Palazzo di Varignana and the Acquaviva Method: Aurora Retreat, a New Ritual of Wellbeing
by Massimo Terracina
Nestled among the rolling green hills just outside Bologna, Palazzo di Varignana (https://www.palazzodivarignana.com/) delivers on its promise of wellbeing with clarity, vision and precision. Here, wellness is not a trend or a fleeting escape, but a carefully designed journey—one that invites guests to begin the new year not with rushed resolutions, but with authentic, lasting transformation.
At the heart of this philosophy is Annamaria Acquaviva, the scientific soul of the resort and the creator of a method that has turned conscious longevity into a true way of life. (https://www.palazzodivarignana.com/health-wellness/retreats-metodo-acquaviva/)
As 2026 approaches, Palazzo di Varignana introduces Aurora Retreat (https://www.palazzodivarignana.com/esperienze/offerte/aurora-retreat/), an immersive experience designed for those seeking a profound reset: physical, mental and energetic. Far from a conventional wellness stay, Aurora Retreat is conceived as a modern rite of passage: two days devoted to restoring clarity, lightness and vitality, releasing the excesses of the festive season and opening space for a renewed personal chapter.
The “Acquaviva Method”: science becomes daily practice
At the core of the experience lies the Acquaviva Method, a system developed through years of clinical practice and scientific research. Acquaviva’s professional background as a dietitian, pharmacist and science communicator allows her to translate complex scientific principles into practical, everyday actions for wellbeing.
The method is built upon five essential pillars: functional nutrition, inner balance, conscious movement, restorative sleep and targeted supplementation. Palazzo di Varignana, near Bologna, is a refined countryside estate blending centuries-old architecture with contemporary elegance, wellness experiences, vineyards, and panoramic views over the Emilia-Romagna landscape. Here, these principles find their most complete expression, transforming the resort into a living laboratory of health and longevity.
«Wellbeing is never a single act, but the result of consistent choices over time,» Annamaria Acquaviva often explains. «Aurora Retreat represents a fluid and natural experience, where every detail is designed to guide guests through a genuine regenerative process.»
Menus based on functional nutrition support metabolism and help reduce inflammation; gentle movement practices, from yoga to Pilates, reset balance to both body and energetic posture; and moments of deep rest become active tools for recovery, enhanced by rituals and dedicated sleep-focused care.
Spa, Silence and Regeneration
The journey is further enriched by targeted treatments, including lymphatic drainage massages, and daily access to the iconic Varsana SPA (https://www.palazzodivarignana.com/health-wellness/varsana-spa/percorso-tradizionale/), where water, silence and landscape coexist in perfect harmony. Each guest also receives Acquaviva’s book, Health Revolution: The Five Pillars of Health, a guide that distills the philosophy of the method and encourages its integration into everyday life beyond the retreat.
Longevity on the Plate
The Acquaviva vision extends well beyond the retreat experience. At Ginkgo Longevity Restaurant (https://www.palazzodivarignana.com/hospitality/ristoranti-bar/ginkgo-longevity-restaurant/), the resort’s gastronomic heart, the table becomes a place of research and conscious pleasure. Even the New Year’s Eve dinner is reimagined as a dialogue between memory and the future, where Emilian culinary tradition is reinterpreted through the lens of functional nutrition.
Flavor is never sacrificed; on the contrary, dishes celebrate the territory while embracing a new language of cooking, where ingredients, pairings and techniques are carefully chosen to enhance the nutraceutical properties of food. It is a cuisine that honors pleasure, making it an ally of longevity rather than its opposite.
A Contemporary Vision of Luxury
In a world that moves relentlessly fast, Palazzo di Varignana offers a refined and intelligent pause. Its idea of luxury is contemporary and essential: time, awareness and enlightened choices. The Acquaviva Method stands as its most distinctive signature—a testament to a professional who has transformed the science of wellbeing into an art of inhabiting one’s body, consciously and gracefully, today and in the years to come.
