The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
Greece is known for her Hellenic white and blues of the flag representing the land and sea, respectively. And yet travel through the mainland and you will experience so much more; pine-clad forests, olive groves and ancient Byzantine villages. One such place in the Peloponnese is Mystras – a 13th Century UNESCO world heritage fortified castle town a mere 5km from Sparta – one of the strongest city-states in Ancient Greece. It’s nestled within Mount Taygetus and the ancient castle, monasteries and houses, renovated in keeping with the honeyed stone of the area, lend Mystras an altogether mystical, almost spiritual feel – perfect, then, to base Greece’s first well-being Spa.
Euphoria first came into being in 2018, the vision of Marina Efraimoglou, who has her own reasons for opening such a place and wishing to help people on their own healing path.
The grand Monastic Reception area is the first place one experiences the Euphoria treatment; Receptionists greet and check you in, their smile definitely reaching their eyes. Indeed, the feng shui of Euphoria is cleverly designed to make you feel as if you want to whisper your way and shuffle quietly through its corridors and rooms. It’s here that I sit with Marina by the arched fireplace, discovering that the Retreat is a family-run enterprise, Marina and her three sisters all involved; one the architect of the place, cleverly incorporating Euphoria into Mystras’s mythical surroundings, one designing the uniforms that complement the professional yet friendly staff and another handling the marketing and social media. Yet Euphoria is Marina’s ‘baby’, born out of adverse personal illness and finding the way through a symbiosis of Chinese Medicine and Ancient Greek philosophy to help her.
I nervously explained I didn’t know what to expect when coming to Euphoria Wellness Retreat. I had attended retreats before, feeling as if I’d entered into a wellness boot camp. Marina laughs and nods in agreement:
“There’s no spiritual snobbery here. You’re not expected to be ‘good’ at yoga or not drink alcohol the whole time, wear certain clothes” (although as you would expect, smoking is not allowed anywhere on the premises).
That’s OK then, and I ponder this term ‘spiritual snobbery’ that can certainly be experienced in other places. Euphoria did not ooze that, and I looked forward to the days ahead.
I would start my days waking to the sound of the wind whispering in the pines. Staying in one of the 45 rooms/suites, its curves and soft colours tastefully decorated to mirror that of the natural surrounds, I would sit on my balcony swaddled in my robe and listen to the bells toll of the local church. This really was out in the sticks, but unlike other spas around the world, Euphoria was incorporated into the village, her architecture at one with the landscape.
If I’d had the finances, I could have booked a stay in the on-site private Leoncini Mansion – exclusive use of a 6 bedroomed refurbished 1830s stone house on the premises with library private dining area, proof that there are no shortcuts taken here when it comes to ensuring luxury and privacy.
Maybe a short walk into the forest to get my heart pumping and admire the views before breakfast and my spa package. Or how about a swim in the outdoor infinity pool reflecting the Mediterranean blue sky, relaxing to the sounds of cicadas and birdsong. After my dip, I take to the Pool Relaxation area and pour myself a glass of water infused with fresh orange and lemon slices. There are, of course, a plethora of further spa facilities on offer – but no hurry, I have two full days here to experience as much or as little as I wish. And first, come to my treatments with the package booked for me.
What stands out to me about Euphoria is the packages they’ve put together which can also be tailor-made to suit your needs. With packages entitled ‘Interior and Exterior Shine’ and ‘Euphoria Immunity Reset Programme’– to name but a few – it all sounds very nurturing and caring for the individual.
You can choose from programmes that specialise in Detoxification, Weight Loss, Fitness and Yoga and Relaxation to name but a few.
For me, the packages that stand out are their recent addition of Balance and Restart – recognizing that at the moment there is an incredible amount of stress being experienced by everyone. A three day/two-night package for €477.00 – full-board allows you to make use of Euphoria’s facilities and have treatments suited to your need, designed to help you find your inner peace and remove the stress of this period, releasing any negative emotions and restore harmony.
Over the course of my three days, I experienced a Sanctuary for Busy Minds – a massage with a Senior Therapist, a 5 Elements Balancing treatment whereby I was asked to fill in a questionnaire in order for the professional therapists to determine my level of stress/state of mind and decide what treatment (Wood, Earth, Fire, Metal or Air) would suit me. It turned out Wood was for me and over an hour or so I was treated to a full body massage specifically designed to relieve and remove stress. I am not exaggerating when I say I slept well.
Other facilities I used at the spa included a Cave Therapy Salt Room whereby one wall is made entirely of salt and in a warm environment, emanate a natural disinfectant with antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Think of it as a sauna but with additional properties.
Euphoria has many unique spa facilities beyond the average gym and sauna and even Hammam. Of particular interest was the Waterwell Kneipp treatment – a 25 meter well spiralling down all four floors of the Spa inside the mountain, the skylight reflecting natural light and at its depths, the hot and cold foot baths to promote circulation throughout the body.
Or why not experience the Spherical Indoor Pool – very futuristic looking with a Byzantine Dome at its centre and once immersed, it’s possible to hear the soothing sounds of music, dolphin and whale sounds.
Fresh locally sourced ingredients and herbs are grown on-site to ensure a genuine Greek Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Olive oil comes from the famous Kalamata olives and chicken and lamb is sourced locally, supporting the economy. No red meat is served.
Meals served in the Gaia Restaurant (named after the Ancient Greek for ‘Earth’) with tables on the veranda, overlooking the surrounding mountains and landscape ensures a sense of well-being to round off your day. Cookery classes can also be arranged.
Allow yourself to let go and be nurtured in the earthy environment of Euphoria and the friendly staff, exuding their philoxenia which Greece is famous for.
