The Mediterranean area of Costa Blanca is the perfect place to find relaxation, included under the winter sun, much more generous in light and warmness, here. If looking for a well deserved break, before or after Christmas, to recharge batteries, find balance and relax, we have selected for you the most diverse destinations, from a retreat where may disconnect for several days, to the spa programme of a hotel, that can brighten up your day, and to a hammam, perfect for a beauty treatment if you only have a few hours at your disposal.
La Crisalida – Health and Wellbeing Retreat
La Crisalida Retreats is located just north from Alicante, in a small seaside town called Albir. The town itself is quiet, with tree-lined streets and has an unhurried air, perfect for relaxation. The retreats run all year round, so you can arrive and depart on any day of the week and stay for as long as you want. Guests can choose what they want to do – focusing on yoga, life makeover, detox and weight loss, relaxing, or enjoying all of them.
The prices are all inclusive and comprise all the programme activities, food or juice, accommodation and transfers between Alicante airport and the retreat. The team of La Crisalida says: “We aim to allow people to reconnect with their authentic self, relaxing and letting go of all stresses, to cleanse and find balance. Activities start at 7.15 am and finish at 9 pm. Our activities include yoga, meditation, life makeover workshops, guided walks, activity classes (rebounding, latina-size, aqua aerobics in the summer), juice and cooking demonstrations, and creativity classes. People can choose which activities to go to. We have a lovely therapy suite on site, and offer a wide range of holistic and beauty treatments for people to choose from – including full body massage, osteopathy, facials, energy treatments (like Reiki) and so on – extra cost payable locally. We also offer transformational and life coaching, also extra cost. Our approach to health is a holistic one – finding your own inner balance and health, through: nutrition (plant-based diet and juices), breath, rest, exercise and physiology, mindset, and education.”
La Crisalida Retreats was created by John and Lisa Brant in 2013. Together, they are explorers in the field of lifestyle change and wellbeing. Lisa has been working in the field of health for over twenty years, first as an epidemiologist and now following a more alternative route as therapeutic hatha and yin yoga teacher and also teaches mindfulness meditation. Lisa is also qualified in NLP and hypnosis. John is author, speaker and lifestyle coach. He worked in a high pressure career as an Actuary before making significant changes in lifestyle culminating in his move to Spain. He is qualified in Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), hypnosis, life coaching, the DeMartini Method and is passionate about helping others to find their own inspired path.
Find more on their website: https://www.lacrisalidaretreats.com/
YHI Spa – the Treatment Centre at Hotel Meliá Villaitana
YHI Spa Meliá Villaitana welcomes you to over 1,200 square meters of facilities dedicated to the cultivation of the body, the balance of the mind and the purification of the soul. A place to be pampered by a team of expert professionals and to truly relax.
Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Meliá Hotels International is one of the largest hotel companies in the world and the largest hotel chain in Spain in both resort and city hotels. The Meliá Villaitana resort, has several leisure facilities, including two 18 hole golf courses, 5,000 square metres of swimming pools, a spa, a gym and tennis and paddle tennis courts. The YHI Spa immersive experience offers exquisite aromas, soothing music and warm atmosphere for relaxation and wellbeing experiences designed for customers to find the perfect balance. The treatments and beauty rituals are performed under the guidance of one of the most respected international natural cosmetic firms, Pevonia. The team says that “at YHI SPA we take care of every detail. Elegant and harmonious. A world of peace and regeneration. We offer a wide range of treatments and rituals with Pevonia products and cosmetics with natural ingredients.”
They offer eight treatment areas, deluxe cabin with Turkish bath, their YHI Signature treatments, exclusive YHI Spa facials and body treatments: Anti-ageing, YHI Man Facial, YHI Abhyanga, YHI Indian Scalp massage, Mango and Passion Fruit treatment. The list is completed by rituals from ancient cultures, known for their beneficial qualities, and hairdressing, make-up and stylist services. “Our YHI Spa services are tailored to the environment and nourished by the natural beauty of surroundings which inspire for each personalised therapy. Located on a spectacular oriental lake, each ritual is different allowing you to enjoy the moment. The 2 outdoor eco-cabins over the lake, with Japanese bathtubs and sunbeds, and the 2 solariums, are available during the season.” Among the YHI rituals, the hidrotermal one is among the most requested. Known since antiquity for its therapeutic virtues, hydrotherapy is still used to improve bone, muscle and circulatory problems and for all types of disorders such as anxiety, stress and mental fatigue.
YHI Spa has programmes A La Carte that can be selected from their website. They can organise a complete wellness day, as well as help in personalising events and incentives. Find out more from their website: https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/spain/alicante/melia-villaitana/yhi-spa.html
Villa Marco – the Hammam Wellbeing Ritual
The centre opened in December 2016 in Alicante and offers the ancestral ritual of Arab bath, right in the middle of the city. The treatments include hot baths, rituals to profoundly clean the skin, nourishing care and also quiromassage.
Quiromassage, sometimes called Spanish massage, is a term coined by Spanish doctor Vicente Lino Ferrándiz García in 1920. Quiro means hands, in Greek, and the practice is more of a western technique where only hands are used in massage. Dr Ferrándiz García spent years studying naturopathy and classical, cientific massage abroad and he was influenced by many famous European massage therapists including some disciples and followers of doctor Lings Swedish massage. It is more and more popular in Europe and the rest of the wold, being an enriched version of Swedish and classical massage. Quiromassage is a technique that is directed towards eliminating or diminishing muscular pain that is related to tension, blocked energy or lack of toning. Furthermore, its use is an efficient compliment to other types of therapies. There are different areas of application : for relaxation, stimulating, sports, and other therapeutic massages. The technique is based on friction, pressure, percussion and stretching, depending on the problem being treated and the method used. These techniques are accompanied by utilization of creams, oils, or essences, to improve the manipulation and application of quiromassage.
Hammam Bienestar Ancestral treatments include: “a typical Arab bath with two rooms, the hot and mild one, followed by the application of the black soap and exfoliation with Kessa glove, following the ancient ritual. The massages are given with high quality vegetal oils, including 100% biological argan oil. We ensure the complete relaxation and intimacy of our guests, as the installations are exclusively booked upon reservation for each client or group of clients.”
The products used in the Hammam include black soaps, natural clay, essential oils for massage, as well as vegetal oils and shea butter, all handmade in Essaouira, Morocco, by a women’s cooperative for fair trade. The products can also be bought from the boutique of the Hammam.
Find out more from their website: https://www.hammamancestral.es/
Cover image source.