After a stressful week, some people might reach for their yoga mat, running shoes or aromatherapy oils. Elsie Evans grabs her sketchbook. “I just sit and draw,” she says. “It’s a way to relax.”

Meet the founder of Elsie Evans Art Retreat , a guesthouse in rural Rayong, Thailand that welcomes visitors from all over the world to experience this sense of relaxation through art. “Increasingly, people are turning to different forms of therapy – yoga, tai chi – and art is therapy as well,” adds Evans.

Researchers agree: practising art can serve as a creative form of meditation, giving participants visuals and movements to focus on that can help tune out external distractions or intrusive thoughts. For some, creating works of art can also be a form of non-verbal self-expression, allowing practitioners to process emotions or experiences in abstract ways.

Surrounded by greenery and just a 15-minute walk from the beach, Evans’ spacious, modern retreat comprises a purpose-built studio where guests can let their creative juices flow over the transformative experience, whether working with acrylic or watercolour paints, or collage.

A typical day might begin with a few hours’ painting, followed by an afternoon excursion to the nearby harbour, beach or wetlands – sketchbook in hand, should inspiration strike. “You’re not necessarily creating a masterpiece but are just doing something different,” says the Scottish artist.

Retreats like Evans’ provide what many travellers today seek: a nurturing, stress-free environment in which they can learn, explore and reconnect with themselves on a personal growth journey.

Pack your own project

Roughly a day’s drive from Cape Town, Knysna is a picturesque stop along South Africa’s revered Garden Route. Located in its outskirts is The School Farmstay , a rustic retreat for creatives of all types. “The idea is that you come with a particular project, whether it's art or a book or a piece of music,” explains owner Janet Meintjes. “You have your own space in a big, beautiful studio, you’re catered for three times a day and you have an abundance of natural beauty nearby.”

The School is ideally suited to its purpose, having once been a real school serving the children of local farm workers. “It stood empty for about 10 to 15 years, and then along I came and renovated it,” says Meintjes. Today, most of the guests she welcomes are weary city-dwellers looking for peace, seclusion and a remedy for creative block. “I know that often when you’re in the middle of a project, you start feeling a little stuck,” Meintjes says. “It helps to be in a new environment – a very healthy, lovely one at that.

“Here you can go and walk in an indigenous forest. You can hike, you can swim, you can surf – you can be completely absorbed in and by nature. Travelling these days is so much more than just popping in and having a look at a place. It’s really experiencing it.”

Draw as you explore

Of course, any journey can be enriched by art. Matias Puga is the co-founder of Your Creative Escapes , an online platform that connects travellers to artistic experiences in cities across Spain and Italy – from plein air painting in Madrid’s trendy Malasaña district to mural making in El Poblenou, Barcelona’s cultural hub in pursuit of creative expression. “Where would you like to learn: close to masters like Goya in Madrid or in the cradle of the Renaissance in Florence?” asks Puga.

Classes are led by experienced instructors and are open to all, “whether you want to have your first encounter with art or to perfect your technique”.

Besides, for guests on these courses, honing their skills with a paintbrush is only half the reward. “Visiting the Sagrada Família in Barcelona as a tourist is not the same as contemplating and painting it for several hours,” says Puga. “It's about stopping the world we live in for a moment.”

More amazing wellness retreats

Alila Ventana Big Sur, US

Nestled among giant redwoods and overlooking the Pacific, this luxury Californian resort invites guests to get close to nature through guided outdoor excursions and to get in touch with themselves through curated art workshops. Activities span soap making to watercolour painting to leather crafting.

Thyme, UK

The Cotswolds countryside is an ideal spot for setting out with a sketchbook, and it’s here you'll find this boutique hotel occupying cottages and stately abodes in the village of Southrop. Thyme runs a year-round schedule of workshops covering activities from botanical still-life painting to floristry.

Gold Coast Hotel, Hong Kong SAR

This seaside resort in Hong Kong has everything needed for a family getaway, including several pools, play areas and dining destinations. What’s more, all ages can get crafty at the hotel’s ceramics workshops, where adults can have a go at wheel throwing, and little ones can make their own ocean-themed pen holder.