La Crisalida
Albir, Spain
Friendly wellness retreat on the Costa Blanca with yoga, detox, walking, life coaching and exercise options aplenty
La Crisalida is a well-run and affordable wellbeing retreat with a friendly, inclusive atmosphere in the small coastal town of Albir near Alicante. Arrive on any day you choose and stay for as long as you like for optional activities that include yoga, mindfulness, life coaching, mind-set and creativity sessions, rebounding classes, core work and daily guided walks in the Sierra Helada, the nearby protected nature reserve. There are two pools to sunbathe beside, an infra-red sauna to use and massage and other treatments can be booked as extras. Three tasty, plant-based meals a day are included, and there’s the option to detox for as long as you want with smoothies, juices and soups.
our Reviewer caroline sylge says:
‘This is a popular place but it never feels stressy. There’s a community vibe of understanding amongst the staff and guests that lets you get on with being just who you are and doing just what you need’
our Reviewer Ruth Rosselson says:
‘I threw myself into the timetabled activities, then I gave myself permission to totally relax. They were all enjoyable and varied, from a lovely afternoon yin yoga session to the high energy rebounding class’
Queen of Retreats says:
‘The idea is you come to this retreat to go into your own chrysalis and do whatever you need to do to emerge a fully fledged butterfly. The impressive range of activities run all day every day, so you can pick and choose what and how much you do to create the ideal retreat experience for you. Stay for three nights or three months - the choice is yours. Massages with Juan Carlos or Ruben are worth booking ahead for’
Themed programmes focus on detox and weight loss, yoga, life makeovers or relaxation and rejuvenation but you can pick and mix from all sorts of activities and do not need to plan anything ahead. Everything is optional, andtimetabled in colour codes to suit different aims.
Days start with yoga or a morning walk before breakfast, and finish by 9pm. There are lots of different yoga classes each week for ‘all levels’ or ‘intermediate levels’ in various styles, plus daily lunchtime meditation and evening sessions that include relaxation, visualisation or yoga nidra (guided yogic sleep).
Exercise classes can include rebounding, dance, Yoga-lates (a mix of yoga and Pilates), core workouts and in the summer, aqua aerobics. Classes are mostly taught by a team of ‘health mentors’ who are both personal trainers and yoga teachers, with some specialists taking yoga classes a couple of times a week.
Enjoy educational workshops focusing on topics such as muscle pain relief or cooking or join a relaxing creativity class such as clay making. There are group life makeover workshops such as vision boarding or creating balance to help you find your next path with confidence, or you can book private life coaching sessions to delve deeper into any life issues.
Massages, reflexology, reiki and beauty therapies can be booked as extras, the beach is about a 10 minute walk away if you fancy a swim, or you can run, walk or hire a bike locally.
Spaces
Sessions take place on an outside roof terrace or in an activity studio depending on the weather. There are two small outdoor swimming pools, one a heated magnesium pool, and both have loungers with shades beside them. The tucked-away infra-red sauna is available to pre-book (for free).
You eat outside on terraces in the summer or around communal tables in a dining-reception area during cooler months, where there’s also comfy chairs, a small library of self-help books, novels to read and a DVD player with inspirational material to watch.
Accommodation is in one of 15 simple white-washed apartments - 10 twin or double in the main building, mostly set around the smaller pool with their own small outside spaces with loungers, and five two-bedroomed in the second building, which have small shared balcony areas with chairs and tables.
All have en-suite bathrooms, a living room and kitchen area with whitewashed walls, offset with brightly coloured cushions, paintings and ornaments. There are three options for those who want to share, ranging from semi-private to multishare, or you can have an apartment to yourself.
The retreat is simple, but Spanish tiles add character to steps and walls, and the mature gardens are full of bougainvillea, cacti, palm trees and jasmine. Runners and walkers will especially love the promenade by the beach, and the well-defined path through the pine forest to the lighthouse.
Sustenance
Tasty meals are seasonal, plant-based, sugar-free, mostly gluten-free and served buffet style. Cooks are around at mealtimes if you have questions about food and nutrition, and host weekly interactive cooking demos with recipes to take home.
The daily rate includes three meals or the option to replace a meal with a juice or soup, or to juice fast completely - a lovely way to give your digestive system a rest or to lose weight.
Non-juice fasters breakfast on muesli or granola with fruit salad and daily specials (such as winter porridge). Lunches and evening meals include a variety of hot and cold dishes such as pinto bean burgers, beetroot, coconut and sweet potato salad and slow cooked, oven-roasted courgette with lemon and garlic.
Organic herbal teas and fresh lemon and ginger are freely available, there's an afternoon juice for all, and supplements such as psyllium husk available. There is no caffeine or alcohol.
