Hands up those of you who don’t like to relax. Anyone? No, I didn’t think so. We all like a little rest from time to time. And if you’ve just had the kind of week that I’ve just had, the need will be great.
So, although I didn’t think of it myself (it’s something that landed in my email inbox), "Europe’s ten most relaxing spa hotels" does seem like a good subject for a blog post. Sigh. The ones I'm going to list here come to you courtesy of TripAdvisor, which means they have been voted for by "real" travellers like you and me.
Apparently the most relaxing place of all is the Tivoli Victoria in Portugal, so if you’re heading to that beautiful country any day soon you might want to pay it a visit. It’s in Vilamoura (pictured), which is an area given over to rest and recreation in the Algarve region. It's the place to go for sun, beaches, golf and some great sightseeing.
Photo by girolame
Number two on the list is the Hotel Adler (pictured right), which is in Ortisei, in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains - over near the Austrian border. It looks like a cracker; if you share my penchant for grand old European hotels, maybe make this one your pick...
Photo by zipckr
Number three is the evocatively named Lindos Blu in the picture-postcard village of Lindos, on the historic island of Rhodes in Greece; number four is Pineta Hotels’ Nature Wellness Resort in Coredo, not too far from Ortisei and again fairly close to Austria. Number five is the Erika hotel, also in Italy and also in the Southern Tyrol region.
Six on the list is the first of two Turkish contenders: Hotel Asur in Dalyan. This place has a particular appeal, and Turkey is a country we're going to be taking a look at over the next few weeks, so keep your eyes open. That's the Dalyan area in the photo on the right. Don't miss the ancient Kaunos theatre if you go there.
Photo by audi_insperation
Seven is the Finca Cortesin in Manilva in Malaga Province, Southern Spain, and eight is another Spanish establishment, though this time in the Canary Islands: the Hotel Costa Los Gigantes in Santiago del Teide near Tenerife.
Ninth place goes to the second Turkish property: the large and very modern Hotel Baia Lara in Antalya, and rounding up the list in tenth place is the Hotel Caesius Thermae Spa in Bardolino, on the shores of gorgeous Lake Garda (pictured). This is a part of Italy that has lured travellers for many a long year.
Photo by Ricc_HB74
Remember that although these places have been voted the most relaxing in Europe, they are not necessarily the most luxurious...we’ll have a look at those another time. And also remember that I’m only passing on what I’ve heard; unfortunately, I haven't visited any of the hotels on this page. Maybe that accounts for the stress levels. So maybe it's high time I did.