Fitness camp in northern Italy.

Six hours of intensive workouts – followed by a sumptuous meal and wine. This is a fitness boot camp, Italian-style. Katherine Viner, Friday 27 January

I’ve never been so relieved as when Dan, one of the muscle-bound personal trainers on the Fitscape week-long holiday in northern Italy, said I could bunk off on the first day.

Arriving catatonically knackered, barely able to utter a syllable, I was in terror at the sight of the programme:  dawn runs, at least five hours’ cardio a day, an alarming amount of  “burpees” (squat thrusts). So when Dan said I should “listen to my body”, I did just that and slept for 17 hours.

After that, though, on Fitscape there’s no escape. Fitscape is sister company to the better-known In:spa (inspa-retreats.com) – but here the focus is on fitness, cardio and strength rather than detoxing and yoga. It is sort of like a boot camp, but without the deprivation – I was going to say without the unpleasantness, but that’s not exactly right. You stay in gorgeous hotels. I was at the Rosa Alpina, in the Dolomites, with large rooms, plump cushions, thick duvets, good toiletries, nice view. The food is delicious – big breakfast buffet, vast lunch, afternoon snacks (fruit, nuts and seeds) and tasty, gigantic, three-course dinners. That’s three courses including dessert. With bread, if you want it. And wine, if you’ll pay for it.

So there are no former soldiers screaming at you to work harder, and no starvation rations, and no chores. You can even choose not to take part in sessions.

But the schedule is intense, and you’re encouraged to join in: a run first thing, boxing classes, circuits every day, lessons on running technique, core stability workouts, endless mountain hikes (admittedly through mountains and forests; the area is used for skiing in the winter, when Fitscape also runs skiing-training holidays). From day three to day five I was so stiff I found walking downstairs almost physically impossible, despite the stretching sessions at the end of each day.

It was, though, a lot of fun; especially the dance classes, which were a special request of the group since one of the trainers had spent time being a dancer in the West End show Stomp. His routines, from hip‑hop to 70s disco, were a highlight, if not the hardest workout of the week. In fact all three experienced trainers were excellent, and gave lots of attention to each guest; they worked hard with us on our programme and our motivation. The well-heeled, mostly female guests got on well, and there was much encouraging of each other alongside the racing each other. The last-night celebration was a delight, and all that exercise lent a sort of pheromone-heady euphoria to the whole experience. I loved it.

Some of my fellow guests felt, in fact, that it was too much fun – there is a conflict between all those puddings and all that working out, and the people who enjoyed it most were those who came to exercise, and to get out of their heads, rather than with specific ideas about losing weight. (No one is going to force you to do the classes, and no one is going to tell you not to eat.) Over such an intense week you get a real sense of your fitness improving quite dramatically, and Fitscape is excellent if you want to get your fitness regime back on track: when you’ve been doing five or six hours’ hardcore exercise each day, then squeezing the odd hour in when you get home really doesn’t feel like much at all. Do it!

• Fitscape fitness retreats (020-8968 0501, fitscape.co.uk) cost £1,695 per week, including accommodation, all meals, fitness sessions, personal fitness consultation and airport transfers. Locations for 2012 include the Italian Dolomites, Andalucía and Provence. As a special offer, anyone who books before 31 January will receive a free flight to any Fitscape destination

The free flights offer on 2012 in:spa retreats and fitscape fitness holidays has been extended to 31 January.  Give yourself something wonderful to look forward to in the year ahead and benefit from our free flight offer – saving up to £200 per person.  An in:spa retreat to Marrakech, South of France or southern Spain is the perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of modern living, and combines gourmet cleansing cuisine (lovingly prepared by our chefs and nutritionists) with healthy, fun exercise (hiking, circuit training and personal training) and relaxation (yoga and massages).  All, with the added benefit, of some warm sunshine.

A fitscape fitness holiday is, as it sounds, fitness focused.  Choose from the Italian Dolomites (both winter ski and summer adventures), Andalusia or the South of France.  Our team of expert trainers will devise the ideal fitness programme for each guest so, whatever your age or fitness level, everyone can derive maximum benefit and return home much, much fitter.

Whether you choose an in:spa retreat or a fitscape fitness holiday, we guarantee that you will return home looking and feeling amazing!  For terms and conditions about our free flight offers for both types of healthy holiday, please click on the appropriate link below:

in:spa retreats free flights offer

fitscape fitness holidays free flights offer

Of course, if you are not sure which option would suit you best, please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we will very happily chat things through with you and help you decide:  020 8968 0501 But, please hurry, the free flights offer most definitely ends on Tuesday 31 January.

Great little piece on destination yoga in yesterday’s Sunday Observer in their Great Escapes section. “Marbella may not seem an obvious destination to go in search of enlightenment and the ancient healing therapies of the Far East, but a new health resort is bringing a flavour of Bali to Spain – without the jet lag. Just a 40 minute drive from the Coast del Sol, Shanti Som takes its inspiration from Asian destination spas with Buddha statues, tropical gardens, Asian-Med fusion cuisine, eastern therapies and a programme of detox, meditation and yoga. Destination Yoga will be running its next retreat here in March. A 7 night yoga retreat from £945.”

During the course of 2012, destination yoga will be hosting 4 retreats to Shanti Som with a selection of outstanding teachers, including Sophie Coats, Emma Henry and Laura Gilmore.  And, after the success of the New Year retreat this year, destination yoga will be hosting another at the end of this year.  Dates to be announced shortly.  To be sure of receiving notification when the date is announced, please register for the destination yoga newsletter

Click here for further details about our holidays to Shanti Som

Time is running out on our New Year free flights offer!  Book a 2012 in:spa retreat or a fitscape fitness holiday before 24 January and we will fly you there for free.  Terms and conditions apply.  If you’re interested in a luxury health, fitness and detox holiday with in:spa retreats, please see special offer.  If your preference is for an exceptional fitness holiday with fitscape, pleasse see fitcape special offer.

What’s the difference between an in:spa retreat and a fitscape holiday?

Physical Exercise
An in:spa retreat will offer guests 2 or 3 exercise sessions each day, lead by one or more of our expert fitness instructors. On a fitscape week, guests will have a choice of 6 to 8 exercise sessions each day. All exercise classes are designed to be helpful and rewarding for all ages and levels of ability. A fitscape fitness holiday focuses on fitness. An in:spa holiday takes a more rounded, holistic approach and provides guests with other classes and more time to relax.

Hiking
Both fitscape and in:spa trips offer hiking, as this is a fun variation on the important aspect of fitness training that underpins both types of holiday.

Diet
in:spa chefs serve gourmet cleansing cuisine that excludes wheat, dairy, salt, sugar, red meat, caffeine and alcohol. All meals consist of light, innovative food that makes use of the highest quality fresh local fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry and other ingredients, all organic when possible. The food programme, carefully designed by the UK’s top nutritionists, offers the perfect blend of nutritious and delicious cuisine. Alongside targeted exercise, it is a formula that encourages deep cellular cleansing.

Whilst the meals on a fitscape week are both delicious and healthy, it is not designed to be so deeply cleansing. Our chefs will include some red meat and more carbohydrates than would be served on an in:spa week. This is because of the substantial amount of physical exercise taken on a fitscape week. However, most people would tell you that the most obvious differences regarding diet are that, on a fitscape week, guests can enjoy coffee and alcohol if they wish.

Nutritional consultations
Every guest on an in:spa holiday will benefit from a one to one nutritional consultation with one of our highly regarded nutritionists. Furthermore, the nutritionists are on hand throughout the holiday to talk to guests about all aspects of diet and nutrition.

There are no nutritionists on fitscape weeks.

Cooking Class
On in:spa holidays, the chef and nutritionist host a cookery class for guests to discover exactly how food that is devoid of all the naughty bits (wheat, dairy, salt, sugar, alcohol) can taste so good! These classes are not held on fitscape holidays.

Yoga
Yoga classes are only offered on in:spa retreats. Morning classes are dynamic, whilst evening classes are more relaxing and restorative.

Massage
Guests on in:spa retreats have two massages included as part of the cost of their holiday. Fitscape guests may book and pay for massages at an extra charge, if desired.

Exclusivity
in:spa retreats are to exclusive, private properties where only in:spa guests will be staying at that time. This helps give the feeling of a ‘retreat’ and allows our guests to avoid the distractions of others, for example, drinking coffee at breakfast or enjoying a glass of wine in the evening. Fitscape weeks, whilst mostly at private properties, are not always so.

Similarities
Both holidays are for 7 nights to beautiful sunny destinations with guests staying in comfortable, stylish accommodation. Both are priced on an all inclusive basis, but an in:spa retreat comprises many more elements than a fitscape fitness week.

Lastly, on both types of holiday, all guests can be sure of individual care and attention, and confident that you are in the hands of some of the UK’s leading experts.

Call us on 0845 458 0723 to discuss matters further or to make a booking.

A yoga break in Puglia, Italy, with wonderful food and wine, will leave you blissed out and back on track

Yoga may be all about balance, but yoga holidays tend to fall into two extremes: hippy or chic; communal bathrooms and mountains of millet, or Heidi Klein kaftans and a sprinkling of specially harvested lavender oil so expensive it makes your third eye water. Until now.  Set up by a former banker who wanted a healthy holiday without the hair-shirt or the hassle, Destination Yoga aims to combine top-class instruction with beautiful locations and accommodation.

And where better than southern Italy, where self-denial and penance are sins outside the confession box? On a hillside in Puglia’s Itria Valley, surrounded by flower-filled meadows, ancient oaks and olive trees, Santa Maria del Sole (St Mary of the Sun), originally a monastery, then a farmhouse, is now a sanctuary dedicated to yoga and meditation. With its cluster of trulli (the fondant-icing domes that give the region its distinctive fairytale appearance), tiny white chapel, generous pool and indoor and outdoor yoga studios, it is, in short, a scrap of heaven fallen into Italy’s notoriously un-angelic heel.

The family who own it are suitably otherworldly: Giulia, a modern-day healer with a halo of blonde hair; her partner, Salvatore; and her two sons, PJ and Marco, as wholesome as muesli (apparently) and as handsome as models in an Armani ad. Not to forget the two kittens, who sleep in the chapel, and the once-wild dog who couldn’t bear to leave – and who can blame her? This place isn’t for mere mortals, but it is miraculous what a week can do.

Staying in a trullo, with its smooth, white, vaulted ceiling, is rather like sleeping in an egg – or so I imagine. And just as nurturing.  Decorated with monastic simplicity, the trulli add to the contemplative atmosphere and the sense of being somewhere special.

With only the insect-screen pulled across the little arched doorway, I would fall asleep to the night-time sounds of the Puglian meadow and wake to the Mediterranean sunshine streaming through the high window – making the prospect of a wake-up yoga session appealing in a way that the combined efforts of John Humphrys and the Heathrow flight path fail to do at home.

Classes started at a civilised 7.45am (I’ve been on yoga trips where you were saluting the sun hours before it was up to notice) and were held in an airy converted barn with views over the fields. Our days were structured (for which read lounging by the pool or in a hammock) around a rigorous two-hour morning session and another more restorative two-hour class at 5pm. With 15 hectares of fields and forests to explore, it was always possible to find a patch of sunny solitude, or to retreat to your trullo for a siesta.

If place is important in a yoga holiday, the teaching is crucial: you don’t want to feel you’ve been stuck at a week-long ante-natal class, but it isn’t supposed to be a boot camp either. Our tuition was from Sophie Lewis, a teacher at the Life Centre in Notting Hill; she is also a triathlon instructorand a muralist, restoring frescoes in old buildings. Life choices, anyone? Her down-to-earth approach (imagine if BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders taught yoga) is both unintimidating and challenging: there’s no whiff of patchouli or hint of Gwynnie P about her classes.

We were nine students in total, of varying abilities – from complete beginners to old-timers – and ages. And everyone was stretched, in all senses of the word. The combination of a hedge-fund manager, a solicitor, an international charity worker and a psychologist meant that the conversation at mealtimes and around the pool was much more likely to be about politics or the credit crunch than postures or chakras.

The waftiest that things got – for those, like me, who are incense-and-nonsense intolerant – was a half-hour introduction to ayurverdic medicine, which was fun in the way questionnaires about yourself always are. I learnt that the reason I couldn’t work the shower (I had assumed the water was cold for character-building purposes) is because I am predominantly a vata type – an airhead, in other words.

On most yoga holidays the food is as bland and self-righteous as the ubiquitous Paulo Coelho novels. Not here. If the River Café had a yoga studio, this is what it might be like – but cheaper and sunnier. The food was strictly organic (as much as possible grown in the gardens), vegetarian and wheat-free, which, happily, didn’t mean no pizza or pasta. And there were jugs of wine with supper!

The cook, the luminous Puglian-born Ilaria, believes that food cooked in a bad temper and without love will make people sick (go figure, Gordon Ramsay). Before each meal, in front of a table laden with fat tomatoes, bowls of pale creamy risotto and gleaming zucchini, the lovely Ilaria would explain the provenance and ingredients of each dish.

Just as the food was deliciously Italian, the rest of the holiday offered chances to get under the skin of this part of Italy, with Marco and PJ as enthusiastic guides (did I mention that they are quite good-looking?).

Even our transport had good vibrations: our excursions were made in a beaten-up mini-van once owned by influential guru Sai Baba. One day – after morning yoga, of course – we visited the historic city of Ostuni on our way to the Adriatic coast. Another morning was spent exploring the market and shops in the nearby town of Martina Franca, the group buzzing after an illicit shot of coffee granita, a local speciality.

On our last evening we all went to a local restaurant, and although this was our first meal not prepared by Ilaria, the chef must have been in a very good mood. Every face glowed in a way that can’t simply be accounted for by candlelight, healthy food or a week in the sun.

No grievance goes unshared in a group holiday, especially after a glass of wine or two, so it’s a good sign that several of the guests were on their second or third trip with Destination Yoga, and that many were already planning to return with Sophie to Santa Maria in the autumn.

There is nothing like an intense (and yup, any sporty people who’ve bothered to read this far, it is intense) week of yoga, whatever level you are at, to make you feel you’ve been taken apart, dusted, oiled and put back together again tighter, straighter and saner than before.

Forget spa breaks: a yoga holiday leaves you with that blissed-out, smoothed-out feeling that no amount of whale music, massage and carrot juice is ever going to deliver. And you don’t have to be a celebrity to do it in style. Namaste to that.

• Destination Yoga’s next course in Puglia (0845 458 0723,destinationyoga.co.uk) is on 2-9 August, with prices from £895pp based on two sharing, including all classes, full-board accommodation and transfers but excluding flights. Sophie Lewis’s next course in Puglia is on 24 September-1 October. Save £50pp on any course if you book before 31 January. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Brindisi from around £225 return in August

www.destinationyoga.co.uk

Feeling tired and sluggish, editor Helena Lang signed up for a health retreat in Spain

As l boarded the Easy Jet flight to Malaga early one April morning, l knew there must be fellow retreat-ees on the flight. But where? The glamorous lady in oversized sunglasses and camel pashmina? The loved-up couple engrossed in self-help books? As the flight took off l happened to overhear a conversation mentioning in:spa – where l was heading. The group of chatterboxes were young, super-fit and gorgeous. Gulp.

Only after landing did l realise to my relief that this gaggle of winners in the gene pool were the team of trainers, nutritionists, yoga teachers and masseuses who were going to beat us into shape. On the coach from the airport l chatted with fellow guests. Like me, many had decided to travel solo; ‘This is my annual investment in myself.‘ said a successful lawyer from Dublin. Like many of the other clients – aged between 3O-65, and both male and female – she was a repeat customer and reassured me that my lack of fitness wouldn’t be a problem at the retreat.

At the hotel, a gorgeous former monastery, 20 minutes from the coast, we were each given our week’s schedule. The laid-back approach means that you can do as much or as little as you like; you won’t get ticked off or made to feel like a lazy lump. but I wanted to get my money’s worth and to do as much as possible. So mornings started with a run before breakfast. For this we were split into three groups – each accompanied by a personal trainer. One group was for the hardcore runners who sprinted off immediately, the second was for the joggers who would keep up a more achievable and steady pace. The last group, mine, was for the walkers and joggers who would jog for three minutes, walk for three minutes. l was ridiculously proud of being ‘promoted’ to the non-stop loggers group halfway through the week! If you didn’t fancy a run, you could of course stay in bed, or do a yoga class with Isaac, the sunniest, sweetest, bendiest man in the west.

On alternate mornings we went on epic hikes on reasonably tricky terrain escorted by the team and expert local guides. They were great bonding exercises where we all really got to know each other. The rest of each day was filled with individual personal training sessions, one-to-ones with Amelia the nutritionist, group talks and cookery demonstrations, indulgent massages, fitness classes and evening yoga. Relaxation time was built into each day and most of us chose to spend it by the pool or on bikes exploring the gorgeous countryside.

Those who fear ‘healthy food’, would be impressed. Chef Michael Arthur and his crew created amazing meals without using red meat, wheat, dairy, sugar or salt and there wasn’t any caffeine or alcohol available either. Who knew you could have so much fun without drinking? Breakfasts (freshly made smoothies, fruit salads, granolas, egg dishes and spelt toast) and lunches (super salad combinations alongside protein such as fish brochettes) were served buffet-style, with waiter service for the two-course dinner and a casual sit-where-you-like approach.

What stood out for me was the warmth and friendliness of the team and their obvious expertise. All the advice was practical, useful and in the main, new to me. They encouraged and motivated us without ever bullying and made every new experience fun as well as challenging, it was a week in which I made new friends – and became friends with my body again. From now on l would treat it with the love. respect and the time it needs.

Did it change my life?

It has to be yes! My family appeared to be genuinely gobsmacked at the leaner more laid back me that drifted into the arrivals lounge at Gatwick. l came back several pounds lighter and have kept that weight off ever since. Plus a couple of extra pounds too – and I love that feeling of a looser waistband on my jeans. The main changes have been to my diet; under Amelia’s direction I have cut my caffeine intake dramatically — one (or two in emergencies) cup of good coffee a day, then herbal or rooibos teas. I snack on raw nuts (just a few) rather than biscuits and always have a small supply in my handbag and I sprinkle seeds on virtually everything including salads and vegetable dishes. l now make the time to switch off, sleep better, generally feel calmer and am probably a nicer person to be around.

How to book: Helena enjoyed an in:spa retreat to southern Spain. Prices for a week start at £2,195 per person based on two people sharing, including meals and drinks, transfers, group activities, nutrition consultation, personal training session and two massages. Flights are not included but can be booked for you (0845 458 0723; inspa.co.uk)

The Luxury Camp – Fitscape, Provence

The tester – Bryony Coleman: ‘I was keen to take my exercise regime further and to have a luxury holiday that involved eating well without putting on weight.’

The lowdown – Fitscape is the antidote to hardship. Its owners very clearly state that it’s ‘no boot camp’ and they’re not wrong. The exercise is so seamlessly woven into the day that it becomes a pleasure, not a chore. It’s a clever idea. You eat exceptionally well (albeit healthily) and then work it off with a manageable regime of hiking, circuit training, yoga, martial arts, running and cycling. And lots and lots of stretching.

Fitscape hosts weeks in Italy and Spain, but my destination was Provence and a turreted fairy-tale castle dating back to the 16^th century. The five-star bedrooms and bathrooms are vast and regal, the public spaces opulent and plentiful. Joining an eclectic group of men and women, some fit and young, some (OK, me) less so, everyone had their own agenda, but the general agreement was that it was a wonderful way to eat three delicious meals a day (and snacks in between) and still manage to tone, re-energise and boost fitness levels.

The only danger for me was that the onus is on guests to manage their own portion control, which proved particularly challenging with the sumptuous buffet-style breakfasts and the plentiful supply of the Chateau’s rosé wine in the evenings.

It really was all good: fun group activities in the grounds, free time reading by the pool, hiking amidst the vineyards.

The result – I left with a healthy glow and I’d never felt better – or better fed.

www.fitscape.co.uk/provence

It’s been a wonderful week in Marrakech over New Year, with guests enjoying gorgeous weather during their in:spa retreat.  This morning everyone headed up into the magnificent Atlas Mountains for another hike – pictured (left) during a break, on a clear sunny day, with spectacular views in all directions.  As always, we have several guides, allowing guests to travel at their own pace and enjoy the hike to maximum effect.  After the hike – around 3 hours – everyone returned to their exquisite luxury villa for a gourmet lunch cooked by one of our specialist in:spa chefs.  As always, the chefs create delicious meals without any salt, wheat, dairy, sugar or red meat.  It’s the combination of cleansing cuisine with great exercise and plenty of time for relaxation that makes an in:spa retreat so special – and why so many guests return year after year.

Our next in:spa retreat to exotic Marrakech is from 15-22 February.  Hope you can join us!  For further details, please see in:spa Marrakech

If you book your 2012 fitscape fitness holiday before 24 January we will fly you there for free!* Choose from sunny southern Spain, our magical chateau in the South of France or our luxury 5 star hotel in the Italian Dolomites – for both winter skiing and summer adventures.

See all 2012 dates

Every fitscape fitness holiday is unique. The schedule is packed full of different options every day so that with the help of our expert trainers you can design your own personal schedule for optimum results. You tell us what you want to get out of your holiday – anything from a gentle, motivating kick-start through to a serious competitive challenge.

There’s a comprehensive mix of hiking, circuit training, jogging / running, cycling / mountain biking, stretching classes, and other optional sports and recreations, such as swimming, massage treatments and golf. Three personal trainers look after each group, so every guest can work at their own level and receive a high degree of personal care and attention from our fitness team. The food is healthy, delicious and nutritious – and plentiful, given the amount of exercise everyone takes. Evenings are relaxed, sociable and fun at the end of a rewarding day’s work.

With at least one fitscape fitness week to choose from in each month next year, we hope that at least one of them suits you perfectly.

Don’t hesitate to call us if you would like to discuss anything further on 0845 458 0723 or enquire now

* flights up to £200 per person.  Offer excludes Easter and New Year trips.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to start 2012 looking and feeling amazing?  Join our in:spa retreat from 12-19 January in sunny southern Spain at a charming boutique hotel, and we promise you will return home refreshed and energised.  It’s the perfect antedote to a (perhaps!) slightly over indulgent Christmas.

We are currently offering free flights (up to £200 per person) and a further £250 discount on this retreat, saving you a total of up to £450.

It’s an easy flight from Gatwick to Malaga, and once you arrive at our delightful venue, surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, you will be looked after by our expert team of chefs, nutritionists, personal trainers, massage therapists, yoga teachers and hiking guides.  A gourmet cleansing diet, combined with good healthy exercise and plenty of time to relax, is the perfect way to set yourself up for a new year.

STOP PRESS !  BOOK A 2012 RETREAT BEFORE 24 JANUARY FOR FREE FLIGHTS

Can’t join us in January? Well, if that week doesn’t suit you, you could book yourself any other in:spa retreat in 2012 (except Easter and New Year) and we will still fly you there for free*. See full details

Or call Emily or Nicola on 0845 458 0723

* free flights are offered up to the value of £200 per person and are subject to availability.  Offer may therefore be discontinued at any time.