Ace-Holiday

Yoga Holiday: The chill out zone

Thought Ibiza was all about late nights and crazy clubbing? Think again…

Thought Ibiza was all about late nights and crazy clubbing? Think again…
Most of us tend to think of the ‘white island’ as a clubber’s paradise, awash with loved-up partygoers. But the hedonistic delights of Ibiza are just a tiny fraction of what this magical place has to offer. Away from the celeb superyachts and packed beaches of San Antonio, you’ll find a charming rural country with a distinct boho vibe. Ibiza – or Eivissa as it is known in native Catalan – is renowned for a magical energy and laid-back attitude that has attracted expert teachers, therapists and healers from all over the world. If you’re looking for a holistic detox, a yoga retreat, a countryside bolthole or a pampering spa break, you’ll find it on this enchanted island. Here are just a few of our favourite places…

Can Lluc

A recently renovated agriturismo in the heart of the island, this is the perfect place to experience traditional Ibiza. Located in a quiet valley surrounded by ancient pine, almond and olive trees, it’s an oasis of peace and serenity. Like most agriturismos, thisfamily-run business been onverted from a farm estate in an environmentally friendly way. Traditional materials including wooden roofs and stone walls combined with all the mod cons such as superswanky bathrooms. Choose from traditional rooms with four poster beds and open fireplaces or chic modern suites with private terraces looking over the estate. The spa offers various pampering and therapeutic treatments, a sauna, hot tub and a gym, which you might need to work off a few calories as breakfast is to die for.

Costs €160 euro per room per night including breakfast. Call 0034 971 19 86 73 or visit canlluc.com

Can Curreu

Five minutes walk from Las Dalias hippy market, the idyllic Can Curreu in north east of the island has recently opened a new boutique spa, offering everything from anti-aging facial lifts to body scrubs and full body energy rituals, shiatsu, reflexology, lymphatic drainage, acupuncture and aromatherapy. The small countryside hotel also has one of the best restaurants on the island and stunning views overthe unspoilt countryside. And if you want to go further afield, they’ve even got their own stables which means you can discover the Ibizencan countryside and nearby beaches on horseback.

Costs from €220 per room per night including breakfast. For details call 0034 971 33 52 80 or go to cancurreau.com

Buddha House

If you’re looking for a life overhaul, this dreamy retreat up in the hills offers fasting and detox weeks to revitalise body and soul. With its trademark reclining Buddha overlooking the pool, this holistic centre, run by the inspirational Ilona Pantel, offers jaded souls the chance to get away from it all and get their lives back on track. Accommodation is in the main house or in charming wooden cabins nearby and the property lies in the middle of a kilometre-wide protected natural zone with incredible views over the mountains towards the sea. Intersperse your fasting regime with walks in the wooded grounds, taking part in yoga classes on a shaded terrace overlooking the hills, or just loafing on brightly coloured silk cushions by the pool. Weekend and week-long detox and fasting programmes take place throughout the year.

Fasting or detox weeks cost from €1025. For details call 0034 606 96 70 97 or visit buddha-house-ibiza.com

Atzaró

The original chic eco-retreat, Atzaró is a laidback mecca for everyone who’s anyone, from boho fashionistas to visiting A-listers. Situated in an orange grove up in the hills, it boasts a gorgeous spa offering a complete range of treatments that have been developed using a combination of methods from both Eastern and Western traditions, including luxurious Elemis facials and massages. Facilities include a fully equipped gym, a traditional Moroccan-style hamman, a Swedish sauna and a 43-metre longswimming pool made of unpolished green marble which imitates the moving currents of water. Classes and activities include yoga, qigong and pilates, making this the perfect retreat if you’re looking to rebalance and rediscover your sense of calm.

Costs from €161 per room per night including breakfast. For detail call 0034 971 33 88 38 or visit atzaro.com

Ibiza Yoga

Want to come back from your holiday with a body to die for? Far from the club scene, Ibiza Yoga attracts world class yoga teachers such as Danny Paradise, Claire Missingham and David Sye to its two holistic retreats just a few minutes from the famous Benirras Beach. Yoga taughthere is primarily ashtanga-based, a practice which helps to maintain balance, flexibility and strength in both the body and mind. An established retreat with a host of devoted fans who return time and time again (Sadie Frost is a convert), their mission is to help you lead a healthier, more fulfilling life by making yoga, holistic health treatments and vegetarian food accessible and affordable. Open from March to the end of October, they offer first rate tuition in a simple but beautiful setting.

Costs from £220 to £1200 per week per person including the six day yoga course, seven night’s accommodation. For details call 020 7419 0999 or visit ibizayoga.com

Aguas de Ibiza

For some serious ‘wow factor’, head to the stunning waterside Aguas de Ibiza – a new luxury spa hotel built on feng shui principles in Santa Eulalia in the north of the island. Built by local architect Juan de los Ríos and designed by Barcelona-based Triade Studio, it combines ecofriendly materials with energy-saving techniques. The new Bodyna Spa offers a vast range of treatments and state-of-the-art facilities, including pampering treatments to soothe, revitalise and nourish, along with a diverse range of relaxation activities including yoga, life coaching, lifestyle balancing, stress release and NLP. We love the Plantar Reflexology that stimulates reflex points on the feet to mirror the body’s major organs and glands promoting deep relaxation and healing of tired bodies and feet.

Costs from €150 per night not including breakfast. For details call 0034 971 3 99 91 or visit aguasdeibiza.com

Insider secrets

Can’t decide whether to opt for a chilled out retreat up in the hills, a healthy detox on the beach or a pampering spa break in a slick harbourside hotel? Take a tip from the Alisters and put yourself in the extremely capable hands of NLP master practitioner and life coach Larah Davis and physiotherapist and nia yoga teacher Katja Paschmann, who together run Ibiza Retreats. Their expert team offers a mind-body-spirit ‘concierge’ service to help sort out all your holistic needs. From organising top-notch therapists and personalised one-day spa retreats to reserving tables at the best organic eateries, these are the girls to call.

Call 00 34 670 248 292 or visit ibizaretreats.com for more info. To view their calendar of holistic events go to white-ibiza/wellbeing-calender.