The shinrin-yoku, literally “forest-bath” from the Japanese, it is a walk in the forest. It is a treatment recognized by the health services of many Asian countries. It’s not a sport, it’s not a hike, there are no results to be achieved. THE forest swimming is an immersion in nature that reduces stress and regenerates you at every step. Here we offer you three types of forest baths in different regions of Italy.
- North. In the L’Annunziata estate
In the province of Como, a unique forest dominates a hill overlooking the plain Lombardy because in its 13 acres there are, among other things, hidden, 40 trees with beneficial virtues certified and measured. Access is by reservation, with a map and a guide, because the area is part of a charming farmhouse, Tenuta de l’Annunziata, which also includes a spa and a restaurant where the farm’s products are cooked (access to the forest with a guide starting from €40 for a group of 4 people, info@tenutadelannunziata.it).
“You can also just stop for about 10 minutes below the bioenergy plantstaking advantage of the stone seats provided for visitors, but the first times it is much more attractive to follow the route, suggested based on the participants,” explains Margot Errante, the Estate’s forest specialist.
“Between century-old chestnuts and wild cherries, beeches, mountain ash and conifers, the forest landscape changes with the seasons and is accessible all year round. One of the suggested activities is cardiac coherence: sitting under the trees, inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for the same number, perceiving the breath at the level of the heart. Then you evoke all the affection you feel for a loved one until you feel a deep sense of peace.”
- Centre. In the heart of the Casentino woods
One of Italy’s green lungs, a protected area where biodiversity is studied, the Casentino Forest National Park is located between between Romania and Tuscany and extends over 36 thousand hectares, among centuries-old beech forests (Unesco heritage), firs, maples and forests with a wide variety of species.
Access point is the territory of the municipality Bagno di Romagna, where you can combine the benefits of forest swimming with those of a spa. For example, the Roseo Euroterme Wellness Resort offers a guided forest bath in the Casentino woods along with access to the thermal pool, relaxing or draining massage, day spa entry and two nights’ half-board (€277 per person, euroterme.com).
“THE forests with beech, oak and coniferous forests, according to bioresearcher Marco Nieri, release a greater amount of terpenes, volatile substances that, when inhaled, act at the psychoneuroimmunoendocrine level, enhancing immune defenses, lowering blood pressure and regulating blood sugar levels. In addition, negative emotions such as anger and anxiety can be alleviated, increasing energy and improving sleep.”
- South In Pollino Park
An immersive experience in Pollino National Park, between Basilicata and Calabria, in Italy’s largest protected area, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a 3 or 6 day retreat organized by Ivy Tour, a tour operator specializing in forest swimming, under the auspices of its certified guides (from €347 per person in a double room, full board, 2 forest baths and many nature activities with a guide, ivytour.it). You sleep in a shelter at 1350 meters above sea level, for a beneficial digital detox and reconnect with wild nature, among beeches, oaks and firs.
More you are participating in a study by the University of Padua on the benefits of forest bathing in digital overexposure: “Many studies have shown that immersion in nature promotes well-being. However, they are almost always based on shared experiences of very short duration. The collaboration with Ivy Tour in the research project ‘From the roots to the fruits of well-being’ allows us to verify the benefits of group travel, which optimize their results”, states Dr. Angelica Moè, of the Department of General Psychology of the University of Padua.
In addition, part of the proceeds is allocated to WOWnature, for planting new trees.
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