Kick your legs into shape on Capri
...or sip grass juice in the Philippines, cure insomnia in the sierras – and other weird and wonderful ‘wellness breaks’
THIS year we’re demanding more from our holidays than a week on the beach and too many cocktails. According to market research firm Euromonitor International, the ‘wellness’ tourism market is now worth more than £1billion. Many of us want to return home feeling not just tanned and relaxed but healthier and fitter too.
Here are five suggestions to get you in shape…
THE CAPRI ‘LEG SCHOOL’
WHAT The Leg School at the Capri Palace Beauty Farm is a seven-day programme to improve the look of legs – reducing cellulite and vascular problems such as thread veins. It’s held at a stunning fivestar hotel with staggering views across the Bay of Naples.
WHAT IT INVOLVES The system first uses a lower limb Doppler examination to investigate blood flow. That is followed by lymphatic drainage massages, Kneipp therapy (where cold water causes the blood vessels to contract and bring more blood to the skin surface), cold stone massages and lots of exercise.
VERDICT ‘Vascular assessment using ultrasound is essential to exclude any potentially serious problems such as underlying varicose veins, and before any superficial treatment,’ says consultant vascular surgeon John Scurr. ‘The look and feel of minor problems such as surface thread veins will be reduced.’
TAKE ME THERE Seven nights from £2,049 per person, including return flights and transfers. Leg School therapy costs from £1,250. Visit classiccollection.co.uk.
SLEEP IN AN OXYGEN MASK IN SPAIN
WHAT A programme at the Sha Wellness Clinic near Alicante investigates and treats insomnia – about a third of the UK population suffer from the condition. The Sha also features a prize-winning macrobiotic restaurant and has views across the sea and the Sierra Helada mountains.
WHAT IT INVOLVES This programme uses high-tech diagnostic techniques such as polysomnography – a sleep study that shows your sleep cycles, blood oxygen levels, air flow and heart rate – and merges an array of treatments to increase success rates. Therapies include Auto-CPAP, which treats sleep apnoea (where breathing is interrupted during sleep), as well as acupuncture.
VERDICT ‘Diagnostically this sounds both accurate and sensible,’ says sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley. ‘Just be prepared for a diagnosis such as sleep apnoea, which is a long-term condition – you would require further medical advice upon your return. A relaxing holiday is one of the best ways of ensuring a good night’s sleep anyway.’
TAKE ME THERE A seven-day programme costs from £2,284 per person, with accommodation from £187 per night per person. Visit shawellnessclinic.com.
LIVE LIKE A CAVEMAN IN LANZAROTE
WHAT This body-shaping programme at the Princesa Yaiza, a five-star colonial-style hotel on Lanzarote’s southeast coast, is based around the paleo diet – the premise that we ought to eat and live like prehistoric man to improve energy and immunity.
WHAT IT INVOLVES A delicious menu – and lots of diet advice – focused on fresh fruit and veg, lean meat, seafood and eggs, which paleo advocates claim can bring incredible energy, an improved immune system and weight loss. Five high-intensity training sessions are designed to lead to 4.5lb of weight loss plus an increase in muscle mass.
VERDICT ‘This is a fantastic way of getting some good exercise and a healthy diet for a week,’ says personal trainer Cornel Chin, who has worked with Colin Firth and Bond Girl Naomie Harris. ‘A structured workout during a holiday is far more effective than just doing a few lengths in the hotel pool.’
TAKE ME THERE From £799 per person for seven nights on a B&B basis with flights and transfers, plus £200 for the paleo package (sovereign.com).
TURN BACK THE CLOCK IN ITALY
WHAT The opulent Palace Merano Espace Henri Chenot in Merano offers an intense anti-ageing blitz that promises to leave you looking years younger.
WHAT IT INVOLVES The clinic’s programme is based on an understanding of how the body ages, and visitors first undergo blood tests and bone-density and hormone checks, as well as fullbody scanning. The anti-ageing package includes body-toxicity assessments, massages, mudtreatments (followed by a hosedown) as well as various exercise and diet components.
VERDICT ‘Detailed health screenings such as this can be very beneficial,’ says Vina Kavia, cardiac manager and physiologist at BMI. ‘It may throw up minor problems, which can be subsequently corrected with lifestyle changes, but ensure you see your GP for a follow-up.’
TAKE ME THERE The six-day Regenerating Anti-Age Programme costs from £2,606, while accommodation costs from £350 per room. Visit palace.it.
JOIN GREEN JUICE CULT IN PHILIPPINES
WHAT A raw-food regime at The Farm in San Benito, a luxury hotel in a rainforest in the Philippines, is designed to improve the skin, calm the mind and detox the body.
WHAT IT INVOLVES Raw food is high in fibre and antioxidants – celebrity advocates include Gwyneth Paltrow. All produce is organic, and there is even a Wheatgrass Bungalow, where they grow grass for the juices.
VERDICT ‘This is beneficial as a healthy and delicious week’s diet,’ says nutritionist Jackie Lynch. ‘Avoid if you struggle with severe IBS or inflammatory bowel diseases, though, as too much raw food can be a strain on an inflamed digestive system.’
TAKE ME THERE Seven nights from £2,240 per person including flights and transfers. Visit healthandfitnesstravel.com.