Four new wellness retreats, from cycle to psychedelic

Mastering the beautiful art of flowers in Japan

One for the Japanophiles: Ikebana Projects – a collective that organizes artistic collaborations and bespoke events that celebrate ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, will launch its first retreat next October. Over five days, the three founders of the collective and just 10 guests will delve into the aesthetics, traditions, and key principles of ikebana by examining its history in art and architecture and, of course, through numerous hands-on design experiences.

From meditation workshops with monks on Mount Koya to contemporary art-inspired design sessions (in a Tokyo gallery), you’ll explore Tokyo’s most beautiful green spaces alongside some stunning private homes and estates, while immersing guests in the world of chado (way of tea), kodo (appreciation of incense) and zazen under the guidance of Japanese masters. 1-6 Oct, from €5,060 per person

---

a detox there tuscany

Monteverdi Tuscany, the resort center deep in the region’s south, sensitively integrated into the quaint medieval hilltop village of Castiglioncello del Trinoro, may already be a household name: apart from the elegant interiors designed by Ilaria Miani and panoramic views of the Val d’Orcia, has an on-site arts center and a season of exclusive cultural programming. In November, she’ll add wellness to the agenda, with a seven-day holistic retreat that will focus on a gentle, not scary detox.

There will be detoxifying facials, lymphatic drainage massages, regenerative body treatments, daily yoga and meditations, and custom menus created by the resort’s chef Giancarla Bodoni (she’ll also teach classes based on area culinary traditions). Biotype history (an in-depth general assessment of aging) will also be offered. Monteverdi’s recently renovated wellness center will act as the venue. monteverdituscany.comfrom November 11 to 18, from €11,640 for seven nights

---

Forget stress by bike, in Crete and Spain

For a retreat in beautiful landscapes, moving at the speed of “slow” travel, consider two new itineraries, the first of which will explore the back roads of Crete, the second the coast of the Spanish Basque Country, offered from May to October by the slow cyclist. In Crete, riders will traverse the island from north to south, riding electric bikes (to make those twisty, scenic climbs a little less arduous) and learn about the island’s multi-layered history of conquest and civilization, from Minoan, Greek and Roman to Byzantine and Venetian of the fifteenth century.

The Basque Country itinerary, meanwhile, the provider’s first foray into Spain, is a five-night, mountain-to-coast journey that ranges from viticulture (in Rioja) to architecture (in Bilbao) and, of course, , food. (the route goes through San Sebastián, but we bet you eat splendidly all the way). elciclistalento.comfrom £2,995 per person

---

An amazing mountain hideaway in Mexico

Finally, for a consciousness-expanding type of retreat, very much the wellness focus of the moment, consider looking to Tepoztlán, in the Mexican state of Morelos, which is where tandava has its flagship store. Tandava specializes in individual and small group travel using Bufo Alvarius 5-MeO-DMT, a tryptamine psychedelic found in several plant species and secreted by the glands of the Colorado River Toad (Bufo Alvarius). Unlike the multi-hour marathon trips facilitated by ayahuasca or LSD, the effects of 5-MeO-DMT typically last less than an hour (the average trip lasts about 20 minutes); but as with psilocybin and some other psychedelics, users report seismic shifts in their awareness, outlook, and sense of well-being.

At Tandava, guests stay in the comfort of clean, spacious rooms in the lush mountains just outside of Cuernavaca; there are meditation and yoga rooms, and Turkish steam saunas and swimming pools to enjoy. The staff, which includes medical professionals, psychedelic integration specialists (who help guests process their experiences before they return to their daily lives), and meditation leaders, oversee all aspects of guest participation, beginning as all legitimate psychedelic withdrawals should, with preliminary screening. interview process and extensive review of personal and medical histories (anywhere that No you should avoid requesting this before the arrival of the guest). Tandava is currently collaborating with University College London on a brain imaging study of synthetic 5-MeO in withdrawal patients, as part of the educational and clinical training platform led by its founder, Joel Brierre. In August she will host her first BIPOC retreat, with a focus on ancestral healing. tandavaretreats.comfrom $2,495 for a five-day withdrawal.