Magical Madeira
Emma Grimshaw relaxes into island life on this beautiful archipelago
Close your eyes and allow yourself to be present in the moment.” It’s not every day you encounter a professional violinist in an ancient wooded hill on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but this is Madeira and they like to do things a little differently here.
She then performed a private concert for us while we sat among the leaves, letting the ethereal music wash over us.
The experience was just one of many we indulged in after checking into Madeira’s Yeotown health retreat.
Dubbed “the island home of complete wellbeing”, it is the sister resort of the North Devon Wellness Retreat set up 13 years ago, offering treatments to improve health and wellbeing for the mind and body.
We had started the day with a spot of gentle yoga in a herbal-oil scented room, with open doors letting the ocean breeze flow in.
The staff at the retreat meticulously plan every detail of their guests’ days so they are surrounded by a beautifully stimulating environment.
Think martinis made from freshly picked fruits grown on site and served in brightly coloured Chinese-styled mugs, to stunning flowers draped along a wooden alfresco dining table.
Everything consumed here is prepared by the retreat’s award-winning chef so, for lunch, we feasted on crisp and spicy cauliflower wings, coconut rice and peanut sauce broccoli.
I spent the afternoon having a fullbody Thai massage from the in-house masseur, stretching out any tensions.
As the sun set, we were enticed by the smells of roasting fish before dining at a rustic outside table while our personal chef served us a barbecue.
It was a first day well spent. For me, the whole point of a holiday is to feel relaxed and refreshed – and to achieve