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FT editor Roula Khalaf selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
In Greece, ancient remedies and cutting-edge medicine
Euphoria Retreat is nestled high in the rugged mountains of the Peloponnese, next to the archaeological site of Mystras. Its wellness program combines elements of traditional Chinese medicine and Greek philosophy; however, next month it will add a new, comprehensive diagnostic program. It’s called Euphoria Holistic Health and Longevity and is based on Euphoria’s Holon Methodos (“holon” means “whole” in Greek). It’s a holistic, transformative approach to health and longevity that focuses on cellular metabolic health – how the body detoxifies, manages stress, fights disease and regenerates.
With pre-testing and on-site analysis, including 23 discrete biomarkers, it’s a pretty serious commitment; but each element of the resulting program, whether the “basic” seven-day version (the recommended stay is 10) or the extended three-week version, is tailored to specific metabolic and microbiome needs. The treatments themselves range from the fairly straightforward (private fitness, Five Element therapies) to customized IV infusions and “body charging” sessions that use NanoVi technology, originally designed for cancer treatment, to reduce cellular inflammation and stimulate regeneration.
The women-only active getaway to the Swiss Alps
Chalet Mélèzes in Chamonix is home to Girl Powder Mountain Retreats, an all-female adventure community that takes advantage of the area’s ski slopes in winter and its mountain trails and illuminated nights in summer.
On September 16, their final girls’ summer retreat of 2024 takes place: a four-night itinerary that includes en-suite chalet accommodation (think private terraces, a full-service fitness center and spa with sauna, gym, and yoga studio), all the quality mountain and e-bikes and hiking gear needed for activities, breakfast, tea with healthy smoothies, and three multi-course dinners with wine pairings. Every day there’s a hike to a buvette or forest for wild lunches, then group yoga or spa-swimming activities; additional outdoor time can take the form of guided climbing, canyoning, or wild swimming, and if you want to soar, there’s a paragliding experience, too.
A new chalet hotel in Austria
Eriro is the new hot hotel in the Austrian Alps: the nine-room hotel incorporates wellness and fitness into its offering and surroundings so comprehensively that basically any stay can be a kind of retreat. For a start, it can only be reached by cable car, a journey that takes you up to 1,550 m to the chalet, which is built almost entirely from local wood. Once settled in, it’s all about the outdoors.
Three full-time guides curate experiences for guests ranging from barefoot walks through the nearby moss-covered forest to workshops on local craft traditions, exploring the meditative power of working with stone and wood. At the spa there are fir-infused sauna rooms, an indoor meditation pool and in-room alpine herb massages. Private yoga and meditation are also add-ons.
Elemental energy (and biodynamic grazing) in central Italy
Regular readers will know that I’m a fan of the Tuscia region of central Italy, where mystical 2,000-year-old forests crown the hilltops and Etruscan tombs are almost as common as roadside gas stations. Tenuta di Paternostro, just outside the town of Vetralla, offers nourishment for all levels through its beautifully manicured interiors, healthy food, and 31 hectares of olive groves and alfalfa fields where horses roam freely. Paternostro recently became a member of Healing Hotels of the World and has earned a reputation as a home to engaging educational wellness programs, from equine therapy to vegan cuisine.
Tenuta of Paternostro
From €540pp sharing a double room or €620pp single
email info@tenutadipaternostro.com or DM @tenutadipaternostro
This September there are two long weekend retreats: from the 6th to the 8th, Julia Ingersoll – whose roving retreats in Bali, Puglia and beyond incorporate nature excursions with cultural immersions – will lead the Bliss Station retreat, which combines plenty of active yoga and meditation with hearty, beautifully presented feasts. Then, from the 27th to the 29th, the Inner Glow weekend, hosted by instructor Alessia Piccininno, will include somatic movement, sound baths in fire circles, meditation under the stars, visits to sacred Etruscan sites and food workshops in the Tenuta’s own biodynamic gardens.
The modernization of Mayr in Austria
The original Mayr remains the go-to product for many people to restore their metabolic and gut health. The most committed now have two new, more progressive programs to participate in.
Mayr medical diagnosis It’s a more in-depth version of what it claims, including blood and GI, metabolic, and urine tests throughout the program, for a comprehensive understanding of the state of your metabolic system; the abdominal massages and hay flower detox that are Mayr standards are administered throughout the week. The Mayr Med Detox program, by contrast, focuses on fitness testing and bioelectrical impedance analysis, and layers salt scrubs and draining wraps around an active regimen. The promise: You’ll emerge with a springier stride, a clearer head, and quite possibly an inch or two less in diameter in a couple of parts of your body.