fresh foods, juices, and broths, a daily group yoga glass, a foot bath, and use of the sauna, pool, and gym as well as coaching sessions with a nutritionist.

You’ll even leave with a long-term guide to maintaining the lifestyle, and you’ll be able to join a Whatsapp group for support. From £1,435 per person for the six-night retreat.

Ti Sana Detox Retreat, Italy — from £339 a night.

Ti Sana

Go for luxury at the Ti Sana Detox Retreat in Italy.

The Healtheatarian wellness programme takes a scientific approach to wellness and food, with diagnostic testing to determine to right diet, exercise, and spa treatments. From £3,399 for 10 nights. 

SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain — from £362 a night.

SHA Wellness Clinic

For the most intensive treatment package, the seven or 14-day detox programme at Spain’s SHA Wellness Clinic will fully purify your body. Think acupuncture, water therapy, massage, detox wraps, and many other treatments, alongside healthy nutrition and a personal trainer. From £2,535 for seven days. 

 

Yeotown, North Devon — from £374 a night.

Guy Harrop

If you’re one for the woods over the beach, the award-winning Yeotown health retreat in North Devon is one of the best UK options to refresh for 2017.

The five-day detox and lifestyle Yeotox, which runs every week from Wednesday to Sunday, allows you to stay in one of the site’s new luxury yet rustic eco cottages with a bedroom, bathroom, sitting room with a fireplace, and a meditation pod.  

The programme focuses of mental, spiritual and physical heath, with “real food,” core workouts and yoga, stress release techniques, mindfulness, cooking lessons, hiking, massages, a dry sauna, hot tub, and relaxation. Five days from £1,870.

 

 

 

Vilalara Longevity Thalassa & Medical Spa, Algarve, Portugal — from £400 a night.

Longevity

Pick a programme based on your needs at the stunning Vilalara Longevity Thalassa & Medical Spa in Portugal’s Algarve region.

Surrounded by lush gardens and right on a quiet beach, the spa promises “an integrated experience to help you relax, revitalise, re-energize and rejuvenate.”

Whether you go for the four-night juice fasting detox or opt for another fitness, weight loss, anti-ageing, mindfulness, or stress management programme, with five outdoor pools, tennis courts, and great food, you’re sure to leave feeling refreshed. Four-night juice fasting detox from £1,600. 

Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux, France — from £438 per night.

 

Whether of not you’re a fan of the Caudalie skincare brand, this heavenly Bordeux hotel and spa will make you feel truly pampered — especially if you splurge on the fitness and vitality getaway package.

Adopt the French diet with balanced breakfasts, unlimited herbal tea, and a seven-course meal at the two Michelin-starred La Grand’Vigne restaurant, all while staying in the La Table du Lavoir country inn amongst the vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitt. 

Enjoy four half-days of treatment in the Vinotherapie Spa and lounge in the indoor and outdoor swimming pools and jacuzzis, and four sessions with a fitness instructor. This includes jogging around the woodlands, time in the fitness centre and tennis. If that’s not enough, cycle or take a walking tour around the surrounding vineyards, or take a healthy cuisine cooking class from Nicolas Masse, the chef of La Grand’Vigne restaurant. From £2,628 for six nights. 

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