If you are looking to spend a few days at a spa resort in Greece, you will love Euphoria Retreat. Just 3 hours away from Athens, it’s an amazing place to indulge in custom-made holistic therapies! Here is my experience at the Euphoria holistic resort in Greece.
A unique holistic experience at Euphoria retreat Greece
Let’s say that someone invited you to go on a wellness experience to Mystras in the Peloponnese, one of the most beautiful regions of mainland Greece. Let’s say that all you knew about this trip is that there was going to be some mild trekking, yoga and meditation, combined with a couple of spa treatments.
That’s all I knew before I applied for a sponsored trip which was happening alongside a Travel Bloggers’ conference known as TBEX. The words “mild trekking”, “yoga”, “meditation” and “wellness experience” really stood out!
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will probably know that I enjoy several outdoor activities such as swimming, kayaking and hiking. What I’ve never mentioned, however, is that I’ve been practicing Yoga since 1999. So I was very curious to see what this “wellness experience” was.
A few weeks later, I was excited to receive an email saying that I was invited to go to this trip, along with five more travel bloggers. All I thought of was, yay, a weekend of yoga and hiking!
Euphoria Retreat in the Peloponnese
Little did I know, however, about the resort that was going to host this 2-day experience. It was a place called Euphoria Retreat, for which I knew nothing about.
Google is a close friend of mine, so I soon found out that Euphoria is a “luxurious Greek spa resort”, located close to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mystras. At the end of my 48-hour stay, however, that description felt extremely poor and one-dimensional.
In a nutshell, Euphoria is a premium holistic spa retreat, offering a range of programs and classes that promote physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
Guests balance their body, mind and soul through various activities such as yoga, meditation, sound baths, fitness classes and a variety of spa treatments. Each guest receives a custom-made schedule with personalized activities, based on their own personal goals and needs.
The philosophy of this place is based on various principles taken from Hippocratic medicine, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine. The “Euphoria method” explores the Five Elements theory, according to which human behaviour is influenced by nature and the elements.
These holistic practices actually match my own personal interests, so I was getting more and more excited to read about the Euforia spa resort.
A place to heal the mind, body and soul
This state-of-the-art spa hotel was founded by Marina Efraimoglou, a lady with a great personal story. She was diagnosed with cancer in her late 20s, but fortunately managed to overcome it.
At that time, Marina realized that her ambitious career path in the corporate world was sabotaging her own health. She quit her job and started researching alternative healing methods, which eventually inspired her to launch the Euphoria Wellness Retreat.
As I was reading her story, I couldn’t help thinking that Euphoria reminded me of the ancient Greek healing centers called Asklepieia, such as the one in Ancient Epidaurus. This is where Asklepios, the God of Medicine, was worshiped, and where patients came to be healed.
I was getting more and more excited to be invited to this place, and was really looking forward to it!
The rooms at Euphoria Hotel Mystras Greece
A few days before our arrival, I received an email by Hotel Euphoria, asking what type of pillow I like – normal, low, soft or firm 🙂 Having already seen photos of the various types of rooms at Euphoria, I was certain that any type of pillow would do, but I responded anyway.
When I checked into my room, I just stood there and looked around for a while, as it was ridiculously big. The so-called “extra large double bed” was actually two double beds put together! The mattress was really comfortable, and there was a huge selection of fluffy pillows of all sorts.
There was also a seating area, a huge computer desk, and enough space to accommodate a private yoga class – or maybe a small party! Heavy, thick curtains completely blocked the sunlight when drawn.
This all came with hi-tech light-controlling switches, and a large number of sockets that could charge all the electrical devices someone would ever own. There was also a TV which I don’t believe I ever switched on, other than to obtain the Wi-Fi code.
Both the bedroom and the ensuite bathroom were very tastefully decorated, following a “less is more” mentality. There was everything anyone could ever need, including a set of scales in the bathroom.
This room was several notches up from the accommodation I usually go for. As I travel 3-4 months a year – I’m a travel blogger, remember! – I usually choose basic self-catering accommodation, which is also my temporary home away from home.
All in all, I could easily spend a couple of weeks staying in that room. Or maybe longer!
Euphoria Spa and Wellness Hotel in the Peloponnese
Having seen the room, I was very curious to see the spa facilities.
I have to say, the indoor swimming pool at Euphoria was really something else! It was shaped like a dome, and had really unique acoustics, making people’s voices vibrate everywhere! The water was at a perfect temperature, and the various water massage facilities in the pool were very relaxing.
My favourite area in the spa was the area designed for hot and cold water therapy. There was a large sauna, a few heated beds, and a plunge pool filled with cold water – I believe the temperature was 8 degrees C (46.4 F). Actually, it wasn’t as bad as I expected – I’d describe it as refreshing!
There was also an amazing device which was producing crushed ice – something like an ice fountain. It was fun to rub the ice around my face and legs, but I can’t imagine I would dip my entire body in crushed ice – I haven’t embraced the Wim Hof method fully yet!
There was also a smaller, shallower pool for cold and hot footbaths, a salt room and a few other facilities. Unfortunately, I ran out of time to use them all – hopefully next time!
Euphoria’s unique architectural style combines elements from several different countries around the world. I noticed similarities with Turkish and Moroccan architecture, but there were also elements that reminded me of the Byzantine ruins of Mystras.
Watch this short video, taken from Euphoria Retreat’s official channel, and you’ll get a much better idea of what the various spa areas look like.
Premium treatments and therapies at Euphoria Wellness Resort
Our luxury wellness experience at Euphoria included two complimentary treatments – a hammam session, and a full-body massage.
If, like me, you’ve ever had a traditional hammam session in Turkey, you’ll probably know that it’s not necessarily the most relaxing experience. Apart from the steam room, there is often a fair amount of rubbing and scrubbing involved!
The hammam treatment at Euphoria, however, was nothing like that. It was more like a gentle massage with plenty of water, soap and oil, after which I felt refreshed and sparkly clean!
I also had a personalized massage session, which was in line with the five-element theory, based on a questionnaire I had completed the day before. Before and after the massage session, I spent some time in a relaxation room!
I have to say, my personal focus seemed to be more about enjoying the treatments, rather than understanding how they actually worked! So, while the five-element theory makes a lot of sense to me, I didn’t make an effort to associate it to the actual techniques.
After all, we have to be present in the moment, don’t we!
Yoga and breathing classes
Among all the practices offered at Euphoria, there are also yoga, meditation and breathing classes. These three practices are closely linked together, and they are becoming more and more popular in Greece.
We had a yoga class and a breathing class with Hareesh, who is from India. Both of them were quite different to most of the classes I’ve tried in the past – and if you’ve ever practiced yoga, you will know that not two teachers are ever the same!
The yoga room was bright and large, with beautiful views to the surrounding area. Pilates and various fitness classes are also held in the same room. I would have loved to try one of the fitness classes but we ran out of time.
There’s also an outdoors yoga area, which is perfect for sunrise yoga during the summer!
Sound healing
One of the Euphoria activities I was really looking forward to was the sound healing session. Known also as sound bath, this activity promotes a state of deep relaxation, similar to meditation.
For this particular session, the sound healer used a set of Himalayan bowls, a few chimes, and a set of five large, custom-made gongs. Each of those instruments produces different sounds, and they are all beautifully combined.
The purpose of sound healing is, effectively, to reduce stress and anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic system. This is achieved due to the sounds of various frequencies.
Now, I’m sure that not everyone believes in the powers of sound healing. I personally find it very enjoyable, and this session was no exception! All the gongs in the room were tailored-made in SE Asia, and they produced lovely, deep sounds, aligning with the 5-element theory.
By the way, it’s quite common for participants to fall into a trance state, or even to fall asleep, during a sound bath. Even if you are skeptical about it, you could consider trying it at some point.
Gaia restaurant at Euphoria Mystras
And now, something that everyone can relate to: food!
If you’ve been to Greece, or if you’ve read any of my guides on Greek dishes, you will know that food is a huge part of Greek culture. On several occasions, like Greek Easter, everything seems to revolve around food!
While this wasn’t the case for Euphoria, food is an integral part of the resort’s holistic philosophy. The on-site restaurant serves three meals a day, all prepared with seasonal ingredients of great quality.
Every dish has been carefully thought out, and there’s a good balance between proteins, carbs and fats. The portions were not huge, yet I found the food very filling. The main course with no starter was enough for me on most occasions – though most other people would probably want both.
There were dishes to suit all tastes, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free. I found that most of the dishes would qualify as healthy in any nutritionist’s book – for example, there were no fried or deep-fried dishes.
I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but I absolutely fell in love with this vegan chocolate dessert! It tastes even better than it looked, and it looked amazing! 
Wine? Yes. Mobile phones? No!
I should note here that, contrary to what someone might expect from a detox wellness spa resort, wine and coffee are available on the menu. However, I was rather surprised to hear that talking on mobile phones is not allowed in the restaurant – which I actually really enjoyed!
Apart from water, guests have the option to drink water that has been infused with thyme, oregano, orange, cinnamon, and a few other herbs and spices. I really enjoyed the one with orange and, from what it looks like, chia seeds!
Overall, I really enjoyed the Gaia experience. I should note here that the restaurant is open to guests only, and it appears that most guests rarely eat outside the resort.
The wider area of Euphoria in Mystras Peloponnese
So, Euphoria is a holistic wellness destination, suitable for anyone seeking to improve their health and overall well-being. But what about the area it’s located at?
Well, this premium spa resort is located close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mystras. It sits on a tranquil mountain setting right at the foot of Mt Taygetus, overlooking the hills and olive groves in the area.
In fact, part of the forest behind Euphoria is private property, and is reserved for the holistic hotel’s guests. Some of their week-long retreats include several activities in the forest, such as running and cycling.
We didn’t have time to hike in the forest itself. However, hiking on Mt Taygetus with a local company called Experience Nature was fab! Spring is my favourite time to go hiking, with all the blooming flowers.
So, what did I think of Euphoria?
I am sure by now you realize that I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Euphoria resort. Yes, this was a press trip, and no, I didn’t pay for my stay, meals or treatments, but I was very grateful I had this unique opportunity.
One thing I didn’t mention is that the staff at Euphoria were wonderful and very attentive! I had the chance to discuss with a few of them, and they all seemed to enjoy their job and environment – and I could totally see why.
I would love to go back for a full week of yoga, fitness classes and spa therapies, and have the chance to go for a walk in the forest. In fact, I’ve got my eye on the “Euphoria fitness” holistic retreat – who knows, I might try it at some point!
With rooms starting at around 390 euro / night with breakfast, Euphoria is definitely not budget, or even mid-range, accommodation. But what it offers is quite unique, and I would definitely recommend checking it out for a night, a weekend, or a full week!
Have a look at this guide as well: Is Greece expensive? No it’s not, and here’s why!
How to get to Euphoria spa retreat in the Peloponnese
If you are planning to spend some time at Euphoria but don’t have your own means of transportation, get in touch with them. They can organize transportation from various places, including Athens and the Athens airport.
Hi! I’m Vanessa from Athens and I love helping visitors with practical tips about Athens and Greece. As you’ve gathered, I loved spending some time at Euphoria, and I’m hoping to return one day! Follow me on Facebook for more travel inspiration about Greece.