If you're looking for some inspiration on the best places to relax and unwind, here are some of the best wellbeing breaks to soothe your soul.

1. Healing in India

The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu and the Duchess of Cornwall are among the visitors to Dr Issac Mathai’s holistic healing centre near Bangalore, in the south Indian state of Karnataka. Rooms are homely and facilities limited – but Ayurveda and naturopathic treatments are the main draw. A Mind and Spirit Enhancement break includes guidance on diet, a yoga consultation, advice on relaxation and meditation techniques, cooking demonstrations and massage. Vegetarian food is largely sourced from Soukya’s organic gardens.

Mind and Spirit Enhancement Package from £2,400 for six nights full board. Flights and transfers excluded. Available year round. Soukya (soukya.com).

2. Breathe easy in Indonesia

Breathing to release mental stresses and tensions is the subject of workshops offered at Nihi Sumba, where techniques include abdominal, deep belly and yogic breathing (pranayama) with a focus on opening airways and maintaining healthy lungs. This tropical retreat on the island of Sumba has a long sandy beach and stylish villas overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Nihi Sumba from £4,398 per person for seven nights full-board in a one-bedroom villa, including flights and transfers. Available April to September. Inspiring Travel Company (inspiringtravelcompany.co.uk).

3. Brain boost in Brazil

The Kurotel Longevity Medical Centre and Spa, near Gramado in southern Brazil, offers a mental stimulation programme developed by neuroscientists and health professionals. It includes a medical evaluation and consultations with a psychologist, a dermatologist and a physiotherapist, alongside relaxing visual and audio exercises aimed at aiding memory and improving sleep. 

Brain Booster programme from £2,465 per person for seven nights full-board, including transfers. Flights excluded. Available year round. Health and Fitness Travel (healthandfitnesstravel.com). 

4. Silence in Italy

Mandali is set on a hilltop overlooking Lago d’Orta in northern Italy and activities are run on an optional, drop-in basis – so you be can flexible. The Mandali Experience is a three, five or eight-day programme that combines mindfulness, “self-compassion” and silence, plus meditation and sharing circle sessions. Accommodation is in stylish rooms or villas and buffet-style vegetarian meals are prepared with organic produce grown on the site.

Mandali Experience from €350 (£310) for two nights including all meals. Flights and transfers excluded. Available year round (mandali.org).

5. Get creative in Greece

Previous artistic experience isn’t essential on a summer course at the Skyros Centre on the Greek island of Skyros. The course is led by Ignacio Lalanne, who trained at London’s Central Saint Martins Art and Design College and is also a mindfulness teacher. Through painting and drawing, he encourages participants to relax the mind and to focus on the present. Daily yoga, music and singing sessions are also on offer.

Creativity, Art and Mindfulness from £1,395 for 13 nights, half-board. Excludes flights and transfers. Starts Aug 18 2019. Skyros (skyros.com). 

6. Go holistic in the Caribbean 

Ayurvedic expert Kyra Montagu offers daily meditation and yoga as an aid to mental relaxation on a Signature Wellbeing Experience at the Boca Chavon holistic retreat, offered by Wellbeing Escapes. Located on the south-east shores of the Dominican Republic, this three-room hideaway with additional glamping tents is set in 25 acres of tranquil gardens. The price includes two yoga nidra classes, two massages, a mud cleansing treatment and a naturopathy consultation.

Signature Wellbeing Experience from £1,354 for seven nights full-board. Flights and transfers excluded. Available November to September. Wellbeing Escapes (wellbeingescapes.com).

7. Meditate in Portugal

A 40-minute lesson in meditation techniques is part of a “detox” break at Six Senses Douro Valley, which also includes a 30-minute yoga consultation, an hour-long yoga session, a 45-minute massage and a 40-minute guided breathing class. This five-star hotel is in a 19th-century, hilltop manor house overlooking vineyards and the Douro river, with 10 treatment rooms and an indoor pool. 

Yogic Detox programme from £1,665 per person B&B for five nights in a Quinta Superior Room including flights and transfers. Available year round. The Healthy Holiday Company (thehealthyholidaycompany.co.uk).

8. Deep sleeps in Switzerland

Insomniacs with deep pockets might book a break at the five-star Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland for a comprehensive treatment plan. The price includes a medical consultation, pulmonary tests, video polysomnography (to record brain movement, heart rate and breathing) and analysis of sleep patterns. Unlimited access to the thermal spa plus daily fitness and relaxation classes are also included in the price.

Sleep Diagnostic Programme from £3,675 per person B&B for two nights in a Comfort Room, including rail station transfers. Flights and rail travel excluded. Available year round. Healing Holidays (healingholidays.co.uk). 

9. Qigong and yoga in Yorkshire

A short break is, apparently, enough time to pick up some of the key principles of mindfulness and meditation. Special interest operator HF Holidays offers a weekend in 48-room Newfield Hall in Yorkshire where the programme has three sessions to choose from daily. Options include mindfulness meditation, qigong, yoga and massage, and tai chi. There is also plenty of free time to explore the local area.

Mind and Body Retreat in the Southern Yorkshire Dales from £349 for three nights full-board. Travel and transfers excluded. Nov 1 2019. HF Holidays (hfholidays.co.uk). 

10. Mental rest in Menorca

Rest and mental recuperation through mindfulness, nutrition and therapy is the key focus on a retreat run by Silver Linings at five-star Cugó Gran Menorca, a tranquil 12-room hotel near the village of Sant Climent on the island’s south coast. Organic vegetables, local seafood and vegan dishes are on the menu, as well as a daily programme of yoga, pilates, massage and meditation. There is also plenty of free time to rest and unwind in the peaceful gardens.

Four-day Silver Linings Retreat at Cugo Gran Menorca from £1,700 per person, full-board with transfers. Rooms from €395 per night. Flights extra. Sept 23 2019. Silver Linings Retreats (silverliningsretreats.com).