The Andalusia Long Weekend is the first chance this year to travel and leave your day-to-day behind. A relaxing stay in a hotel-spa is one of the many options available.

Were you dying for a long weekend? Andalusia Day is finally here, which is a great opportunity to take a break from the daily grind.

These four days, if used properly, can go a long way. How does a hotel-spa serving you breakfast in bed sound? Here are some suggestions for a relaxing getaway that will help to recharge your batteries.

How about a long weekend at one with nature?  You can enjoy this type of break at hotels such as the Fuerte Grazalema, which is located in a relaxing environment in its own right, in the heart of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. This biosphere reserve offers hiking routes, mountain biking trails and canoeing options, while the hotel’s restaurants concoct healthy, locally-sourced dishes. The icing on the cake is the hotel’s spa, where you can pamper yourself after a busy day of activities.

If you’re looking for something even more relaxing and don’t plan on leaving the comfort of your hotel, we recommend the Balneario de Lanjarón. This is found in the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, boasting six natural medicinal-mineral springs and a wide range of treatment options including relaxing tension-relieving massages, water stream massages, a Finnish sauna and thermal baths of various temperatures. The hotel also offers up-to-7-day programmes based on cleansing, aesthetic, revitalising and anti-cholesterol treatments, among many more.

One of the advantages of travelling during the Andalusia Long Weekend is that it is still low season, meaning prices are still reasonable, and you can avoid the large swathes of people that flock to the region during Easter Week.

The next relaxing accommodation option is found in Almería’s Sierra de Gador, in the town of Alhama, whose name derives from the Arabic word for sacred water. The Hotel Balneario de San Nicolás was built here, which conveys peace and quiet and offers a range of services based on the curative properties of the Almerian Alpujarra waters.

The hotel offers a vast range of facilities including thermal baths, pressure streams, a dynamic pool, a VIP area with pressotherapy and a Finnish sauna. Meanwhile, it also offers seaweed clay masks and provides chocotherapy and electro-stimulation services.

The hotel also offers aesthetic, face and body treatments such as exfoliations, pedicures and facial cleansing.

Another way in which you can unwind is by going on a meditation and yoga retreat. The range of options in this field is constantly expanding, with increasing numbers of people opting for this type of activity.

 FOR YOGA LOVERS

One such example is the retreat organised by Retiros del Alma, which is based in Almeria and welcomes participants of all abilities. This association is a “familiar and peaceful” environment in which yoga is understood as an “experience of self-discovery” through the adoption of different postures and breathing patterns.

Participants stay in seaside bungalows in wonderful surroundings, where they learn to understand yoga as an art form that can become part of their daily routine. The retreat runs from February 28 until March 3. Yoga provides multiple benefits on a physical, mental and emotional level, and can help you to understand your own body. Practising it regularly can help you to alleviate stress and reduce cortisol levels, which is the hormone responsible for sleep difficulties, blood pressure and digestive problems.

The most immediate effect, besides feeling relaxed, is improved flexibility and balance.

If you decide to travel beyond Andalusia during the long weekend, there are several other very tempting offers. One is to visit La Villa Termal, a wellness resort located 8 kilometres outside Oviedo, set in natural surroundings. Besides its plush rooms and suites, the resort has a spa offering a vast range of services. You can choose from various special packages, including anti-stress treatment, cellulite reduction and couple packages, etc.

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE AN ISLAND

Some people fail to picture a holiday without feeling the sun on their back. If you are one of these, the Canary Islands are a safe bet for enjoying an early summer. Lanzarote is an ideal destination, with the island enjoying an average annual temperature of 22 degrees and boasting some of the best beaches in the Canary Islands. Looking beyond its beautiful beaches, its inland areas will leave you spellbound, with its volcanic orography being declared as a Biosphere Reserve. The island also offers you the chance to visit treasures such as the Timanfaya National Park, the Jameos del Agua lava caves and the wine region of La Geria.

Have you made your mind up on what to do during this long weekend yet?