My favourite villa: I crafted the ultimate anti-retreat at this wellness spot in the Italian hills

"Sunrise yoga followed by an hour-long meditation, a calorie-considered vegan breakfast, a sauna, an ice plunge, a sauna again, another ice plunge, breathwork, silence in solitude and bed at 8pm." As a freelance journalist, I have received my fair share of invites to wellness retreats like this, and while it's obviously full of merit, it also feels – dare I say – quite boring. I’m all for feeling good, but surely there’s more joy to be had in the process?

I was convinced that a version of ‘well’ where you play, spend time with the people you love, take a default digital detox by doing something creative, explore, chat and fuel your body properly was what I wanted. So against my better judgment, I threw my hat in the ring and curated my own version of a retreat. An anti-retreat, if you will.

Location was paramount, and Oliveto Estate in Le Marche – a relatively undersung Italian region on the country’s east coast, nestled between the dramatic Sibillini mountains and the Adriatic Sea – looked perfect. The estate consists of two villas that sleep 22 in total (Villa Oliveto sleeps 8 and Villa Olivo sleeps 14) and is set between sprawling olive-tree-drenched grounds with unobstructed views of the coastline. It is as idyllic as anywhere could possibly be, but what makes Oliveto Estate unique is that it is the only purposely created wellness property in the area.

The villas themselves are thoughtfully designed (Villa Olivio is the primary villa for hosting retreats and that’s where we chose to call home), they balance the feeling of a hotel and a home which meant we felt immediately at ease in our surroundings. The breadth of activities the property can arrange is extensive. Think arts and crafts organised with local artisans, tennis lessons on the private courts, sound baths in the on-site studio as well as barre, yoga and Pilates classes. There’s also a separate yoga deck, a gym with Techno Gym equipment, and – can you believe it – a spa complete with sauna, Jacuzzi, a steam room and an experiential shower. Ordinary villa, this is not.

What the team have on offer at Oliveto is quite exceptional, so much so you don’t have to leave the estate if you don’t want to. Our stay included itinerary planning before arrival and a full concierge service throughout the trip, so I was able to plot out well ahead of time what I wanted from our four days in Italian wellness heaven.

Ultimately, I wanted a balance of the slow life with a smattering of fun, up-tempo activities. Our itinerary (and I use the word loosely – strict schedules are what I wanted to avoid) included pasta making, evening tennis sessions with a coach, a healing sound bath in the studio, silk scarf printing with the view as our backdrop, hikes to the beach and a lot of free time to read, swim, explore and – very importantly – catch up over dinner, which was conjured up by an in-house cook, Antonella, each night.

Antonella’s comforting menus focused on local food with a generous dollop of Italian deliciousness. We enjoyed home-made pizza and beef ragu pappardelle as well as a visit to local spot Contrada San Savino. To call it a restaurant would be doing it a disservice – it is an acclaimed farmstead (agriturismo) that celebrates contemporary rural cuisine. Here, we feasted on plates of chicken livers, sticky and sweet pork skewers, paprika-dusted potato duchess, and beef carpaccio with figs and pickled turnips, served up from an open kitchen run by a young team and chefs passionate about showcasing the best of Le Marche.

The overall feeling at Oliveto Estate is one of calm. Even when we were running and shouting playing tennis (in dresses and bare feet – there are no athleisurewear rules here), I felt utterly serene. Perhaps it’s because of the setting, or thanks to the team who master the art of personalised service? Or most likely, it’s a culmination of the two, plus the opportunity to create an anti-retreat schedule that felt tailored and adaptable. I loved the way my vision came together, and left feeling fulfilled – a version of the word ‘well’ that I feel should be celebrated more.