4 Gorgeous Destinations for an Ultimate Wellness-Inspired Getaway
A week-long reset is calling your name.
The main swimming pool at Palazzo Fiuggi, a wellness medical resort in Italy. / Photograph by Tyson Sadlo/The Ranch Italy
Taking time for your total well-being is a high priority in today’s go-go-go world. If you’re looking for a total mind, body, and soul reboot, plan a visit to one — or all — of these four worldwide wellness destinations. OOO message: Set.
The Ranch Italy
Fiuggi, Italy
Photograph by Tyson Sadlo/The Ranch Italy
Last spring, I boarded a plane to Fiuggi, a small town about an hour east of Rome. Unfortunately, my visit would be lacking in pasta and wine, but little did I know my experience at the Ranch Italy would be just as gratifying.
The Ranch isn’t for the faint of heart. The celeb-favorite wellness program, which debuted in Malibu in 2010 and in Fiuggi 12 years later — there’s a Hudson Valley location coming this March — touts its results-driven ethos via an itinerary of intense workouts, a disciplined diet, and an emphasis on recovery.
For five days (or eight, for those doing the extended version), 12 participants and I awoke at 6 a.m. to stretch, eat breakfast, and venture out for four-hour hikes through the surrounding Apennine Mountains. The trails varied in elevation and scenery — from open meadows bursting with forage-ready berries to hilltops crowned with former monasteries — but were all tough AF. Luckily, there’s no pressure to “keep up” with others. The guides didn’t judge me, the non-hiker who consistently caboosed the group, and encouraged us all to drink acqua, acqua, acqua!
Philadelphia magazine’s health and wellness editor Laura Brzyski hiking in Italy.
Afternoons were spent strength training, doing restorative yoga, recovering with deep-tissue massages, and enjoying everything Palazzo Fiuggi — the cutting-edge wellness medical resort out of which the Ranch operates — has to offer. There’s a contrast-therapy Kneipp pool (great for après-hike), indoor/outdoor pools that incorporate the town’s historically healing waters, a Roman thermae with saunas and a Turkish bath, a 4,300-square-foot gym, and a full-blown med spa, plus an optional diagnostic and bloodwork consult with the property’s on-site physician.
The Kneipp pool at Palazzo Fiuggi. / Photograph by Martino Dini
Part of Palazzo Fiuggi’s Roman spa. / Photograph by Tyson Sadlo
The Ranch has a reputation for being a “detox” retreat, with three meals per day plus snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory — alcohol, artificial sugars and coffee are nowhere in sight. Though the daily menu is capped at 1,400 calories, the staff recognizes that not everyone’s goal is weight loss and is happy to serve second helpings upon request. (I couldn’t get enough of the eggplant parm with macadamia ricotta, and lentil “meat” balls atop zoodles. )
The Ranch’s take on eggplant parm. / Photograph by Laura Brzyski
After experiencing the program for myself, I get why people swear by it. There were folks in my group who were on their second, third, even fourth visits. Though I’m still not — and probably never will be — a hiking gal, I came home feeling more energized than exhausted, and empowered, not defeated. My five days there were rigorous, but they reminded me that nature is good for the body, mind, gut and soul — and that the views from the top are always worth the climb. Five-day program from $4,950; eight-day program from $9,100. —L.B.
Civana Wellness Resort & Spa
Carefree, Arizona
Photograph by Lisa Diederich/Civana Wellness Resort & Spa
This desert retreat near Scottsdale makes wellness versatile, from exercise and mindfulness offerings to seasonal organic meals and an extensive spa menu that will help you relax before you (begrudgingly) head back home.
The expansive fitness spaces are filled with light and feature epic mountain views but feel intimate thanks to the small class sizes. And there are a ton of options for getting moving: aerial yoga, barre, stretching, HIIT-based Pilates, inverted wall yoga and more. You can also rent bikes to explore the town of Carefree or take part in forest bathing or a hike in the nearby hills.
At Civana’s standout spa, you’ll get a total self-care experience, with unique services like the relaxing medicine garden scrub, which exfoliates your body in a nourishing sugar scrub, and the watsu relaxation treatment in the quiet outdoor pool. (There are also hot stone massages, cleansing facials and prenatal services.)
Enjoy a pickleball lesson or an hour at the indoor aqua circuit area, which offers plunge pools at various temperatures, before refueling with fresh and healthy fare. Terras offers perfectly portioned dishes ranging from zucchini enchiladas to grass-fed filet mignon, while Seed has plant-forward grab-and-go options like grain bowls and superfood lattes. (The Mindful Dopamine, made with matcha, dragon fruit and lion’s mane, was a favorite.) Rooms from $359. —T.R.
Ulum
Moab, Utah
Photograph courtesy of Ulum
The first sign that you’re close to Ulum, the new luxury glamping resort about 25 miles south of Moab, Utah, is Looking Glass Arch — the roughly 400-million-year-old natural rock formation that emerges from the desert like a massive cresting wave. Just beyond, amid the rugged red-rock landscape, 50 safari-inspired tents dot a 200-acre expanse. Creature comforts include king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms with coveted showers and Aesop products, and woodstoves to fire up on cooler nights.
A central lobby houses a cafe and all-day restaurant serving a bounty of plant-based dishes plus the chef’s take on regional classics, like honey corn cakes with bison sausage gravy. Outside, a sprawling deck is home to tables for alfresco dining, daily yoga classes, and sound-bath sessions.
Both Arches and Canyonlands national parks are within an hour’s drive, and Ulum’s Adventure Concierge can arrange excursions like stand-up paddleboarding on the Colorado River, hiking to see the iconic spires known as the Needles, and climbing to the top of Looking Glass and rappelling back down. (Hit the trail-mix bar before heading out!)
Back onsite, partake in spectacular stargazing — the resort adheres to International Dark Sky standards — plant-medicine walks guided by the resident certified herbalist, classes in tea-blending and soap-making, and refreshing dips in the hot and cool pools.
As you watch the sun start to dip, sip on a cocktail or mocktail that draws on prickly pear and other local flora, or roast marshmallows over one of the firepits — all with a world-class view of that arch. Rooms from $629. —R.F.S.
Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Photograph courtesy of Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
Costa Rica has long offered adventure-seekers a tropical getaway, but those who want a wellness escape can also find refuge. Located on Peninsula Papagayo, this massive five-star resort has not only adapted the brand’s amenities to a jungle landscape; it incorporates the local ecosystem in the full experience.
“Pura vida” is steeped into every aspect of your stay, whether via an ancestral spa treatment or coffee made with a chorreador. Speaking of the spa, guests can elevate their typical deep-tissue massage with native elements. For the Tsuru ancestral cacao treatment, for instance, you’re covered in pure cacao and wrapped in banana leaves before you blissfully enjoy bodywork. The entire treatment lasts two hours and can be enhanced with add-ons like a coconut oil scalp massage (highly recommend!).
The dining options onsite are inspired by cuisines from around the globe but have a taste of the peninsula; imagine sushi using fresh-caught fish and locally grown avocados and mangoes. Even the Italian food offered at Pesce features fresh anchovies and ingredients sourced from local farmers.
There are also a slew of ways to move your body, including kayaking, SUP yoga, Latin dance classes, walks through the mangroves, and golfing on the 18-hole course. I loved Animal Flow, taught by wellness ambassador Jose Pablo — it’s a blend of yoga stretching and martial arts — and the SurfX program, which will get you riding waves on the resort’s bay side. Rooms from $1,200. —T.R.
Published as “Find Your Bliss: Ultimate Escapes” in the 2024 issue of Be Well Philly.
