February 3, 2025
by Sara Darling
Sara Darling enjoys a healthy start to 2025 at the Lucia Magnani Health Clinic in Italy.
"Words by Sara Darling You may be in one of Italy’s most famous foodie regions, but eating carb-heavy local delicacies is the last thing on your mind when you sign up for the ‘Clean’ programme at the Lucia Magnani Health Clinic in the quaint medieval village of Castrocaro in the Emilia Romagna region. Heading to Bologna airport with unclear visions of what would unfold on my journey to live longer and better, and I was rather excited – anticipating lengthy spa time utilising the natural thermal springs, holistic regeneration sessions with therapists plus healthy food and lots of yoga. My timely visit was apparently ‘on trend’ as wellbeing and spiritual vacations are expected to be the fastest-growing search in holidays this year. This left me feeling quite smug as I entered the new year with a recharged and ‘clean’ version of me! Dedicated to promoting longevity and preventative care, the Lucia Magnani Health Clinic adjoins the Grand Hotel, which has been an eye-catching Art Deco landmark since the thirties. Still brandishing original furniture and features, along with the most famous thermal springs in Italy, guests have been flocking to the baths for decades. Nowadays, the hotel and clinic guests have private access to soak up their goodness, whilst the spa also utilises the mineral-rich waters and velvet mud in treatments to cleanse and nourish."
The Lucia Magnani Health Clinic, attached to the Art Deco Grand Hotel in Castrocaro, specializes in longevity and prevention. The famous hot springs have attracted visitors for decades, and today guests of the clinic and hotel can enjoy private access. The spa's treatments use mineral waters and natural mud to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.
Lucia Magnani Health Clinic, operated by GVM Care & Research Group since 2013, is much more than a spa. This private medical center is a global leader in integrated healthcare services, with modern facilities, dieticians, personal coaches and advanced diagnostic technologies such as MRI, full body scans, mammograms and densitometry. The center offers a wide range of treatments for wellness and prevention. The clinic has a dedicated area for transcranial magnetic stimulation, where specialists such as psychiatrists, neurologists and psychologists guide patients in therapeutic treatments. These interventions have proven effective in treating mild depression, addictions (such as gambling, drugs, alcohol) and cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. In addition, there is a private gym equipped with advanced artificial intelligence technology for personalized training.
Dr. Lucia Magnani has been running the Clinic for over 12 years and wants guests to feel like a second home: “When a guest arrives, I want them to feel welcomed and comfortable, just as I would with a guest in my home. I try to convey this sense of hospitality, a general embrace of humanity that goes beyond the simple offering of a service.” For this reason, she has created a series of popular programs based on in-depth research in chemical biology and medicine, which she calls the LongLife Formula®.
Each guest is treated as an individual and a personalized plan is created upon arrival. Although I am following the LongLife Formula five-day Clean program®, there are also options for weight loss, detox, energy, rehabilitation, relaxation and evergreen anti-aging, each with its own path.
I was greeted by my LongLife “angel”, who would be my translator (if necessary) and point of reference for any changes. I immediately felt at ease in the spacious and relaxing atmosphere, where everyone was dressed in white. It was only when I arrived in my room that I realized that I had also been given a white suit to wear.
My program included two personal training sessions a day and two massages, which were consistently great. I don't know if I could pick a favorite, but particularly notable were the Ayurvedic, Bamboo, and LongLife Body massages, all made with natural products from the region's thermal waters and muds. I also opted for a colonic irrigation, which was an interesting experience, and an ultrasound to monitor any internal issues.
From the LongLife Formula health check-up, which was a doctor-led assessment to look at my overall health and identify any risk factors, to the anti-aging check-up, which assessed my biological age and provided a strategy to slow down the aging process, to the posture check (which indicated I had a long way to go), it was definitely more than just a health spa, and the ethos of using predictive diagnostics like DNA testing is part of the personalized preventative strategy.
From five meals a day to regular personal training sessions, guests can also soak in the eight-acre gardens with an outdoor pool or practice yoga in the beautiful Pavilion. There are also bicycles to explore the picturesque Castrocaro countryside. However, the spa is the jewel in the crown, with a large thermal water pool that extends seamlessly indoors and outdoors. In addition to the pool, the spa offers detoxifying and rejuvenating treatments, including Roman baths, Finnish saunas, Turkish baths and ice fountains.
Not to mention the food! Although portions were measured, you could choose protein, carbohydrates and fibre to suit your plan; and eating five times a day meant I was never hungry. You could also have coffee after meals, and dinner was served in the atmospheric rooms of the Grand Hotel.
When my experience was over and I was waiting for my taxi to the airport, the anti-calypse was real. Organized days with the personal trainer twice a day, impeccable massages and access to the spa, it felt like being in Eden. Plus, I didn't even have to cook or think about what to wear. I had also lost 2 kg and gained 0.75 cm. I left clutching my personal LongLife Formula file which included the medical diary, the reports of all the tests, my food program and the treatments performed, as well as some Lucia Magnani beauty products. All I want to know is: when can I come back?”
Source: luxurylifestylemag.co.uk
