8-Day Italian Wellness and Longevity Retreat in Bologna, Italy

The retreat is held at Palazzo di Varignana, a sprawling resort set in 30 hectares of parks and gardens, with the historic Palazzo Bentivoglio at its heart. This 18th-century country castle has been carefully restored and is surrounded by a modern village of stone buildings that blend into the landscape. The resort also spans 350 hectares of farmland that supplies many of the ingredients used in the restaurants—olive oil, wine, fruit, and vegetables are all produced on-site, and you’ll get to taste them during your stay.

Each day follows a rhythm designed to balance activity and rest. Mornings might start with a 30-minute Bio Walking session through the vineyards, followed by a healthy full-board breakfast at the Ginkgo Longevity Restaurant. Later, you’ll make use of your daily three-hour access to the Varsana Spa, where you can rotate between the Grotta dei Calanchi (a unique salt cave), the Cava d’Oro Bianco, indoor and outdoor pools with hydro jets, several saunas, a Turkish bath, and sensory showers. The spa is huge—4,000 square meters—so there’s plenty of space to find your own quiet corner.

A key part of the experience is the food. The Ginkgo Longevity Restaurant serves what the resort calls “empowering cuisine”: dishes designed to be anti-inflammatory and low-FODMAP, free of gluten, dairy, and refined carbohydrates, but still full of flavor. You’ll also have dinners at other venues, including the Il Grifone restaurant and the Royal Train-Carriage Restaurant, and you’ll take part in two longevity cooking classes where you’ll learn to prepare some of these dishes yourself.

The program also includes a range of assessments and treatments. You’ll have a longevity check-up with a sleep assessment test, an epigenetic hair follicle test, and a skin check-up. There are two nature therapy sessions in the ornate gardens (which are part of the Grandi Giardini Italiani network), two guided relaxation sessions with binaural waves, and several spa treatments, including an oleaster body treatment and an olive oil ritual massage. Two masterclasses—“Shine your talent” and “Wellbeing strategies in daily life”—add a personal development angle, while an image consulting session touches on the role of beauty in feeling good.

Dr. Acquaviva’s method is the thread that ties it all together. She’s the author of “Health Revolution: The Five Pillars of Health,” and her approach integrates nutrition, stress management, sleep, physical activity, and the enjoyment of beauty and culture. During your stay, you’ll get a welcome kit with a tracksuit and sleep tracking band, as well as a sleep kit with a beauty pillow and mask, so you can monitor and improve your rest even after you leave.

What's included

- 7 nights stay in the selected room type - Daily healthy full board (breakfast, longevity lunch, dinner) at Ginkgo Longevity Restaurant - 1x Mindful lunch - 1x Wellbeing aperitif in the Royal Train of Palazzo di Varignana - 1x Dinner at Il Grifone restaurant - 1x Dinner at the Royal Train-Carriage Restaurant - 1x Superior tasting of wine and extra virgin olive oil from the estate - Daily 3 hours access to Varsana Spa (including Grotta dei Calanchi, pools, saunas, etc.) - 2x Nature therapy in the ornamental gardens (60 minutes each) - 2x Guided relaxation with binaural waves (45 minutes each) - 1x Masterclass “Shine your talent” (60 minutes) - 1x Masterclass “Wellbeing strategies in daily life” (60 minutes) - 2x Longevity cooking class - 1x Image consulting (60 minutes) - 1x Oleaster body treatment (50 minutes) - 1x Olive oil ritual massage (50 minutes) - 1x Fresh Leg Pomegranate Women's / Sangiovese Men's Face (50 minutes) - 1x Zafferano Well Age Face (50 minutes) - 3x Bio Walking in the vineyards (30 minutes each) - Acquaviva Method’s Welcome kit (tracksuit, sleep tracking band, infusions) - Acquaviva Method’s Sleep kit (beauty pillow, sleep mask) - Longevity check-up with sleep assessment test - Epigenetic Hair Follicle Test - Skin check-up - Beauty & Spa Interview - Luggage storage, parking, WiFi

What's not included

- Flights - The Longevity consultation with Dr. Acquaviva (€280, mandatory, includes bioimpedance analysis) - Additional spa treatments not in the itinerary - Optional airport transfers (€85 per person each way) - Personal expenses (minibar, laundry, phone calls) - Travel insurance