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Monday, July 11, 2016 METRO 29

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Your urban guide

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Page 34 »

Bull’s testicles and beer? It can only be Munich

brewhaha

SHA Wellness Clinic SpainEvEn when divided into medi-minded spaces and parts with a pampering theme, southern Spain’s SHA clinic feels muy grande. Its Wellness Area alone is more than 4,000sq m in size, with the 80 cabins and 93 suites in five buildings linked by bridges and gardens, and home to every spa facility you could imagine. new for 2016 are four-week Life Reset programmes aimed at those capsized by professional and emotional stress, plus acupuncture-based face-lifting treatments. Also liable to be lifted are your spirits, thanks chiefly to beautiful Costa Blanca seaside views.

Four-day Discovery programmes from £1,020, including full board, consultations and treatments, shawellnessclinic.com.

Returns from London to Alicante from £84, norwegian.com

Continued on: Page 30 »

Hundreds of treatment

rooms, entire armies of

therapists and bridge-linked

complexes – Richard Mellor introduces you

to today’s super-spas

Wellness WoWs

30 METRO Monday, July 11, 2016

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Bottle it: Some of the

products (below) on offer at Hacienda AltaGracia

Washed oversized T-shirt£19, esprit.com

For the ultimate in relaxation, go large» Continued from Page 29

Miraggio Thermal Spa Resort GreeceWhen it opened a few weeks ago in the sandy Greek mainland region of halkidiki, Miraggio instantly became europe’s largest thalasso (sea-based therapy) resort. Costing around £75million, it’s also the only one in the world located on the seaside – beside a sheltered, sandy Aegean bay, to be precise. Using 30C waters fed in from the ocean, the two sweeping floors of thermal pools are accompanied by 350 treatment rooms, plus steam baths, saunas, cold pools and a tepidarium. Visitors can stay on a ‘healthy board’ basis, scoffing food designed by TV nutritionist Amanda hamilton.

Rooms from £129 per night half board and treatments from £17,

miraggio.gr. Returns from London to Thessaloniki

from £53, ryanair.com

Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort Kaplankaya TurkeyDUe to open this month, this Mediterranean retreat is the first

international outpost of US wellness pioneer Canyon Ranch. Is it launching in europe with a gentle splash? not exactly: the resort’s Spa, Fitness & Wellness Center weighs in at 10,000sq m, dwarfing most hotels. A combination of Western and eastern philosophies is preached in its treatment rooms, with Turkish hammams and Technogym equipment in cahoots with meditation and yoga. It also boasts three private beaches.

From £874 per night, including full board, therapies and a daily

allowance for treatments, canyonranchdestinations.com.

Returns from London to Bodrum from £109, easyjet.com

Chiva-Som ThailandIT might be a spa veteran but this legendary, 21-year-old Thai resort is still well ahead of the wellness curve. The luxury, lush retreat has more treatment chambers than bedrooms – 70 to 58 – and more than two therapists to each guest. It’s thrillingly on-trend, too: new for 2016 are five retreats addressing health conditions caused by our manic millennial lifestyles, including the migraine-targeting Cranial Relief. Gyrotonics facilities, meanwhile, allow visitors to try the

pulley-based training exercises Andy Murray has admitted to using.

From £1,185 for a three-night stay including full board, daily

treatments and six therapy sessions, chivasom.com. Returns

from London to Bangkok from £414, evaair.com

Hacienda AltaGracia Costa Rica

noT only is it one of Central America’s foremost luxury residences but hacienda AltaGracia’s mountainside estate is also home to the region’s biggest spa. The headline offering is hydrotherapy, with

Double up: Chiva-Som (above) has two therapists for every guest

Landinggear

Go Greek: Miraggio is Europe’s largest thalasso resort

Seafolly sleepover overnight bag

£21.99, surfdome.com

Women’s turban£98, missoni.com

Lilac lazer-cut bikini top£8, peacocks.co.uk

Lilac gathered sides bikini briefs£6, peacocks.co.uk

Spa essentials to complete your retreat. By Ruth Gaukrodger

Monday, July 11, 2016 METRO 31

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customised water suites and Vichy showers hoping to detoxify guts, increase metabolisms, hydrate cells and loosen muscles. Only open since December, the Auberge Spa packs in a state-of-the-art gym and no end of exotic treatments.

From £290 per night per night and treatments from £114,

altagracia.aubergeresorts.com. Returns from London

to San José from £687, ba.com

Gaia Spa UKBritAin’S spa scene is getting a boost this month with Gaia Spa’s arrival. Found within the grounds of Boringdon Hall, a 16th-century country pile beside Dartmoor in

Devon, this 1,800sq m sanctuary boasts a smorgasbord of facilities. the sleek wood-and-stone walls contain infinity and hydrotherapy pools, Finnish and herbal saunas, crystal and salt steam rooms, a balneotherapy suite, 12 treatment rooms, a whizzy gym and even a beauty salon with champagne bar. Wherever you go, begin in the laconium: invented by romans, this 65C chamber kids bodies into thinking they are starting to get fevers, thus helping to fine-tune the immune system. Clever, huh?

From £349 per couple per night, including half board and a 60-minute treatment,

gaiaboringdon.co.uk

Mountain view: Costa Rica’s Hacienda

AltaGracia has a striking setting

Over here: The US’s Canyon Ranch is in Turkey

Home comforts: Dartmoor’s Gaia Spa

Dive in: Hydrotherapy is

big on the agenda at the

Hacienda AltaGracia

Women’s cherry red Slydes£15, slydes.co.uk

Vogue lilac sunglasses£56, sunglasses-shop.co.uk

Shell pink basic joggers£9.99, newlook.com