Hobby holidays: nine trips to help you learn a new skill

Yep, self-care is a hobby, and there’s nowhere better to realign your chakras than Zen Zakynthos, aka Zante. Drawing Olympian experts such as Chris Hoy – on a mission to refine guests’ cycling skills – the Peligoni Club hotel hosts its own five-night PACE festival, dedicated to wellness. Enjoy everything from yoga classes, breathwork, gong baths and crystal sound healing to water sports, cold water therapy and HIIT. Also expect art classes with Jessie’s Art Shed, and creative writing workshops with Jacqueline Sutherland. Pick from three 2025 editions: 19-23 May, 6-10 October or 13-17 October 2025.

Mediterranean Food Journeys offers the cookery course-holiday hybrid we didn’t know we needed. Culinary retreats take place at the bucolic Torre Ronsat Estate, surrounded by mature olive groves, landscaped gardens and national parkland, within easy reach of Barcelona. Celebrating Med cuisine, retreats range from two to six nights, including Costa Brava downtime (hint: the sea is seven miles away). Learn to make paella, focaccia, tortellini and more.

Wild swimmers can immerse themselves in nature – and clear, deep, goosebump-cool water – at Heckfield Place in leafy Hampshire, within easy reach of London. This guided experience takes place at the hotel’s Lower Lake. Ease yourself in and out (piercing shrieks: optional) via the wooden pontoon and stepladder. Back on dry land, channel #cottagecore via wholesome activities such as tincture making and willow weaving.

Before cowboy culture peaks, tick off a dude-ranch trip. Stetsons and Tony Lama boots at the ready for Lone Mountain Ranch in wild Montana, where you can throw axes, shoot life-size foam targets during 3D archery and line dance after dark. Additional summertime pursuits include canoeing and kayaking. Don’t miss the Tuesday-night Lone Mountain Ranch Rodeo, a bonanza of #cowboycore. To get here, hop on a short connecting flight from Seattle to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. Yeehaw!

In between munching pastéis de nata from Belém and hopping on the city’s iconic, custard-yellow trams, nourish your inner artist with help from Hyatt Regency Lisbon. The hotel offers creative sessions at a local Lisbon art studio, with options including an abstract oil painting workshop, a watercolour landscape workshop and a paint like Van Gogh workshop.

Learn to distinguish Polaris from Sirius or gawp at the wintry splendour of the northern lights from the comfort of Norway’s Aurora Cabin, a self-catering stay backdropped by mighty Higravtinden mountain. By day, nearby Svolvær promises guided photography trips – you might even be lucky enough to spot swooping sea eagles in their natural habitat. You can also go hiking or ski-touring on Higravtinden, with trails starting right from Aurora’s doorstep. 

Neighboured by Buddhist temples, museums and shrines, Six Senses Kyoto showcases the culture and mystery of Japan’s historic capital. Guests can rustle up dashi (a delicate broth crafted from bonito and kelp) with Chef Harada, or participate in a furoshiki workshop, learning the nimble-knuckled art of traditional wrapping. Fragrance fanatics can create an aromatic incense pouch, guided by fourth-generation incense masters.

Perfect your serve, revamp your volley and beast-mode your backhand at The Romanos in Costa Navarino, on the southwest Peloponnese coast. This pampering hotel beside the Ionian Sea boasts the Mouratoglou Tennis Center’s first European outpost. Refine your game on state-of-the-art courts with sparkling sea views, enjoying personalised coaching from pros.

Swot up on grapes at Baumanière in Provence, ensconced in one of France’s most beautiful villages and backdropped by Les Baux. This spectacular rock plateau was the 15th-century stomping ground of Raymond de Turenne (aka ‘The Scourge of Provence’), whose favourite hobbies included making locals leap off the cliff. Raymond would have benefited from Baumanière’s mellow Oenology Class: a group wine tasting in one of France’s largest private wine cellars, followed by lunch with wine pairings.