6 Energising Wellness Experiences In London

Life in the British capital may be fast-paced, but a host of urban spas, green spaces and yoga studios means getting your wellness fix has never been so easy. From fatigue-fighting IV drips to subterranean hammams, here are six of the most restorative experiences in London.

1. ESPA at Corinthia

Spa, Health Spa

Urban spas don’t get better than ESPA at the Corinthia Hotel. Spread across four floors, this wellness destination champions a holistic approach with 17 treatment rooms, an ambient-lit pool, an amphitheatre sauna, an ice fountain and private sleep pods. The spa menu makes for extensive reading – try the two-hour Sleep Ritual for total relaxation. For optimal wellbeing, a stellar team of herbalists, osteopaths, Chinese-medicine experts and personal trainers are also at your beck and call.

2. Learn to Roller-Skate Like a Pro

Sports Center

Learn how to roller-skate with professionals, then head along to an optional post-class roller disco to show off your skating tricks. Getting fit doesn’t have to mean a mundane gym routine: learning to skate means you can burn calories and learn a new, fun skill that you can take pretty much anywhere.

3. Kew Gardens

Botanical Garden, Park

Step into Palm House at Kew Gardens for a change of scenery

One of the world’s most extraordinary botanical gardens, Kew Gardens is a breath of fresh air in South West London. Whether for springtime blooms or autumnal hues, a visit spent exploring this vast three-hectare (seven-acre) space will restore city-weary souls. Highlights include Temperate House (the world’s largest ornamental glasshouse), a towering 10-storey Chinese pagoda and the jaw-dropping Treetop Walkway. Beat the queues with priority entrance tickets, which also include access to Kew’s art galleries and guided walking tours.

5. St Pancras Spa

Spa

One of the capital’s best-kept secrets, this Victorian-inspired spa is perfect for unwinding pre- or post-Eurostar. A host of treatment packages and themed ‘journeys’ offer something for everyone, whether you’re after a jet-lag-busting massage or a pick-me-up facial. Got a little more time on your hands? Book in for the afternoon tea, a feast of sweet and savoury treats inspired by Europe’s finest delicacies.

6. Akasha at Hotel Café Royal

Spa, Health Spa

It’s hard to believe this subterranean space, the definition of an urban retreat, lies under the bustle of Piccadilly Circus. An extensive spa menu has even the weariest of travellers sorted – expect traditional facials and massages as well as more unusual offerings, such as Japanese-inspired, energy-balancing treatments, reiki, acupuncture and hammam experiences. The recently launched Aromatherapy Associates massages, which combine physical and emotional healing, come highly recommended.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.