Well-being is fast becoming an important factor in our lives, and part of looking after your well-being is pampering yourself and putting time aside for self-care. With this in mind, more women are going on holiday to take a much-needed break from their busy lives back home. Many flock to the Mediterranean, the ideal spot for relaxation because of its warm climates and slower pace of life. If you want to visit the Med for some much needed me-time, here are some of the top places to get yourself preened and pampered:

Raffel Pages, Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona’s Raffel Pages hair salon is famous for its edgy styles and razor sharp fringes. The family run business was even named ‘the best hairdressers in the world’ back in the 1960s.

If you want a haircut with a really dramatic feel, check out Raffel Pages’ collection ‘In-Somnium’. These styles have a fairy tale princess feel, with curly hair swirled into an elegant up-do. Great for an evening out or a dinner date, this hair-style is guaranteed to make a statement.

Alternatively, if you’re just looking for a daytime cut, the ‘Passage’ collection offers a natural look with a quirky twist. To see the full selection of styles offered by Raffel Pages, take a look at the collections page on their website. Be sure to use the translate feature on Google chrome, mind you – as the website is in Spanish.

Royal Spa Self-Scrub – The Royal Spa, Cunard

The Elemis Spa-therapy is an award winning treatment offered on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth cruise liner. The ship sails through the Mediterranean, stopping off at ports such as Corfu, Istanbul and Monte Carlo. Cunard is well-known for its ‘White-Star’[i] service and the elegant retreats its customers enjoy. In the ‘Royal Spa Self-Scrub’ you work with a spa mixologist to create an exfoliant suited to your skin type, to lift dead cells away from your skin, optimizing your tan with a healthier glow.

Fancy getting on board? Check out Cunard’s Mediterranean cruises here or watch this video below for more information about The Royal Spa:

Hamman Baths – Athens, Greece

Taking inspiration from the old Turkish baths, the Hamman Baths offer visitors a unique experience. The famous bath in Athens has a pool and sauna, enclosed in a beautiful clay building. Make sure you bring along the right gear for your visit; a peştemal (cotton towel), a pair of takunya (wooden clogs) and a bathing suit.

The baths have several packages for de-stressing, such as the ‘Ali Mama’, which includes a deep exfoliating scrub from the site’s professional masseuse, and finishes with an olive oil treatment to the skin and hair[ii]. You could even have a luxurious massage on the marble floor in the steam room.