Time To Retreat: Restorative Retreats At Home And Abroad
Joyous retreats at home and abroad to restore body and soul – and perhaps inspire a few healthy habits to bring home.
If you want to treat someone to a properly lovely and restoring gift this winter, consider doing something together. How about an entirely offline day of gentle movement, gorgeous healthy food and woodlands walks? Increasingly we’re seeking “analogue” experiences, from pottery workshops to sauna trips, and retreats are an extension of that, whether just for a day or for a little longer.
THE WILDS OF WEXFORD
Sheena Kennedy has been running Canta Retreats since 2018, offering the chance to step out of the daily grind via a carefully considered blend of Pilates (she’s an expert teacher), nurturing meals and relaxation. Until this year, she’s offered these retreats in beautiful houses in Ibiza and Formentera. As appealing as these sound, it’s exciting that she’s now also running retreats in Wexford, just over an hour’s drive from Dublin. It’s accessible and yet a million miles away from daily life. www.cantraretreats.com.
INTO THE WEST
Frankly, we find it hard to imagine anything more enticing than a winter retreat to Ballynahinch Castle’s 700 acres in Connemara. If you’ve ever experienced the setting, the food and the magical woodland sauna by the lake, you’ll know we’re not overstating the case. A three-night retreat here (the next one is November 15-18) – featuring yoga, meditation, breathwork and, most importantly, breakfast and dinner each day – will restore and revive the most jaded of guests. From €1,140 per person sharing. www.ballynahinch-castle.com.
WELLBEING IN WICKLOW
If you have only hours, rather than days, to spare, head to Wicklow for some escapist healthiness in a like-minded group. Sophie Anderton runs Anam Kara at Glendalough House, with its splendid 1,500 acres, offering day retreats throughout the year, featuring a mix of yogalates, sound baths, meditation, hot and cold immersion and nature walks. Friendly and fun. Around €195 for a full day. www.anamkarawellness.ie.
DARE IN CLARE
Yet to embrace cold water swimming? Head to the Cliffs of Moher Retreat for a one- or two-day immersion – quite literally. Wim Hof Method retreats are not for the faint-hearted, but could well be life-changing, and convert you to a mood-lifting new habit to see you through the winter. The dedicated retreat centre in Liscannor, Co Clare has a spa featuring an outdoor sauna and hot tub, a steam room and Infrared sauna. Accommodation is elegant and comfortable, and healthy meals are included. A two-day Wim Hof Method retreat in early December starts from €1,200. Other retreats, which range from yoga and hiking to the more sedate-sounding Rest, Recover, Reflect, start from €785. www.cliffsofmoherretreat.com.
THE ITALIAN RECHARGE
On the coast of Positano, set on four acres with a pool overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Torre Sponda’s Recalibrate & Recharge Retreats are designed for ten guests. We were sold by the indoor seawater pool, plus a cli side pathway to a private beach – what a location. The retreats are run by London-based health, fitness and nutrition coach Viktoriya Khoma; along with breathwork, movement and recovery sessions, there’s practical guidance to extend your great new habits beyond the days that you’re here – a vital aspect of any retreat. A trip to nearby Positano is the icing on the cake. Four-night retreat programmes from £2,398.50 per person, sharing, including transfers. www.torresponda-positano.it.
WORLD-CLASS WELLNESS
I went to Palazzo Fiuggi Wellness Medical Spa, about 50km from Rome, last year and found it out of this world. Choose a programme from longevity to detox or “optimal weight”. It’s an investment to come here, but facilities are mindblowing, with three pools, the healthiest food made by a three-Michelin Star chef and a team of experts on hand to advise your every move. www.palazzo‑ uggi.com.
