Hiking and Plant-Based Wellness Week on Capri

The retreat runs 22-29 May 2024 at Capri Palace Jumeirah. Mornings are for hiking, with dedicated guides accompanying the group at all times. The trails are chosen to show parts of Capri and Anacapri that most visitors miss, from old stone stairways to Roman edifices, and the difficulty rises moderately day by day. At the top of each route you get the full profile of the island and open views of the sea.

Morgan Witkin cooks every day. Her food is 100% plant-based and free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar, built around fresh local ingredients and Mediterranean dishes. She is in the kitchen daily and joins meals to talk about nutrition and what she calls Primary Foods: the parts of life outside the plate, such as career, relationships and goals, that feed you. The programme includes an exclusive dinner at Il Riccio, the hotel's private beach club and restaurant, and an outdoor lunch at Gelsomina.

Belinda Matwali runs the afternoon sessions. These include a sound bath, breathwork, gentle stretching and yoga, and workshops that ask you to look at beliefs and patterns that no longer serve you. There is a Mind Detox workshop, a Nervous System Fitness workshop, one on the anatomy of deep relaxation, and a session called Nourishing Your Dreams. The week ends with yin yoga, yoga nidra and a closing ceremony.

What separates this from a generic island wellness week is the combination: a named vegan chef cooking all week, a meditation mentor running daily workshops, and a hiking programme designed specifically for the retreat with guides on every walk. Add the Capri Medical Spa treatment and access to the hotel's medical spa, and the days are full without being rushed.

The setting does a lot of the work. Capri Palace Jumeirah was built to the vision of founder Tonino Cacace, with arches, vaults, stone columns and all-white interiors modelled on an 18th-century Neapolitan palazzo. Inside the hotel are L'Olivo, Capri's only two-Michelin-star restaurant, and The White Museum, which holds works by De Chirico and Keith Haring among others.

What's included

- 5-star hotel accommodation and toiletries - Daily guided hiking excursions with dedicated guides - Leg School Therapy leg massage at Capri Medical Spa - Full access to the hotel's medical spa, with a discount on treatments - Exclusive dinner at Il Riccio private beach club and restaurant - Exclusive outdoor lunch at Gelsomina restaurant - Opening ceremony and intention setting - Daily stretching, yoga and breathing classes - Mindful Eating and Nourishing Your Body workshop - Anatomy of Deep Relaxation workshop - Nervous System Fitness workshop - Mind Detox workshop - Nourishing Your Dreams workshop - Reinvigorate yin yoga and yoga nidra - Tools to Take Home closing ceremony - Plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free meals

What's not included

- Travel to and from Capri - Airport or port transfers - Travel insurance - Additional spa treatments beyond the included Leg School Therapy - Personal expenses - Anything not listed as included