Along the famed Lake Garda, luxury, elegance, style, and a supreme devotion to wellbeing—yours and the earth’s—come together in a sustainable haven for living la dolce vita. 

Just south of the Swiss border and west of Verona, Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda overlooks a lake so spectacular and dramatic, it inspired the works of poets D.H. Lawrence, Goethe, and Dante. It’s set in a terraced, mountainous landscape of aromatic lemon, fig, and olive groves that constantly reminds you of the Italy-ness of your location. By its very nature it qualifies as an escape that dreams are made of. Lefay doesn’t rest on that notion, however. The luxe, 27-acre, holistic, eco-conscious retreat goes way beyond to keep the good times rolling by making sure you reap all the benefits from that environment—from awe over astounding views to the health perks of being immersed in the local flora—along with taking exemplary efforts to protect and cultivate the precious landscape. 

"We believe in living in harmony with nature and in using the power of nature for our wellbeing: spending time outdoors, using local aromas and natural products for treatments such as lavender, lemon or extra virgin olive oil. So, it is vital that we care for our environment,” explains the top team (there’s such a togetherness mentality here that they prefer to discuss their offerings collectively). 

To ensure that rejuvenation at Lefay happens both outdoors and in its luxury spa rooms, there are various intentionally landscaped Energy and Therapeutic Gardens, and a verdant Fitness Path for outdoor workouts, as well as an al fresco infinity pool that is so perfectly positioned to give you a seamless view of Garda, you could swear you’re actually swimming in the water of the dazzling lake itself. 

The SPA itself is a sprawling 46,285-square-foot space where treatments pull from a combo of Eastern traditions and Western innovative techniques to not just pamper (though it does that brilliantly), but to restore and rebalance your vitality and energy. The wellness team here is top notch and includes renowned medical experts who offer consultations and guidance in everything from traditional Chinese therapies like acupuncture to cupping and cryotherapy, and even nutrition and gut health advice. “Lefay SPA Method Health Programmes are designed to provide you with the right tools to learn to listen to yourself and embark on a journey of change,” they say, describing their goal of helping to establish your custom plan for long-term wellbeing. 

There are incredible signature massages as well that come with various goals, like Tension-Relieving, Detoxifying, Revitalizing, and Emotional awareness, with the purpose of stimulating specific points and meridians to activate the energy systems, ensuring that the experience is deep and enduring. 

The long spa menu also offers facials and beauty treatments such as the Moisturizing Body Ritual that starts with a scrub of salt and extra-virgin olive oil, followed by an olive-oil wrap, acupressure face massage, and a body rubdown; and The Lefay Spa Aromatic Mud Wrap, harnessing the healing power of the earth through local enhanced muds plus an energy-point massage aimed to detoxify and regenerate the body. 

Treatments incorporate Lefay SPA’s own dermatological line, Tra Suoni e Colori, a broad range of products that include face, body, anti-aging, and mineral energy complex formulas. They’re all certified vegan, organic, cruelty-free, and created with high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins, phytocomplexes, and organic olive oil.

In addition, you can also partake in a slew of water, heat, cold, and steam experiences like hammams and various types of saunas and salt soaks, plus meditation, walking programs, yoga, breathing practices…the list goes on. And on. 

For more activity-based wellness adventures, you’ll want to head into the bordering Alto Garda Bresciano national park on a hiking excursion, starting from the resort to the peak of Monte Castello di Gaino. You can also bike the extensive trails of the area, guided by an expert. Perhaps the most obvious, and enticing, excursion is to sail the waters of Lake Garda with private lessons.

Lefay SPA’s culinary point-of-view is similarly a wellness-indulgence meeting point. With an emphasis on the Mediterranean diet, deliciousness hinges on seasonal and local ingredients, notably the extra virgin olive oil, a staple that's cultivated on Lefay SPA’s own farms. 

Innovative, Elaborate, Sustainable Systems

Home-grown food, energizing treatments, outdoor wellness—these all stitch into the big picture at Lefay SPA, which includes its supreme devotion to preserving the beauty of the land, and contributing to the community around it. This isn't luxury at the cost of nature but in unison with it.  

The fully carbon-neutral resort was built according to the principles of bio-architecture, using natural, renewable materials from the local area, and thick vegetation that covers the roof, so it fits seamlessly into the landscape with minimal visual and environmental impact, plus diminished energy and heat dispersion.

Innovative and elaborate systems were put in place to produce electricity, heating, cooling, and other power through clean, renewable sources such as biomass, cogeneration, and solar panels; Rainwater is harvested to offset water consumption and a natural light software program alleviates the need for artificial light.

Recycled and biocompatible materials such as paper and glass are used for all purposes, and the textiles, including bed linens, are made from natural cotton fiber with no chemical treatment, and only chemical-free water paints decorate the walls.  

Lefay SPA actively contributes to Lake Garda’s development as well, through collaborating with local agencies and associations to sponsor cultural, social and sports events. For food, natural products, and materials, they seek out nearby providers who work according to internationally recognized standards of environmental and quality certification. For example, the majority of its food suppliers are locally sourced in the province of Brescia, in line with the resort’s commitment to cutting carbon footprint.  What’s more, they make a point to employ local people as far as possible; currently, more than a half of the resort’s staff lives in the surrounding area.

The accolades speak volumes: Lefay SPA is the first spa in Italy to receive Ecocert’s prestigious new certificate of excellence in “Being–Organic and Ecological Spa.” It is also a member of Beyond Green, a prestigious portfolio of hotels and resorts that demonstrate sustainable tourism leadership. “In order to be a member of Beyond Green, a property must meet and adhere to our brand’s standards and criteria (97 sustainability indicators in total), that fall under environmental-friendly practices, protection of natural and cultural heritage, and the social and economical wellbeing of local people,” explains Hannah Nelson, the organization’s PR director. These are hardcore guidelines that include regular monitoring. 

As the team sees it, we need to protect the place where we live, otherwise our personal wellbeing is in danger.  

This haven of beauty, style, and deeply local personality is worth every effort. When sipping your aperitif in the early evening, watching the sun peep through the mountains and set over Lake Garda, and the joy of just being settles in, Lefay truly delivers on its wellness promise. It’s the stuff poems are written about. lagodigarda.lefayresorts.com/en