More than just spas: the unique wellness retreats to book in 2026

For years, wellness travel has been synonymous with switching off, often combined with plush robes and luxury spas. And while that version of rest still has its place, it’s starting to feel incomplete. As burnout becomes more complex, shaped by screen fatigue and cognitive overload, the idea that recovery comes purely from lying by a pool or getting a massage (while lovely) is being quietly challenged.

For 2026, wellness travel is evolving into something more active. Travellers are increasingly drawn to trips that combine restoration with a sense of effort, such as multi-day hikes that stretch the body and sharpen focus. Forest immersion stays are also on the rise, replacing packed itineraries with natural rhythms, while star gazing lodges and dark-sky destinations tap into a desire for literal and mental darkness. These trips aren’t about escaping life entirely but stepping far enough away to recalibrate.

What unites this new wave of wellness is a shift in mindset. It’s less about being looked after, and more about feeling changed. Less pampering, more participation. With that in mind, before booking your next spa break, here’s some more unique wellness retreat ideas to try in 2026.

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Challenge-led travels

Wellness travel doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. Challenge-led trips centre on gentle endurance – like walking, cycling or paddling – where the rhythm of daily movement and time outdoors replaces spa treatments as the main source of relaxation.

Operators such as Inntravel have long specialised in this space and their new walking routes for 2026 reflect growing demand. Options include self-guided walks along Italy’s historic Via Francigena, or multi-day walking holidays around Loch Ness, where daily movement is balanced with comfortable accommodation and time to absorb the landscape.

Elsewhere, more adventurous formats are gaining traction for truly immersive experiences. Much Better Adventures offers bold itineraries like a multi-day cycling journey through Jordan’s desert terrain, or a 100km canoe expedition across Scotland.

Check out our 10 unique walking holidays for food lovers for more inspiration.

Cold water coastlines

Forget the warm waters of the Med, cold water swimming has shifted from niche pursuit to mainstream wellness ritual, with The Outdoor Swimming Society estimating a 1.5-3 times increase in UK outdoor swimming participation since 2019. Wellness trips centred around cold water swimming favour element exposure: think sea dips, sharp air and warming saunas to recover in afterwards. The appeal lies in contrast – cold followed by warmth – and in the way these experiences demand full presence.

West Cork in Ireland is emerging as a standout destination for cold-water wellness. Its sheltered coves and rugged Atlantic coastline lend themselves naturally to year-round sea swimming, now supported by a growing culture of beachside saunas, like The Sauna Snugg on Garrylucas beach and Wild Wellness sauna at Garrettstown beach.

Further north, Scandinavia continues to set the tone. Denmark’s Nordisk Sanse Retreat at Kurhotel Skodsborg shows a more structured approach, blending cold-water bathing with sauna rituals, breathwork and sensory immersion rooted in Nordic wellness traditions.

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Forest immersion stays

While not new, forest immersion continues to emerge as one of the most restorative wellness travel formats of all. Retreats are built around the idea that time spent in woodland has a measurable effect on stress levels, attention and sleep quality.

Established destinations are already leading the way. In Thailand, Keemala reimagines forest living through villas suspended among the treetops, combining privacy with immersion in dense jungle. In Alaska, Stillpoint Lodge offers a more elemental experience where forested coastline, wildlife encounters and long daylight hours encourage a deep reconnection with the natural world. Closer to home, Loire Valley Lodges blend contemporary design with woodland solitude, pairing luxury treehouse-style accommodation with art, cycling and slow, seasonal dining.

In 2026, look out for new opening EHA Retreat, set on Hiiumaa, part of the West Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve. It’s generating excitement for its minimalist, nature-first approach. Hiiumaa itself is a rare sanctuary of unspoilt forest and coastline, where silence, dark skies and slow rhythms define daily life.

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Creative reset retreats

Creative retreats are increasingly being reframed as a form of wellness in their own right. They're not about productivity or output, but about focus, expression and – most importantly – mental rest. For 2026, travellers are seeking time away that allows them to make something with their hands, using creativity as a way to slow the nervous system and reconnect with themselves, without the pressure of performance.

Artist-led programmes are leading this shift. Sam Marshall’s Creative Retreats for example, bring together painting, drawing and creative exploration in carefully chosen landscapes, where days are shaped around making, shared meals and long stretches of uninterrupted time. On the Isle of Iona in the Inner Hebrides, Iona Artist Retreats offers a more contemplative approach, pairing creative practice with the island’s distinctive sense of stillness, light and space.

Elsewhere, reading and writing are being embraced as restorative acts. Ease Retreats’ Rest & Read retreats create space for deep rest through reading your favourite novels, while Ladies Who Lit put on reading retreats in destinations like Mallorca, Ibiza and the Peak District.

Woman sitting on top of a hill, reading a book

Star gazing and ‘star bathing’

Looking up is emerging as a surprisingly powerful reset. Stargazing and “star bathing” are gaining traction as a way to slow the nervous system and reduce mental noise. Research suggests that time under the stars can help restore clarity and perspective. Therefore, hotels and retreats blessed to be based in locations with low light pollution are designing experiences around this idea. In Arizona, Castle Hot Springs host regular guided stargazing events in their dark sky canyon. In Switzerland, the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat offers access to one of Europe’s highest observatories, where guests can explore the night sky above the Alps. In Iceland, Hotel Rangá has its own on-site observatory for viewing the Milky Way and northern lights.

If all of this sounds a bit extravagant, you don’t have to venture too far from home for star bathing. The Yorkshire Dales is one of the UK’s largest International Dark Sky Reserves and is hotly tipped to have renewed interest in 2026, helped by the cultural buzz around Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated Wuthering Heights. Events like the Yorkshire Dales Dark Skies Festival is a great chance to explore the night sky.

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