The rise of the urban spa

When temperatures fall, winter spa visits provide unique wellness benefits, from stress relief to boosted circulation and immune responses

The river at Alet-les-Bains sparkled in the late afternoon sun as I stood beside it, gripping a smooth pebble in my palm. Around me, five other women, all somewhere between 48 and 62, prepared to do t

THE BEST HEALTH DISCOVERIES OF 2025 CHANGED HOW WE FEEL. HERE ARE THE 10 HABITS THAT WE’RE KEEPING IN 2026…

(whatever your budget!)

It’s more than 350 years since Marrakech last held the title of Morocco’s capital, but in many ways it still feels like the heart of the country. International designers and bohemians have been drawn to the city for decades. And though Marrakech’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the past millennium, tourism is booming right now. It’s the mix of old and new that tends to captivate: art galleries sit alongside ancient tombs, while crumbling, labyrinthine alleys lead to gilded coffeehouses and chic garden cafes — all framed by the Atlas Mountains. Luxury hotels have sprung up on the city’s outskirts like glittering palaces, but there’s nothing quite like staying within the amber-hued walls of the 11th-century medina, where riads (traditional townhouses) offer memorable retreats.

The sun is glinting off the narrow stream as it flows between the grassy banks. Crystal clear, it has travelled down from the Austrian Alps, which frame the idyllic landscape: a pretty picture of wood