According to everything we are reading these days, more and more people are opting for summer vacation plans closer to home. Rising airfares, whopping gas prices and overall uncertainty seem to be fueling the trend. The good news is that wellness travel options can be found just about everywhere, from the countryside to the coastline to the city. In this month’s news digest, we are serving up some suggestions for urban respites.

While it might seem odd to check into a spa hotel while staying in a busy city, hear us out. Your editor was recently on Day 12 of a 15-day trip to Italy. Exhausted from non-stop sightseeing and spa-going (it’s part of the job), I checked into the MH Florence Hotel & Spa. With heavy rain in the forecast, I decided that a few hours of an indoor spa reboot would serve well for the rest of the trip.

And indeed, spending time relaxing in the hotel’s modern spa, outfitted with sauna, steam, hot tubs, treatment rooms,and a cozy relaxation room with a soothing soundtrack, was the elixir needed to get me through two more days of heavy touring.

For some non-urban summer vacation ideas, check out the Wellness Travel University website. The Gold Course and our special courses will help you design wellness vacations suitable for a variety of budgets.

Also, it’s that time of the month for our Wellness Wednesday webinar. Tune in this week (register) for an update on AmaWaterways wellness-wise offerings.