Five of the best fitness and music festivals in the UK for 2019

Begone boozy festivals, these events follow a trend for healthy holidays by adding running and fitness into a mix that also includes live music and DJs

How to escape: Why a cabin break can refresh the soul

Simplicity is key to a cabin stay and while few of us go the full Thoreau, retreating to a spartan, isolated setting is more appealing than ever

Yoga summit: a festival in the Austrian Alps

Held across three pretty Alpine towns, Gastein Yoga Days offer the choice of hundreds of classes in stunning locations at affordable prices

Parkrun tourism: 10 of the best routes in the UK and worldwide

As a tour operator launches parkrun holidays, we pick 10 running locations with routes and views worth travelling for

Travelling light is the closest thing to feeling free

Not carrying much means your plans can change on a whim

20 of the best activity holidays in the UK and Europe

Lying by the pool not your thing? We’ve got everything from horse riding to multi-activity beach breaks to get your endorphins going

Cycle and surf from Bordeaux to Bilbao

A 300-mile bike ride from France into Spain, with surfing and beach yoga interludes along the way, proves exhilarating – if exhausting

10 of the best meditation retreats in the UK and Europe

We pick mindfulness and meditation holidays in beautiful surroundings – many combined with other activities like walking, singing and tai chi

Voices in the wilderness: a singing retreat in rural France

Teaching singing and meditation isn’t an obvious calling for a former punk rocker, but this one helps our participant hit the high notes on a break in the remote Massif Central

A vegan yoga retreat in Dracula’s back yard, Romania

In countryside not far from the castle of Vlad the Impaler, an idyllic break offers a gentle route to wellness with five days of yoga and meditation