Portugal

Whether you’re flying solo in the Caribbean, partnered up or jetting off with the whole family in Europe, why not nip those winter woes in the bud and treat yourself to a wellness retreat for Christmas and New Year? In light of the Covid-19 chaos of 2020, this could be your perfect chance to safely step away from the madness and rebuild your immunity and mental wellbeing away from home. Each of our wellness retreats for Christmas and New Year will ensure you get some much-needed recuperation and rejuvenation and provide you with the tools to sow the seeds for a positive, healthy new year.

Push yourself to the max on the ultimate fitness holiday experience with the support of fellow solo travellers on our 5 best fitness bootcamps for singles. From beach boxing in Ibiza to TRX training in Thailand, discover the motivation to reach your fitness goals on a singles bootcamp holiday where you can build the foundations to make healthy changes in your life. Down time is crucial to replenish your muscles, so take full advantage of the fabulous luxury spas with their many tantalising treatments. You will be left motivated for the next day’s group bootcamp workouts on a singles holiday where you can easily get to know other solo travellers on the same health and fitness journey.

Portugal thrives on its rich history, traditional culture and warm climate. It is also home to an array of vibrant towns, beautiful beaches and distinctive landscapes, making it an idyllic destination to embark on a valuablehealthy break. Portugal sets a unique motivational tone which is perfect for challenging yourself to reach those top fitness goals, try a new sport or even enjoy some healthy family activities. Keep on reading to discover some of the best active holidays in Portugal and all of the great healthy benefits and experiences on offer! 

We discover the world’s most luxurious and breathtaking yoga retreats to book around the world. From the local shores of Portugal, to the distant islands of the Maldives, grab your mat and you can practice anywhere you please, whether you are a beginner or an expert yogi. You’ll be able to gain a solid foundation and develop your personal practice on these hand-picked yoga holidays and retreats across the globe, and combine this with a variety of holistic sessions, relaxing spa facilities and beautiful backdrops, what more could you ask for in a yoga holiday?

Each yoga retreat welcomes yogis of all levels and under the guidance of expert tuition so you can choose to start learning yoga on holiday, or focus on strengthening and developing your existing practice. Whichever path you choose, you will return home re-balanced, rested, and restored.

Find your Balance in Bali – Divine Body Retreat at Bliss Body Retreat, Bali

Take yourself off on a luxury yoga retreat that immerses you in meditation and recuperation whilst surrounded by the infamous rice terraces and vast Balinese Jungle. Wash yourself of the strain and anxiety of everyday life with a healing holiday and you can immerse yourself in a world of meditation, rejuvenation and therapy. The organic approach of the Bliss Body Retreat offers a variety of yoga classes, nutritional seminars, and wellness treatments to boost your overall well-being and rediscover your inner balance among a calming Balinese backdrop.

More Information: View Divine Body Retreat at Bliss Body Retreat

Poolside Peacefulness in Costa Rica – Yoga at The Retreat, Costa Rica

Find your serenity in the magnificent mountains of the Atenas province with an Ayurveda retreat. Not just an escape from the boredom of mundane life, this yoga holiday provides you with culinary opportunities, healing massages and nature hikes, all to help you relieve stress and find direction. The organic treatments and methods of a detox retreat can help you rid your body and mind of toxic thoughts and feelings, opening you up to the calming world of meditation and the incredible abilities of the mind, body, and soul.

More information: View The Retreat

Flow with the Mediterranean – Discover Yoga at Six Senses Kaplankaya, Turkey

Embark on a yoga holiday and allow yourself to find your inner balance through the guided meditations, luxury spa and spectacular landscapes. Wake up to the coastline views, ocean breeze and the sparkling sea, spend your day doing personalised pranayama, and finish off the evening with a traditional Turkish treatment, to revitalise your body, mind, and soul. This yoga retreat is tailored to your personal needs, and combine it with cooking classes, water sports, exercise classes and sport to combine a fitness holiday that provides you with a journey of a lifetime, both spiritually and physically.

More information: View Six Senses Kaplankaya

Meditation in the mountains – Yoga at Ananda in the Himalayas, India

Escape to India on a luxury yoga retreat and rebalance with yoga amongst the calming landscape of this exotic yoga holiday. An ideal choice for a singles holiday, enhance your well-being when you combine personalised yoga sessions and group classes, with discovering a taste of local culture through traditional Indian music classes and dance performances. For a true sense of wellness, make the most of complimentary Pranayama and meditation classes, before relaxing on a luxury spa holiday combined with aromatherapy massages and reflexology.

More Information: View Ananda in the Himalayas

Beach yoga – Yoga & Spa Premium at Paradis Plage, Morocco

Practice daily beach yoga, from sunrise to sunset on Portugal’s Atlantic coastline, for one of the best exotic yoga holidays at Paradis Plage. Keep active on your healthy adventure as you combine Manipura and aerial yoga with discovering the island through a selection of water sports, mountain biking and treks. One of the best destinations for beach yoga from our range of yoga & spa holidays, enhance your well-being after an active day in the traditional Moroccan Hammam and relax with therapeutic spa treatments.

More information: View Paradis Plage

Island yoga – Discover at COMO Maalifushi, Maldives

Find tranquility on a yoga retreat on the private island of Thaa Atoll, where work and worries are a world away. The crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches are a perfect escape, blended with group Pilates sessions, beach yoga classes, and exquisite culinary options, there is nothing to disturb your wellness practice while you are here. Find your Zen and unwind with a mindfulness retreat that also caters with optional activities to fill your day, and with this yoga holiday offering windsurfing, kayaking and mountain biking, it’s certain you’ll never want to leave.

More information: View COMO Maalifushi

Calm on the cliffs – Yoga at Pine Cliffs Resort, Portugal

Kickstart your morning an Ayurveda massage in the Serenity Spa, spend the afternoon in a guided meditation and finish off the evening watching the sun set over the cliffs, this yoga holiday allows your mind, body and soul to reset and relax. The range of sporting opportunities, wellness facilities, and breathtaking landscapes means this yoga retreat is the ideal choice for someone in need of a de-stress holiday. Not only will you watch the sun set over the water, but over your anxieties and worries too.

More information: View Pine Cliffs Resort

Sunrise yoga – Yoga Synergy at Kamalaya, Thailand

Give your body and mind the break it needs with a luxury spa holiday and jet off to align your chakras and find your balance of mind, body, and soul with this yoga retreat. On the South coast of Koh Samui this wellness holiday offers you the tropical jungle foliage and lily ponds for the perfect ambience to supplement indulgent spa treatments, calming meditations and exhilarating water sports. Whilst you succumb to your wellness wanderlust on this yoga holiday, the holistic methods and natural healing on this will prove to you how meditation and mindfulness can improve your life significantly.

More information: View Kamalaya

Talk to one of our Travel Specialists on or contact us here to discuss tailor-making your perfect yoga holiday.

As part of our Insider Interview series we regularly sit down with one of the team at one of the many retreats we have the privilege of working with and sending clients to. Today we catch up with Josué Rosa, Fitness Instructor at Pine Cliffs, a Luxury Collection Resort in Albufeira, Portugal.

It is a common misconception that yoga is not fast-paced enough to rid you of those extra pounds. However, you don’t have to look very far to find numerous testimonies of passionate yogis who swear by yoga, declaring it an extremely effective weight-loss technique. So, although to an outsider, yoga may appear to be just a series of light stretches and deep breaths, rendering it too low intensity to be an effective way to lose weight; for those of you who have already practiced yoga, you know that this is a severe misconception.

 Are you looking to up the ante on your health and fitness in the new year? A holiday tailored to your fitness goals will set you on the right path to achieving your fitness goals for 2021. You will feel rebalanced, recharged, and ready to face life’s challenges. From New Zealand to St. Lucia we have picked out a range of fitness holidays for 2021 with a variety of activities, including hiking, cycling, tennis, kayaking, to increase muscle strength and flexibility. From group bootcamps to one on one personal training and diet plans, Health and Fitness Travel offers the perfect healthy holiday to help you commit to your fitness goals in 2021.

With the ongoing surge for the illusive flat abs and toned tum, Elier Castillo, Fitness Expert at Longevity in Portugal, shares with us the best exercise for strengthening your core.

When juggling work and family life, finding the best family holiday to suit your needs can be an arduous task. So, let us make your search a little easier as we share with you the ultimate guide to the best family friendly summer holidays. From PADI diving in St. Lucia to wakeboarding in Greece, if you’re on the hunt for ways to get your family more active this summer, look no further. Create a summer of blissful memories as you embark on a fun-filled activity holiday that is sure to provide your family with endless entertainment and maybe even some long-lasting lifestyle changes.

Dr. Manuela Figini

Dr. Manuela Figini is a highly accomplished Medical Doctor at Longevity Wellness Resort in Portugal, with an extensive knowledge in Aesthetic, preventive and ageing management. She has an impressive medical background of 40 years' experience and is the Clinical Director of the Longevity Medical Spa practice, where she is responsible for all the medical aspects of each programme and discipline, covering areas such as acupuncture, ozone therapy and aesthetic medicine. She taught pathology at the College of Nursing, was the resident doctor at Vila Real Hospital, and studied Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery. She also holds qualifications in Acupuncture, Aesthetic Medicine, Anti- Ageing Medicine and Ozone Therapy

As part of our Insider Interview series we regularly sit down with one of the team at one of the many retreats we have the privilege of working with and sending clients to. Today we speak to Cristina Rosa, Director of Sales at EPIC SANA Algarve in Albufeira, Portugal.

What is Cegonha and who is it for?

Longevity Cegonha Country Club is a boutique style wellness resort in Portugal, near the Algarve. Best suited to those who are looking for looking for peace and tranquillity as well as physical, mental and emotional wellness, it is great for solo travellers, friends or couples and anyone wanting to de-stress and relax.

Marco Baoia

Marco Baoia is the lead organiser and trainer of the Epic Sana Sayanna Reshape in Portugal and has a wealth of knowledge in bootcamp training, having been a part of the fitness industry since 1988. During this time he has covered many different training methods and has successfully trained in England, Ireland, Germany and Portugal. Marco works with a truly holistic approach and is always results orientated; aiming to get the best out of each and every individual he works with. His overriding wish is to provide his clients with the information they need to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Becoming a new parent is an amazing, incomparable experience, but it will also be the most stressful time in your life. Focusing entirely on your child’s well-being; there won’t be many opportunities for you to pamper and relax. There is no better time to take a wellness break than when you're feeling tired and exhausted. The good news is, there are plenty of family holidays you can enjoy even when your new born is around. Free your mind of diapers and milk bottles and unwind on a spa holiday, whilst child-minding staff take good care of your little ones. After a de-stressing spa treatment, shed the baby weight during an energetic fitness class or on an outdoor excursion to admire the beauty of nature.

What is Palacio Estoril and who’s it for?

Palacio Estoril is a thirties five-star luxury golf and spa 130-room hotel just outside Lisbon with a colourful clientele from politicians and pop stars, to footballers and royal family. The sixth James Bond film was also filmed here.

For clients who appreciate grandeur and luxury, set in the heart of Estoril and a short walk from the nearest cafes, shops and beaches, the hotel attracts wellness, golf and spa lovers with a flair for culture offering lavish interiors set in lush gardens. Whether you are a solo traveller searching for a relaxing spa break, or a group of friends looking to get fit, Palacio Estoril has the wellness programme for you.

What is Pine Cliffs and who’s it for?

Pine Cliffs is an award-winning 5-star luxury hotel, but it is so much more than that: it's a resort, a golf course, a spa, fitness centre, tennis academy, a lifestyle and an experience. Located on the amazing coastline of the Algarve, in Southern Portugal on a stunning cliff-top above Portugal’s longest beach, Praia Da Falesia. Whilst I was there, I saw families, couples, singles, spa-lovers, golfers and many more because of the variety of amenities and sprawling grounds the resort is situated on.

What is Monchique Resort & Spa and who’s it for?

If you’re looking for an amazing and renewing spa retreat in marvellous surroundings, then a stay at Monchique Resort & Spa is just what is needed. The resorts setting is peaceful and serene with views that stretch all the way to the Atlantic coast but because it’s located in the mountains, there is a warm cool breeze.

Having been to the Algarve many times, I’ve always loved holidaying in Portugal but have never been to the North. I booked myself a healthy break to The Oitavos, a wonderful high-tech and ultra-modern coastal resort in a natural setting amongst sand dunes and umbrella pines. Built in 2010 on the Quinta da Marina Estate, The Oitavos is just 5 minutes from Cascais town and half an hour from Lisbon.

Offering natural solutions for menopause, perimenopause and the prevention of Osteoporosis, Retreat Away has announced a brand new menopause and stress retreat set to be hosted by Dr Marilyn Glenville, PhD of the Natural Health Practice.

If you’re looking to lose weight on a fitness bootcamp holiday, Europe offers a range of options for you. A fitness bootcamp is centred around a high intense workout and fitness regime. At their best they take you to locations of stunning natural beauty and place you in the company of expert fitness, health, and wellness professionals ready to guide you on your fitness journey regardless of your starting point. Be you a seasoned fitness enthusiast looking for a change of pace from your usual workout regime or a first timer raring to take those initial steps towards a happier and healthier life. 

Let us walk you through some of the best fitness bootcamps on offer in Europe below: