The Engadin works magic on mind and body through the delicate scent of the Swiss stone pines, the healing power of water and the exceptional quality of the mountain light. Guests who also opt for spa or beauty treatments quickly find themselves in wellness heaven.
Massage, the oldest form of therapy in the world, has its origins in East Africa and Asia. From there, the practice gradually conquered the world, with different massage traditions developing in many countries. These techniques could not be more diverse, but they all have the same goal: relaxation, wellbeing and health.
diverse, but they all have the same goal: relaxation, wellbeing and health.
What is known today as classical massage developed in the far north – namely Sweden. Hawaii, by contrast, is the origin of a treatment known as Lomi Lomi Nui, in which the practitioner uses not only hands but also lower arms and elbows; the Hot Stone Massage, meanwhile, comes from Asia. Fortunately you do not need to embark on a round-the-world trip to enjoy all these treatments as you can find them all in one place: the Engadin, where various wellness centres offer a wide range of different massages.
Nothing puts the bounce back in your step like blissful relaxation!
Certain wellness treatments make use of products from the region – such as those derived from the wood of the Swiss stone pine, known as the “Queen of the Alps”. The essential oil from the tree has an exquisite scent, eases breathing, calms the heart rate and soothes ailments that may arise from a change in the weather. A massage with Swiss stone pine oil – as offered at the Samedan Mineral Bath & Spa, for example – promises a particularly fragrant and soothing experience. The scent of Swiss stone pine is also said to have an uplifting effect: perhaps another reason why guests feel so good in the many pine-furnished restaurants and guest rooms of the Engadin. In Pontresina, this convivial atmosphere extends to the Bellavita spa and pool complex, where the Finnish sauna and the massage and relaxation rooms are all fitted out in Swiss stone pine.
In Soglio, a few kilometres beyond Maloja, the chemist Walter Hunkeler began back in 1979 to mix goat’s butter, fragrant plants and other ingredients from the region to make high-quality massage balms and rheumatism ointments. His first takers were friends and acquaintances, who quickly spoke so enthusiastically of his products that he took over a former hotel in Castasegna to build up a professional production line. Today, the natural cosmetics brand “Soglio” features about 50 products, including all you could need for a day’s wellness. Alternatively, let expert hands work their magic – for example, those of the beauticians from Ovaverva in St. Moritz, who count on Soglio products.
