Living in Ibiza means I am spoilt for choice when it comes to the luxury of retreats, wellness days and spas. Ibiza is fast becoming the ultra-chic place to host wellness holidays and there are a lot to choose from. Whether you want to spend your week meditating, undertaking a vegan cleanse, following a weight loss regime, or doing bootcamp, yoga and HITT style workouts, you can find something to suit you here on this island. Of course there is the added bonus that the beautiful White Isle is only a 2 hour 20 minute flight from London with an average 20-minute airport transfer the other end!

The Eat Retreat experience really is ‘one of a kind’. It is the only cookery retreat on the island that focuses on healthy food, describing itself as a cookery holiday with ‘a little wellness and a sprinkling of frivolity’.

 

Unfortunately, I was unable to get a pass from my husband to stay at Eat Retreat for the whole seven-day duration. For whatever reason (!?) he didn’t fancy fending for himself, looking after the children, walking the dogs and running the house whilst still holding down his full-time job! How selfish!! So we compromised and I managed to wangle a two-day pass out of him – promising him that I would be a much better wife and mother on my return! So, as a result, this blog post focuses on the two ‘taster days’ I experienced at the week-long retreat hosted at the beautiful Can Verru villa.

 

The retreat is run by founder, Anne Marie Duperouzel and Jac Forte, who between them have organised hundreds of retreats and events and can definitely be regarded as pros in this area. Anne Marie identified a gap in the market for a retreat that people could make their own. One that wasn’t so strict that the guests had to partake in every activity going, where mobiles weren’t banned (heaven forbid people can’t check Instagram at least twice a day!) and where drinking wine and eating chocolate weren’t forbidden! This approach is right up my street so if this sounds like a bit of you too, read on!

 

First impressions count … so let’s talk about the luxurious villa. ‘Can Verru’ is tucked away towards the west side of the island and surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in Ibiza. Cala d’Hort, Cala Comte and Cala Bassa to name just a few are all within an easy drive for guests who want to check them out.

One of the first things I noticed when I walked in, was the lovely, relaxed vibe around the villa. Considering there were 12 people on the retreat, there was a very tranquil atmosphere. A few people were chilling out round the pool, some relaxing in their rooms and others out and about while the staff were quietly busy preparing activities for the day ahead.

 

I wanted to get to know the place, so my first activity was exploring! I loved the outside kitchen, the tranquil pool area and fitness & massage zones. Perhaps my favourite space was the most lovely outdoor studio where the retreat runs its yoga and Pilates classes. Whilst the villa is not ultra-modern (and this to me is part of it’s charm), it has everything you could possibly need and is clean and spacious, with a homely feel and not once did I feel on top of the other guests. There was so much room!

More importantly, what about the food???? I got to meet Ali, one of the highly experienced chefs from Ibiza Kitchen, who is in charge of the meals at the retreat. Unfortunately I didn’t get to experience dinner but I did see the lovely, healthy breakfast Ali was serving up whilst I was there. There was a choice between a chia seed pudding (the lighter option) or a cooked breakfast consisting of eggs, tomatoes and avocado for those who prefer something more substantial. There was (of course) herbal tea but also plenty of black coffee. Since coffee is banned in lots of retreats, this was a somewhat revolutionary prospect! Many guests struggle to enjoy the first few days at more traditional retreats, having been immediately plunged into the dark world of caffeine withdrawal with the accompanying headaches. Uh, no thanks!! I also watched Ali prepare hors d’oeuvres. Beautifully fresh prawns wrapped in wafers were served before dinner with a glass of champagne (how posh!) and how ‘so not your average retreat’! During the sunset boat trip we got to enjoy some delicious homemade picnic food which included an awesome gluten-free tomato & basil pasta salad, a Spanish frittata and a selection of cold meats, good quality cheeses and gluten-free loaves of bread. There was also plenty of fresh fruit and lots of ice cold booze available for the guests to enjoy.

 

As I was only here for two days, I obviously didn’t get to experience the whole range of activities on offer, but what I did do, I really enjoyed and it gave me a good idea of what was on offer for those fortunate enough to get week-long passes from their other halves!

I was lucky enough to experience the Pilates class which being a Pilates instructor myself, I got pretty excited about. The teacher, Natalie, had a lovely energy about her, knew her stuff and adapted the class to suit each participant. The problem with being a teacher is that I am ultra fussy about teaching standards. However, if I lived closer to Natalie I would definitely be visiting her more often. Onto yoga. Yoga is held four mornings a week at the retreat but seeing as I was otherwise engaged (on the school run grrrrrrr) I was unable to attend. However, I actually know one of the yoga teachers quite well as she teaches me privately and I can’t recommend her highly enough!! There is also a Kundalini yoga teacher at the retreat who is top of her game on the island so yoga lovers are in their element.

 

Other exercise options include sunrise walks, hikes around the stunning island hosted by Gina (who is the hiking queen of Ibiza) and HITT training sessions.

 

Being the keen cook and foodie I am, the cookery lessons at the retreat, hosted by two celebrity chefs, really appealed to me. Award-winning professional chef, Jordan Bourke, (author of Our Korean, The Natural Food Kitchen and The Guilt-Free Gourmet) and Natasha Corrett (the lady behind the brand Honestly Healthy) didn’t disappoint!

 

I’m experienced in running cookery demonstrations so I appreciate just how much effort goes into preparing them, but what was great about these demos were that they were so hands on. You actually get to be involved in the prepping and the cooking of the food which for me was fantastic. Jordan, (who is my new favourite chef let me add!) cooked a Korean feast for us. The majority of us had never eaten Korean food before so it was a highlight, as well as delicious. Natasha served a vegetarian feast with a Middle Eastern twist. Unfortunately I missed out on lessons from Anne Marie who made sushi and Anne SijmonsBergen, chef and local grower at her organic farm in Ibiza and the author of ‘Eivissa’ the evocative cookbook. Being the keen cook that I am, I absolutely loved every minute of the cookery at Eat Retreat Ibiza – and loved eating it even more!!! I left feeling hugely inspired and wanting to cook all the dishes again.

 

On top of all this, there were skills lessons with the chefs, nutritional talks from Ibiza Superfoods, rustic runs, treatments, a market trip and best of all … poolside cocktail making!  It was a really informative week but one which left plenty of free time for people to do as they wished, be that reading, chilling out, swimming … or scrolling through Insta and eating chocolate! The boat trip, incidentally, replaced an afternoon run that was scheduled. The majority of the participants wanted to experience a sunset and in true Eat Retreat style, the guests’ wishes were granted! Another great example of making the retreat itinerary your own. Several people also left the retreat for day trips to Ibiza town and this flexibility in the schedule really stands the retreat apart.

 

A typical day at Eat Retreat

7.30am – 8.30am                    Yoga

9.00am – 10.00am      Breakfast

11.00am – 12.30pm    Cookery lesson with one of the chefs

1.00pm – 2.00pm        Lunch with the chef and a chance to ask questions

3.00pm – 5.00pm       Free time

5.00pm – 6.00pm        Pilates

7.30pm – 9.00pm        Dinner

 

 What surprised me most was how the guests bonded! Everyone got on extremely well. Considering there was a real mix of people at the retreat, both male and female, and a wide range of ages, everyone made an effort to get to know each other. Some had come as a couple, some with a group of friends, some, like me, on their own, but it didn’t matter. This particularly stood out during the sunset boat trip. I really felt like the bond was getting stronger but then again the wine was flowing which always helps!!

 

Would I recommend this retreat? Absolutely! If you have a keen interest in food and cookery and you’re after a relaxed retreat rather than a strict boot camp-style military regime, then the unique Eat Retreat is the one for you. Even with my limited two-day pass, I felt incredibly relaxed at the end of each day. I can’t imagine how chilled I would feel if I’m every lucky enough to get a whole week there.

 

From what I’ve seen in two days, it ticks all the boxes for me. I’ve had my eye on Eat Retreat’s Instagram for a while as the foodie element of what they offer really appeals to me. Being the foodie that I am, the way to my heart is definitely through my stomach! If the food looks good, I’m there. Naff food, and I’m not interested! Eat Retreat Ibiza, it’s safe to say, I will be back for sure!

 

Photography by Adam Cloughlin

For more information about the retreat visit the website –

EAT Retreat