Spanish Sanctuary

Aindrila Mitra signs up for her first wellness retreat at SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante and experiences an intensive but rewarding journey.

- ​​​​​​​Aindrila Mitra

I’LL PUSH OUT THE DISCLAIMER up front. I’m no health junkie, and the thought of checking into a wellness clinic had never even occurred to me. But when I was invited for an experience at SHA Wellness Clinic in the beautiful port town of Alicante in Spain this summer, I decided it was time to take the dreaded plunge. I was stressed out and losing the rhythm of daily exercise. I could do with a nutritious diet for a few days, considering the trap of binge eating I fall into every time my cortisol levels swing up. I was assigned the Discovery Programme (a four-day schedule) by SHA’s experts, although they recommend the seven- or 14-day programmes to most of their guests to achieve the desired results.

Edijs, the Latvian chauffeur at SHA, welcomes me with a smile at the Valencia airport on a pleasant March evening. SHA Wellness Clinic is situated 150 kilometres away from Valencia. Driving past gorgeous landscapes, crossing the village town of Albir, I finally reach SHA, famished, exhausted, and hoping that my decision of checking into a wellness clinic wouldn’t lead to regrets. The clinic has already shared the agenda for my stay, which I can access on the SHA app. It seems intensive, but I have signed up for a short wellness journey, after all.