Grief travel is booming as mourners turn to healing retreats

Grieving used to be something people did quietly, often alone. Now, a growing number of travellers are turning loss into a shared experience through grief retreats, healing circles and even bereavement cruises designed to help people process heartbreak, trauma and death in community settings.

As demand for emotional wellness travel surges, grief tourism is rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most unexpected new trends.

A Global Wellness Institute study, released in 2025, revealed that grief rituals and community support have been prevalent in civilisations for thousands of years, but have been less popular recently – until now.

The body estimates that the grief counselling market will increase to $4.52 billion (€3.89 billion) globally by 2029 from $2.73 billion (€2.34 billion) in 2022 and puts this rise down to “increasing acceptability of mental health issues in general and grief-related mental health issues in particular”.

In 2024, Condé Nast Traveller listed grief retreats as one of the top seven wellness travel trends for that year, and they’re more popular than ever, while this month, National Geographic Traveller said that the rise in grief getaways is helping travellers to “build resilience and release pent-up emotions”.

The UK-based Global Retreat Company has an entire section on its website for grief retreats, which are “designed for healing from loss of any kind, provide a nurturing environment led by enlightened practitioners who expertly guide you through your feelings”.

These are some of the best grief getaways for those of us who need a little support – and an escape.

Euphoria Retreat, Mystras, Greece

Run by an energy therapist, the Euphoria Retreat is situated on the Peloponnese foothills beneath the UNESCO-listed ruins of Mystras, on mainland Greece.

It’s a tranquil, holistic spa retreat, surrounded by pine forests, and the focus here is on the restorative power of nature.

Programmes including the “emotional harmony” experience aim to help people who have been through traumatic and painful times move on.

Euphoria Retreat also offers specialised therapies which blend holistic energy work, supportive counselling, and nature therapy to process deep loss.

The Therapy Haven, Ile de Ré, France

In the town of La Flotte on the pretty Ile de Ré off the west coast of France, those in need of support can stay in a private cottage as part of their visit to The Therapy Haven.

The retreats are aimed at individuals, couples and executives, who can work to address the root causes of emotional distress.

Guests can self-cater here, or opt for a menu of organic, vegan dishes made from as much home-grown local produce as possible.

The Therapy Haven offers intensive recovery and couples retreats, focused on overcoming grief as well as easing anxiety and stress.

Due to the retreat’s privileged position, guests can also spend time at the beach and cycle around picturesque surroundings, too.

Kaliyoga, Granada, Spain

Set among the hills and valleys of rural Granada, Kaliyoga offers peaceful retreats focused on self-enquiry, emotional healing and rest.

Guests stay on a five-acre farmhouse estate surrounded by panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, with yoga classes, guided walks and vegetarian meals all designed to encourage relaxation and reflection.

The retreat also offers family constellations sessions, a therapeutic process aimed at helping people work through unresolved emotional issues and deep-rooted grief.

Therapeutic treatments and a relaxed communal atmosphere encourage guests to slow down and reconnect with themselves in nature.

The Arrigo Programme, Somerset, UK

Hidden away in the Somerset countryside in England, The Arrigo Programme offers private and group healing retreats for people dealing with grief, burnout, trauma, anxiety and emotional overwhelm.

Created by biodynamic psychotherapist and healer Fiona Arrigo, the retreats combine clinical and holistic therapies with a highly personalised approach tailored to each guest’s needs.

Visitors stay in comfortable cottages surrounded by nature, with programmes including therapy sessions, restorative treatments, and carefully prepared meals designed to support deep rest and recovery.

The programmes can be targeted towards individuals or couples, suffering burnout, grief, trauma, anxiety, depression or loss of purpose, who’ll be guided through their burdens.

Beckley Retreats, Trelawny, Jamaica

One of the most unusual retreats out there, Beckley Retreats, located on a restored plantation estate near Montego Bay, combines psychedelic-assisted therapy with holistic wellness practices in a tropical setting.

The retreat centres around guided psilocybin mushroom – a type of hallucinogenic – ceremonies, designed to help guests process grief, trauma and emotional blocks, supported by trained facilitators and mental health professionals.

Alongside the therapeutic work, the retreat also focuses on rest, reflection and connection, with nature and community playing a central role in the experience.

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