Latest news with #healingwaters
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
How I learned to tackle burnout like an ancient Greek
An overpowering stench of rotten egg rises from clouds of steam surrounding a bathtub-sized hole. It was carved out of the rocks here several millennia ago. Shivering in the late spring breeze whisking off the bay beneath me, I slip into my swimsuit and slide inside. Worn by the bodies of countless bathers, the stone is silky soft. I soon forget the eggy scent of sulphur as I sink up to my neck in the hot spring waters and watch the sun descend in a scarlet blaze over the bay where Agamemnon sheltered with his warships on his way to Troy. I'm in the remote town of Edipsos in northern Evia on the first stage of my journey to see if Greece 's mineral-rich waters, which the ancient Greeks once prescribed for treating 'imbalances in the humours' and akidia (brain fatigue), can heal my writer's burnout. Bubbling out of the ground at 35C, Edipsos's mineral-rich springs – that were 'sent by the gods for healing' according to ancient Greek philosopher Pausanias – have been popular with 'greats', ranging from Aristotle and Strabo since the 4th century BC. A celebrity magnet right up until the late 20th century, stars including Greta Garbo, Omar Sharif, and Maria Callas once flocked here in their bathing suits and budgie smugglers to 'take the waters'. In the post-war years, however, when holistic treatments were replaced by quick-fix chemical cures, Edipsos's glitzy hotels went out of fashion. Nowadays, the resort has plenty of abandoned buildings. With their peeling ochre facades and gaping windows, they frame weed-tangled alleyways criss-crossed with rivulets of steaming spring water where endangered tortoises love to hibernate. I'm staying at Thermae Syllae. Edipsos's first spa hotel, which opened in 1896, it's one of the few resorts that have remained open. Named for a Roman general who was cured of a mysterious skin disease here in 84BC, the resort has won countless awards for its hot-spring-fed pools and medical spa complex. Wrapped from top to toe in slimy thermal mud in one of Therma Sylla's treatment rooms on the following day, I ponder the sanity of this trip. 'It doesn't feel very nice now, but you'll feel great later,' therapist Ioanna says soothingly. When the dried mud cracks like the veneer on an old painting and Ioanna power-showers me clean, my skin feels soft and smooth. 'It's volcanic mud and full of minerals needed by your skin – and your soul,' she laughs. That evening, sipping a refreshing ouzo sour made with anise liqueur and lemon juice at Venti, a clifftop taverna perched high above Euboea's storied bay, I begin to enjoy my hot spring trip. After a hearty breakfast of local treats – spoon sweets in creamy yoghurt and fried feta pie tiropitaria – I trundle across the Euboean Gulf in one of the open ferries that Greeks call pantoufla (slipper) because of their sloppy shoe shape, and drive around the bay to Kamena Vourla. Backed by the pine-furred foothills of Mount Knimis, and overlooking a golden sand beach, this seaside resort loved by Greeks – but rarely on tourist radars – is home to countless hot water springs that contain radon – dangerous in high doses, but beneficial for both mind and body when taken occasionally. I spend the day dipping in and out of the different spring pools. 'I come here all the time,' a healthy-looking octogenarian tells me. 'It's good for me and it's free – what could be better?' The following night, I go upmarket with a stay at Mitsis Galini, a wellness resort and spa with the largest mineral spring pool in the Balkans. Although the lagoon-like pool with its tree-studded islands surrounded by trimmed lawns is stunning, I can't help wondering why I'm paying so much money for a health treat that I'd enjoyed on the previous day for free. Just along from Kamena Vourla on the main Lamia road, I discover the spear-waving statue of Leonidas, the Spartan king who launched a suicide mission to defend the pass against vastly superior Persian forces in 480BC. It signals the entry to Thermopylae, a hot spring waterfall that's been a healing site since Mycenaean times. The stream of hot water gushes out of a cleft in pine-furred cliffs at 37C. Eyes closed, I let the hot water pummel my body. The noise is deafening. Afterwards, I feel relaxed and invigorated, just as Hercules must have done when he came here to restore his energy after killing the Nemean lion. Vouliagmeni Lake, a few hours' drive away, is my last stop. Greeks have soaked away their troubles in this hot spring-fed lake for more than 2,500 years, so it seemed like a good spot to end my journey. Floating motionless in the emerald-green waters, I stare up at the luminous blue vault of sky, realising that I haven't thought about work all day. These ancient treatments have been the perfect cure for my modern aches. How to get there Flights from London Heathrow to Athens with Aegean Airlines start at £147 return. From there, you can hire a car with Hertz and drive three hours to Arkitsa, where the 'slipper' ferry leaves for Edipsos. Thermae Sylla bookings include access to the resort's mineral-rich hot spring pools. Mitsis Galini room bookings include breakfast and pool access.
The Independent
21-07-2025
- The Independent
What I learned tackling burnout in a remote resort town in Greece
An overpowering stench of rotten egg rises from clouds of steam surrounding a bathtub-sized hole. It was carved out of the rocks here several millennia ago. Shivering in the late spring breeze whisking off the bay beneath me, I slip into my swimsuit and slide inside. Worn by the bodies of countless bathers, the stone is silky soft. I soon forget the eggy scent of sulphur as I sink up to my neck in the hot spring waters and watch the sun descend in a scarlet blaze over the bay where Agamemnon sheltered with his warships on his way to Troy. I'm in the remote town of Edipsos in northern Evia on the first stage of my journey to see if Greece's mineral-rich waters, which the ancient Greeks once prescribed for treating 'imbalances in the humours' and akidia (brain fatigue), can heal my writer's burnout. Bubbling out of the ground at 35C, Edipsos' mineral-rich springs – that were 'sent by the gods for healing' according to ancient Greek philosopher Pausanias – have been popular with 'greats' ranging from Aristotle and Strabo since the 4th Century BC. A celebrity magnet right up until the late 20th century, stars including Greta Garbo, Omar Sharif, and Maria Callas once flocked here in their bathing suits and budgie smugglers to 'take the waters'. In the post-war years, however, when holistic treatments were replaced by quick-fix chemical cures, Edipsos' glitzy hotels went out of fashion. Nowadays, the resort has plenty of abandoned buildings. With their peeling ochre facades and gaping windows, they frame weed-tangled alleyways crisscrossed with rivulets of steaming spring water where endangered spur-thighed tortoises love to hibernate. I'm staying at Thermae Syllae. Edipsos' first spa hotel, which opened in 1896, it's one of the few resorts that have remained open. Named for a Roman general who was cured of a mysterious skin disease here in 84BC, the resort has won countless awards for its hot-spring-fed pools and medical spa complex. Wrapped from top to toe in slimy thermal mud in one of Therma Sylla's treatment rooms on the following day, I ponder on the sanity of this trip. 'It doesn't feel very nice now, but you'll feel great later,' therapist Ioanna says soothingly. When the dried mud cracks like the veneer on an old painting and Ioanna power-showers me clean, my skin feels soft and smooth. 'It's volcanic mud and full of minerals needed by your skin – and your soul,' she laughs. That evening, sipping a refreshing ouzo sour made with anise liqueur and lemon juice at Venti, a clifftop taverna perched high above Euboea's storied bay, I begin to enjoy my hot spring trip. After a hearty breakfast of local treats – spoon sweets in creamy yoghurt and fried feta pie tiropitaria – I trundle across the Euboean Gulf in one of the open ferries that Greeks call pantoufla (slipper) because of their sloppy shoe shape, and drive around the bay to Kamena Vourla. Backed by the pine-furred foothills of Mount Knimis, and overlooking a golden sand beach, this seaside resort loved by Greeks – but rarely on tourist radars – is home to countless hot water springs that contain radon – dangerous in high doses, but beneficial for both mind and body when taken occasionally. I spend the day dipping in and out of the different spring pools. ' I come here all the time,' a healthy-looking octogenarian tells me. 'It's good for me and it's free – what could be better?' The following night, I go upmarket with a stay at Mitsis Gallini, a wellness resort and spa with the largest mineral spring pool in the Balkans. Although the lagoon-like pool with its tree-studded islands surrounded by trimmed lawns is stunning, I can't help wondering why I'm paying so much money for a health treat that I'd enjoyed on the previous day for free. Just along from Kamena Vourla on the main Lamia road, I discover the spear-waving statue of Leonidas, the Spartan King who launched a suicide mission to defend the pass against vastly superior Persian forces in 480 BC. It signals the entry to Thermopylae, a hot spring waterfall that's been a healing site since Mycean times. The stream of hot water gushes out of a cleft in pine-furred cliffs at 37C. Eyes closed, I let the hot water pummel my body. The noise is deafening. Afterwards I feel relaxed and invigorated, just as Hercules must have done when he came here to restore his energy after killing the Nemean lion. Vouliagmeni Lake a few hours' drive away, is my last stop. Greeks have soaked away their troubles in this hot spring-fed lake for more than 2,500 years, so it seemed like a good spot to end my journey. Floating motionless in the emerald-green waters, I stare up at the luminous blue vault of sky, realising that I haven't thought about work all day. These ancient treatments have been the perfect cure for my modern aches. How to get there Flights from London Heathrow to Athens with Aegean Airlines start at £147 return. From there you can hire a car with Hertz and drive three hours to Arkitsa, where the 'slipper' ferry leaves for Edipsos. Where to stay Thermae Sylla bookings include access to the resort's mineral-rich hot spring pools. Mitsis Gallini room bookings include breakfast and pool access.
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Live Long: Longevity And The Pursuit Of Happiness At Palazzo Fiuggi
Palazzo Fiuggi in the Apennine Mountains outside Rome. By the time you've driven through the charming hillside village of Fiuggi, up the circular colonnaded drive, and entered the exquisite marble lobby flooded with natural light, it's obvious: a visit to Palazzo Fiuggi is destined to be a beautiful experience. The building itself, majestic and graceful, holds an immediate promise of well-being. But it's what happens inside that is nothing short of life-changing. The award-winning Palazzo Fiuggi, less than an hour from Rome, first opened as a wellness medical spa in 2021, but it was originally built in 1913. It was then known as Palazzo della Fonte ('the source'), for its proximity to healing mountain mineral springs, which are still a centerpiece of the program today. Wellness seekers have been drawn to the famous Fiuggi hills since before the 15th century, when Michelango credited the curative waters of Acqua de Fiuggi with relieving his kidney stones. Many centuries later, Palazzo Fiuggi is in the forefront of global wellness. The spa pairs the area's historic healing legacy with a hyper-modern approach, elevated by luxurious Italian design and warm hospitality. Each suite, flooded with natural light, is more calming than the last, and many feature glass doors that open onto a terrazzo with views of the Apennine mountains. Mineral water from the nearby Acqua de Fiuggi springs. Longevity at Palazzo Fiuggi A sister property to the incomparable Forte Village, in Sardinia, also a wellness world unto itself, Palazzo offers state-of-the-art customized wellness programs, led by top medical doctors--sleep experts, neurologists, endocrinologists--from Rome. The focus is on four pillars: healing thermal waters; a Food as Medicine culinary program designed by three-star Michelin chef Heinz Beck; the Movement Lab HPM (High Performance Method); and mind/body healing in nature. The slogan, "A Longer Life, Better Lived,' flows through it all like a clear mountain spring. Guests arrive with a chosen objective: attaining optimal weight, detox, sleep and stress management, gut/brain health. But the ground-breaking Longevity Program is undoubtedly the jewel in Palazzo's wellness crown, by taking an integrative approach to slowing the effects of aging, building mind/body strength, promoting tissue regeneration, restoring energy. It begins with a full medical workup, including blood and urine tests, a bone scan, electrocardiogram, muscle mass tests, body composition analysis and more, depending upon how deep you want to go. The doctors devote plenty of time to helping guests understand the 'why' behind their health issues. And of course, it is much more relaxing to tackle those issues here than it would be in a traditional doctor's office or medical facility, where you most certainly wouldn't be gazing at gorgeous frescoes or Murano glass chandeliers. A customized fitness assessment and workout. The renowned Hiking for Longevity program includes four to six days of daily hikes. "Outdoor activity–engaging with nature and social activity–has been shown to increase both mental and physical health,' says a resident doctor. Cycling for Longevity was just launched this year. The Sleep Program is overseen by a neurologist who prescribes 'a combination of innovative medical science with spa treatments, food and the right lifestyle.' Palazzo recently launched Biohacking Retreats created by Stefano Santori, founder of the Mindset Biohacking® method, geared to optimize mind-body performance by building strength, optimizing metabolism and improving cellular function. An Exquisite Spa at Palazzo Fiuggi Throughout the day, guests pop into the elegant Tisaneria for a snack or a smoothie, and step onto the terrazzo to marvel at the rolling hills beyond. The spa features a full treatment menu from cryotherapy and hydrotherapy to thalassotherapy, thermal mud baths and hammam, along with many new science-based aesthetic protocols so unique and cutting edge that you've certainly never heard of them. Meanwhile, the exquisite marble walls and original frescoes remind you, everywhere you look, that you are, indeed, living in a century-old palace. The spa: marble floors and walls, original crystal chandeliers. The exquisite 20,000 square-foot spa includes a thermal circuit that includes a hot/cold plunge, a large thermal pool, a Kneipp walk, steam and traditional sauna, infrared sauna, hammam, salt chamber, thermal mud and an outdoor swimming pool. Sustainability is an important part of the Palazzo ethos. Products in the spa and suites are EcoCert or organic, all kitchen food waste is composted for the gardens, and the restaurant sources local and organic ingredients. With a strong focus on local produce and fish, meals can feel restrictive–no alcohol, for example, though there is pasta (this is Italy, after all!). A typical lunch may include red snapper carpaccio and grilled polenta with vegetables, dinner may be beetroot soup with filet of sea bass and tomato coulis or tortellini with ricotta and herbs. But each delicious meal in the elegant dining room inspires guests to slow down and savor the beautiful presentation, to eat with intention. Thermal pools with a view. Immersive Wellness at Palazzo Fiuggi There are many expert wellness spas around the globe, with an increasing focus on longevity, but Palazzo is the real deal. Guests depart with a data-driven road map (including measurable test results) that will inspire lifestyle changes that may include a new love of hiking, or a more mindful approach to food. After just a few days at Palazzo Fiuggi, you will feel like a new, much-improved version of yourself, with new tools to keep the journey moving forward toward robust health, mental clarity and longevity. Dinner is served. Under the expert guidance of talented medical professionals with a deep dedication to restoring optimal health, guests invest anywhere from three nights to up to two weeks, learning to take care of themselves, so they can live la bella vita for a long time to come. The experience brings a boost to your emotional and mental health, and makes you happy. What is wellness, after all, if it doesn't bring joy, and make you feel well? And, if you decide to visit the Sistine Chapel or the Pantheon while you're there, it is easy for the hotel to arrange. After all, Rome is less than an hour away. And don't miss a visit to Fiuggi's old town. If you have more time, plan a trip to Naples or Pompeii, about two hours' distance, before or after your stay. Though you may feel like you are at a remove up on the hilltop at Palazzo Fiuggi, it is Italy, after all. The rest of the world is close.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- ABC News
Communities impacted by SA's algae bloom take stock of destruction
South Australia's unprecedented algal bloom has brought death and destruction to the state's marine environment and impacted its tourism and fishing industries. The crisis has forged new connections among coastal communities that are waiting to see if the long-awaited arrival of stormy weather and cold temperatures will break up the algal bloom that was first reported in March. A group of surfers, divers, residents and Indigenous elders walked along some of the south coast's wild surf beaches at Victor Harbor on Saturday. They talked about what they had seen over the past few months. Ramindjeri and Naruunga elders Cedric Varcoe and Angelena Harradine Buckskin created and helped to organise the event with local environmental group The Wild South. They welcomed the groups of walkers as they made their way from Victor Harbor to Goolwa. Mr Varcoe said it was important for people to yarn about the effects of the lingering algae and rising water temperatures. "The main concern is the amount of our sea creatures washing up; we call them our Ngaitye because they're part of our Dreaming, part of our culture as Ramindjeri people," he said. Mr Varcoe and Aunty Angelena said the message behind the event was about healing the waters. They were pleased it had brought together people from all walks of life. Ron and Stefi Phillips, who took part in the walk, were relatively new to the community of Victor Harbor. But Mr Phillips has dived off the coast of South Australia for many years. He said he dived a local reef just days before the first impacts of the bloom were seen in March, watching and observing some of the fish and other marine life present. "A week later I could see some of them lying on the beach, which is a bit sad," he said. "We were coughing and one particular day … we were walking along and there were quite a few dead creatures and the next day I still had a burning throat," Mrs Phillips said. The couple attended a community forum in Middleton in April to find out more about the karenia mikimotoi algal bloom. Since then they have become part of the movement of citizen scientists who upload pictures of what they find on the local beaches to the iNaturalist citizen scientist database. Some walkers carried a message stick as they journeyed. It will be decorated and then taken to Naruunga Country for another Walk for Water event, to be held at Marion Bay on June 7. Surfer Scott Murdoch was entrusted with the message stick for the first part of the walk. He said he spent a lot of time on the south coast and loved the landscape. Mr Murdoch said he felt sick after being exposed to the bloom and watched with dismay its impact on wildlife. "I just wanted to show that it's important to protect these places," he said. Adelaide violin teacher Freya Davies-Ardill, who grew up in Goolwa, was one of volunteers who helped make the event happen. She was busy organising food and entertainment at the halfway mark and joined the walk for the final leg from Ratalang at Port Elliot to Goolwa. Ms Davies-Ardill said she hoped the events would send a message to the South Australian government about the importance of directing funds into research and on-the-ground efforts to document the extent of the damage to the coastal and marine environment.
