Step aside Denmark. Norway takes world’s happiest nation crown
Knocking their Scandi neighbours off the top of the happiness index, Norwegians put their joyful outlook down to shared experiences, the great outdoors – and lots of country cabins
Well cool: yoga on ice in Swedish Lapland
Northern Sweden and the frozen Baltic provide a stunning setting for a yoga retreat that delivers as many thrills as it does chills
Quiet, please: Jay Rayner’s silent retreat
Being quiet doesn’t come naturally to Jay Rayner. So we sent him on a silent retreat. But could the disputatious food critic make it through a day without speaking? Find out, and hear about 10 other retreats…
Spiritual Sedona: the Arizona town bursting with positive vibes
America’s new-age capital is brimming with tours, classes and shops offering spiritual healing, but its most uplifting aspect is its dramatic setting amid rust-coloured mesas and buttes
Eastern sanctuary: a mindfulness weekend in Norfolk
A suitably slow-paced yoga and mindfulness weekend is revelatory – even the ‘weird’ bit about rebooting tired minds and bodies through silence
25 of the best yoga holidays and retreats
Yoga trips can change lives but finding the right one may sap your core strength before you’ve even started. Our picks – from Goa to Greece via Yorkshire – will make your quest more relaxing
Balancing act: surf and yoga in Morocco
The skills required for surfing and yoga complement each other, making a mixed activity break ideal for couples – and this new surfy boutique hotel on the Moroccan coast makes a perfect base
Yoga for beginners in the south of France
A trip outside the comfort zone can often feel a bit of a stretch. Our writer travels to an idyllic rural retreat near Toulouse with some concerns. As it happens, it proves to be a life-changing trip
Gravity-assisted yoga in Andalucía, Spain
There are excellent retreats in southern Spain but this one, near Málaga, has a new shala with a yoga wall, allowing for a rare level of precision and teaching. It’s in a lovely spot too
10 of the best women-only activity holidays
Demand for women-only breaks is growing. These activity trips include yoga, surfing, boot camps, and dog-sledding, from Kent to Kilimanjaro