IMAGES: GETTY; SAUNA SOCIAL CLUB
TRENDING EXPERIENCES
05.
WALLOW IN A WARM MUD BATH IN ITALY
Rising from the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea around 15 miles off the north coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands remain one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. There are seven in total, each with a distinct identity largely defined by geology and landscape. Vulcano, at the southernmost end of the archipelago, is celebrated for its therapeutic thermal mud baths and fumaroles (openings in the earth’s crust that vent steam). The sulphuric fumes take a bit of getting used to, but bathing in the bubbling, slate-grey mud is tremendously soothing for muscles, boosting circulation and aiding skin conditions. Once you’ve cleaned up, the island’s web of hiking trails and dark-sand beaches invite exploration. The cliff-edge Therasia Resort Sea & Spa, with its volcanic backdrop and dramatic sunsets, makes for an ideal base.
HOW TO DO IT: Mud-bath entry at the Laghetto di Fanghi, Vulcano starts from €5 (£4) per person and includes shower access.
citalia.com
07.
SWEAT IT OUT IN AN URBAN SAUNA IN LONDON
For many, the ideal sauna setting conjures images of tranquil Nordic lakes or ethereal boreal forests. But in recent years, the sauna has found a new home — right in the heart of the city. London is leading this urban wellness trend, offering city dwellers the chance to sweat out stress on a lunch break and return to the office feeling reinvigorated and renewed. One of the most striking options is Rooftop Saunas in Hackney, perched high above an East London office block with sweeping views of the City skyline, offering a serene escape in the clouds. Also in Hackney, the Community Sauna Baths offer a more rustic charm, tucked away in a slightly ramshackle yard filled with potted plants. Further south, Peckham’s Sauna Social Club lets you unwind in a converted railway arch, where the gentle rumble of passing trains overhead adds to the ambient hum.
HOW TO DO IT: Rooftop Saunas, Hackney, from £20 per session. Community Sauna Baths, Hackney, from £9.50 per session. Sauna Social Club, Peckham, from £14.99 per session.
rooftopsaunas.com
community-sauna.co.uk saunasocialclub.co.uk
06.
GET A CHANGE OF SCENERY ON A GRIEF RETREAT
When it comes to losing a loved one, they say time heals all wounds, but what if you could ease the pain and share stories with others in a supportive, restorative setting? In recent years, grief retreats have emerged around the world, offering calm, compassionate spaces to help attendees process loss. Activities range from journalling and guided reflection to immersing yourself in the sights and sounds of nature, as well as releasing emotions through conversation, tears and gentle movement — all proven to be cathartic. A change of scenery only heightens the healing. From eye movement desensitisation and yogic therapies on St Lucia’s sandy shores to holistic hammam rituals among Greece’s olive groves, there’s a retreat to suit everyone’s journey.
HOW TO DO IT: The BodyHoliday’s Grief & Renewal Retreat in St Lucia starts from £2,500 per person. Euphoria Retreat in Mystras, Greece costs from $4,417 (£3,860) per person.
bodyholiday.com
euphoriaretreat.com
08.
SOAK WITH SEAWEED IN BRITTANY
Throughout history, people have turned to the sea — and its saltwater and seaweed — for their healing properties. But it’s Brittany that lays the strongest claim to being the birthplace of modern thalassotherapy, with the first dedicated centre established here at the end of the 19th century. Today, the practice is only growing in popularity across this windswept Celtic peninsula, where the wild Atlantic provides a picture-perfect backdrop. Among the grandest is Les Thermes Marins de
Saint-Malo, housed in an elegant belle époque building overlooking a sandy beach in the historic port town. The original, however, is Valdys Resort Roscoff, founded in 1899 and still welcoming guests with heated saltwater pools, saunas and salt cabins. The views are just as restorative: think rock pools, tidal sands, offshore islands and the presence of the rolling Atlantic all around.
HOW TO DO IT: Les Thermes Marins de Saint-Malo offers half-day thalasso packages from €145 (£128), including body wraps, massages and facials. Valdys Resort Roscoff’s sea and algae body wraps start from €59 (£52).
thalasso-saintmalo.com
thalasso.com
Clockwise from top: The Aeolian Islands, particularly Vulcano, are renowned for their therapeutic natural mud baths, which soothe muscles and boost circulation; the waters in Brittany are so clean that seaweed there becomes a natural ‘mineral cocktail’, rich in iodine and vitamins; Sauna Social Club in Peckham lets you unwind in a converted railway arch
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