By Annabelle Thorpe, of 101 Holidays.

Remember the days when holidays used to be about little more than snoozing by a pool, cocktail to hand, with nothing to do until dinner? These days, wellness has become the new holiday craze, with all kinds of improving breaks – from yoga and mindfulness to hiking and heli-skiing – tapping into the mantra that health is the new wealth. 

An active holiday can be a great experience, but who says you can’t throw in a little comfort as well? All these trips offer an unbeatable mix of all the health-giving activities you could wish for, with lashings of luxury on the side.

Feet first

Walking breaks are among the gentlest and most companionable forms of fitness holiday, and there’s nowhere better in the UK than the Lake District, with walking routes for all levels of ramblers, from lakeside strolls to mountain hikes. Choose between two locations at The Gilpin; the original hotel, with Michelin-starred SOURCE restaurant and chic bedrooms with alfresco hot tubs, or the Gilpin Lake House, with eight suites set around a private lake.

Alternatively, check into Another Place set on Ullswater, with kayaking, paddle boarding and wild swimming on offer alongside fabulous hiking routes. Further afield, the dramatic mountain peaks and unspoilt wide landscapes of British Columbia in Canada offer hiking that can be as challenging or as gentle as you like, with cosy inns and wilderness resorts that offer a cocoon of relaxation at the end of the day.

Surf’s up

If you can ‘pop’ – spring from lying down into a kneeling position on the board – you can surf, and few activities are as uplifting as barrelling across the sea on the perfect wave. Instead of Newquay, head to the glorious stretch of sand at Watergate Bay, for time in the sea alongside lazy afternoons by the pool at the Watergate Bay Hotel (for a real splurge, book one of the stunning loft suites). 

Or for the ultimate surf ‘n chill break, book a villa at Niyama Private Islands in the Maldives to spend days catching the waves (peak wave season is April to October) and evenings dining beneath the water, in a treetop or at one of the resort’s 15 restaurants and bars.

Slow it down

Active breaks don’t have to mean jam-packed days and a busy itinerary – after all, relaxing is just as important for good health. Join a luxury gulet cruise in Turkey to combine afternoons walking the Lycian Way and exploring ancient ruined cities with lazy evenings gliding along the spectacular coastline. 

Or head to Puglia in Italy, unspoilt and peaceful, where a stay in a stylish trulli – traditional stone buildings with conical roofs – is an ideal base for a week of walking, swimming and visiting a vineyard or two. If the mountains are calling, the stylish Lodge in Verbier – usually only available for exclusive use – has individual rooms available in summer, with alfresco barbecues, local wines and a gorgeous outdoor pool alongside an in-house gym, with everything from rock-climbing to sunrise yoga available nearby. 

Or challenge yourself with an in:spa retreat in Morocco, where daily fitness and yoga classes are mixed with morning hikes and plenty of time to enjoy the tranquil pool area.

Multi activity break

For those who want to pack their days with a range of different activities, a sports-focused resort is a top choice. Forte Village in Sardinia might just be the Med’s ultimate luxury activity resort, with football, tennis and basketball academies, alongside the chance to learn padel or explore by mountain bike. 

Alternatively, the Pine Cliffs Resort, set on the pristine coastline of the Algarve, offers tennis lessons at the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy, a pristine nine-hole links golf course and a professional football centre, with a wide range of accommodation from slick hotel rooms to spacious ocean suites.

Active adventures

Sometimes it’s spectacular landscapes that elevate an active holiday to something really extraordinary; lacing up your walking boots to tackle the mountain trails in Bhutan is a chance to hike through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, with indulgent hotels to relax in at the end of each day. Or head to Chile to hike across diamond-white glaciers, trek across mountain peaks and end the day in architecturally-striking hotels, with local wines and world-class food as reward for the day’s exertions. 

For somewhere really different, Indonesia offers a huge array of adventures across its 6,000 islands, from climbing volcanoes to snorkelling through fish-rich waters or canoeing through stunning ‘karst’ cliff landscapes, with wonderful food and an authentic welcome wherever you stay. 

And Iceland’s unique mix of volcanic scenery, glittering fjords and remote fishing villages makes an unforgettable backdrop for easy walking trails, restorative geothermal pools and cosy, cosseting hotels.