Le Sirenuse's Dolce Vitality Redefines Luxury Wellness Retreats for a New Era

By Quentin Smith

With Italy’s Amalfi Coast as its postcard-perfect backdrop, Dolce Vitality, Le Sirenuse’s biannual, luxury fitness and wellness retreat returns this Fall, and again in spring of 2023. With a revamp led by Francesco Sersale - whose background in hospitality and wellness inspired a renewed vision for the retreat - Dolce Vitality has refocused its ambitions to be more than your average luxury wellness program. Instead, it embodies the regional lifestyle it a way that expands the definition of the Amalfi Coast mantra, “Dolce Vita.” Dolce Vitality thoughtfully embraces the “sweet life” of its glamorous surroundings while simultaneously encouraging physical transformation and spiritual growth. All with a healthy dose of the elegance and refinement for which Le Sirenuse is renowned.

A bastion of rarified luxury and Italian hospitality since 1953, Le Sirenuse sets the standard by which La Dolce Vita is measured in all of its various incarnations throughout Italy and around the world. With its prominent perch above the heart of Positano, the 18th-century villa — easily identified by its signature crimson red exterior — overlooks the village and the ever-changing horizon of the Tyrrhenian Sea, setting dramatic and majestic stage for the entire experience. Once inside, the storied hotel and its rooms radiate with whimsical antiques, foliage-filled urns, Sersale family heirlooms, museum-quality works of fine art, and the signature hand-painted ceramic-tile floors. The prime sea-facing rooms — reserved for Dolce Vitality guests during the retreat — feature private balconies that create the perfect nest for an afternoon siesta or a meditative sunset at the end of a full day. Dolce Vitality guests also have the added benefit of exclusive access to the hotel for the full duration of the retreat, creating a true haven for rigorous daily physical activity and personal reinvention. Once described by John Steinbeck as “an old family house converted into a first-class hotel,” Le Sirenuse provides the perfect home away from home for breathing new life into a revitalized version of one’s self.

While Positano is best known for its vibrant beach clubs, cerulean waters and seaside allure, the verdant hills and mountains surrounding the picturesque port are equally as beloved by those fortunate enough to discover its charms. Drawing inspiration from its rich history and mystical environs, Dolce Vitality makes good use of the region’s ancient mountain footpaths, mule tracks, and an intricate network of passageways and untrodden paths, which offer some of the world's best stair-climbing routes and outdoor workouts with views to remember. These magical vistas — some of which span the Amalfi Coast, sweeping around to Capri Island in the distance and vertically down to the Port of Positano — are par for the course during the daily hikes that combine the steep and winding stairways of the coastal village with the lush mountain trails of the area's hidden hillside hamlets. Traversing native herb gardens, cliff-hanging lemon and olive groves, centuries-old piazzas, sacred chapels and tiny villages, guests feel not only the burn of rigorous daily workouts, but also experience the Amalfi region and its age-old culture in a way that is normally reserved for the generations of locals who call this spectacular coastline home.

“The feeling of having lived through something unique is an experience that gives you new insight on how to maintain a healthy body and mind for years to come.” says Dolce Vitality nutritionist Dr. Paolo Toniolo when asked about the Dolce Vitality mission. The retreat’s program prioritizes balance in all areas of health, fitness and overall wellness. This is accomplished through low-impact strength training, massage therapy, restful meditation, and daily yoga led by acclaimed yoga instructors. All of which are part of a full-circle health and fitness program curated by a team comprised of some of Italy’s most respected wellness experts. It should be noted that the daily hikes are strenuous, fast-paced, and best-suited for guests already engaged in advanced level fitness programs. The program begins with a personalized one-on-one body-mass assessment and optional cardiovascular testing with Dr. Toniolo, ensuring an optimal experience for each individual guest. Morning treks are followed by afternoon fitness sessions which focus on low-impact strength training through a calibrated program of stretching, resistance band exercises, gentle weight training, core mat work, and TRX suspension trainer workouts that sculpt the body and enhance general well-being. Personalized massages are interwoven throughout the training to target specific muscle groups and maintain mental equilibrium, reinforcing Dolce Vitality’s tenets of holistic health.

It wouldn’t be a trip to Southern Italy without enjoying one of the region’s main attractions, coastal Southern Italian cuisine. During the retreat Le Sirenuse’s restaurant, bar, and room service will be focused on food and beverage options which meet the program's nutritional goals. The vibrant menu however, remains regionally-inspired and locally sourced with organic meals designed by top nutritionists and health coaches. Prepared daily by Le Sirenuse’s very own Michelin-starred Chef Gennaro Russo, the menu is based on traditional elements of the Mediterranean diet and delivers optimal nutritional benefits by eliminating high calorie foods, gluten, and all meats, with the exception of fresh fish; replacing them instead with a mostly plant-based menu, natural beverages, and herbal infusions. And as good wine is part of the local culture, organic wines are available for those who want it. “I would like for people to return home with the perception that a healthy lifestyle can improve both mind and body.” says Silvana Del Pizzo, Dolce Vitality Spa Manager. Though initially this aspect of the program may sound restrictive to some, according to Dolce Vitality health coaches, guests should expect to be pleasantly surprised by how quickly the body adapts to newly implemented wellness techniques and dietary habits. A thoughful way of living that will help form a foundation for self-restoration and Dolce Vitality for years to come.

DETAILS & PLANNING

The all-inclusive price of $8,500 covers the complete program including spa treatments, meals, accommodations and all transfers, including pick-up and drop-off at the Naples train station or airport. Space is limited to twenty guests for each six-night Dolce Vitality retreat (March 19 - 25, 2023).

Guests opting to extend their stay in Positano or explore the region independently should be aware that although the local ferry schedules to and from Positano are limited in the off-season months, a wonderful alternative for transport to and from Naples from anywhere in the region is Blacklane. The luxury car service can be arranged online or through the Blacklane app, and offers private, chauffeured business and first class car services via its fleet of Mercedes sedans, business vans or SUVs.

For more information on Le Sirenuse and Dolce Vitality please visit sirenuse.it