3 Tips to Enhance Your Sauna Experience

Having a sauna can be an extremely relaxing experience; you can forget about all of your troubles and relax whilst you sweat out some of the unhealthy chemicals from your body. When you think of having a stint in the sauna it is difficult to think how you can adapt the experience to make it more enjoyable, but there are a few things that you can do. Below are some tips on how to enhance your sauna experience:

Take a towel in with you - Taking a towel into the sauna can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly, one of the obvious side effects of being in a heated environment such as a sauna is that you will sweat a lot. It can be uncomfortable to have this sweat dripping down you and it can also be unpleasant to look at but with a towel you can control the levels of perspiration whilst remaining in the sauna. Another benefit of a towel is that you can sit on it for added comfort.

Use a back rest - One of the downsides to many saunas is that the seats are vertical. This does not provide the comfortable environment which you would desire for an extended period. By buying a back rest you can drastically increase the comfort levels.

Take a bottle of water in with you - Whilst in the sauna you can quite quickly become dehydrated and work up a thirst. By taking a bottle of water into the sauna you can tackle both of these issues. You may want to add ice to the water so that the water stays colder for longer.

Favourite Saunas in Europe

If you love to travel and also love wellness, then wellness travel is a great option for a short break or main holiday. The great thing also about finding an excellent wellness, spa or sauna location is that it can easily fit into your holiday and not have to be the main focus. You can spend all day in Berlin at the Zoo and museums and then simply unwind in a LiquidRoom sauna in Berlin for example.

Similarly, in Amsterdam, unwinding for a few hours in the Art Deco Sauna on HerenGracht street can be a great way to relax those feet after a day's walking. Another sauna well worth a visit and a short train journey just outside Amsterdam is Sauna Van Egmond Haarlem wellness center.

Sauna Van Egmond is an excellent find and for those of you who love wellness and specifically sauna, this venue is probably as good as any you will find in the whole of Holland. A lot of monehy has been spent on this sauna and it is easy to see why it is so popular with locals and also tourists who hear about it.

• InfraRed sauna


• Steam rooms


• Dry sauna


• A large sswimming pool


• Outdoor area


• Yet more saunas


• Hot tub


• Large dining area with waiters on service and great food.

This is a great location and a little bit of a hike to get to but it is a great wellness, sauna and spa location and recommended.

3 Best Naturists Resorts in Spain

As with an increasing number of destinations around the world, Spain is becoming increasingly accommodating to all different tastes and activities and for many people, naturism offering genuine and natural relaxation. One such activity is naturism, and there are numerous resorts where naturism can be practiced and enjoyed all around the country. Below are some of the best.

Lake Uma Playa - This is the best naturist villa in Spain for the gay population. The villa is located in a large nudist area, and although the majority of people who visit the area are straight, they are traditionally friendly and welcoming of the gay community.

Greenwood Villa - The Greenwood Villa is the ideal resort for those who enjoy a nice view and a bit of nature. Surrounded by pine trees and within close proximity to the Costa Blanca, Greenwood Villa is all around aesthetically pleasing. The location is excellent if you enjoy taking scenic walks through the countryside or along the coast. As well as being well experienced in hosting naturists, the Greenwood Villa has notoriously good facilities such as wi-fi and Sky TV in each room. The swimming pool is also heated for added luxury.

Caso Rio Vera - Also set in the countryside, this naturist resort in the south of Spain s perfect for those who enjoy self contained accommodation. The standard of the accommodation is modest, but the private location and close proximity to the coast and the local naturist beach more than make up for it.


Find more naturist resorts in Spain and also Barcelona accommodation for those of you heading to Spain and especially the Barcelona area.

Chocolate Massages in London

My wife and I were in London the last 2 weeks and whilst I went to Stamford Bridge after getting my hands on a couple of Chelsea football tickets, my wife wanted to try something new and different.

The end result: A chocolate massage in central London. Through one of the travel guides, she came across a respectable and proper wellness business which offered a range of treatments but this time involving Chocolate. As something she had never tried it was time to try.

The most amazing part she found to be that the aroma of the cocoa as you are being massaged adds to the sensation of the overall experience, given the way in which chocolate the cocoa can really ignite ones senses. The chocolate itself makes for a great massage style oil and overall she rates it as a must try experience. At least once she recommends to try a chocolate massage. I personallly also recommend a trip to watch a Premierhsip football game if you are ever in London :)

3 Places for Swimming with Dolphins

Ever since I can remember, swimming with dolphins has been on my list of things to do in my lifetime. On my first trip to Florida, I was able to cross this off my list much to my delight. I have also enjoyed the same experience six times now and counting in my travels all over the world. If you are looking to have such an experience, a visit to any one of these places may be in order.

1. Isla Mujeres, Mexico – A trip to Dolphin Discovery and Isla Mujeres will ensure that you have a dolphin experience that you will not forget. Here, you will be able to have a dolphin encounter which involves swimming with the dolphins, petting them and getting involved in some of their tricks. You will also have the option of watching the dolphins swimming while you rest and relax over a quiet lunch.

2. Florida – There are many places to swim with the dolphins in Florida; two of the best places to visit include Florida Keys and St Augustine. Both these regions have structured dolphin swim programs, so you are sure to get your money’s worth and will be able to swim in safety at the same time. Dolphin Cove and Dolphins Plus in Florida Keys are great places to visit and allow you to pet the dolphins and swim with them. If you are looking for a non-artificial dolphin swim experience, opt for the Natural Dolphin Swim where you can swim next to dolphins underwater for 30 minutes and watch them. In St Augustine, a trip to Marineland will have you participating in swim encounters where dolphins will swim to you and paint on a canvas that you hold.

3. Akaroa, New Zealand - Akaroa in New Zealand is by far the best place to try swimming with the dolphins, if you are looking for an authentic natural swim in the ocean with wild dolphins. Going on a dolphin expedition boat and participating in a swim near the harbour area will almost guarantee you a real dolphin swim experience.

Guest post by James of Rome Apartments accommodation. Thank you for your post James and look forward to more wellness articles.

Wellness and Diet: 5 Best Garlic Recipes

There are many different ways to prepare garlic so that even people who do not like the smell will come to appreciate it. This article outlines some of the best garlic recipes in the world. While they may not be comprehensive recipes, it is possible to find many different variations of the recipes provided here in cookbooks.

1. Garlic Bread – This is one of the most popular dishes prepared from garlic and is easy to prepare. One must simply add finely minced garlic to butter and add herbs like thyme and oregano according to your preferences. This is then spread inside a baguette, which is then toasted.

2. Garlic Soup – This soup is one of the simplest and most healthy ways to have garlic. In order to prepare garlic soup, chopped garlic is first sautéed in olive oil. Once the garlic is tender, about four cups of stock is added. This can then be seasoned with thyme and served with bread.

3. Roasted Garlic – Roasted garlic is prepared using a whole head of garlic. The outer covering is removed and each of the cloves is coated with butter and seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme. The garlic is then baked for an hour at 175°C.

4. Garlic Mashed Potatoes – For this recipe, the garlic and the potatoes are boiled together until the potatoes can be mashed. Then the potatoes and the garlic are mashed together with salt, pepper and a little buttermilk.

5. Garlic Cheese Spread – This is prepared by mixing together 225 grams of feta cheese with 225 grams of cream cheese, adding a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt and around four cloves of garlic finely minced.

Relaxing at Sea: My Caribbean cruise experience

My Caribbean cruise involved seven days of sun-bathing on the decks of a luxury liner, sipping on fruity cocktails and shopping at every Caribbean port we stopped at.

By the end of my week aboard the ship, I was not able to decide whether I liked staying on board or getting off at the ports to sightsee and shop. This was because I found everything I wanted on the ship, from gorgeous swimming pools, to bars, pubs and nightclubs, to boutiques galore that sold swimsuits and all the summery outfits that I could possibly want.

The ship I was on even had a rock climbing wall, a miniature golf course and an ice skating rink – which I found to be particularly decadent. There is just something about being able to ice skate in the middle of the Caribbean at the height of summer that will make you feel like you are “living the high life” so to speak!

I also took full advantage of all the facilities aboard which included a luxury spa and fitness centre and treated myself to soothing massage on day 5 and a short workout on day 3. On Day 2 I spent the evening playing blackjack and roulette at the casino on board and even managed to win a couple of hundred dollars.

Since the ship docked at different ports during the course of the cruise, I was able to go out and explore the different islands in the Caribbean and the different attractions to be found there. In Puerto Rico, I spent the day exploring the El Yunque Forest and swimming in the Baño Grande with my companion, which was followed by a quick shopping trip and meals on the island.

On our trips to the next few islands we managed to include scuba diving, souvenir shopping and a lot of exploring and island shopping. If you need Caribbean accommodation whilst on land the guys at Holiday-velvet.com offer Caribbean rentals.

Holiday Spa and sauna packages

If you are travelling abroad for a few days or longer and want also to combine a spa package, there are many possibilities and you do not need specifically to stay in a spa hotel. You can for example if going to Barcelona simply add on a Spa Day package (very good for hen groups) without any trouble by simply booking through a company such as BarcelonaAdventure.com who offer Barcelona Spa packages who groups.

Another option if you are in a city such as Berlin, is to enjoy some true Berlin wellness and sauna by enjoying one of the numerous spas and saunas. The saunas are well organised and respectable place in a country such as Germany and are a weekly routine for many German people. Some of the saunas such as Blurb offer some excellent facilities. You can often also usually get a massage and other treatments.

Amsterdam is one more city you can head to and experience sauna, wellness and massage without needing to pre-organise anything. If you find yourself in Amsterdam, you can easily walk into one of the saunas and a sauna such as the Art Deco Sauna is a very good option.

Sauna Exhibitions and events

The choice of saunas is wide and knowing exactly which type to buy, if you are considering having a home sauna, is not easy. Knowing where to start and what accessories you should really buy, is not easy. What I find is that the best option can be to attend 1 or 2 trade exhibitions and fairs and ask around and gather information first. Below two events which I go to annually.

SPATEX which is held in Brighton, England annually is one event which is a great option for anyone in the South-East of England. Held in the Hilton Brighton Metropole, this event brings together many of the key sauna and spa makers. A great chance to pick their brains and gather information.

Spa and Health 2010 in Moscow, Russia (although quite a trek for me) is an event I enjoy going to each year in the Crocus Expo. This event normally takes place in September. Know of any more events for Sauna?

A quick thank you to David and Jeremy at Barcelona Corporate events for your help with the Sauna and Relaxation event in December in Barcelona. Hope to do the same in 2010!

Wellness and Relaxation in Amsterdam

A lot of people go to Amsterdam for the cafes, museums, canals and galleries, but the city is also an excellent venue for saunas. I do not mean the seedy ones but decent and respectable saunas.

One of the very best I have come across and which is popular with locals goes by the name Art Deco Sauna. Located on Herengracht 115 just off he city centre in Amsterdam, this is a real classy sauna which has been designed in a 1920s style boutique like way.

The facilities themselves are excellent. In proper Dutch sauna tradition clothing cannot be worn in the sauna so be warned if you are shy. Inside there is a steam sauna, dry sauna, dip pool, relaxation area and area for getting professional massage.

Spa & Sauna Guide: Relaxation Centre, Bristol, UK

For the start of out Spa & Sauna guide on this blog as look at the Relaxation Centre, in Clifton, Bristol, England. Many people think that in Europe you have to be in a country such as Holland, Germany or Czech to have access to the best relaxation, massage, spa and sauna facilities but there are some excellent places in the UK also.


One centre very much worthwhile considering is the Relaxation Centre in the classy area of Clifton, Bristol, almost hidden away on 9 All Saints Road (BS8 2JG). The beauty of this venue is that it is well run, offers a number of relaxation workshops and classes, an excellent spa and sauna area and a number of treatments including:

• Hot Stone massage
• Aromatherapy
• Indian Head Massage
• Colour-Light Therapy

The list of workshops they hold is also normally quite interesting and upcoming ones include 'Hands Free Massage', 'Massage & Pregnancy ' and Tai Chi & Chi Kung'. You can visit the centre's site online via http://www.relaxationcentre.co.uk

Spa Towns - Baden Baden, Germany

With the Spring almost upon us and the summer also getting closer, you might be looking to book some holidays as I am. Mixing travel and wellness can be a great way to go and one of the best places for travel wellness I have come across is Baden Baden.

Baden Baden is a whole town which is in effect a spa town. The town is very close the the Black Forest and in the summer time it is one of my favourite places to travel to. Spa, sauna, massage and then the black forest and plenty do to within the town itself i.e. shops, bars and restaurants.

If you do head down to Baden Baden then the spa I found to be very good is the Caracalla Spa. Great facilities. Have you been to Baden Baden also? Would love to hear from you. More about Baden Baden spa.

Colour Therapy information

Have you been in a sauna and seen lights on the ceiling changing various colors and in at different times, in different patterns. NO? Well anyway, you still might be interested in Colour Therapy (Color Therapy in American English) because colour affects each and every one of us on a daily basis.

The colour of the clothes we choose to wear reflects our mood and how we like to express ourselves; the colour of the car we drive says something about us (or means that you as it happened you bought that colour because that particular car was so cheap) and colour therapy even in an office affects the day.

In therapy and wellness, including in saunas, Colour Therapy is now used more and more and the idea is that lights are used to influence your nervous system. The lights and sequences can have a relaxing and beneficial affect on you. Ever tried colour therapy? Any views? Sens us your comments!

Thai Massage in Bangkok

I was in Bangkok, Thailand a few weeks ago and what an experience. Khao San Road is a great place to visit if you ejoy bars, cafes and book shops. It is full of travellers and a great street for taking it easy and relaxing.

I tried a Thai Massage in one of the massage places just off of Khao San Road and wow - it is certainly a tougher form of massage than Swedish massage. With Thai massage the masseur literally stretched you and pushes you into odd positions and it is almost like a mix of yoga and massage.

After the massage though I did fell good and then I felt even better after a few cheap cocktails in the bars on Khao San Road. What a place and be sure to try Thai massage. If you are heading to Thailand, the guys I stayed with for Thailand rentals were very good by the way so they are worth trying.

Top 100 spas in the world

Wellness, spa and sauna update:

UKNatural has now moved to a new home at wellnessandsauna.co.uk and one of the new features is the addition of the Top 100 Spas worldwide. So we need your help.

have you been to a spa in the world which you think was excellent and deserves to be in the Top 100? We would love your ideas and thoughts.

With the recession and difficult times worldwide, relaxatin becomes even more important and relaxation is needed even more. Tell us your ways you enjoy to relax! Sendus your comments.