How a Lake Garda Retreat Helped Me Reset and Breathe Again | Condé Nast Traveler

"Perched in the silvery mountains above Gargnano, this destination spa became my refuge for a modified version of its new “Letting Go” program, a three-night reset inspired by classical Chinese medicine and designed to help guests rediscover their authentic selves. In the tranquil energy garden, Head of Lefay SPA Method Training Giuseppe Doronzo re-taught me how to breathe, guiding me from shallow chest breaths to deep, diaphragmatic breathing that finally loosened the invisible vise around my lungs; later, the transcendent hum of a Tibetan sound bowl quieted my usually unrelenting mind. Over the next few days I reconnected with my senses: an exquisite anti-aging lavender facial felt as if it scrubbed away years of camouflaging; a morning walk among olive groves and shaded woodland awakened more than my under-worked calves; even sipping a cup of floral tea became a meditative ritual. I foraged herbs growing wild on the grounds and folded them into hand-rolled cavatelli in Chef Mariano Melluso’s holistic cooking class, where his three stages of pasta—stress, rest, shape—gently challenged me to embrace imperfection. Terraces and pools overlook Lake Garda, and soaking spots frame the surrounding mountains, amplifying a program that helps overstimulated travelers break away from burnout and return to the here-and-now." - Hannah Foster-Roe