UK Edition
Spa Spy: Acquaforte Thalasso & Spa, Forte Village, Sardinia
Our sleuth investigates the curative claims of wellbeing retreats worldwide.
This week: Acquaforte Thalasso & Spa, Forte Village, Sardinia
The spa
Forte Village is a family-friendly beach side resort in Sardinia’s Blue Zone region, where people live far longer than average. The Mediterranean resort consists of 5 five-star hotels and 3 four-star hotels plus 11 luxury villas, nestled under a canopy of trees over 47 hectares.
Gordon Ramsay is a fan and has a restaurant there: in high season there are 21 restaurants to choose from. It also has a magnificent spa: Acquaforte.
Acquaforte is famed for its thalassotherapy facilities, a form of treatment which uses the healing properties of the sea and the marine environment for wellbeing. Sun, sand and sea: what more could Spy wish for?
Spy was pleased to learn that the secret to longevity does not preclude the consumption of wine: the local red vino, carignano, is also understood to have health benefits. Longevity and a glass of wine? Spy will drink to that.
The symptoms
Spa Spy was sluggish and stressed following a bleak British winter in London, a condition manifesting itself in the form of dull skin. She was in dire need of gentle rejuvenation, good wholesome food, and a dose of both vitamin D and vitamin Sea - ready to emerge, phoenix-like, in time for the heatwave.
The procedure
The Acquaforte spa is centred around six thalassotherapy pools (thermal baths). Each pool uses different gradations of temperature and harnesses the natural power of salt and water, and contains varying concentrations of magnesium and sodium salt. Sardinia has an ancient history of hydrotherapy: the ancient Romans bathed in thermal baths in the nearby ruins of Nora.
Led by Dr Angelo Cerina, the spa is a place to get back to nature, to strip down to your essential elements and step away from stress.
The first pool is the murky sea oil or brine pool of Cerina’s ‘mother water’: Spy floated in the hot, high saline pool and felt it drain away her cares and ills. Immersion in such water causes vasodilation (the dilation of blood vessels, which decreases blood pressure). The high salt content stung Spy slightly at first, and she was careful not to get the salty solution into her eyes.
Next, sea oil with skin healing aloe vera and perky mint (thalassotherapy is excellent for acne and psoriasis, Spy learnt); followed by a slightly cooler dip in the third pool, in which Spy enjoyed a dreamy in-pool massage.
The fourth pool consists of pure sea water with hyrdrojets to apply pressure and massage the legs, back, hips, neck and reflexology points of the feet. The fifth and sixth pools are cooler, and causes re-energising vasoconstriction (the constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure) following the deep relaxation of the previous pools. Spa Spy emerged feeling light, carefree and energetic.
There are myriad benefits to the treatment: for Spy, it served to aid sleep, ease anxiety, soothe muscle and joint pain, and decrease water retention.
There’s also a medical centre (the Forte Lab), which specialises in osteopathy, cardiovascular health, anti-aging, diet and sports medicine, and a non-intrusive cosmetic aesthetics centre: Spy preferred to release her mind secluded in yoga classes scented with Mediterranean aromas of oleander, bougainvillea and pine, and to enjoy the signature treatment of salt exfoliation followed by Ayurvedic massage with warm local Sardinian honey.
Spy also rather enjoyed slinking off to the private spa with a 3-pool thalasso circuits, private treatment rooms, sauna, hammam solarium and lounge.
Next time, Spy has vowed to also make full use of the performance centre and gym, where she plans to give aerial dance a try with a private trainer or master both Pilates and the gyrokinensis method: a rhythmic cult exercise which combines elements of yoga, dance, tai-chi and martial arts.
But Spy doesn’t have to stop there, oh no: should Spy wish, she could join Forte Village’s tennis academy, tone up in the boxing ring at the Frank Buglioni Boxing Academy at Forte Village. Should Spy begin to feel really adventurous in her new feelgood state, she might even be brave enough to go mountain biking in the nearby Sardinian mountains.
The verdict
On arrival at Acquaforte, Spy felt reconnected with nature and with the elements: a sense of calm descended on Spy as soon as she passed the threshold. Spy also enjoyed the constant proximity to the beach and the horizon, which is in walking distance at all times (although she also rather enjoyed the in-resort bicycles provided).
Spa Spy found both the serenity and energy she sought at Acquaforte. With her mental balance restored and her body refuelled, all else that was needed to set Spy up to trot back to the UK totally and utterly revitalised was a Sisley facial and a trim at Forte Village’s Aveda salon.
The details
Forte Village Resort, Sardinia offers 7 nights from £1,312 per person based on two people sharing a room in Hotel Bouganville on a half board basis, saving £523. Price includes a complimentary spa experience per person and a gourmet dinner, return easyJet flights from London Stansted, private resort transfers. Based on departures 9 October 2018. To book visit citalia.com or call 01293 831 970
Forte Village, Strada Statale 195 Sulcitana, Santa Margherita di Pula, Cagliari, Sardinia; fortevillageresort.com