From its misty mountains to its sea-swept cliffs, Ireland is infused with myth and magic – and what better way to enjoy Ireland’s rich history and vasty beauty than at one of its many up-to-the-minute holistic spas.

Just ninety minutes west of Dublin, the newly expanded Temple Country Retreat & Spa is designed around a central courtyard and garden – much the way the site’s ancient monastery might have been arranged. Only this is a modern sanctuary with tall ceilings, light-flooded rooms, and modern, natural deacutecor. The monks would never have dreamed of anything so indulgent as the spa’s gourmet meals or its vitality pool with multiple underwater jets and fountains. A raised pool beneath an ash tree draws inspiration from Ireland’s holy wells, which have served as places of healing for a millennia. The Naturalmoor Massage, just one of a full line of treatments, is especially appropriate to the region; it uses warmed black peat to loosen muscles. Daily yoga or guided walks will acquaint guests with acres of bucolic countryside and the 250-year-old house.

You can’t help but envision legendary Irish heroes at Delphi Mountain Resort & Spa, a contemporary timber-and-stone lodge hidden in Connemara’s remote fjords a little more than an hour’s drive from Galway. The fabled warrior Diarmuid is reputedly buried on Mweelrea, the mountain that towers above the resort. Delphi’s architectural style draws from Ireland’s ancient standing stones and Celtic tree lore – reflected in its use of storm-felled oak, ash, beech, and elm. The spa, which offers fabulous mountain vistas, is the ideal resting place for modern-day athletes who have just returned from kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, or surfing. Pampering body and beauty treatments are done in candlelit treatment rooms designed like early-Christian monks’ “beehive” cells. Health-minded gourmet cuisine and relaxing yoga, tai chi, and meditation complete this epic spa experience.

For more information on Temple Country Retreat & Spa, www.templespa.ie; Delphi Mountain Resort & Spa, www.delphiescape.com

– Laurel Kallenbach

May/June 2006

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