Top Wellness Retreats In Croatia

Post author Ana

Written by our local expert Ana

Croatian born Ana is an avid traveler who is always looking for the next travel story from the Balkans to share. Her passion is creating travel itineraries and in-depth guides.

Here is your guide to the best wellness retreats in Croatia. Yoga, SUP, meditations, healthy food,, and lots of clean air and sunshine await.

Croatia Travel Blog_Wellness Retreats To Book In Croatia

What if your Croatian holiday could guarantee you return home refreshed, relaxed, and rejuvenated with a nurtured body, mind, and spirit? Much more fulfilling than a great tan and some souvenirs, right? That’s exactly what this list of wellness retreats to book in Croatia this year is for!

Known for its archipelago of 1000+ islands, shimmering salty Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean-inspired specialties, relaxed pace of life, and warm climate, it’s not surprising many wellness retreats take place during the late spring, summer, and early fall months on the Croatian coast.

It’s also no secret that this small country of Croatia boasts a variety of landscapes; from the rocky breath-taking coastline of Dalmatia & Istra through the rocky mountains and forests of Lika to the cultural capital of Zagreb, the picturesque vineyards of Zagorje to the north of Zagreb and the fertile, rich flatlands of Slavonia to the far east.

Croatia is home to many internationally recognized and award-winning foods and wines. Regardless of where you may find yourself in the country, there is a relaxed approach to life.

Best Wellness Retreats In Croatia - Yoga

While merely taking a vacation to Croatia is a welcome getaway from the daily grind for almost all tourists, wellness retreats are specially designed to remove the researching, thinking, and planning while ensuring you’re comfortable and can focus on what a wellness retreat is for, connecting with that inner voice and letting the stress melt away.

Wellness goes far beyond a daily yoga practice and dips in the Adriatic for a week straight. Don’t get me wrong, yoga retreats are included, but other types of wellness retreats may be more of your jam for your holiday to Croatia!

Fige Yoga Adventures

Yoga in Croatia - Sasha Fige Yoga

Sasha from Fige Yoga arranges adventure retreats in different locations in Croatia. They’ll take care of finding you the best villa and book you a renowned yoga teacher, either from Croatia or abroad. So you don’t have to cook, an in-house chef will also be booked.

Sasha worked as a tour guide, leading guests around Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia while practicing yoga daily before falling in love with Croatia and starting Fige Yoga Adventures. 

The retreats are a mixture of yoga and different workshops/activities, which are all focused on connecting more with our true nature. Fige Yoga believes that movements and creativity are initial to humans and that we need to awaken that impulse in ourselves to feel freer and light-hearted, which is why in addition to yoga, they will also arrange meditation walks, contact dance workshops, water therapy, systemic constellations, ecstatic dance, horseback riding and more.

Sasha will also use her local knowledge and show you the real Croatia – how locals live. In Istria, you will discover excellent wines, olive oil, truffles, and medieval cities. If you have a retreat at the island of Brac, you’ll head off on boat trips, hiking, and of course, to Zlatni Rat Beach.

A typical day would be to start the morning with refreshments, practice yoga, and have a big brunch. The afternoon is reserved for leisure activities such as boat trips, workshops, etc. Dinner is then served in your villa by your private chef. After dinner, you can enjoy a woman’s circle, meditation, or yoga Nidra.

 

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Yoga, Meditation & Adventure Retreat In Rovinj, Croatia

Yoga Wellness & Adventure Retreat Rovinj
Photo Credit: Five Elements Retreat Center

The Five Elements Retreat Center is exactly what you may expect, inspired, and connected with the five elements of Mother Nature. This wellness retreat is led by Marin Vayu and Natali Podner, who together have over 30 years of experience in yoga, massage therapy, meditation, and physiotherapy. The retreat takes place in a house near Rovinj with options for double and single accommodation, and each day is specially designed to integrate one of the five elements; Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Spirit.

Each day begins with a healthy vegetarian (or vegan) breakfast, morning yoga lessons, and a planned adventure. Over the duration of the retreat, you can experience a variety of water sports on the Adriatic Sea, including SUP (stand-up paddleboarding), windsurfing, kayaking, and snorkeling. Marin and Natali also go beyond the physical yoga practice to include meditation teachings while connecting with the earth through mapped-out hiking, biking excursions, and even cave exploration.

You don’t even have to worry about lunch as it’s all included in your retreat, and again seasonal, healthy, and vegetarian/vegan is the menu to keep your body fuelled and restored. To top it all off, there is a boat excursion to ensure you get a dose of the Croatian tourist charm and downtime to explore on your own.

This wellness retreat starts each Sunday from May 30th, with the last group of the season on August 22nd.

Wellness Retreat On Vitality Island LošInj, Kvarner Bay, Croatia

Photo Credit: Losinj Hotels & Villas

The island of Mali Losinj, or Vitality Island as it’s also known, got its fame from retreats for those with respiratory problems back in the ’90s. This retreat, put on by Tennis Holidays Croatia, is for much more than clearing out your lungs. You guessed it; this is an active outdoor tennis holiday to learn, practice, and/or strengthen your game from leading experts in the field.

It’s no oversight that it’s located on an island intentionally planted with a forest of pine trees and over 1,000 species of medicinal plants.

Wellness is the theme of the island, and heated outdoor sea pools, Finish, Roman, and Bio saunas, as well as Turkish baths, can be found at Hotel Aurora or Hotel Punta, the hotels recommended for your stay during the retreat. You can even explore the gardens, collecting aromatic plants to make your own aromatherapy essential oils.

Work up a sweat on the courts each morning during this retreat, then unwind with the healing properties and wellness activities plentiful on Losinj island.

The retreat runs in the spring before temperatures get too hot.

 

Summersalt Yoga Retreats On Vis Island, Croatia

Retreats in Croatia - Photo Credit: Summersalt Yoga
Photo Credit: Summersalt Yoga

Voted by the Guardian in the best 20 yoga holidays worldwide, the SUP Yoga Retreats offered by Summersalt are unforgettable experiences, to say the least. Set on the island of Vis in Croatia, just getting to the retreat on the ferry will douse you with a wave of calm and tranquility. Or perhaps excitement and anticipation to arrive and get on the stand-up paddleboards, soaking in the sun rays while practicing yoga on the SUPs.

One of the most beautiful things about this retreat, and there are too many to count genuinely, is that it’s open to all levels. Whether you’re a long-time practitioner looking to take your practice outdoors or challenge advanced poses with an extra need for balance, or a mere beginner longing to try SUP and/or yoga, this is THE retreat for you.

Set in a gorgeous villa with an onsite pool, this retreat includes catered vegetarian breakfast buffets and dinners cooked onsite incorporating local and seasonal ingredients. And many ingredients are found on this rugged, remarkably untouched island. In fact, the archipelago is a UNESCO Global Geopark, meaning the raw beauty of nature still thrives here, being largely untouched by mass tourism. Most famous for the Blue and Green Caves, with numerous beaches that are walking and boat access, only there are lots to explore outside of Vis island’s retreat during your stay.

The team at Summersalt is a mix of Croatian locals and UK-based yoga teachers that work together to ensure your Croatian yoga retreat is unforgettable for the mind, body, and soul.

The SUP yoga retreats typically have various start dates throughout May and June. Summersalt also offers two other retreats for exploration around Vis Island that run in May, June, and September. 

De Lima Escapes Retreat Split, Croatia

Wellness Retreats in Croatia
Photo credit: De Lima Escapes

Situated just a few minutes away from the airport on Ciovo, a suburb of Split, this is a luxury curated wellness retreat. From your room in one of the two exquisite villas complete with a heated outdoor infinity pool to the chef-prepared meals and daily smoothies, you will begin to feel pampered and your inner wellness restored just by showing up. But it’s not all lounging and soaking in the five-star treatment; this retreat includes a variety of fitness activities, including HIIT workouts, dance, aqua fitness, and strength training sessions. There are also yoga and meditation classes because, let’s face it, a wellness retreat that nurtures the mind undoubtedly incorporates these two.

Don’t be fooled, though; this is not a yoga retreat; it’s a luxurious experience that will leave you rejuvenated and, to quote the De Lima team, “whole so you can return home with a nourished mind, body, and spirit.”

Our favorite part, though? It typically runs at the best time of the season, September. The sea has been warming all season, and the swarms of tourists with kids and college students have gone home and venturing out of the villa or even tacking on a few additional days to your trip to explore some islands, many of which have ferry connections straight from Split is an optimal choice.

Linden Tree Retreat & Ranch Velika Plana, Croatia

Wellness Retreats In Croatia - Photo Credit: Linden Tree Retreat & Ranch
Photo Credit: Linden Tree Retreat & Ranch

When you think of all-inclusive, it often includes over-indulging in food & drink and over-stimulating your senses with evening entertainment. Not so at Linden Tree Ranch, where wellness is at its very core, and relaxation and restoration are a promise.

Just one hour west of Zagreb or one hour east of Zadar, the ranch is nestled in pure nature, where you can escape the noise of urban life. Activities like horseback riding, canoeing, off-roading in a Jeep, hiking Croatia’s grand Velebit Mountain, bear watching, and even some good old cowboy fun like wood chopping and sack races are all available.

This is a beautiful wellness retreat for the entire family too! The owners at Linden have created a Little Bear’s Kids Club where children between the ages of 4 and 12 can engage in several fun activities under-trained adult supervision so you can still get some personal time without leaving the kids for a week. They’re bound to have a wonderful time, from pony rides to panning for gold to a survival academy with fun outdoor living know-how.

An option with so many choices where you don’t have to lift a finger – did we mention that three gourmet meals and snacks are provided during your stay? With sustainability and an eco-approach to everything at the ranch, the meals are made onsite with ingredients foraged on the property and locally as much as possible. Linden has even been recognized twice in the Michelin guidebook of where to eat.

With bookings available year-round, this is a wellness retreat the entire family can enjoy with as many or as few activities as suit you. No matter how many naps you take or how many adventures you head out on, everything about this experience in Croatia will recharge you. From the design of the ranch itself, the stunning surrounding nature, and the home-cooked meals to a ‘respect nature and in turn respect yourself’ approach to sustainable living.

Terme Tuhelj Tuheljske Toplice, (60km from Zagreb) Croatia

Best Wellness Retreats In Croatia -Terme Tuhelj
Photo Credit: Terme Tuhelj

Are you the type that loves the idea of a wellness retreat but prefers to cater to your own itinerary rather than following a schedule? Croatia’s most well-known thermal bath resort is perfect for your wellness getaway. Located a short hour’s drive from Zagreb’s capital city, Terme Tuhelj offers many accommodation options and activities.

The main attraction is undoubtedly the hot springs, or pure thermal spring pools as the resort calls them, which are medicinal and recharge any ailments and joint pain you may be experiencing and provide a sense of full-body relaxation. These two outdoor pools, combined with the healing mud, are therapeutic for the body inside and out.

Sauna World combines saunas and pools at differing temperatures in the Finnish way, set to recharge and reboot your circulation and mind. This is undoubtedly a necessity when planning your time at Terme Tuhelj.

The SPAeVITA Center at Terme Tuhelj provides a variety of massage and full-body treatments, a great addition to your custom-tailored wellness retreat to add some luxury and relaxation.

To get your adrenaline pumping, there is also a ‘Water Planet’ onsite at the resort, which is terrific for those bringing children along. Water Planet includes wave pools, water slides, and waterfalls to get your blood pumping and your heart laughing.

With so much to choose from, Terme Tuhelj is the perfect spot to break out of your regular routine and decompress for a customized wellness retreat in Croatia.

They are open year-round and offer indoor and outdoor treatments, so you can’t go wrong with a self-catered wellness retreat any month of the year.

Yin & Hormone Balance Yoga Razanj, Croatia

Best Wellness Retreats In Croatia - Photo Credit: Sub-Art Yoga
Photo Credit: Sub-Art Yoga

Perhaps your want for a wellness retreat in Croatia is driven by a need for a more specific focus on your health.

The team behind this 7-day Yin & Hormone Balance Yoga Retreat for Women offers several yoga retreats beyond yoga practice. Each retreat is tailored around an educational piece that allows you to mindfully draw attention to your body’s needs and learn proper poses and sequences you can take home to continue the self-work journey.

Located in Razanj, a small coastal Dalmatian town just 30 minutes drive north of Split’s airport, the retreat still offers a stunning Adriatic venue, time to soak up the sun’s rays and swim in the sea. Still, it adds a precious core topic of focus to your yoga.

The Yin & Hormone Balance Yoga Retreat for Women is led by Radka Exnar, a certified practitioner who utilized the very same Hormone Yoga Therapy she teaches to defy western medicine’s diagnosis of a near-impossible pregnancy at the age of 40 to welcome a baby within the same year of beginning the practice.

An authentic yoga teacher teaches that which she practices herself, and Radka is precisely this instructor. This retreat is ideal for women looking to balance hormones through a centuries-old practice of the natural way, or at least build on their knowledge and gift some self-love to their bodies because a wellness retreat in Croatia can be beautiful, relaxing, and educational.

And if you’re not a woman or have any interest in your hormones during your retreat Sub-Art Yoga offers a range of Retreats that include meditation practice, yoga and dance, hiking, energy work, and more that may be more aligned with your interests.

Whatever your flavor of choice, you can’t go wrong with a week spent with this team of teachers and in the town of Razanj.

If a yoga retreat is what you’re after, there will be a date or focus with this team that fits your schedule! The Yin & Hormone yoga retreat has various start dates in the months of May, June, and October. However, Sub-Art yoga offers other retreats with start dates running throughout the months of April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.

We recommend you book the seven wellness retreats selected to offer variety for an unforgettable Croatian vacation this year. From luxury with Del Lima Retreats to island escapes on SUPs with Summersalt Yoga on Vis, to rustic all-inclusive ranch getaways with Linden Tree and nature’s own thermal spring resorts in continental Croatia, there is something for everyone. To quote the team at Linden Tree, “By its very definition, wellness is the achievement of a balance of the mind, spirit, and body that results in overall well-being…active and passive meditation in forests…nourishing your body with natural-sourced and organic foods, massaging your body, challenging your body, thrilling your psyche, immersing yourself in a demonstrably remote and authentically wild environment, childlike play, and doing nothing at all are all prescriptions for improved wellness.”

With any of our recommendations on this list, Croatia will deliver an experience of rejuvenation for mind, body, and spirit in a remarkable setting to last a lifetime. Let the retreat teams do the planning for your trip; avoid the tourist swarms and lugging your stuff around old town cobble streets in multiple towns in 40C weather. Hop on a plane, train, or bus to Croatia and let the wellness retreat melt away life demands and stresses so you can begin connecting with yourself and others for the same experience. Your body and mind will thank you.

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Comment

  1. Hello, do u offer a fasting retreat for 7-10 days? I’m interested in a single room, light exercise, swimming while detoxing. My time is flexible April- May. Thank you, claudia

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