Immortality in the Face of Transience Pages 24–25 The Underrated Anti-Aging Tool Page 26
Lifestylehotels™ Selection:
Genji Kyoto Page LH-Cover 01
Lifestylehotels™ Directory Page LH 02
Agrad Chalets Page LH 03
ElisabethHotel Page LH 4
What does it really mean to live a long life?
At first glance, the question seems simple: to reach an old age, to stay as healthy and vital as possible. But when we consider it philosophically, it unfolds into a deeper dimension – because longevity is not only a matter of years, but also of depth, quality, and the consciousness with which we experience our time. The desire to escape decay is as old as humanity itself. Myths of the fountain of youth, the philosopher’s stone, transhumanist visions of the future – they all revolve around the great goal of prolonging life, perhaps even attaining immortality. But while the body eventually wears out, the mind, art, and ideas can endure for centuries. Perhaps this is the true secret of longevity: the ability to leave a lasting impression.
This issue of THE STYLEMATE is dedicated to the topic of longevity in all its facets. We are especially pleased to present an in-depth interview with Dan Buettner – the creator of the Netflix series about the Blue Zones, those regions of the world where people live significantly longer and healthier lives. His findings show that longevity has less to do with medical miracles and more with lifestyle, community, purpose, and simplicity.
Seegut Zeppelin Page LH 07 Pfösl Page LH 08
Refugium Lunz Page LH 09
New Member: Badhaus & Lasserhaus Page LH 10
Genji Kyoto Page LH 11
Hofergut Page LH 12
Imprint Page 2
But we go even further: biohacking opens a window into the world of self-optimizers who combat biological decline with high-tech tools and discipline. In another article, we ask how art can be a vehicle for immortality – because what would eternal life be without expression, without story, without beauty?
And finally, we turn to meditation – that quiet practice that, paradoxically, seems to prolong life precisely by deepening our awareness of the present moment.
Longevity, then, is more than a long life. It is a fulfilled, conscious, and creative existence. Perhaps that is the true art: not to escape death, but to give life depth.
In this spirit: may this issue inspire you –to a long, but above all, an intense life.
Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger EDITORS
Mindful
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MOVEMENT MEETS MINDFULNESS
For many of us, exercise is more than just training – it’s meditation in motion. The Falke running outfit combines technical performance with thoughtful design, helping you move not only faster but also more mindfully throughout your day. Breathable fabrics, perfect fit, and subtle details turn every step into a statement of selfcare. Running has never been so elegant – and so mindful. falke.com
THE WELLNESS PRINCIPLES
Instead of diet rules and dogmas, Dr. Gary Deng offers a holistic, well-founded guide to healthy living in “The Wellness Principles“ – clear, achievable, and refreshingly practical. As an expert in integrative medicine, he combines modern science with Eastern wisdom, showing how small changes can have a big impact – for more energy, balance, and joy in life. phaidon.com
IT´S MAGIC
Gentle on the skin, clear in design, and purposeful in effect – a.n.d. beauty’s essentials bring self-care into focus. The Hoci Spray soothes and protects, the Magic Eye Stick brightens tired eyes, and the Clear Sun Spray offers UV protection without white residue or chemical confusion. Three small helpers with big impact – perfect for anyone who wants to combine natural beauty with smart skincare.
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WARMTH, STYLE & RITUAL
Ice-cold water, deep breath, awakened mind – cold water dipping is more than a trend; it’s a ritual of courage, clarity, and inner reset. Helgabad kaftans are made precisely for this: providing comforting warmth, freedom of movement, and a sense of security after a swim in a lake, river, or sea. Crafted from high-quality natural materials, they combine function with minimalist style – perfect for anyone who wants to celebrate their self-care rituals outdoors and slow down mindfully.
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THE FOREST MUSHROOM FOR THE SOUL
Some call it the “Mushroom of Immortality,” others simply their favorite companion on stressful days: Reishi mushroom is a true superfood for your nerves. The high-quality extract from Seewald brings its calming and adaptogenic properties into your daily routine – pure and simple, no fuss. Ideal for those seeking more inner calm, better sleep, or a gentle immune boost. seewald-ortho.com, Reishi Extrakt von Seewald
"Longevity Is Not a Sprint –It's a Way of Life": Dan Buettner on the Secrets of the World's Healthiest Communities
Text: Nina Prehofer EVITY
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE LIVE LONGER AND BETTER THAN THE REST OF US?
National Geographic explorer and bestselling author Dan Buettner has spent over two decades studying the world’s Blue Zones –regions where people routinely live active, fulfilling lives into their 90s and beyond. In this conversation, he shares what these communities have in common, why purpose and connection matter more than willpower, and how you can build a longer, healthier life –no matter where you live.
For me, it’s less about the number and more about adding life to my years – and healthy years to my life. Living to 100 usually requires hitting the genetic lottery, but the good news is: by following the principles we've uncovered in the blue zones, you can dramatically stack the deck in your favor. It’s about living vibrantly, with purpose and vitality, for as long as possible and dying quickly.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN THE IDEA OF LIVING LONGER – AND BETTER?
It started about 20 years ago when I was doing expeditions for National Geographic. I became fascinated not just with who was living the longest, but how they were doing it – and whether we could learn from them. That became the foundation for the Blue Zones Project.
WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST WHEN YOU BEGAN RESEARCHING THE WORLD’S BLUE ZONES?
How important a sense of purpose is. Purpose is one of the most powerful tools for a long life. In blue zones, people have a strong sense of why they wake up in the morning. In Okinawa, they call it ikigai; in Nicoya, it’s plan de vida. That purpose might be caring for grandchildren, contributing to the community, or nurturing a garden. People with a strong sense of purpose live, on average, about seven years longer than those without one. It’s not just good for your soul – it’s good for your body.
IF YOU HAD TO BOIL IT DOWN, WHAT DO ALL BLUE ZONES HAVE IN COMMON?
There are nine shared characteristics – we call them the Power 9 – but the big themes are: a plant-slant diet, daily natural movement, strong social ties, a sense of purpose, and environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice.
YOU OFTEN SAY THAT THE ENVIRONMENT MATTERS MORE THAN WILLPOWER. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE CONTEXT OF LONGEVITY?
Willpower is like a muscle – it gets tired. But if your environment naturally leads you to walk more, eat whole foods, socialize often, and de-stress, you don’t have to rely on willpower. You just live longer and healthier, almost by default.
HOW IMPORTANT IS SOCIAL CONNECTION COMPARED TO THINGS LIKE DIET AND EXERCISE?
It's just as important – maybe even more. In blue zones, people are embedded in strong social networks. They’re not lonely. They have people to lean on. Social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Connection is a form of medicine. If you struggle making new friends, volunteer for an organization you are passionate about. It will introduce you to like minded people and get you out there.
IN YOUR VIEW, IS MODERN MEDICINE OVEREMPHASIZED WHEN IT COMES TO EXTENDING LIFE?
Modern medicine is great at treating disease, but not at preventing it. About 80% of how long we live is determined by our lifestyle and environment. We need to shift the focus from pills to policies, from treatment to prevention.
What I can say is overemphasized are quick fixes: Fad Diets, Supplements, Biohacks, Super Foods.
WHAT’S A COMMON MYTH ABOUT AGING OR LONGEVITY THAT YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD LET GO OF?
That aging has to mean decline. In blue zones, people often stay active, sharp, and socially engaged well into their 90s and beyond. Aging doesn't have to be something we dread – if we live the right way, it can be a rich, fulfilling time.
IF SOMEONE LIVING IN A TYPICAL WESTERN CITY WANTED TO START MAKING CHANGES TODAY, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THREE THINGS YOU'D RECOMMEND?
1. SET UP YOUR KITCHEN TO MAKE WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED EATING EASY – GET RID OF JUNK FOOD AND STOCK UP ON WHOLE, PLANT-BASED OPTIONS. BUY A PLANT BASED RECIPE BOOK AND FIND A FEW RECIPES TO ADD TO YOUR WEEKLY ROTATION.
2. WALK MORE – EVEN 30 MINUTES A DAY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
3. CURATE YOUR SOCIAL CIRCLE – SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE WHOSE HABITS YOU ADMIRE AND WHO SUPPORT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DUMP YOUR OLD FRIENDS BUT MAYBE ADD A FEW WHO THINK THAT A GOOD TIME IS A HIKE RATHER THAN BELLYING UP TO THE BAR.
IT’S
ABOUT LIVING VIBRANTLY, WITH PURPOSE AND VITALITY, FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND DYING QUICKLY.
SOME CRITICS ARGUE THAT BLUE ZONES AREN'T REPLICABLE ELSEWHERE. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
We’ve proven they are. We’ve worked with 70+ cities including Albert Lea, Minnesota, Fort Worth, Texas and Naples, FL to implement Blue Zones principles and seen measurable improvements in health and life expectancy. You don’t need to move to a blue zone, you can help create one.
WHAT ROLE DO PURPOSE AND SPIRITUALITY PLAY IN LONG LIFE?
A huge role. In all Blue Zones, people have a clear sense of purpose – what the Okinawans call ikigai. And most belong to a faith-based community. Purpose gives you direction. Spirituality gives you connection. Both reduce stress and increase resilience.
HOW DO YOU SEE TECHNOLOGY – LIKE WEARABLES OR HEALTH APPS –FITTING INTO OR CONFLICTING WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF LONGEVITY YOU PROMOTE?
They can be useful, but they’re not the answer. The most important longevity tools are low-tech: walking, cooking with loved ones, gardening, laughing with friends. If technology helps remind or motivate you to do those things, great – but it shouldn’t replace them.
WHAT DOES A "TYPICAL" DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU IN TERMS OF APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED FROM BLUE ZONES?
I spend my mornings writing and planning out my day ahead (while drinking black coffee). Around 11am I eat my first meal of the day which is typically a Sardinian Minestrone stew that I make in batches and freeze on Sundays. The afternoon is spent doing work calls often while walking or biking. I try to log off of work emails around 5pm and play pickleball, swim or walk the beach (I live in Miami). In the evening I meet up or host friends for a plant based dinner.
HAVE ANY OF YOUR VIEWS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE PUBLISHING YOUR FIRST BOOK ON THIS TOPIC?
Yes – especially around how powerful policy and place are. I used to focus more on individual choices, but I’ve
ABOUT DAN BUETTNER
Dan Buettner is an National Geographic Explorer and multiple New York Times Bestselling author. He discovered the five places in the world – dubbed blue zones – where people live the longest, healthiest lives. His articles about these places in The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic are two of the most popular for both publications.
Buettner found Blue Zones LLC, a company that works in partnership with city governments, hospital systems, and insurance companies to implement insights he gleaned in Blue Zones to help make cities healthier. In one such city, Fort Worth Texas, obesity rates drop by 3%, and the city reported $250 million in projected health care cost savings. To date, over 70 cities have adopted Blue Zones Projects, improving the health of more than 10 million Americans to date.
Dan’s newest book, Blue Zones Kitchen: One Pot Meals; 100 Recipes to Live to 100, hits shelves on September 2! Backed by research and designed for busy Americans, this book tackles the root of chronic disease: ultra-processed food. With the average American eating out over 100 times a year –consuming 300 extra sugar- and sodium-laced calories each time – Dan makes the case for a powerful solution: cooking at home. To make it doable, he teamed up with a Stanford AI lab to analyze over 670,000 popular recipes, isolating the most-loved flavor profiles. The result? 100 fast, affordable, plant-based one-pot meals built on the principles of longevity – and designed to add up to 12 extra years of life.
seen again and again that if you change the environment – schools, streets, food systems – you change the outcomes of entire populations. That’s where the real magic happens.
FINALLY, WHAT’S ONE HABIT YOU PERSONALLY STRUGGLE WITH, DESPITE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW?
Travel throws me off sometimes. I don’t always sleep well on the road. But I remind myself it’s not about perfection – it’s about consistency over time. Longevity isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon.
AUTHOR: Dan Buettner
PAGES: 304
PUBLISHER: Penguin LLC US
THE BLUE ZONES KITCHEN: One Pot Meals; 100 Recipes to Live to 100
Photos: PortraitMarco Bello, Cover BookOliver Barth, National Geographic
Framed by apple orchards and vineyards, nestled among mountains and rolling hills, laced with forests and streams –the landscape surrounding Lana speaks its own alpine-Mediterranean language. Not loud, not intrusive. But quiet. Almost like a whisper. And for those who truly listen, something begins to stir. Not only out in nature, but deep within.
In this peaceful setting just south of Merano lies Hotel Schwarzschmied –a sanctuary dedicated to mindful personal growth with a holistic wellbeing experience: the Inner Gardens.
They call it the garden within us – a metaphor, yes, but also a tangible space.
A space that needs tending and care. Because just like any garden meant to flourish, our inner world requires time and devotion, light and love. And sometimes, the courage to prune old, gnarled branches or even turn the soil completely.
Grounding yoga, blossoming dance, nourishing massages, airy meditation, fresh, dewy sound baths. The Inner Gardens are invitations to plant seeds, to let balance grow, to bathe in stillness, to let the soul bloom and harvest the fruits of mindfulness.
Much like the natural cycle – which in South Tyrol is especially vivid – our inner lives follow seasons too: times of growth, of rest, of release.
In Lana, nature sets a quiet rhythm. At Schwarzschmied, it becomes the pace of our own becoming. And perhaps that is the secret to a long, good life: to be a good gardener to oneself.
Blossoming
By all accounts, Martin Gratzer is not your average wellness guru. He doesn’t speak in the breathless jargon of Silicon Valley biohackers or preach from the pulpit of pseudoscientific hype. Instead, he drops sentences that land with the weight of lived experience. Take this one: “If you're stressed because you're trying to squeeze in your next biohack, something’s gone wrong.”
Gratzer would know. He’s played the performance game from every angle –Olympic hopeful, banker, entrepreneur. He understands exertion not just in the athletic sense, but mentally and organisationally. He speaks of biohacking not as a tech fetishist, but as someone who’s trialled, erred, and distilled it all down to something startlingly simple: essence. Gratzer was biohacking before the term existed. Back in the '90s, it was just “training optimisation”. Today, it’s an industry straddling Silicon Valley, supplement shelves, and the quantified self. Yet Gratzer doesn’t disappear down the rabbit hole of metrics and gadgets. Instead, he refocuses on the unsexy fundamentals: sleep, nutrition, movement. Not in a misty-eyed, return-tonature way, but with the rigour of a man redesigning a house– starting with the foundation.
“Biohacking doesn’t begin in a cryochamber or with a sleep tracker,” he says. “It begins with asking: When was the last time you slept well, moved your body, or saw real daylight?”
THE POWER OF A MORNING WALK
Take something as simple as a morning stroll. “Natural light, rich in blue wavelengths, helps break down melatonin,” Gratzer notes. “That’s free biohacking.” His workdays are peppered with walking meetings and outdoor phone calls, a quietly radical rejection of deskbound dogma.
This is Gratzer’s mode: quiet pragmatism. Less flash, more function. He’s fond of domestic metaphors. “People worry about triple or quadruple glazing, when the house doesn’t even have doors,” he says. In other words: don’t start with nootropics if you’re sleep-deprived. You need stillness, consistency, magnesium, not another pill. Can’t remember the last time you exercised? Skip the glucose monitor. Start with a leg that still holds weight.
NO COMPETITION, JUST KAIZEN
For Gratzer, biohacking isn’t a contest, it’s intentional living. His guiding principle? Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of small, continuous improvement. The launchpad? Humble beginnings. “We start with breakfast. Two weeks. Then we move on.” When it comes to food, his approach is refreshingly unorthodox by being entirely undogmatic. No radical diets. No worship at the altar of superfoods. His rules are refreshingly human: less processed, more
plants, more variety. “A lot of people eat the same thing seven days a week. That’s poison for your microbiome.”
"A LOW SLEEP SCORE ON YOUR SMARTWATCH DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INDICATE POOR SLEEP QUALITY."
Protein, for Gratzer, is not a bro-science badge of honour, but a longterm health strategy. He recommends 1.5 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight, a number many fall short of, especially on plant-based diets.
STRENGTH, NOT SPECTACLE
One of Gratzer’s quiet crusades? Preventing bone loss. Not just in ageing women, though they remain at higher risk, but increasingly in men too. The fix? Regular resistance training. “Twice a week is enough. No gym required. Your own body weight will do.” The key, he insists, is not perfection, but consistency. He champions two low-tech diagnostics over any lab report:
1. Can you stand on one leg?
2. Can you drop into a full squat–comfortably?
Both speak less to vanity and more to longevity. “In Asia, deep squats are part of everyday life. In the West, most people can’t do it anymore. But it’s a superb indicator of hip health.”
BIOHACKING IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Hollywood hasn’t done biohacking many favours. Between cryo chambers, smart rings, and sleek sleep labs, it’s often portrayed as a rich man’s parlour game. Gratzer rejects this outright. “A mother of two has the same stress load as a top executive. Biohacking is for everyone.” For him, it’s not about elite optimisation, it’s about common sense. “What we call biohacks today are really just mimics of natural stimuli we’ve lost: light, cold, movement, rhythm.”
That doesn’t mean he’s anti-tech. Blood tests, microbiome analyses, wearables, they’re useful. “But the tech should never replace intuition,” he cautions. Data can disconnect us from our bodies. “Just because your smartwatch says you slept poorly doesn’t mean you actually did.” Tools are only as good as the intent behind them. Omega-3 deficiency? Fixable. Vitamin D? Measurable. But it all hinges on one question: Why are you measuring? And what will you do with the result?
Maximum Impact
THE REAL VILLAIN: STRESS
Gratzer is at his most urgent when discussing stress. “Chronic stress is one of the greatest accelerators of ageing,” he says, pointing to the famously weathered before-and-after shots of Barack Obama. The effects go far beyond wrinkles–stress wrecks sleep, hormones, immunity. That’s why, for him, biohacking must be part of the solution–not part of the problem. “If you're sprinting from one hack to the next, you’ve missed the point,” he says. And when it comes to limits, he’s firm. Gene editing, testosterone shots, performance drugs? A hard no. “Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.” Even caffeine in sport is something he questions. “If you’re tired, you should rest, not steamroll over it with espresso.”
THE BEAUTY OF THE BASICS
In the end, Gratzer’s view of biohacking is charmingly unsexy. It’s not a revolution. It’s a toolbox stocked with very old tools. Not a question of tech, but of mindset. Speak with him long enough, and you’ll realise: he’s not preaching optimisation, but self-responsibility. Not about hacking the body, but listening to it. And perhaps it all comes down to just one quietly provocative question:
Can you still squat?
MARTIN GRATZER
Martin Gratzer is the CEO of BIOGENA ONE, a brand under the Austrian Biogena Group based in Salzburg. A twelve-time national champion in shot put, Gratzer has over two decades of biohacking experience and has trained elite athletes as a personal coach. His professional path has taken him from finance to the forefront of health innovation, where he now leads Biogena’s work in longevity, biohacking, and osteoporosis prevention.
WHAT IS BIOHACKING? BIOHACKING REFERS TO THE DELIBERATE, SCIENTIFICALLY
He is also the co-creator of BIOGENA ONE, a green drink packed with 99 premium nutrients, successfully launched in the U.S. and available at a flagship store in Los Angeles. His mission? To bridge science, lifestyle, and sustainability – with no compromises. biogena.com
ABOUT
Bye bye
cold spoon
I’ll be honest: when I look in the mirror after a long day, my eyes tell the whole story. Fine lines, tired shadows, mild puffiness – the full package. Until now, I relied on the old kitchen trick: a spoon from the fridge. But it was time for something more “contemporary.” That’s when I discovered the TEMPRASTONES – a new beauty gadget that uses heat and cold to revitalize the eye area.
temprastones.com
LOVE AT FIRST TOUCH
When the TEMPRASTONES arrived, I was immediately impressed by their award-winning design: sleek, minimalistic, and pleasantly weighty in the hand. They feel high-quality – almost like little massage stones from the spa, only with smart technology. The application is super simple: with the push of a button, I can switch between two modes – the warm “Ember Mode” (around 44°C) and the cool “Cryo Mode” (around 14°C). At first, I added them to my evening routine. You warm the eye area with the Ember Mode – it’s not only soothing but also helps your eye cream absorb better. In the morning, the Cryo Mode is perfect – it feels wonderfully refreshing and instantly relieves that tight feeling in the skin. Especially when my eyes are a bit puffy, the cooling effect is a real game changer.
After about four weeks of regular use, I noticed that my eye area looked more awake and smoother. I’m not sleeping more than before – but somehow, I look fresher. What I particularly appreciate is that it’s not a complicated device: no tangled cords, no app, no fuss – just switch it on and go. You can even swap out the ceramic surface for a silver one, which makes the “stones” feel even more premium.
The TEMPRASTONES have become a small but powerful luxury moment in my everyday life. They combine hightech with self-care and make my beauty routine just a little more relaxed – and a little more effective. I never thought such a simple tool could make such a big difference. But my eyes are definitely thanking me – a little more every day.
Helgabad means “holy bath” – what makes a bath “holy” to you?
I love this question. It’s a moment where you must be fully present. As long as you stay in the cold water, you have to focus on your breath – and that’s where the magic happens. When you immerse yourself, the surroundings are often breathtakingly beautiful, almost magical. And when you finally emerge from the cold water, you feel energized and amazing in so many different ways. That’s what makes it “holy” for me.
Do you remember your first ice bath?
I was very young, maybe eleven years old. I was at a friend’s summer house in winter with a group of girls, sitting in the sauna, and her father had cut a hole in the ice for bathing – We gently walked across the ice with woolen socks and a cap and then slowly descended into the water before heading back into the warm, wood-fired sauna. The first time I went ice bathing consciously was during the pandemic in 2021. That’s when I realized how holy the ritual had become for me. The mindfulness we’re all so desperately seeking these days – I found it in the icy April waters on the coast of Helsinki.
How do you shape your ritual? I’m quite determined – and you have to be, especially when it’s -10°C or colder. I undress and begin to breathe consciously before I even enter the water: slowly in through the nose, out through the mouth. I count 1-2-3... and then I slowly step into the water. After the bath I try to get dry immediately and quickly put on warm clothes. KAFTAN(EN) is perfect for that. I also enjoy drinking something warm afterwards.
Holy Ice Bath
What would you say to someone who’s afraid of the cold water?
You never regret an ice bath. It calms the nervous system and the mind in a way nothing else does. If you focus on your breathing, you won’t feel the intensity of the cold – but the moment your mind starts rationalizing what you’re doing, you’ll be out of the water faster than you can say hello. That’s why it’s so important to practice breathing, for example in a cold shower. Familiarize yourself with the Wim Hof method, speaks to others and don’t start ice bathing when it’s -5°C outside. Begin in autumn or spring – and never go alone.
Your ponchos seem almost ritualistic themselves – what inspired their design? The idea came when I was drying off my kids with hooded towels. I thought: Why doesn’t this exist for adults? So I created a kaftan from waffle cloth cotton – KAFTAN(EN).
Perfect for ice bathing. It looks elegant, you can get dry quickly and easily change clothes underneath it. It completed the ritual for me.
THERE IS POWER IN THE COLD – AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE NORDIC COUNTRIES, WHERE ICE BATHING IS CELEBRATED AS A STRENGTHENING, CLEANSING, AND PERHAPS EVEN LIFE-EXTENDING RITUAL. IT TAKES COURAGE TO PLUNGE INTO WATER THAT’S ONLY A FEW DEGREES ABOVE FREEZING. BUT MAYBE IT’S NOT THE WATER THAT’S COLD – MAYBE IT’S JUST OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH DISCOMFORT. THOSE WHO DARE TO EMBRACE AN ICE BATH ARE REWARDED: WITH A FEELING OF EXHILARATION, WITH CLARITY, AND WITH A COZY PONCHO WAITING TO GENTLY WRAP OUR TINGLING BODIES. KAFTAN(EN) IS THE NAME OF THE HOODED TOWEL MADE FROM WAFFLE CLOTH COTTON, DESIGNED BY PIA KNOESTER. WE ASKED THE FINNISH FOUNDER OF HELGABAD TO SHARE A FEW INSIGHTS INTO HER PERSONAL ICE BATH RITUAL.
Photos: Jennifer Sandström,
Karolina Isaksson
PIA KNOESTER
Selection
Located in a tranquil riverside neighborhood at the heart of Kyoto, Genji Kyoto is a contemporary interpretation of Machiya townhouses, marrying traditional concepts with modern amenities. Inspired by the Japanese masterpiece Tale of Genji, the story of which took place in the vicinity, the hotel’s designers took motifs from the novel to create a wabi sabi world of beauty and harmony.
GENJI KYOTO Japan / Honshū / Kyoto genjikyoto.com
Agrad Chalets, Aschau
im Chiemgau (LH 03)
ElisabethHotel, Mayrhofen (LH 04)
The Wild, Kalafati (LH 05)
Nesslerhof, Großarl (LH 06)
Seegut Zeppelin, Friedrichshafen (LH 07)
Pfösl, Deutschnofen (LH 08)
Refugium Lunz, Lunz am See (LH 09)
Badehaus / Lasserhaus, Brixen (LH 10)
Genji Kyoto, Kyoto (LH 11)
Hofergut, Reischach (LH 12)
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MALLORCA Pleta de Mar
PRIORAT Mas d'en Bruno
TENERIFE Ecohotel El Agua
VALENCIA Serra Nature Ecosmart Hotel
SWEDEN
LAPLAND Treehotel
SWITZERLAND
LUCERNE Hotel des Balances
VALLÉE DE JOUX Hotel des Horlogers
ZERMATT Hotel Matterhorn Focus
MEXICO USA
ARIZONA AmbienteTM Sedona
Breath of Bavaria
We search for longevity in superfoods, apps, and daily routines – yet we already carry the most powerful remedy within us: our breath. We tend to only notice it when it falters. But how often do we truly pay attention to it? When do we take a deep, conscious, breath? And: How healing is the air that surrounds us?
In Aschau im Chiemgau, the air is so pure that the town was designated a climatic health resort as early as 1937. The alpine altitude, constant air circulation, and natural clarity are proven to strengthen the immune system, lower stress levels, and reduce inflammation – the ideal foundation for regeneration, health, and long life.
This “life air” is especially tangible on the edge of the health resort – at the Agrad Chalets, a small village designed for deep breathing.
It’s a quiet kind of luxury, unobtrusive yet deeply effective. Stepping into this chalet village, you almost instinctively take a deep breath – even if the breathtaking beauty of the Chiemgau Alps initially takes it away.
Here, Bavaria’s nature is picture-perfect: the striking Kampenwand mountain, moss-covered rocks, blooming alpine meadows, tranquil moors, and fairy-tale forests make the world pause for a moment.
The sense of calm continues inside the Agrad Chalets. Built on the site of a former campground, they blend seamlessly into the landscape, as if they had always been part of it. Twelve chalets, fifteen suites, and a year-round heated pool create a refuge where nature and design become one.
Constructed with high-quality, authentic materials like wood, stone, and metal – honest, durable, and pure – this clarity in design runs like a red thread through the entire village, giving it a unique and unmistakable character.
During yoga on the covered terrace or in the light-flooded yoga studio, the breath becomes more conscious. In the gym, noticeably faster. In the private sauna, distinctly warmer. And in the private hot tubs, we finally breathe freely.
Wherever you are here, however your breath changes – in this chalet village, it always finds the right rhythm. It simply feels right. Or as the locals say: it is agrad.
Perhaps it’s this very breath that holds the most beautiful secret to a long life: no miracle cures, no trends – just pure air, mindful moments, and a touch of Bavarian serenity.
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Sleep Well
ELISABETHHOTEL
Austria / Tyrol / Mayrhofen
elisabethhotel.com
This wellness hotel, with its fairytale-like façade, offers an elegant living ambiance enriched with grounding elements. The rooms are furnished with locally crafted beds, down comforters, and pillows. For a healthy indoor climate, sheep wool carpets, as well as pine or oak wood, are used – depending on whether you're staying in a traditional or a modern room. No sleep mask needed here- shutters ensure complete darkness.
Sometimes, all it takes is a moment of mindfulness for the whole body to let go. At the ElisenseSpa, that moment becomes an experience:
Warmth that rises from deep within – in one of the saunas. Water that supports you – in the gently moving outdoor relaxation pool.
Peace that touches you – on the waterbeds in the Serenity Room.
And sounds that are not only heard, but felt – when the vibrations of singing bowls calm the mind.
In a place reserved exclusively for adults, this peace is allowed to unfold in all its depth. Not because children don’t belong in life – but because sometimes we need places where silence, retreat, and mindfulness take center stage.
And for those who still can’t drift off to sleep, perhaps a very special Zillertal magic potion will help: the house-made "Meisterwurz" schnapps, infused with the healing root that grows near streams and springs in this valley. A traditional home remedy to gently close the day – and perhaps the local secret for a truly good night’s sleep.
Photos:
ElisabethHotel Mayrhofen
An intimate adults-only design hotel in the Zillertal with a stylish spa area for those seeking peace and quiet.
We don't need to sleep for a hundred years like Sleeping Beauty to live to be a hundred. But waking up refreshed every day is part of a true fairytale for a long and fulfilling life. At the ElisabethHotel Private Retreat in Mayrhofen, sleep becomes a precious pause that nourishes both body and soul. What could be the secret slumbering here in the Zillertal?
Steps
of Longing
It smells like summer – not the kind you seek, but the kind you find.
And then you spot a path. A staircase leading down. Drawn to it almost magically, you step forward. Carefully, you place your foot on the rocky steps. Then you begin to count.
One. You feel the warmth of the stone, soaked by the sun.
Two. You keep walking. Thoughts drift by like clouds overhead. Three. Your breath slows. With every step, you breathe in deeply and out.
Four. Your nose is tickled by the sun; your lips taste the salt in the air.
Five. You let your gaze wander across the sea, shifting from bright turquoise to a deep, calm blue.
Six. The water sparkles as if filled with liquid light.
Seven. On either side, rocks rise toward the sky, offering support like protective hands.
Eight. On the beach, umbrellas made of dried grass sway in the wind, their colors blending with the warm tones of the sand.
Nine. One last step – you hesitate briefly, as if wanting to hold onto this moment of arrival just a breath longer.
Ten. Your feet sink into the sand. You have arrived. Cradled between sky, rock, and sea, in a small cove where time loses its meaning.
THE WILD Griechenland / Mykonos / Kalafatis
You are on Mykonos, at a place on the island far from boutiques and beach clubs. A place of authenticity. Deeply rooted in nature. Raw. Real. Its name: The Wild.
You stand barefoot on a cliff, high above the bay.
You take a deep breath. The air is clear, filled with salty sea breeze, blended with the spicy scent of pine and wild herbs. A hint of rosemary or thyme.
Summer Rituals
A natural wellness hotel nestled in the valley of alpine meadows, featuring a natural garden and swimming pond, fine dining, and stylish design.
Summer rituals are simple, yet never random. They
… cradle us gently, without a sound.
… ask for no effort, no perfection
… drift like a soft breeze, light and free. … awaken the heart and make life worth living.
AT NESSLERHOF, RITUALS IN SUMMER EMERGE ALMOST NATURALLY:
– Before the day fully stirs, we wander into the forest. The earth beneath is soft, the light delicate –and the air alive with fresh greenery and bird songs. Forest bathing connects us to nature’s rhythm, as we breathe deeply in – and even deeper out. The silence between the trees feels like a gentle embrace. A moment just for ourselves.
– Fresh mountain air flows through open windows – and we know: today will be a good day. Outside, birds greet us with cheerful chirping, sunlight peeks over the mountain peaks. We answer the call of the outdoors. At the crystal-clear natural swimming pond, we awaken our bodies with gentle morning yoga – or a few peaceful laps in the outdoor pool. Afterwards, anticipation for a refined breakfast grows.
– Back inside, Birchermüsli awaits us. Overnight oats made in-house – now rewarding us with a creamy-crunchy, nourishing moment of pleasure. Apple, honey, hazelnuts, oats: a composition that richly fuels the body for an active day in the Großarltal valley. Topped with flax seeds, banana chips, and strawberries for an extra vitamin boost. And plenty of anticipation.
– After a stroll through the nature surrounding Nesslerhof, we return. Our feet dip into the cool water, thoughts slow down. A cappuccino and homemade energy balls await – or a glass of homemade vermouth from hostess Tina Neudegger, refined with herbs from the living garden. Our gaze wanders over the mountain peaks, the heart feels light. Maybe we flip through THE Stylemate magazine. Or simply let our thoughts dance between the pages.
– The day draws to a close. A place that feels like “stay.” A moment to be captured. We take out our notebook and write down what comes. Thoughts, feelings – sometimes just one word. Everything is allowed. Everything may remain.
– And when the day bids farewell to the night, it may do so with style. A candlelight dinner by the lake. Surrounded by candlelight, sparkling stars, and the silver glow of the moon. Soft laughter. Gentle whispers. And plenty of closeness that finds its place exactly here.
NESSLERHOF Austria / Salzburg / Großarl
NESSLERHOF Austria / Salzburg / Großarl nesslerhof.at
Relaxation expands, the breath lengthens – perhaps even life itself stretches along with it.
Diving Deep
At Seegut Zeppelin in Friedrichshafen, the day gains depth. Is it the presence of Lake Constance that creates this sensation?
It can hardly be a coincidence that Germany’s deepest lake has its deepest point – about 250 meters – just off the shore where this unique hotel ensemble is located.
Facts about Lake Constance:
Surface area: 536km²
Deepest lake in Germany
Water temperatures: range from 4°C in winter to 25°C in summer
Borders three countries: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Home to the largest floating stage in the world
The seemingly endless grounds, home to ancient trees from all over the world, wild shrubs, flower meadows, fruit trees, and a 200-meter-long shoreline, blend seamlessly into the vastness of the lake, which in turn merges effortlessly with the sky. Zeppelins glide silently across the sky, quiet witnesses to the scene below, bearing stories from another time.
If the water could speak, it would surely have much to tell: about its formation during the Ice Age, several thousand years ago, when the Alps
split apart; about Ferdinand von Zeppelin’s first flight experiments at the dawn of the 20th century; about the Lake Constance Convention of 1959, when the decision was made to protect the lake from pollution; about the operatic melodies that drift across the water each year during the Bregenz Festival.
And about the smaller moments too – the whisper of reeds in the wind, the reflection of clouds on the still surface, the laughter of small children splashing into the lake, the sigh of relief from grown-ups as the cool water embraces them before they climb the steps up to Seegut Zeppelin.
A glance back at the water relaxes and inspires. A walk along the shore opens up new perspectives, step by step. The fresh lake air awakens the senses. It’s an ideal time for a picnic in the garden, enjoying flavors from ingredients nurtured by the gentle breath of the lake. Perhaps now is the time for a meditation that lets your thoughts drift like the streams feeding into the lake – for waves of calm, and a stay of true depth.
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SEEGUT ZEPPELIN
Germany / Baden-Württemberg / Friedrichshafen
seegut-zeppelin.de
Weitläufiges, modernes Hotelensemble rund um die historische Villa Gminder mit einem prachtvollen Garten am Ufer des Bodensees.
Naturally Green
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A green sanctuary in South Tyrol – surrounded by meadows, forests, and herbs, shaped
and views
Those who find themselves surrounded by greenery often feel it instinctively: This is where I belong. As the harmonious center of the color spectrum, green combines the calming strength of blue with the vitality of yellow. It is considered a symbol of nature, offering both tranquility and inspiration for inner growth. If longevity had a color, it would surely be green.
At the Green Luxury Hotel Pfösl in South Tyrol, green is everywhere – not just visually, but deeply rooted in the philosophy of the place. Nestled on a sunny alpine plateau, 35 hectares of meadows and forests blend seamlessly with this luxurious retreat. Parts of the hotel even literally disappear beneath the grassy earth.
What nature displays outside gently flows inward. Host Eva Zelger arranges twigs, grasses, and flowers into atmospheric decorations, while her sister Brigitte Zelger lovingly works with around 50 healing and garden herbs – in the nature-based kitchen, as fragrant incense, aromatic teas, or as refined ingredients in the house-made gin. Spirits and wines, by the way, are the specialty of Eva's husband Daniel, the third host of the hotel. As a passionate sommelier and bar manager, he places great value on a curated selection of wines and beverages from small regional producers, as well as house-made syrups.
“When you are born in a place this beautiful, the only right thing to do is to work together with the nature around you.”
Brigitte, Eva und Daniel –Hosts at the Green Luxury Hotel Pfösl
The surrounding nature is also reflected in artistic photographs that quietly adorn the rooms and spaces. Renowned photographer Gustav Willeit has captured the green wonders of the Pfösl forest with a keen and sensitive eye.
And then there is the green that remains invisible – but is deeply felt within us. It stems from the mindful actions of the hosts. Their conscious and respectful approach to resources and people is an integral part of their identity and is present in all aspects: in the architecture, the wellness areas, the nature-based cuisine, and in outdoor activities. It is a circle that closes here. A holistic concept. A green in all its shades.
GREEN LUXURY HOTEL PFÖSL Italy / South Tyrol / Deutschnofen pfoesl.it
by a naturefocused philosophy
of the Dolomites.
THE OLD LIVING ROOM
At over 300 years old, it is the heart and grand dame of the house. A visit to Refugium is incomplete without stepping into this room – with its finely crafted beam ceiling and the gentle light playing upon its historic structures. Layer by layer, the space was uncovered; missing pieces of the wooden ceiling lovingly recreated – baked in Joachim Mayr’s kitchen oven. The living room breathes the philosophy of the house with a deliberate, warm voice.
STONE THAT ENDURES
The floors may be new – they had to be – but the story beneath remains tangible. The reception, salon kitchen, and outdoor areas are paved with Kanfanar, a Croatian limestone admired for its gentle, honest look. In the wellness zone, Breccia Romana reigns – a classic limestone from central Italy, its warm, cloud-like veins evoking timeless elegance.
WOOD THAT LASTS
Where stones and tiles end, wood takes over, dressing floors and walls in warmth and depth. The planks come from Schotten & Hansen, a Bavarian workshop dedicated to carefully crafting this enduring material while preserving its natural character, so it may age gracefully over the years.
MEASURED GRACE AND STYLE
The furnishings? A thoughtful blend of bespoke creations and lovingly curated statement pieces – all chosen for their lasting quality and materials that will endure tomorrow. Custom-made furniture was crafted by Tischlerei Mayr, a workshop close to Refugium Lunz, both in proximity and spirit. Between washstands, benches, and shelves, a few favorite pieces stand out: the Lounge Chair Barrel by Sophisticated Living, the Ozz lamp-nightstand hybrid by Miniforms, and the cozy outdoor loungers by Varaschin.
FABRICS FOR LIFE’S DREAMS
The vibrant textures of Refugium Lunz reveal themselves most tenderly in the fabrics, quietly playing a background role while lending structure and character to every room. Designed by textile artist Teresa Urbano of FiLAFiL!, the collection includes fabrics from the Danish manufacturer Kvadrat and naturally tanned leathers from Sørensen, also Danish. Fabrics made to last a lifetime – and likely beyond.
REFUGIUM LUNZ Austria / Mostviertel / Lunz am See refugium-lunz.at
A boutique hotel nestled in a 17th-century historic house, right on the Kirchplatz of Lunz am See – crafted with exquisite sensitivity for design and detail. ( + )
Timeless in Lunz
The old house at the Kirchplatz has stood for centuries. Its oldest parts date back to 1661, a year forever etched into the artistically carved beams of the living room. Today, Refugium Lunz welcomes guests as a sanctuary, lovingly restored by the artisans of FORMDEPOT – seasoned craftsmen who have breathed new life into many historic buildings. The house honors its past while thoughtfully embracing the future. Here, longevity finds its voice in harmonious design: ancient stones, timeless lines, historic wood – and wood that is destined to become history itself.
Bound Together
They speak the same silent language, share the same quiet values – and yet, each tells a story all its own. The Badhaus boutique hotel and the Lasserhaus art hotel may wear different faces, but their hearts beat in harmony. Just steps apart in the town of Brixen, they are joined by a deep love for art and design, a reverence for the past, and a gaze gently fixed on the future. More than neighbors, they are soulmates –with the rare gift of becoming a bridge themselves.
Fluid Encounters
BOUTIQUEHOTEL BADHAUS
Italy / South Tyrol / Brixen hotel.badhaus.it
A modern hotel on the grounds of a historic bathhouse – a place for connection and exchange, with a respectful gaze toward its past. ( + )
Until the 1940s, a bathhouse stood here in this inner courtyard, a space for personal care and social connection. Today, the boutique hotel Badhaus rises in its place, carrying the name and spirit of its predecessor. With its bold copper-toned façade, the modern building confidently approaches one of Brixen’s landmarks, the White Tower. And yet, for all its architectural strength, it speaks in quiet dialogue with the past.
Those who look closely will notice subtle references to a time when water here served not only for cleansing, but for community. In the shaded courtyard, terrazzo seating surrounds a stone drinking fountain – freely accessible, just like in the old days. The path inward leads through an art passage, where Liquid Starry Sky by Michael Fliri flows
across ceiling and walls like water. What first appears as gentle waves reveals itself as a tangle of hands – a symbol of connection and togetherness.
Highlights of the Badhaus include not only the peaceful courtyard and art passage, but also the elegant Viertel Bar, a stylish meeting place for locals and travelers alike, and a small rooftop terrace. The element of copper – found throughout the hotel’s interior design – echoes the historic water pipes that once ran through the buildings of this city.
Artfully Welcoming
A historic 15th-century residence reimagined as a place of culture and hospitality – contemporarily revived through art, design, and a modern way of living. ( + )
A small bridge leads into Brixen’s oldest quarter and from there, connects the Badhaus with the Lasserhaus art hotel. Its façade, adorned with ornate mural paintings, is a visual delight. This listed 15th-century residence once served as a home to nobles and patricians over many generations. It takes its name from the von Lasser family, who acquired the building around 1895. Today, the house warmly welcomes guests and culture lovers from around the world.
A sense of comfort and character flows through every floor. Baroque artworks from the Faller family, who took ownership in the 21st century, meet contemporary pieces by artists who have reinterpreted the building’s history in their own unique ways. Among them is Peter Kogler, whose digital print installation in the wine cellar creates subtly psychedelic effects.
In addition to its permanent collection, the Lasserhaus also hosts temporary exhibitions and literary readings. Guests will also find a spa area within its walls. It’s a well-rounded blend of culture and relaxation – a magnet for both visitors and locals, much like the inner courtyard of the Badhaus, where art and conversation unfold side by side.
ARTHOTEL LASSERHAUS Italy / South Tyrol / Brixen lasserhaus.it
Photos: Viertel
Willeit, Freiundzeit, Franziska Unterholzner
Roots of Time
The Genji Hotel, located by the clear Kamo River, carries this heritage within itself. Its name and design are a quiet homage to “The Tale of Genji” – a masterpiece of the Heian period, in which gardens serve as vessels of emotion and symbolism. Those who linger here enter a world between past and present, between fiction and reality, between inside and outside – as if gently drawn into the handmade Washi pages of this 1,000-year-old novel. Landscape architect Marc Peter Keane, who has lived in Kyoto for over 20 years, has carefully crafted three gardens, each embodying a distinct philosophy and feeling of life.
IUKIFUNE GARDEN
In the lobby, a scene quietly unfolds. The drifting boat Ukifune, represented by a large stone resting on a river of pebbles and surrounded by moss, symbolizes the thoughts of the protagonist, who is at the mercy of life’s currents. Beyond the literary source, this Zen garden also suggests that our Earth itself is a drifting boat, carrying its ephemeral cargo – life – through the universe.
SKY FOREST GARDEN
From the rooftop, the views of the river and mountains are breathtaking. The terrace is a Shichū’in, a quiet oasis in the heart of the city. Numerous plants mentioned in The Tale of Genji form a harmonious ensemble here on the top floor – an expression of deep appreciation and love for nature and gardens, just as the novel brings them vividly to life.
POCKET GARDENS
And then there are the small gardens that merge seamlessly with the guest rooms, expressing the Japanese longing to bring nature indoors. Nearly every room features such a mini-garden. Each contains an antique stone object that here takes on a sculptural character. The term Tsuboniwa – a small courtyard garden – was already in use at the time The Tale of Genji was written. The court ladies in the novel even took the names of the plants from their own Tsuboniwa. Perhaps this is a quiet invitation to ask oneself which name from one of these hidden gardens might be secretly carried along on the journey home…
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modern interpretation of a
A JOURNEY TO KYOTO IS NEVER COMPLETE WITHOUT VISITING A JAPANESE GARDEN.
KYOTO Japan / Honshū / Kyoto genjikyoto.com
The Quiet
Even if we live a hundred years, a human life remains a fleeting moment. For a house that has stood for centuries, it is barely more than a breath in the long rhythm of time. The Hofergut in Bruneck, South Tyrol, was first mentioned in the year 1085. That makes it over a thousand years old – fifty generations have passed through its doors. What stories might these walls tell us, if only they could speak?
Once known as a Houve-Hof, the Hofer estate was among the oldest agrarian and administrative seats in the region. It carried responsibilities of governance, served as the court of the noble Rischon family, and later became the seat of the district court of St. Michelburg.
Surely, these halls have witnessed judgments passed and seals pressed to parchment. They’ve absorbed commands, confessions, oaths, and whispered prayers. How many souls have crossed the pointed-arch doorway – with resolve, with joy, with awe? And how many secrets are still held in these rooms, gently guarded by the spirit of the house?
One secret, at least, may now be shared: today, the Hofergut is a guesthouse. Lovingly and carefully restored, this heritage-listed building holds fast to its history while welcoming a new spirit into its midst.
The apartments and suites reflect this quiet harmony – where old and new meet without friction.
You feel it in the two centuries-old parlors, inviting quiet thoughts and future plans. You taste it in the blackened smoke kitchen, where regional delicacies tell their own stories.
You sense it with each step through the bold, timeworn entrance.
To stay at the Hofergut is to arrive not only in a place of breathtaking beauty, but in a place of presence – of stillness that lingers. The quiet strength of the house settles gently into those who stay. Time begins to shift. Suddenly, it is not about rushing forward, but about noticing what remains – and the quiet power of being part of something far greater than oneself.
of Time
HOFERGUT Italy / South Tyrol / Reischach
DO I TRULY
WANT TO LIVE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE OR RATHER AS CONSCIOUSLY AND MEANINGFULLY AS POSSIBLE?
What does it mean to me to truly live not just to exist or function? Am I getting lost in the pursuit of longevity or discovering a deeper sense of purpose in it? Would a long life be a gift, a burden, or both –and what does that depend on?
How does my relationship with time change when I know life is finite and how would it change if it weren’t? What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind and why is that important to me? Am I truly willing to accept impermanence or am I unconsciously striving for immortality?
If I could live forever would my life lose its meaning or intensity? What makes life personally meaningful to me and how much time do I really need for that? Am I living today in a way that will allow me to say at the end: “That was a good life”?
BREAKFAST IN OKINAWA (JAPAN)
MISO SWEET POTATO BOWL
Warming, umami-rich, and packed with antioxidants –a morning start that energizes and grounds.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
500 ml dashi or vegetable broth
2 tbsp light miso paste
1 small sweet potato, diced
1 handful wakame seaweed (dried, soaked)
100 g tofu, cubed Spring onion, sesame seeds
Preparation:
Simmer sweet potato cubes in broth for about 10 minutes until tender. Stir miso paste with a bit of broth until smooth, then return it to the pot (do not boil!). Add seaweed and tofu, let sit briefly. Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds.
DINNER IN IKARIA (GREECE)
LENTIL STEW WITH WILD HERBS
Hearty and subtly spiced –a stew that gently closes the day.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
150 g brown lentils
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 carrots, sliced
1 handful wild herbs or spinach
1 tsp oregano, 1 bay leaf
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Preparation:
Simmer lentils with bay leaf and vegetables for about 25–30 minutes until tender. Add herbs at the end. Season with olive oil and oregano. Serve with a piece of sourdough bread – and silence.
LUNCH IN SARDINIA (ITALY)
FREGOLA VEGETABLE SKILLET WITH PECORINO
Mediterranean clarity on a plate –with aromatic vegetables, olive oil, and a hint of sheep's cheese.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
150 g fregola (Sardinian pasta pearls)
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 bell pepper, diced Olive oil, salt, pepper
Fresh basil
30 g Pecorino, shaved
Preparation:
Cook fregola according to package instructions. Sauté vegetables in olive oil until soft. Mix in fregola, season to taste. Serve with Pecorino and fresh basil. Perfect with a glass of red wine – à la Sardegna.
SNACK
ON THE NICOYA PENINSULA (COSTA RICA)
CORN TORTILLAS WITH BLACK BEAN SPREAD
A plant-based snack that satisfies without weighing you down –ideal between conversations.
Ingredients (for 2 people):
4 small corn tortillas
150 g cooked black beans
1 tsp cumin
1 small garlic clove
Salt, lime juice
Avocado & cilantro for garnish
Preparation:
Blend beans with garlic, cumin, salt, and a splash of lime juice into a paste. Lightly toast tortillas in a pan, then spread with the bean paste. Top with avocado and fresh cilantro.
THE ELEGANCE OF SLOWNESS
The regions with the highest life expectancy have one thing in common: a calm, rhythmic, and slow relationship with food. Not only that – they treat meals as social, cultural, and sensual highlights of the day. On Ikaria, cooking takes hours, and eating takes even longer. In Okinawa, breakfast is part of a meditative daily rhythm. In Sardinia, bread is a cultural treasure, not just a carbohydrate source. What stands out – and what we may be missing – is slowness. In Western cities, we eat to function. In the Blue Zones, people eat to live. It’s a difference that affects more than just semantics – it has biological impact. Research supports this: eating slowly aids digestion, promotes satiety, regulates insulin, and reduces chronic stress – one of the main causes of many modern diseases. But beyond the physiological arguments lies something deeper: the idea of time as an ingredient. A dish prepared with care, a meal shared with conversation and silence – this is more than nourishment. It’s care – not only for the body but also for the social fabric of life.
RITUALS,
NOT RULES
There are no dogmas in the Blue Zones. In Okinawa, people don’t count calories; in Ikaria, no one weighs their couscous; in Costa Rica, nobody tracks macros. Instead, they live by rituals: small, recurring actions that provide structure. People eat at set times, rarely alone, often outdoors, and never distracted. The food is simple, local, mostly plant-based – not out of restriction, but due to availability and tradition. This apparent simplicity reveals itself, upon closer inspection, as a highly sophisticated art of living: the body is not only fed, but respected. A meal is not a break in the day – it’s the center of it.
LIFE SLOW FOOD LONG
WHAT WE CAN RECLAIM
In a time when meals are squeezed between meetings, screen time, and podcasts, it might be time to de-digitize our eating habits. If you want to live long – or better said, live well – you must ask not only what’s on your plate, but how the plate shapes your day.
This doesn’t mean retreating into asceticism. On the contrary. The Blue Zone diet includes wine, cheese, dessert. But it excludes haste. Perhaps that’s the real point: it’s not just what you eat that leads to a long life – it’s how you enjoy it.
The taste of a long life may not be exotic, but it is intentional. Maybe it starts with a piece of bread. Maybe with a steaming bowl of lentil stew. But it surely begins with a moment of attention.
At the café on the square, the scent of toasted rye bread lingers in the air. In Lisbon, laundry dries in the morning sun as an elderly gentleman unfolds his newspaper next to his espresso maker. In Nicosia, Nagasaki, or Nuoro, the day doesn’t begin in a rush. Those who grow old in these places do so with intention.
Longevity is too often associated with medical methods or technological gadgets. But the secret to a long life often begins not in the lab, but in the kitchen. More precisely: at the dining table. And even more precisely: in the way food is consumed.
Text: Nina Prehofer
HOMES
HARMONY IN
They say the way we live is a reflection of our soul. So could it be that the spaces in which we feel safe, sheltered, and at peace might also influence how long we live? Without a doubt, because where the heart finds rest, the body finds space to heal and grow. But how do we create such sanctuaries, places that not only support us through life but perhaps even extend it?
BEMZ
“WABI-SABI NURTURES ALL THAT IS AUTHENTIC BY ACKNOWLEDGING THREE SIMPLE REALITIES: NOTHING LASTS, NOTHING IS FINISHED, AND NOTHING IS PERFECT.”
WABI-SABI (JAPAN)
Wabi-Sabi embraces the beauty of imperfection, transience, and simplicity. This Japanese concept invites us to see aesthetics in the imperfect: a cracked ceramic bowl, weathered wood, or an asymmetrical vase. Rather than striving for perfection, Wabi-Sabi honors authenticity in everyday life. It creates quiet, understated spaces where we can slow down and reconnect with what truly matters.
FENG-SHUI (CHINA)
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice focused on the harmonious flow of life energy „Qi“ within a space. By thoughtfully arranging furniture, colors, materials, and light, it encourages energy to move freely, without stagnation or loss. Feng Shui helps create a balance between activity and calm, and in doing so, supports a greater sense of wellbeing.
“VASTU SHASTRA IS YOGA FOR ARCHITECTURE.”
DR.
GUPTA
HYGGE (DENMARK)
Hygge is a uniquely Danish concept that’s best described as “cozy contentment.” It’s about embracing the quiet joys of everyday life: candlelit evenings, soft blankets, homecooked meals, warm wood tones, gentle lighting, and the company of loved ones. Hygge is the art of creating spaces that feel safe, comforting, and sincere –allowing the home to be a refuge from a fast-paced world.
VASTU-SHASTRA (INDIA)
Vastu Shastra – literally “the science of proper dwelling” – is an Indian architectural philosophy based on the idea that a house functions as a living, energetic organism. It considers the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), cardinal directions, and cosmic principles to bring harmony between human life and the natural world. Every area of the home has an ideal orientation – for rest, work, or sleep. For example, beds should face east or west, and never be placed beneath a window. Ultimately, Vastu aims to align home, person, and universe in a state of peaceful balance.
MAJLIS(ARAB WORLD)
The Majlis is a traditional reception and living area, often the heart of an Arab home, symbolizing hospitality, community, and conversation. Designed with harmony in mind, it features soft carpets, low cushions, and warm, rich colors like red, gold, and green. Intricate patterns – arabesques and geometric designs – enhance the space with meaning and warmth. These elements go beyond decoration: they embody spirituality, serenity, and connection. The Majlis is a place to share stories, laughter, and life – a space where relationships are nurtured, and wellbeing thrives through togetherness.
COSIMA
VAISHALI
RICHARD R. POWELL
AUDO
INTO THE
BLUE
… OR INTO THE GREEN–WE DIVE IN. IT’S A DEEP HUMAN LONGING TO FEEL THE ELEMENT OF WHICH WE ARE LARGELY MADE. JUST LIKE EARTH ITSELF, WHOSE SURFACE IS 70 PERCENT COVERED BY WATER. ACROSS THE GLOBE, IT STEAMS, HISSES, SPLASHES, AND RIPPLES–SHIMMERING AND STILL IN COUNTLESS SHADES OF GREEN AND BLUE. WATER IS A SYMBOL OF ETERNAL LIFE. IT CLEANSES BOTH BODY AND SOUL. IT’S CONSIDERED HEALING, AND SOMETIMES EVEN SACRED. IT’S PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE AND OF SPECIAL RITUALS. IN THE PHOTO BOOK THE NATURE OF SWIMMING FROM GESTALTEN PUBLISHING, WE GLIDE PAGE BY PAGE THROUGH UNIQUE SWIMMING EXPERIENCES AROUND THE WORLD: WE DIVE INTO A CRYSTAL-CLEAR LAKE IN CANADA, SWIM PROTECTED FROM TIDES IN BRITTANY, AND SOAK IN HOT SPRINGS IN THE USA.
(1) Left: Kerry Black and Dave Livesley, The Nature of Swimming, gestalten 2024
(2) Right: Andrea Caruso / Amazing Aerial Agency, The Nature of Swimming, gestalten 2024
COMFORT TEMPERATURE
How warm or cool do you like your bath? It’s a personal choice. The Fifth Water Hot Springs in Utah, USA, offer a wide range of answers. The unusually hot waterfall trickles into a series of pools, each one slightly cooler the further it is from the source. (1)
BLOOMING SEA GROTTO
Carried by the endless blue of the sea, a large opening in the rock of Malta leads mysteriously into a sunlit cave. The water in the Coral Lagoon is a few degrees warmer, creating ideal conditions for an underwater world to thrive – especially the lagoon’s namesake coral. (2)
A SWIMMING POOL SHAPED BY NATURE
Protected by a rock on a beach in Cornwall, England, this spot offers a way to experience the wild Atlantic Ocean without being fully exposed to its often untamed force. Twice a day, the Chapel Rock Tidal Pool is replenished with fresh salt water by the tide. (3)
A HOT LEAP INTO COLD WATERS
In Pemberton, Canada, people literally merge with nature – inside an alpine sauna perched on a rock in the middle of a glassy lake at 1,800 meters above sea level. It serves as an extraordinary rest stop along a hiking trail. The icy water tingles the skin and offers renewed energy for the journey ahead. (4)
HISTORIC BAIGNADE
The sea water pool created by René Lesaunier in 1936 is a beautiful example of architecture gently harnessing the power of nature.
Influenced by the tides, the Piscine de Bon Secours in Saint-Malo, France, fills with salt water at high tide and blends almost seamlessly with the horizon. When the tide recedes, the water remains in the basin – providing a safe and scenic swimming experience, along with a stunning view of Petit Bé Island and its 17th-century fortress. (5)
THE NATURE OF SWIMMING
Unique Bathing Locations and Swimming Experiences
Publisher: gestalten
256 pages
(4)
(5)
(3) Top left: Carl Brightman / Amazing Aerial Agency, The Nature of Swimming, gestalten 2024
Top right: Tyler Ravelle, The Nature of Swimming, gestalten 2024
Bottom left: Thibault Poriel, The Nature of Swimming, gestalten 2024
Silence
NO APPOINTMENTS, JUST TERRACES.
MICHAEL AM WAAL IS THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE YOUR PHONE GOES INTO FLIGHT MODE –VOLUNTARILY. AND SUDDENLY, DOING NOTHING FEELS JUST RIGHT.
Merano, early morning. The sun gently creeps over the hills, steam rises softly from the pool, and everything feels lighter. As if someone hit pause on the world. Welcome to Michael am Waal. A place that doesn’t shout – and that’s exactly why it stays with you.
High above Merano’s rooftops, nestled between palm trees and apple orchards, you’ll find more than just apartments. You’ll find a mindset. A philosophy that says: true luxury is the freedom not to have to.
michaelamwaal.com
MARKUS ERSCHBAMER
A NEW TAKE ON THE HIDEAWAY
What was once a traditional South Tyrolean home is now a retreat for those who appreciate quiet. No lobby, no over-eager concierge, no pre-set schedule. Instead: balconies where time stretches, rooms with soul, and a host who knows when to be there – and when not.
Markus Erschbamer has seen the world – Sardinia, Florida, Zürich, Australia. But what he brought back isn’t glossy luxury –it’s something more real. Hospitality, not as service, but as feeling. He calls it “laidback luxury.” No marble, but wood that still smells of the forest. No stiff tablecloths, but breakfast on the terrace, Merano below, and the quiet sense that today might be special –even with no plans.
The architecture speaks softly. Natural stone meets steel, panoramic glass meets centuries-old walls. The apartments? Think Japandi meets South Tyrol: clean lines,
muted tones, materials with character. Inside, light flows. Outside, the view. Nothing loud. Nothing forced.
The wellness area isn’t about spectacle – it’s about letting go. Warm stone. Clear lines. Three zones, one rhythm: heat, water, weightlessness. The pool? An open invitation to drift. Steam rises from the whirlpool, even in winter. And sometimes, all you hear is your breath – and the whisper of palm leaves.
A DAY WITH NO AGENDA
Maybe you’ll write a postcard. Maybe not. Maybe you’ll follow a trail that starts right at the doorstep. Or maybe you’ll stay –barefoot, with a glass of South Tyrolean white wine, watching it catch the apricot glow of evening.
It’s about freedom. About stillness. And about just the right amount of everything. No performance, only presence. And when Merano shimmers below and the day’s only plan is “maybe nothing,” you’ll know you’ve arrived. And maybe you’ll stay longer than expected.
Humans are aware of their own end, this sets them apart from all other beings. From this certainty arises the primal longing to leave a trace. The cave paintings of Lascaux, over 17,000 years old, are not merely early images; they are an attempt to pierce time. What are they, if not a cry from the depths of the past, a voice rebelling against silence? The philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer phrased it thus: “Art is the experience of truth within time.” This truth is not empirical, not measurable, it is an existential truth, capturing our existence in all its fragility and simultaneously transcending it.
WHERE TO SEE THE ETERNAL TODAY:
“Rendezvous of Dreams. Surrealism and German Romanticism” –Hamburger Kunsthalle (13 June – 12 October 2025)
ART AS A MACHINE OF TRANSCENDENCE
Immanuel Kant distinguished between the “thing-in-itself” and “appearance” – a thought that can be applied to art in a
Caspar David Friedrich and Max Ernst meet here. Two worlds, both dreaming of transcendence – one through fog and solitude, the other through the imagery of the unconscious.
Amy Sherald, “American Sublime” –Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (9 April – 10 August 2025)
Sherald lends African-American bodies a dignified monumentality. Her portraits speak of the lasting value of the individual, and how that becomes imperishable through aesthetic form.
“Civilization. How We Live Now” –Kunsthalle Munich (until 24 August 2025)
A photographic cartography of the present that frames the here and now – in all its documentary diversity – as future memory.
particular way. An artwork is more than what it shows. It is symbol, projection, myth. Time, history, biography, hope, and fear condense within it. The artwork transcends its physical form. The marble body of the Venus de Milo, the oil traces of a Turner painting, or the performative presence of Marina Abramović, all are forms of overcoming time. When we search for the divine in a sculpture by Michelangelo or feel the sublime in the texture of a Rothko surface, this is not mere reception, it is metaphysical co-being. French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty stated: “Art is not the reflection of the world, but a world of its own.” This world is not linear; it is cyclical, timeless, a parallel existence to the everyday flow of time.
THE ARTIST AS A PROPHET OF ETERNITY
“A work begins to live when its creator dies,” wrote Jean Cocteau. In this paradox lies a profound truth: the transience of the artist intensifies the longing for permanence in the work. Take Van Gogh, for instance, misunderstood during his lifetime, but today alive in every brushstroke of his paintings. He is no longer merely Vincent, the son of a pastor, he has become image, myth, collective cultural heritage. His sunflowers never wilt, for they were never real, and because they are reborn in the gaze of the viewer every day. Marina Abramović, whose work is deeply rooted in presence and ephemerality, expressed this tension in her performance The Artist Is Present (MoMA, 2010). She sat silently across from visitors, hour after hour, day after day. Her physical presence became a ritual gesture of overcoming time. An ephemeral act etched into cultural memory through documented experience.
BETWEEN MEMENTO MORI AND APOTHEOSIS: THE AESTHETIC DIALECTIC
Art always moves within the tension between memento mori – remember that you must die – and apotheosis – elevation to the divine. The drama of Caravaggio, the grotesques of Goya, or Warhol’s repetition of the banal: all carry this double vector. Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych (1962), created shortly after the actress’s death, is more than an icon of Pop Art. It is a meditative shroud in color. The serial reproductions show the mechanics of impermanence, while the aesthetic elevation simultaneously produces immortality, a new form of saintly image in the age of mass media. The artist Sophie Calle takes a different path. In her works about loss, such as Exquisite Pain (2003), she documents her own heartbreak and contrasts it with anonymous reports of pain. Pain becomes aesthetic form, the form becomes collective memory. This too is a form of immortality: when the personal becomes universal through art.
THE WORK AS A TIME ANCHOR
The question is not whether art is immortal – but to what extent it makes us immortal. In a poem by the Roman poet Horace it says: “Exegi monumentum aere perennius” – “I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze.” This is the primal form of the artistic self-promise. Art is no guarantee against forgetting. But it is the most serious attempt to leave a trace. In gesture, image, and sound lies the claim: I was here. I felt. I transformed. And those who see, feel, remember make the work come alive again. Thus the artist continues to live. Not as a person but as impact. Perhaps this is the only true form of immortality.
Amy Sherald, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama, 2018. Oil on linen, 72 1/8 × 60 1/8 × 2 3/4 in. (183.1 × 152.7 × 7 cm). National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. The National Portrait Gallery is grateful to the following lead donors for their support of the Obama portraits: Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg; Judith Kern and Kent Whealy; Tommie L. Pegues and Donald A. Capoccia. Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
IMMORTALITY
IN THE TRANSIENCE FACE OF
WHAT REMAINS OF A LIFE WHEN IT FADES AWAY? THE BODY DECAYS, THE VOICE FALLS SILENT – BUT THE EXPRESSION, THE TRACE, THE WORK: IT CAN ENDURE. WITHIN THIS THOUGHT LIES ART’S ETERNAL PROMISE. IT IS NOT ONLY A MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION, BUT A METAPHYSICAL RESISTANCE AGAINST TIME. MORE THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER HUMAN ACTIVITY, ART OFFERS A PROJECTION SURFACE FOR THE DESIRE FOR IMPERISHABILITY.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION
IN A WORLD DRIVEN BY SPEED, OPTIMIZATION, AND CONSTANT AVAILABILITY, MANY ARE YEARNING FOR A COUNTERBALANCE: MORE MINDFULNESS, MORE DEPTH, AND ABOVE ALL, MORE GENUINE QUALITY OF LIFE. THOSE WHO TRAVEL OFTEN, WHETHER FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE, KNOW THE CONSTANT SENSORY OVERLOAD AND THE FEELING OF NEVER TRULY BEING IN THE MOMENT. IT'S ALL THE MORE REMARKABLE THAT A SIMPLE RITUAL LIKE MEDITATION CAN HELP US NOT ONLY BECOME MORE RELAXED BUT ALSO VISIBLY YOUNGER.
TOP 3 MEDITATION APPS FOR BEGINNERS
1. HEADSPACE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE STRUCTURE
Perhaps the most well-known meditation app, Headspace stands out with charming animations, a clear user interface, and short sessions for everyday life. From “Meditation for Better Sleep” to “Mindfulness While Traveling,” the content is diverse and also available offline – ideal for people with a packed schedule.
2. INSIGHT TIMER FOR THE CURIOUS AND INDIVIDUALISTS
This app offers a huge selection of free guided meditations, music tracks, talks, and live sessions – ranging from mindfulness to sound healing. Thanks to its international community, meditating can feel like a global event. Especially handy: the timer for your own silent sessions.
3. CALM FOR AESTHETES AND FREQUENT TRAVELERS
With its elegant design, soothing nature sounds, and high-quality content (featuring voices like Matthew McConaughey and LeBron James), Calm offers a holistic feel-good experience. In addition to meditations, you’ll find sleep stories, breathing exercises, and mini-masterclasses – perfect for hotel rooms or airport lounge moments.
THE QUIET REVOLUTION AGAINST AGING
Anti-aging today is about much more than creams and treatments. It's now about holistic strategies that nurture both body and mind. This is precisely where mindfulness and meditation come in – quietly, yet powerfully. Studies show: regular meditation significantly lowers stress levels, protects the heart and brain, and positively influences cellular aging and hormone balance. Even our DNA responds: telomeres, which protect our chromosomes, remain more stable.
The best part? Meditation doesn't just make you feel more relaxed – it shows. Facial expressions soften, the skin benefits from better sleep and reduced internal tension. And something else emerges that no beauty product in the world can create – an authentic glow that makes age irrelevant.
Many travel lovers are familiar with the power of a change in perspective. Meditation offers exactly that – without changing your location. Whether on a rooftop in Marrakech, by a lake in Tuscany, or in your
own living room: those who regularly take time for inner stillness discover a new kind of journey – one that goes inward. Mindfulness becomes your personal retreat, no matter where you are.
EASY TO GET STARTED
Don’t worry – meditation doesn’t require guru status or hours on a cushion. Just ten minutes a day is enough. Apps, podcasts, and online sessions offer easy access –perfect for those constantly on the go or looking to carve out small islands of calm between Zoom calls, city trips, and evening yoga.
In a world full of possibilities, the true luxury is often found in simplicity: time, silence, self-connection. Mindfulness and meditation are sustainable lifestyle tools for more presence, vitality, and youthfulness. Those who learn to live consciously discover a new path to beauty – no filter needed.
BREATH
“Your body is earth. Your breath is wind. Your mind is the sky. When you realize this – you will truly live, beyond time.”
MEDITATION FOR LONGEVITY
– Duration: 20–25 minutes
– Ideally practiced in the morning upon waking or in the evening before sleep
– Optional: After meditation, drink a glass of warm water with a drop of honey and a splash of lemon –a traditional Ayurvedic tonic for cellular renewal.
PREPARATION
Sit upright – on the floor, a cushion, or a chair.
Let your hands rest gently on your knees, thumb and index finger lightly touching. Close your eyes softly.
Your spine is a living pillar – alert, yet relaxed.
1. CONNECTION TO THE BODY – THE LIVING VESSEL (5 MINUTES)
Bring your awareness to your body. From head to toe – feel every part. Not as form, but as energy.
Breathe deeply through the nose… and gently exhale through the mouth. With each exhale – let tension melt.
Repeat silently within: “I honor this body – temple of my time.”
2. BREATH OF LIFE – RHYTHM OF LONGEVITY (10 MINUTES)
Now simply observe your breath. No control. Just witnessing. In… Out…
Like waves rising and falling – eternal, calm, without hurry. Begin to count silently:
Inhale – 1, Exhale – 2… up to 10. Then start again from 1. If thoughts arise – smile at them, and return to the breath.
After a few minutes:
Gently extend the exhale – twice as long as the inhale. This calms the nervous system. And what is calm – lives longer.
3. INNER MANTRA – OPEN THE HEART TO TIME (5 MINUTES)
Now silently repeat a simple mantra: “So Hum” – I am that.
With each inhale: “So” With each exhale: “Hum”
Feel how every cell listens. How time no longer rushes against you – but rests within you.
4. CLOSING – SILENCE AS MEDICINE (3 MINUTES)
Now let go of all techniques. No breath control, no mantra, no counting. Just you – aware, still, present.
A quiet space where your life expands. In this silence, there is no haste. And where there is no haste – longevity blooms.
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