Wellness has been a buzz word for a few years now, but is there any time more ‘peak wellness’ than January, when many of us are ruminating on how we can be our healthiest, happiest selves?

Combine that with the latest travel trends, which dictate that holidays focused on activities like yoga, meditation and relaxing spa days with vegan menus on offer are the future, and it’s safe to say that at this time of year it wouldn’t take much to get us jetting off to a retreat. 

Knowing this, TravelSupermarket has done some serious research and has come up with a definitive list of the healthiest, most mindful cities on earth, perfect for a trip away. 

To create the selection, the website looked at a number of factors, pitting destinations against each other by how many health food shops, vegan restaurants, green spaces, gyms and yoga retreats or spas were in each city. It also checked the amount of sunlight hours each place gets throughout the year, deeming this as another reason to visit. 

Coming out on top was Paris, which might surprise some people considering what a busy, cosmopolitan city it is. The City of Lights scored a whopping 61.9 in the healthiest cities index, with 894 spas to visit, 1,305 vegan-option restaurants, 18 yoga and pilates studios and 139 parks or green spaces to explore.

Paris is also known for being super accessible thanks to reasonable flights and the Eurostar, so if you do fancy taking a trip make sure you check out our Paris city guide and advice on where to stay. 

Next up, TravelSupermarket deemed Chiang Mai in Thailand as a suitable runner up, with a score of 59.6 and an impressive 307 vegan-option restaurants and 273 spas, while Barcelona comes third with 88 health food shops, 39 parks and 32 yoga centres.

Check out the full list below for ideas on where to book your most relaxing trip yet:

1. Paris, France
2. Chiang Mai, Thailand
3. Barcelona, Spain
4. Pattaya, Thailand
5. Vancouver, Canada
6. Miami, USA
7. San Francisco, USA
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. Denpasar, Indonesia
10. Buenos Aires

Emma Coulthurst from TravelSupermarket says: “We are part of a generation that prioritises health and wellness more than ever before - this means tourist destinations will have to consider tourists’ needs and cater for the healthy lifestyles of travellers.

“It may seem surprising to some that Paris is the healthiest city in the world with an indulgent food and wine culture being one of their key attractions.  

“However, with 894 spas, almost 150 green spaces and a large number of gyms, yoga studios and health food shops, tourists really are able to emulate the healthy lifestyle they practice at home whilst they’re away. Visiting the city of love and lights can leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and re-energised.”

If this list has got you feeling inspired, we have a funny feeling you’ll also like these life-changing adventures and travel journalists top-rated destinations.

Bon voyage!

Images: Getty